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Hello.
I thought I’d share what I did with you, as I haven’t done a fancy conversion. I have done the bare minimum – just enough to get my minibus classification changed on the V5c to motor caravan, which has now been done! In all, my camper only took a couple of hours over four weekends to convert. Once I had sent my paperwork and photos off to the DVLA, my new V5c arrived within 10 days. So everything was very quick. I am based in Cornwall (UK).Before work commenced I took photos: front of van including number plate, rear of van including number plate, inside of van showing passenger seats.
After unbolting all of the passenger seats and removing most of them I reversed two, so that they were facing backwards. I placed them side by side behind the driver’s seat and bolted them in. The two seats together are 3ft wide. I then bolted another two seats in, facing forward. This will become the dining area. I made sure that the gap in between the backrests was 6ft. This is for the bed. (Details further below).
Seats in, so I got a piece of plywood that will become the dining table. I placed this on the seats to bridge the gap between the seats. This will double as the bed base. I put a single memory foam mattress on top of the bed base, and then made the bed with pillow and duvet. I got a tape measure out which showed that the length of the sleeping area was 6ft 2. I took a photo of the made up bed with tape measure on it.
The dining area has to have fixed chairs and a dining table that is either fixed to the wall or floor but can be removed. I cut the plywood down so that it was as wide as the gap between the seats. I purchased a wall fixing, table attachments and folding legs. Once all screwed on, I took a photo of the table attached to the wall with legs upright and then another photo of the legs folded and the table being used as a bed base but made sure that I also got the wall fixing in shot.
I went to B&Q and got their cheapest 29inch deep wall units. 2×1000 mm and 1x800mm. I used a mix of normal plastic base unit legs and long threaded bars to secure the units to the floor. I put the units all up the side where the sliding door is and then climbed in to the driver’s seat so that I could get a photo of the cupboards with their doors open and closed and in both shots you could see the dining table and chairs.
The DVLA paperwork says you need to provide one locker/cupboard/wardrobe. It also says that you need to provide cooking facilities with a minimum of a two ring burner and that these facilities need to be in their own unit. Well, I have just put in 3 units. So on the top of the unit which overlaps the sliding door I placed my Campingaz two ring burner. It has hollow legs, so after drilling I bolted this burner to the top of the cupboard. (I haven’t bothered putting a worktop on). I opened the cupboard doors and took a photo from below, showing the two ring burner and the bolts that have come through to the inside of the cupboard. This is a gas burner so I found an old rucksack strap and secured it to the side of the cupboard. I then put the gas bottle in and strapped it, so it wouldn’t move. The DVLA paperwork says that the gas supply has to be permanently fixed to the structure of the vehicle, so I cut a hole in the rear of the cupboard so the gas pipe could pass from the bottle, up the cupboard and to the gas inlet on the cooker. I then bought clips and secured the gas pipe by putting the clips around the pipe and screwing them in to the back of the unit. It doesn’t say anywhere that the hob as to be a motorhome gas hob. It doesn’t say it needs to be countersunk. It doesn’t say that you need an oven or a washing up sink, so I haven’t bothered with them either. It does say that you need a water container, so I purchased a plastic 15l one and put it in the same cupboard as the gas. It doesn’t say anywhere that the gas bottle needs to be externally accessible or in its own metal cupboard so I couldn’t see that this would be a problem. I took another photo with the cupboard doors open showing both of these in place.
Believe it or not, that is all that is needed! I chose to have stickers put on my van, so waited until after this was done before taking the final photos. Again front and back with number plate, doors open, general internal views.
The DVLA also provide you with a link to a template letter, so you just fill in the [ ] spaces with your information. You send the letter, photos and completed V5C off and wait ……
It was really easy and quick. Now next spring I can take my time and insulate the van. I’m not putting in any electrics at all. I tend to go to campsites and use their facilities and when I use it as a day van I have my gas for coffee.
I hope this helps someone
Great write up, thanks for
Great write up, thanks for sharing this with everyone.
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