Club 80-90 Forums

HI there, my T25 now has a different engine in it to the original one. I was just about to send the vehicle registration documents off to change the registered keeper into my name, when i realised that the engine number they have must also be wrong now. also, the van was set up as a mini-bus when i bought it (had lots of seats) but now only has 2 seats (driver and passenger).

Is it really important to change these details? is there any way i can be found out and 'punished' later or is it really unlikely. also i wonder if the insurance company can find out as i forgot to mention it has a different engine?

Is it better to say this now or not a problem? please offer any advice/experience if you have any, its greatly appreciated. Cheers, Raphaela

It is easy to change the engine details ,as long as it is not a "bigger" capacity engine it should not worry your insurance company, but advise them anyway. As for it being a mini-bus and now having only two seats, not worth the bother of trying to get reclassified. Mine was a bus now its' a hightop camper...not changed it's classification. Mark

If it only has the 2 seats, then I agree, don't worry about re classifying it as minibus seats were made to be removable.

BUT... If you've fitted any kind of interior, camping gear etc, then do tell your insurance company exactly what's going on. It is worth having it re classed as a motor caravan if it is one as it keeps all the papers in order and stops any easy insurance company get outs.

I've read varying things on this subject, but it seems that if you just want to change from Minibus to Motor Caravan, just fill it in on the log bok when you're sending it off for change of keeper and it should come back correctly. One or two have said about having to have an inspection, but I think that's when they've been changed from Panel Van on the log book. I could be wrong, but I'd try it and see

As far s the engine number's concerned, it doesn't have to be on the V5, but if you're doing everything else, you might as well put it on, like pocolow said, if there's no change in fuel type or size, it shouldn't be a probelm with your insurers, just as long as they have it down as the engine size that it is and that is the same as the log book, regardless of engine number.

Hope this makes sense
Andi

Always tell the insurance co

They only need one excuse not to pay out

Mine started its life as a bus also. When I went for the insurance I told them about the new interior and it was now a Camper but I was told because it wasn,t a factory build and only a conversion then it still is a van ! Very wooly area this. If you read through the bumf on the DVLA site it has to meet certain criteria to be reregistered as a camper and as I understand it my van is recognised as a weekender (no fixed gas cooker and no plumbing but a bed also figures in the equation) so no need for the change. The nice insurance chap told me that if I kept a dog in the back would I register it as a kennel ? ? !! ?? Anyway I wanted to get it right (important like you say) so I took in photos and showed them..........result is I am insured for a VW T3 1.9D Van with no interior or contents cover. Changed the engine swap I did from 1.7 to 1.9 on the V5 but had a ( god why is it such a problem to get it right) I could only make out the last three digits, tad rusty you see, so the new V5 reads just the numbers and 1.9
Has anyone else had this with a conversion ?