Race car transporters + Horse boxes + DIY Motorhomes can be registered .... Ive done it!

[pigiron]

Of interest to owners of Race car transporters ... Horseboxes ... Home built motorhomes ... Trucks ... Other non standard bodied vehicles.

 Way back last December I posted a request for advice about how to go about re-registering my Iveco Cargo 7.5 tonne racecar transporter, unfortunatley I only recived two very pesamistic replies basicaly saying DONT BOTHER. However I am pleased to report that after eight months of persistance I now have my carte gris, the truck is now officialy recognised as a Camping car + remise (shed?) voiture, which is great as camping car insurance is much cheaper than regular trucks.

I cant prommise that the following information will be totaly relevant for all senarios and there will undoutoubly be diferences in opinion of the interpretation of the regulations by different Drire technicians but it will certainly point you in the right direction. I dealt with the DRIRE near St Brieuc 22 Brittany, although only available on Monday aftrenoons for advice the lady chief technican was extreemly helpfull and realy new her job. Vehicles over 3.5 tonne PTAC (fully loaded) are considered Poids Lourds, mine was 7.7 tonne but the regulations regarding lighter motorhomes and vans are basicaly the same.

In France a vehicle fitted with a sink, cooker, table and benches/beds is considered to be a Camping car and MUST therefore go through a Reception a titre isolé at the DRIRE, DIY conversions without this are actualy ileagal. 

Before you do anything make a visit to you DRIRE office and speak to the person who deals with vehicle conformity inspection (do not cofuse this with the vehicle control techniqe MOT) who will let you know if the project is worth going for. I was give a list of documents I had to aquire before the DRIRE would even consider giving me  the all important 'PROCES-VERBAL DE RECEPTION A TITRE ISOLE'.

Ducuments required.......

Attestation de Coformité and Notice descriptive .....from the manufacturer in France to say that the chassis was available on the French market. If you have an Iveco Ford dont bother with Iveco France as they deal only with Fiat engined ones get in touch with Ford France, this mistake cost me a five weeks wait.

Tickets de Pesée ... I had the truck weighed at my local farmers COOP for free.

Certificat de Carrossage...... You can do this yourself but dont bother it too complicated, it is a form which describes the body work on trucks etc and contains information relating to dimensions axle wieghts, centre pf gravity etc. Do as I did and go to your local friendly lorry body builder, I went to one who makes bulk feed lorries, he simply measured the truck fed the data in to a PC and left all the tricky calculations the his software and hey presto I had the forms in my hand. The boss of the firm did it himself after the factory had closed and would not accept a penny, it took around one and a half hours !

A drawing of the vehicle showing postion of gas bottles, water tanks etc.

A list of modifications and work done to the vehicle.

Certificat NFS 56-200 .... this covers such things as gas and ventilation regulations and is isued by two organisations, Association Qualigaz or Bureau Veritas. For a fee they will inspect to see if the accomodation complies with 'current' European rules. I had to fit a separate shut of valve for each of the five apliences and fit a 30mbar regulator.

A Quittance des Impots ... from the Hotel d'Impots to say there is not tax due on the vehicle.

Copy of the UK V5

When you have this lot the DRIRE will inspect the vehicle, in my case this was an absolute dodle and I was quite surprised how uninvolved this was, she was more interested in the basics such as confirming the chassis number and tyre sizes. She did look to see that the the furnitures edges and corners had the correct radus and that the cupboards and fridge had anti burst catches. Also the size of the escape window oppostae the entry door was checked.

Once you have the Procees verbal de reception de titre isolé its of to the prefecture and its just the same a registering a standard car.

I can confirm that without doubt the acces door for the accomodation has to be on the right hand side ie doors on the UK neat side is forbidden.... I have it in black and white! This was my bigest issue as it meant repositioing the the kitchen.

Non automatic entry steps should have an alarm to say they are still protracted when driving.

Windows should be of current EU spec caravan type but were not checked in my case.

Escape window must be 0.25 M2 with one minimum dimension of 45CM and has to fitted on the opposite side to the entry door. Rear entry doors or hatches are considered ok as an escape.

A one kg extigisher has to be fitted in the accomodation and a two kg one in the cab if over 3.5 tonne.

The entry door hinges must be towards the front of the vehicle and the door must have a minnimum opening of 0.65M2 and height of 114cm.

There is an alternative to all this and is the most common solution used my many fellow race drivers and tht is to register the truck as a Camoin Atellier but you are still not suposed to have full sleeping faciliteis etc it really just gives you the right to use it on Sundays etc. By persisting and registering as a fully legal motor home with garage I have quadrupled the value of the truck in France as they are like hens teeth but there no Im going through that lot again so dont ask if its for sale, its going to last the rest of my racing life.

In total the project cost about £1500, fees and materials with around 40 hours labour on top, not an inconsiderable sum but worth every penny and moment of frustration.

 

 

[Robbos]

that's very reassuring.  I have  a 7.5 tonne Iveco Ford horsebox, and have made enquiries on this forum with negative/pessimistic answers.  I am determined to take to france and seek formal acceptance since it fulfills a multitude of services for us, as well as moving the horses!..We don't have living accomodation so it is really an open truck (with the door on the left...............) will follow your recs.  Many thanks. K