A bit of an update. Why does it happen to me...Remember the phone call for 8 hours the last time. Well this time the Insurance company sold me some insurance, yesterday. I called again this morning, like I do, to really check that what they told me was true, it wasn't! So I cancelled it after less than 24 hours. For the privilege of this they charged me £46.60 to which in said no way! So threatening an official complaint I told them they had miss-sold me the insurance. An illegal act, which is was. So they need to listen to the tapes of the call and then get back to me. They did this, my complaint upheld and a full refund.,,,, but the fun had already started.......

The car has no registration (plates) and no papers (V5C) so requires VIN (chassis) insurance. No big problem you would think. Get the insurance and go to the MOT (government test) and then apply for the plates and papers. Not so easy and yes a BIG problem. You already gather the insurance is an issue from the above.

Problem is a) car is military b) car is heavy at 3800GVW c) I want it to become a Motor Caravan c) its NATO green

This is so complicate its un-imaginable.....

I cannot get the government test unless its classed as a Motor Caravan as its too heavy to be a car. I cannot register it as anything else other than a HGV (lorry). I cannot drive an HGV as I have no licence and would need a Tachograph in the cab. So unless I can register it as a Motor Caravan I'm screwed unless I down plate (reduce the weight class) to 3500Kg

The Options......
"Down Plate" it to 3500kg. Easy enough to do £120. Then test it as a Class 7 as a Van. This is unfavourable to me today as the Road Tax is cheaper if its a Motor Caravan so I'd rather not spend £120 and then more on running it whilst its converted to a Motor Caravan. So I could get it tested as a Motor Caravan now at the plated weight of 3800Kg. Easy to do (sort of) but there are many conditions. It must have fixed living accommodation inside. Something its not got today. So I need to do something quickly. VERY quickly.

Now the gotcha....Insurance.
They won't insure it as a camper as its not yet registered as one. Won't insure it as a Military vehicle as its being converted to a camper. This was the problem with the now cancelled insurance. Catch 22.

Luckily I found a company via referral that will insure it as a self build camper now as long as I get the MOT as a camper and copy them the V5C.

Second Gotcha.
The MOT station need to see it as a camper. Fixed appliances and all. Bed, wardrobe, fridge etc.

I have the weekend to do this.......

Once I send in the paperwork to the government they may want to see photos of the camper. Now I can satisfy the local garage tester that its a camper with a few fixed, albeit, temporary appliances but to satisfy the government that's a different story.

Last option would be cancel the new insurance, down plate, test as a van and then never ever tell anyone its got camper stuff inside. Although if I have an accident I'm uninsured as I'm driving a van and its got camper stuff in it.....

The mind boggles.......

Did I mention if its insured as Military Its got to stay Green......ARGH !!!!

Spent all weekend thinking and planning. A few panic moments were had when I thought we would have even more trouble with the parts for the new Ambulance. As its based on the Military Wolf things are a little different than I'm used to and the main thing is the car is 24 volts where as a normal car is almost always 12 volts and this includes Matilda our trusty 300Tdi 110 Defender. The new 130 Defender Ambulance is 24v meaning parts are much more expensive for that side of things. Even the darn air filters are difficult to get as its got, you guessed it, a military one not the normal 300Tdi. However many hours of Google and its all becoming clear.

We should have it (her) delivered within the next few days and we've even chosen a name. Henrietta or Hennie for short.

This is
a) Julies Great Grandmothers name
b) A South African Lady who looked after us with Des her husband
c) The name of all the Hedgehogs in our garden who come back every year
d) a story Julie loves. Henrietta Hedgehog.

So there its done.

As you can see. We have another vehicle for the next trip. She/he will be converted into a camper.