panelvan conversion?

NUT161 · tinkerer Joined: 30 Dec 2001 Posts: 225

ok ive got all the gear i need now and all i need to know is what other people have used to seal the panels to the car. I was thinking that silastic would do the job but if anyone knows anything better that would be great.

Soop · backyard mechanic Joined: 30 May 2002 Posts: 748

How are you going about getting this rego'd as a p/van ?

I rang up about it a little while back and the guy on the phone was a complete dick. Basically said that it couldn't be legally done.

I know it can, so whats involed in getting it legal ?

Neslo · tinkerer Joined: 21 Oct 2001 Posts: 133

fuck that, i'm makin mine a panelvan aswell, i called up, they said u could do it, but better to register it as a wagon. in order to do the conversion properly, u would have to take the windows out, then weld sheet metal across them, then bolt the covers on, thats pretty much how a panelvan is. Also i've been told seats are allowed to be in the back of the panelvan. Others say it cant be done? I'll call up later on this week and find out, last time i called it was some bitch i couldnt understand and so i just hung up. but i'm sure if u got an engineer plate, u'd be alowed it, ppl have put seats in the back of panelvans before, like the old ford and holden ones, so i dont see why we cant do it in a gem. maybe different states have different rules about it, thats why i'm getting a few different answers. anyways, i'll let yas know if its legal in QLD. Fuck i babble

Neslo · tinkerer Joined: 21 Oct 2001 Posts: 133

Just thought about it about more, and i recon if u register it as a wagon, there shouldnt be any reason why u cant keep back seats in, because standard gemini wagons have 5 seats, therefore, its like have a wagon that looks a bit different, dont see why or how there'd be any problem with that.

Cheers

Neslo

Soop · backyard mechanic Joined: 30 May 2002 Posts: 748

Hmm its actually a fair bit of fuss to do.

See wagons have windows, so if you crash they can break em and get in.

If you have metal panels and fiberglass then they can't. Well they can but not in theory.

In order to do the conversion I think you need to remove the whole back seat, drill out the seatbelt holes, and add the rear panelvan section.

Neslo · tinkerer Joined: 21 Oct 2001 Posts: 133

Yeh but i dont wanna remove the back seat....thats why i wanna see if i can register it as a wagon, and keep the back seats....

NUT161 · tinkerer Joined: 30 Dec 2001 Posts: 225

yeah mines already registered as a wagon so there will be no hassle with qld transport, but you will get defected with the back seats in for the reason already stated.

Neslo · tinkerer Joined: 21 Oct 2001 Posts: 133

ok, but i dont understand how other ppl can put seats in other panelvans, and get away with it?? if they can put seats in, surely we can

Wagonslut · tinkerer Joined: 11 Apr 2002 Posts: 376

now boys and girls, in queensland u CANNOT have a back seat in a gemini panelvan, a panelvan is classed as a cargo carrying vehicle and therefore is permitted to have a maximum of 3 seats(being a bench seat) been down this road before, 2 defects to prove it, gotta love those yellow stickers;) If ur converting a wagon to a panelvan, u need to remove the back seat, drill out the seatbelt holes and get a compliance plate (for removal of seats) about 90$ from ur nearest engineer, oh and heres a little tip, wen u get ur next defect, deregister the vehicle and the defects become cleared, but not the points or fine, and then register in ya mommas name, just a little legal loop hole for us gemmy boys!!!

Soop · backyard mechanic Joined: 30 May 2002 Posts: 748

Hmm, ok so what if the backseats were removed and I had p/van panels up.

Is it possible to keep it registered as a wagon ?

Neslo · tinkerer Joined: 21 Oct 2001 Posts: 133

not really sure....i think so....thats how i was gonna try and get around having 5 seats in it...register it as a wagon. i could do it, and they would never know, till the cops pulled me over, but then i could try and lie my way out of it. i dunno, gotta call them very soon...

Neslo · tinkerer Joined: 21 Oct 2001 Posts: 133

Fuck that sucks, i sorta wanna do it anyway, but it'd be too much hassle...i dont understand how other ppl can do it in their old holden and ford panno's....and we cant? thats fucked. I was kinda thinkin bout doin mooch's idea, but with mirror tint on the back, or really really dark tint....so its still a wagon, but u wont be able to see in the back of it, what do ya's recon?

ByteMe22 · backyard mechanic Joined: 28 Dec 2001 Posts: 591

works in theory....but mirror tint or black tint is also not do-able... you are not alowed to have darker than a certain tint..

Neslo · tinkerer Joined: 21 Oct 2001 Posts: 133

ahh, ur allowed darkest tint u want on the back i think...heard ppl say it. Another way i could get around it would be take out the bottom bench seat, and push the back rest forward, that way it at least looks like a panno...wouldnt have the 5 seats, but would be a good way around it, cops wouldnt look at it too hard and defect me for it, unless they are complete cunts

BArtyC · rice boy Joined: 05 Jun 2002 Posts: 35

I dont know if its a help but I have a wagon. The guy I bought it from Had a piece of 5 ply wood cut to the size of the back (with the seats down) it makes a much more stable floor.