Truck and van manufacturers are increasingly offering a one-stop shop for vehicle bodybuilding and conversion services. And it makes sense for fleet operators to select those services, particularly with the introduction of the EC Whole Vehicle Type Approval which has increased costs for conversion work.
It means they are supplied with a fully fitted vehicle, rather than having to build an after-fit into their schedules; responsibility for managing the process rests with the manufacturer; and the work is fully warrantied. Here, we look at what’s on offer.
Scania
Scania offers a range of fully built-up rigid trucks under the Scania Complete Vehicles range, which comprises four body types: box, curtainsider, skip-loader and hook-loader. The box and curtainsider are available on the two-axle 18-tonne and also the three-axle 26-tonnes gross vehicle weight (GVW), the Hyva based skip-loader at 18-tonnes and the Multilift XR26S.55 hook-loader at 32-tonnes. Cab range and Euro 6 engines available.
Volvo
Volvo Trucks don’t have an official branded converter/bodybuilder programme, but customers can access through their local Volvo Truck dealer a series of bodied chassis cab rigids. The four-axle FMX 8x4 can be ordered via the dealers with a Hyva Hooklift or a steel tipper from either Wilcox bodies or Boweld in north Wales. Volvo Trucks also offer FLs with box van and curtainsider from volume bodybuilder Lawrence David in Peterborough.
DAF
DAF is unique in the UK as it still builds trucks at its factory in Leyland, Lancashire. What is perhaps not nearly as well known is that DAF also builds truck bodies alongside the chassis in the same factory. The LF PACCAR Aerobody is available directly off-the-shelf through its dealer network and is ordered in the same way as a chassis without a body. It’s available with a choice of 7.5-,10- or 12-tonne Box/curtainsider bodies plus a range of tail-lifts and accessories. Dedicated bodybuilder website at dafbbi.com.
Iveco Trucks
Iveco supplies a range of bodied 7.5-tonners for its Eurocargos to buy from dealers under the DriveAway Options programme. This means the complete truck and body can be purchased on one invoice with a comprehensive two-year unlimited mileage warranty. The programme features three 7.5-tonne GVW models with a choice of a Brit-Tipp bodied steel tipper, weighing in at 1100kgs, a JC Payne built 34.77 cubic metre box van body weighing approximately 1370kg and a JC Payne built 35.95 cubic metre curtainsider.
Isuzu Trucks
Isuzu Trucks used to have its chassis built and bodies fitted at a manufacturing plant in Portugal but all this changed when, in early 2014, it transferred manufacturing to Italy. Bristol-based TGS provides tippers and dropsiders as complete vehicles for the dealer network to order on behalf of customers. This is slightly different for the larger 7.5-tonne GVW trucks, where the tippers and dropsiders are supplied as complete vehicles by Warrington based Brit-Tipp. A new line of Box bodies and Curtainsiders are also available through PPS at 7.5-tonne GVW.
MAN
MAN’s conversion programme is branded MAN Trucks To Go and started in 2012 covering a series of volume-selling bodied chassis cabs. At the heavy end,, the MAN TGS 35.400 rigids are available with steel tippers and Hyva hooklifts from Thompsons. It also supplies a Skip Loader for the TGM 18.260. Under the programme, the three-axle TGS26.400 is supplied with a Sterling coachworks beaver-tail plant type conversion. Down the weight range, the TGM 18-tonners have a specialist removals body by Bespoke in Warrington. The MAN TL 7.5 tonners have the option of either a box or curtainsider from Micra Trucks or Transload.
Mercedes-Benz Trucks
Similar to its van division, Mercedes-Benz Trucks doesn’t have a dedicated conversion programme with even the Fuso Canter losing its dropside conversion over the past couple of years. This means the responsibility for bodies for both Mercedes-Benz and Fuso products is down to the dealer and customer to source the best bodybuilder for the application. Of course, that’s not to say there is no help available; any bonafide bodybuilder can access Mercedes-Benz’s bodywork portal to access technical guidance on how to build the bodies and also ancillary equipment onto the vehicles.
Renault Trucks
Renault Trucks currently don’t have any readily available approved programmes but this will be changing in the next few months. Up to now it has relied on the dealer network to provide assistance and advice on a suitable bodies to prospective customers, although it offers bodybuilders access to specification sheets, scale drawings and body mounting guides. Renault Trucks also sell the Master van and it is close to launching a range of approved tippers, dropside, utility and Luton box variants for this, utilising the services of bodybuilder VFS. It has Type Approved installations (NSSTA) with many key bodybuilders.
Citroën
Between 2012 and 2014, sales of Citroën conversions increased tenfold. Since then, Citroën has invested more than £2m and now has more than 100 ready converted vans in dealer stock. The Relay Ready to Run program covers tippers, dropsides and Lutons, which are converted in the UK by Tipmaster, Ingimex and Buckstone respectively. Citroën Contract Motoring (CCM) can be used for finance. The Ready to Run Specialist programme is for other models or conversions not covered by Relay Ready to Run, including refrigerated, glass carrying and low-loading vans.
Ford
Ford has been busy during the past 12 months rolling out its new 105-strong Transit24 ‘One Stop Shops’, and the dealer network is well stocked with ready to drive away conversions. There are no factory built conversions; instead, Ford has partnered with UK bodybuilders VFS and Ingimex to offer a comprehensive range of dropsides, tippers, curtainsiders, Luton and box vans. There isn’t, however, an approved supplier scheme for more specialist conversions. The Transit chassis cab dimensions and requirements will be supplied to the dealer or customer specified bodybuilder.
Mercedes-Benz Vans
Mercedes-Benz doesn’t have a dedicated conversion programme. The only ‘drive away’ conversion is the Sprinter dropside, which is assembled and put together at the factory in Düsseldorf and the good news for van operators of this particular model is that they will enjoy the benefits of the Mercedes-Benz’s renowned three-year and unlimited mileage warranty. For tipper, box van and specialist operations, it’s down to the dealer and customer to source the best bodybuilder for the application, although bodybuilders can join the company’s bodywork portal to access technical guidance.
Renault
The Renault master chassis is one of the lightest at 3.5 tonnes, which makes it an ideal base for converted veicles. Renault says it is able to satisfy around 75% of conversion customers with the tipper, dropside, box van and Luton low loader, wich are built and converted at the Master’s factory in France. It also offers specalist conversions, carried out by any of around 30 Renault approved bodybuilders in the UK. Converted Masters are available from any of Renault’s 151 sales and services centres, although we’d recommend visiting one of the
38 Pro+ Centres for specialist conversions.
Peugeot
Despite rapid gains in the UK LCV market recently, Peugeot still doesn’t offer a dedicated UK van conversion program. Peugeot has preferred to focus its attention on panel vans and motorhome applications rather than commercial, which now make up a third of van sales between 3.5- and 5.0-tonne. The French manufacturer does have list of around five approved local bodybuilders for tippers, dropsides and box vans, which are covered by the manufacturer warranty. But each conversion is made to order, the only new conversions through cancelled orders, which potentially increases lead times.
Fiat Professional
Fiat Professional has offered a factory fitted dropside version of the Doblo, called the Work Up,since 2011, and it is the only one of its kind on the market. Ducato has three major off-the-shelf conversions available starting with a dropside covering all the wheelbases and GVW options from 3000 to 4250kg. A three-way steel tipper designed, built and guaranteed directly by Fiat Professional is available for two of the wheelbases, offering payloads from 927 to 1162kg. Finally, it offers a flatbed with load platform, 2m wide and 2.8 to 4.2m long, made of Scandinavian timber.
Volkswagen
Volkswagen’s Engineered-to-Go programme started in 2007 and is made up of a tipper, dropside, and, since 2014, Luton van. Volkswagen invests heavily to ensure
its nationwide Van Centre network is well stocked with demonstrators and drive-away models, which dramatically reduces lead times and leg work. All of the Engineered-to-Go range is converted in the UK by Ingimex and is offered with flexible finance packages from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle Finance. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles also has a list of around 14 approved bodybuilders for more specialist conversions.
Vauxhall
Core Conversions from Vauxhall are factory built, and include the dropside, tipper and box van. Vauxhall has one of the most versatile ready-built conversions ranges, with 56 different weights, cab configurations and wheelbases. All come with Vauxhall’s three-year, or 100,000-mile, warranty. Vauxhall has partnered with a number of UK bodybuilders to offer around 10 ‘recognised’ conversions, including the car transporter from TGS and a refrigerated van from Cold Consortium. All recognised conversions are validated by Vauxhall’s Special Vehicle engineering team.
Iveco Vans
Iveco Vans has a similar programme on trucks as on vans, using the same brand name of DriveAway, covering a range of bodied 3.5-tonne New Daily chassis cabs which are available to order via the dealer network. The range consists of the standard body types, or volume sellers such as Luton from JC Payne, Dropside and steel Tipper from Ingimex and they are all available on single or twin wheel.
All New Daily DriveAway vehicles will receive a comprehensive three-year unlimited mileage warranty for chassis and body.
Nissan
Nissan’s dealer network is surprisingly well stocked with both the NV400 and NT400 Cabstar conversions. Most NV400 conversions are carried out on the production line in France; however only the tipper and dropside Cabstar bodies are factory fitted; the Box van is built and fitted by Northern Truck Bodies in South Shields. Nissan’s relationship with Gruau, one of Europe’s leading van converters, means it is the only manufacturer to offer ready-built refrigerated vans for its light and heavy duty (NV200, NV400, Cabstar).
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