roof removal - Legal issues

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
discojamz

discojamz

Active Member
Posts
833
Location
Bristol
I'm toying with the idea of taking the roof off my 90 CSW one weekend, 1 to give it a nice bit of paint, and secondly, seeing whats its like to drive a landrover "roadster"!

There is a couple of issue tho i have about the legality of just simply taking the roof off.
You obviously have to take the rear door off aswell but is it ok to drive around with no rear door on the tub, taking all the crap out the boot which is likely to fly out.
Secondly the front seatbelts mounts are located on the body which would come out with the roof. Do you HAVE to have seatbelts? How have others got around this problem?
 
There could be a couple of problems:

1. If your vehicle should get stolen and the insurance company found out you had removed the roof, you have removed the ability to lock the vehicle, I suspect they would revoke your cover as its not the vehicle spec they insured.

2.Also if you have an accident and your vehicle turns over you have removed some of your protection so a reduced claims payout, as you will have contributed to your injury's.

3. Unless you fit lap strap type seat belts, you will be breaking the "vehicle construction and use regulations".

As for removing the rear door it wouldn't be a problem as long as you do not have an insecure load. ie: it falls on the road or is considered dangerous.
 
discojamz said:
I'm toying with the idea of taking the roof off my 90 CSW one weekend, 1 to give it a nice bit of paint, and secondly, seeing whats its like to drive a landrover "roadster"!

There is a couple of issue tho i have about the legality of just simply taking the roof off.
You obviously have to take the rear door off aswell but is it ok to drive around with no rear door on the tub, taking all the crap out the boot which is likely to fly out.
Secondly the front seatbelts mounts are located on the body which would come out with the roof. Do you HAVE to have seatbelts? How have others got around this problem?
Click to expand...

If the vehicle was fitted with seatbelts then it has to have them. So unless it's a series 1 then it has to have seatbelts fitted. this can be a lapbelt or a 3 point belt fastened to the bulkhead or even a full race harness type belt. driving it around without the roof isn't a major issue. Full softtop models are a prime example. as said above inform your insurance, The rear door issue is simple enough to solve a piece of 1/2" ply cut to fit the opening solves the problem of items falling out.
 
redhand said:
If the vehicle was fitted with seatbelts then it has to have them. So unless it's a series 1 then it has to have seatbelts fitted. this can be a lapbelt or a 3 point belt fastened to the bulkhead or even a full race harness type belt.
Click to expand...

Ok so moving the upper seatbelt mounting to the rear bulkhead behind the seat would solve that. How about simply just using the original inertia reel belt as a simple lap belt with the strap doubling up over your waist (so it goes fromthe right where the reel is, over and plugs in on the left, and then returns back to the right where it is fixed?
 
discojamz said:
Ok so moving the upper seatbelt mounting to the rear bulkhead behind the seat would solve that. How about simply just using the original inertia reel belt as a simple lap belt with the strap doubling up over your waist (so it goes from the right where the reel is, over and plugs in on the left, and then returns back to the right where it is fixed?
Click to expand...

You'll have too much belt inside the reel and it will probably interfere with the inertia mechanism. Why not just get a Discovery lapbelt or a series seatbelt and fittings and fit that. Only a complete and total Moron bodges a seatbelt installion. This is your life and the life of your wife/G-F/Children we're talking about here. :(
 
Ok so as long as it has some sort of seat belt on seats which originally had them I should be ok in the eyes of the law.

No heres an idea - side facing seats dont require belts, even if they are in the front:D :D

Wasn't thinking of doing anything permenant at the moment, just thought, hey, why not take the roof off for a couple of days while we have a bit of sun!
 
Might be a bit difficult driving while facing sideways though?? And I think you'll find that it's sidefacing seats fitted in the rear of a vehicle that don't need seatbelts!!

Oh and WHAT SUN!!!!!
 
redhand said:
Might be a bit difficult driving while facing sideways though?? And I think you'll find that it's sidefacing seats fitted in the rear of a vehicle that don't need seatbelts!!

Oh and WHAT SUN!!!!!
Click to expand...

Hey well I'm always up for a bit of a challenge!!

yes sun, at last. Need all the sun we can get down here to ripen our grapes :)
 
hold on, i'll grab my rope and will tow it up there

No unfortunately not. Although will probably have to jump in the big grape trailer and dig out bits of posts that the picking machine chews up and dumps in it, which then blocks the auger, right at the bottom!
 
we'll have to see about that! got a shed load on my wardrobe at home just sitting there(keep getting more). When you next back down south from uni boydy?

Quick? yeah right, takes me 10mins just to get to 50!
 
Ill probably be back down mid october time next.

And get this! Timed my 90, 0-60, 20 seconds! Will impresed with TDi!

As for roofs, when i did my conversion, before i had the correct fittings, i bolted the upper mount to the bulkhead, onto the old truck cab fitting. Not really very comfortable, but it did the job till i got the bars.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
Roll cage to support expedition roof rack?
Replies
13
Views
1K
ER1C
ER1C
dag019
Difference between hard top and station wagon roof
Replies
9
Views
2K
julianf
julianf
Benny_Boy
Ouch Front headliners are expensive
Replies
1
Views
399
Knappster
Knappster
dag019
Door latch fitting
Replies
5
Views
853
Knappster
Knappster
cornisharch
Defender rear door to tailgate
Replies
4
Views
1K
cornisharch
cornisharch
Back
Top