What does 'unmodified' mean for a véhicule de collection?
Feb 17th 2022, 3:14 pm
#1
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Joined: Feb 2022
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What does 'unmodified' mean for a véhicule de collection?
Afternoon all. I'm contemplating importing a 30 year old campervan from the UK. This may well be a non-starter of an idea. I'm more than aware of the hair pulling and costs. And the fact it's a campervan ... I know I know, "just sell it in the UK and buy something in France"!
Before I do, I just wondered if anyone here had already imported 30+ year old vehicle and knew what 'unmodified' meant in the case of a classic vehicle. For example, if some of the cabinets in the van have been relaminated, or a piece of the roof lining has been replaced, would that be seen as a modification to the original spec.
I'm waiting to hear back from FFVE. Was just interested if anyone had any direct experience of this.
Many thanks.
Before I do, I just wondered if anyone here had already imported 30+ year old vehicle and knew what 'unmodified' meant in the case of a classic vehicle. For example, if some of the cabinets in the van have been relaminated, or a piece of the roof lining has been replaced, would that be seen as a modification to the original spec.
I'm waiting to hear back from FFVE. Was just interested if anyone had any direct experience of this.
Many thanks.
Feb 17th 2022, 3:27 pm
#2
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Posts: 5,254
Re: What does 'unmodified' mean for a véhicule de collection?
I think basically it simply means that the vehicle is essentially the same as it was when it came off the production line, ie unmodded. It's OK to repair things/replace like for like.
So if you've put a different engine in, added aerofoils, lowered the suspension, stuck a boy-racer exhaust on it etc etc etc, it's been modified.
In your case, I guess the big factor will be, did it start life as a camper (eg a Mercedes Hymer where Mercedes supplied the base vehicle direct to Hymer, who put their body on it and marketed it as whatever model it is), or did it start life as a van, and it has subsequently been converted into a camper? and if so, who did the conversion?
I understand where you're coming from, I used to have a Merc Hymer (1984) and I did plan to try and register it in France, unfortunately before I got round to it things had got to the stage where there was more work needed doing than I could cope with. Good luck with it.
So if you've put a different engine in, added aerofoils, lowered the suspension, stuck a boy-racer exhaust on it etc etc etc, it's been modified.
In your case, I guess the big factor will be, did it start life as a camper (eg a Mercedes Hymer where Mercedes supplied the base vehicle direct to Hymer, who put their body on it and marketed it as whatever model it is), or did it start life as a van, and it has subsequently been converted into a camper? and if so, who did the conversion?
I understand where you're coming from, I used to have a Merc Hymer (1984) and I did plan to try and register it in France, unfortunately before I got round to it things had got to the stage where there was more work needed doing than I could cope with. Good luck with it.
Feb 17th 2022, 3:38 pm
#3
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Re: What does 'unmodified' mean for a véhicule de collection?
EuroTrash thanks so much for your reply. It started life as a camper and hasn't had any modifications other than those like-for-like changes I mentioned in the OP. So that in itself is encouraging.
The fact it's a Toyota is another thing entirely. I know that trying to register a JDM vehicle younger than 30 is 99.99% impossible. Whether that's also the case with a 'classic' remains to be seen.
Interestingly enough, I was looking at a Merc Hymer from around that time just the other day! Lots of brown and orange velour inside!
The fact it's a Toyota is another thing entirely. I know that trying to register a JDM vehicle younger than 30 is 99.99% impossible. Whether that's also the case with a 'classic' remains to be seen.
Interestingly enough, I was looking at a Merc Hymer from around that time just the other day! Lots of brown and orange velour inside!
Last edited by Aceshigh; Feb 17th 2022 at 3:46 pm.
