Hi there, I am new to the group. I am in the process of buying a lorry chassis cab to convert into a heavy duty recovery lorry.
It’s more of personal project. No Spec lift & no transportation of vehicles or passengers.
It’s an Ex Military Scammell 6X6 with a substantial HIAB on it & a 40 ton winch.
The main use will be on private land recovering machinery such as stuck excavators & using the HIAB a lot to do lifts on private property.
However it obviously has to be classed & insured as something. I think ‘Private HGV’ is out of the question.
I was just looking for some advice on how to class a 1984 (Tax Exempt?) lorry fitted with a HIAB & Winch?
Do I have to register a recovery business before calling a recovery lorry insurance specialists?
There is possibly an option to class it as an ‘Ex military historic vehicle’. Obviously cheaper & less burreacracy. But I don’t really want to be explaining myself (Why am I here & what am I doing, fully loaded with chains & strops) if & when I get pulled by VOSA !
Will this be for free? Or for reward?
If any money is involved then INF 34 says
“You cannot tax your vehicle in the historic tax class if:
• the vehicle is used for hire or reward
• the vehicle is used commercially in connection with a trade or business”
It looks to me like you have an agricultural vehicle or construction vehicle?
But it would be prudent to talk to a legal specialist before going too far with any plans, so you don’t get a nasty sur[prise later on.
It would be for hire & reward.
I also intend to network with small operations that need things like large Lathes or CNC machines moving but not transporting… Maybe sometime I will load it on to someones else’s flatbed.
But I am pretty sure I do not want to venture anywhere near ‘Mobile Crane’.
‘Recovery vehicles’ have cranes on them !
Thanks for your reply. At least now I know I am going to have to Tax it.
I can understand that, but maybe that is what you really have here?
I say get advice from a specialist. A few quid now can save lots more later.