Following advice from Dave DND, Manxdavid, Chad and Chris Jordan's post I thought I would post what I did in case it would help another member.


Copy of letter sent to DVLA on 1/7/2020


1st July 2020

Re Change of Body Type / Colour to (Reg Number Deleted)

Dear Sir

Please find enclosed and amended V5C relating to vehicle (Reg Number Deleted).  The original orange Saloon body has been removed and has been replaced with a yellow "Doon" beach buggy shell provided by Volksmagic on the original unmodified chassis.

I have also enclosed a completed Built Up Vehicle Inspection Report, form V627/1, detailing the changes as well as photographs showing the unmodified components as well as the new shall fitted. I have also included a copy of the receipt for the purchase of the beach buggy shell.

Can you please amend section D.5 from "Saloon" to "Beach Buggy" and section R from "Orange" to "Yellow".

The vehicle will be undergoing an MOT later this month now that testing stations have reopened.

If you need any further information please feel free to contact me.

Kind regards




Copy of amended V5






Copy of V627/1 Page 1






Copy of V627/1 Page 2






Copy of letter from DVLA on 22/7/2020






I emailed this back on the 26/7/2020


Re 89749971 bishopg1 Kits & rebuilds D9 – (Reg Number Deleted)

Dear Mr Bishop

Thank you for your letter of 22nd July 2020.

In answer to your questions –

1.   The wheel plan length measured from the centre of the front wheel to the centre of the back wheel is 2,400 mm

2.   The vehicle has 4 seats in total (2 in the front and 2 in the back)

3.   I confirm that the original chassis has not been modified in any way

Kind regards



Letter received from DVLA on 28/7/2020







New V5 received 31/7/2020









So done within the month. Not "Beach Buggy" as requested but I can live with that.   




*** Edit:Admin ***

Its not often we get to sing the praises of DVLA on here, but I think Richard actually managed to find someone that knew what they were talking about. Hopefully this will act as both a guide and a precedent to assist others that want to change their Body Type, although I personally would have requested "Convertible" and not "Beach Buggy" as that is the correct type assigned to us at the moment. Beach Buggy is generally only awarded after an IVA/SVA test and inspection has taken place, and "Convertible" seems to be awarded to Long Wheel Base models without this extra hurdle. Very important to note that this guidance DOES NOT APPLY to short wheel base models, and as your chassis length has now been recorded, I would expect the book to be thrown at you if you decided to shorten a chassis afterwards in an attempt to get around the rules. 

Thanks to RichardD1970 for this info.