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Car Forum / Land Rover Cars / January 2008Is it legal to drive wth no doors?
Hi all, First post - long time reader Thinking about warmer and drier days, I was wondering what the legal position is for driving a Series Landrover (or Suzuki SJ) on the road with no doors. I have looked around, and it appears that for the MOT, if the vehicle is designed with doors, then they have to be present and openable/closeable for the test. The fact that the doors are easily removable doesn't seem to come into it. As the roof can be easily removed and the windscreen is designed to be flipped down, does it seem illogical that the doors have to be in place? I have seen people driving around with no doors, roof off, and windscreen down in the summer, but have always wondered what the local constabulary would have to say about it. Obviously, any mirrors on the doors would need to be moved so they were still present when the doors were removed. Do any of you guys have a definitive answer on this? Thanks in advance, Tim PS: I realise that an SJ with the windscreen down and no doors would look like a skip with a carry handle! 300tdi Disco SJ413 - "Wendy" reverse "sulp" to email > Hi all, > [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > reverse "sulp" to email Good question.... Lots of delivery vans cruise around with their doors slid back in summer... Dont know if that is legal or not? (UPS for example)  SignatureMark 1996 90 300tdi 1987 RR V8 EFI 2007 Golf GT http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/ - Firefox Rules! http://fireftp.mozdev.org/ - FTP Plugin for Firefox http://ietab.mozdev.org/ - IE tab. Get Windows updates in Firefox >> Hi all, >> [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] > Lots of delivery vans cruise around with their doors slid back in > summer... Dont know if that is legal or not? (UPS for example) I suspect that it is legal in that I'm not aware of anything that states that a vehicle must have doors. After all you're not making yourself any worse than a cycle/motorcycle/scooter/tractor etc.. At the end of the day it probably gets down to the usual old favourite that your insurer might decline to cover you unless he is aware and agreeable to your indulging in such practices. I can't see that the absence of doors would have a bearing on the protection of third parties (the legal requirement for insurance) but as for injury to yourself/passengers that's another matter. > At the end of the day it probably gets down to the usual old favourite > that your insurer might decline to cover you unless he is aware and > agreeable to your indulging in such practices. I guess that depends what you have to do to remove the doors and if the orginal spec had removable doors. With some motors the doors, when closed, add significantly to the structural strength of the monocoque. > I can't see that the absence of doors would have a bearing on the > protection of third parties (the legal requirement for insurance) Not so sure, instead of relatively smooth surface for a body to slide along, you have one with a gert big hole to fall into then get whacked by the following frame... SignatureCheers new5pam@howhill.com Dave. pam is missing e-mail Theres an old thread here: http://groups.google.co.uk/group/alt.fan.landrover/browse_thread/thread/69b8dff1 7cc70645/77db0c0be7eb8def I was under the impression that since the landy was designed with removable doors (in many cases) it was ok to remove them. I would have no problem with doing it, but would make sure that everything else was legit, my cab wasnt full of the usual sh.t, I had a mirror or 2 on my wings and would have seatbelts fitted and be wearing them (even if the vehicle was old enough that you dont legally need them). > Hi all, > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > position is for driving a Series Landrover (or Suzuki SJ) on the road with > no doors. Dakar's are legal and they don't have doors, same with a lot of beach buggy's. I owned a champ many moons ago, that didn't have doors. I drive my hybrid fully stripped down, and have been stopped by the police (and ticked off for speeding but not booked) with it in that state. Oh I do keep the screen up as I don't like flies in my mouth, eyes, nose or splatted on me anywhere for that matter. Once picked up a hitch hiker on the way home from Billing, after about 20 miles at 80 he suddenly decided he would like to "stop for a cup of tea" I think the truth was he was scared sh**less by travelling with no doors, or much else. Mike > Once picked up a hitch hiker on the way home from Billing, after about 20 > miles at 80 he suddenly decided he would like to "stop for a cup of tea" I > think the truth was he was scared sh**less by travelling with no doors, or > much else. Might just have been the hybrid, I had someone in the truck once, his only experience of cars was cheap saloons and then Honda Accords and other chav waggons, in the Defender he started sh.tting himself and grabbing onto the dashboard when going round corners, wasn't used to the body roll! Stuff like that can overwhelm some so the doors and the roll might have done for yours. SignatureBlast off and strike the evil Bydo empire! >> Hi all, >> [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > >Mike We used to take the doors of the Landie years ago in the summer (late 50s). Great fun. Flat out 58 mph with chicken switch (hand throttle) full on. Never had any issue with local plod. I have a feeling though it would have been illegal to lower the windscreen but I couldn't offer any explanation as to why - just in those days we tended to inherently stick to regulations rather than inherently ignoring them. But if doors have to be present as part of MOT then presumably they have to be present all the time. Vehicles which get type approval without doors, such as buggies presumably would be OK. Signaturehugh Reply to address is valid at the time of posting hugh typed: > But if doors have to be present as part of MOT then presumably they > have to be present all the time. Or perhaps it might be one of those "if fitted, must be working" things. SignatureRich B Take out the obvious to email me. A life? Cool - where can I download one of those? >hugh typed: > >> But if doors have to be present as part of MOT then presumably they >> have to be present all the time. > >Or perhaps it might be one of those "if fitted, must be working" things. Could be. Signaturehugh Reply to address is valid at the time of posting > Hi all, > [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > > reverse "sulp" to email I suspect it depends on the jurisdiction, and probably also the model Landrover - for example, Series 1 doors are a fifteen second removal job (open 180 degrees and lift), where Series 2/2a/3 need a spanner and about five minutes. My experience is that driving with the doors off is asking for a face full of dust off the front wheels, and even with the Series 1 fifty years ago I only tried it a couple of times, even in very hot weather, although even today I often drive with no door tops, although very rarely with no roof (no shade) and even more rarely with the windscreen down. Relevant to this I remember reading fairly recently that during the Vietnam war, all Australian Landrovers had the doors removed to facilitate a quick exit if ambushed. JD The doors on a series don't take much to remove, a screwdriver will do most of the work and then you only have the door stay to bother about. SignatureLarry Series 3 Rust and Holes > > I suspect it depends on the jurisdiction, and probably also the model [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > JD > The doors on a series don't take much to remove, a screwdriver will do > most of the work and then you only have the door stay to bother about. > > Larry As above - Series 1 = no tools, fifteen seconds, Series 2/2a/3 = Spanner and about five minutes. The need or not for tools may make a legal difference. JD You have just reminded me of the my mate took a mini to the scrappers It had no doors, no front wings, no bonnet, no nothing There were no seats in it and he used a milk crate to sit on as he drove the half mile to the breakers. He used a battery to start it, which he carried home. There was no fuel tank, but lucky the route is down hill most of the way so the petrol in the carb was sufficient. Hand brake only for stopping. In this day and age the trip appears highly stupid and dangerous but when you are young anything goes! LMAO > Hi all, > [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > PS: I realise that an SJ with the windscreen down and no doors would look > like a skip with a carry handle! Dunno about that but I swore never to drive with the windscreen folded down again when a big fat bee hit me between the eyes at 40+ mph. (S3 at the time) -- Jon I've often wondered the same and I can't provide a definitive answer. I did once ask my insurers what would be the implications of taking the hard top off my 110 CSW and their reply was that unless they were told in advance it would invalidate my insurance. In reality it would probably be a double edged thing, where common sense would dictate that you fitted a roll cage with side protection, but if you did that they would then want an automotive engineer's report and up your insurance. Cheers, John >I've often wondered the same and I can't provide a definitive answer. I did >once ask my insurers what would be the implications of taking the hard top [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >insurance. > Cheers, John Didn't increase mine when I added a roll cage to my 90 Also having notified them, it meant they had to pay up when I crumpled a wing which necessitated extra repair work fitting the new one round the cage. Signaturehugh Reply to address is valid at the time of posting > Hi all, > [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > reverse "sulp" to email Thanks for the input - the insurance thing seems to be the clincher for me - I may investigate further with my insurers - if I turn up anything useful, I will post the findings for all. Thanks again for your thoughts Best regards Tim I've driven my Series 1s around for some 20+ years now, usually doors off and screen off/down in the summer. To date I've never been stopped or questioned even when next to police cars in petrol stations, traffic or whatever. I was once led to believe that it was legal if the doors could be removed without the use of tools, but don't quote me on this. As to flies and bees, you soon learn to keep your mouth shut when driving! And yes, at 40 mph they hurt, and so does rain. Gordon In article <13nv9dq40klpb7a@corp.supernews.com>, > Thinking about warmer and drier days, I was wondering what the legal > position is for driving a Series Landrover (or Suzuki SJ) on the road with > no doors. I have done it for years and have had no bother. > I have looked around, and it appears that for the MOT, if the vehicle is > designed with doors, then they have to be present and openable/closeable for [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > windscreen down in the summer, but have always wondered what the local > constabulary would have to say about it. As others have said, the rule appears to be if you dont need tools then you are okay, even as in my case you modified the hinges so you don't need tools. > Obviously, any mirrors on the doors would need to be moved so they were > still present when the doors were removed. Wing mirrors. > PS: I realise that an SJ with the windscreen down and no doors would look > like a skip with a carry handle! I like to think my SJ looked quite good. http://anoraks.uk.net/gallery/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album04&id=DSC 05116 SignatureCheers, Geoff. www.anoraks.uk.net |
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