I'm having a full length roof rack fabricated for the van (Astra van). It will be fitted to brackets at the front and rear of the roof section and will extend over the bonnet to the very front of the vehicle where it will be supported by a post at each corner that will be bolted to a bracket (in turn this will be fixed to the vehicle)

The whole thing will be able to be removed but it'll take two men and a spanner or two to do it an dthe front brackets will remain.

The van is insured as a "car" with a well known insurer (as its not a business/commercial vehicle )

So is it just a roof rack or a modification?

i would imagine a " mod " as with all things your best to let insurance comp know..

but i'm sure they will increase your insurance thinkin you do business with it...

keep a mattress in the back to fool them...

It'll have 4 big spotlights along the front of the rack for added effect too

I wonder if I got it made so it can be removed without tools would make a difference? Surely that would make it a roof rack ?

Just be careful you don't have any sharp edges on which pedestrians could be insured... and dont forget, the insurance company doesn't like to pay out... they will find a way if they can. I'd declare it.

I had visions of a chavved up astravan so thought i'd google for a funny picture to celebrate the thought, so I types in "Ch@v Astravan" and got the following image

techie. VW Technician

The last roofrack my dad had required the use of tools to fit and remove. It was still a roofrack though.

That said, this sounds like a pretty permanent structure to me.