Self-build (Zelfbouw) BULS
Built: 1985 · Series: Other models
More machines from model year 1985
Not the right version? The data comes from vehicle registers holding many near-identical versions side by side. Photograph the data plate — we read make and type from it. Open the scanner e-mail address required
Zelfbouw – further self-built heavy trailers from the Dutch RDW register: carousel, caterpillar-ride, game and sales wagons of the showmen, saloon wagons, low loaders and semi-trailers after individual approval
Zelfbouw is Dutch for “self-build” – the entry of the registration authority RDW for vehicles that a business or keeper built themselves and registered through an individual inspection. This collective page covers the heavy self-builds outside the class division, and their model names are a directory of the Dutch fair: Carrousel is the carousel, Rupsbaan the caterpillar ride, Trein the children's train, Spelwagen the game wagon, Verkoopwagen the sales wagon, Salonwagen the showmen's living wagon, Lucky Crane the claw machine; alongside stand Mel and Mol as low loaders with tonnage (7000, 8500), OPL 1227 as oplegger, the semi-trailer, AHW 8-8 and 10-18 as drawbar trailers with axle loads in tonnes, 2-assige aanhangwagen as two-axle trailer. They are built from series axles, brakes and frame sections; the RDW checks braking system, lighting, dimensions and axle loads.
Read on 3 more paragraphs
The register lists 33 versions with kerb weights from 1,600 to 23,180 kg, gross weights from 4,300 to 45,000 kg, lengths up to 14,520 mm and widths from 2,000 to 2,840 mm.
The Dutch showmen have been their own vehicle builders for generations: every attraction travels on a trailer that is at once means of transport and part of the structure – registered as a vehicle, often with special permits for width and length.
Anyone taking over such a vehicle checks the registration certificate with axle loads, particulars and inspection deadlines, frame and welds, axles, suspension and braking system, kingpin or drawbar, lighting and tyres; parts usually come from BPW, SAF and Wabco.
Sources: SpecCodex register, model data: Zelfbouw (weitere Anhänger), Zulassungsdaten RDW (Niederlande), Herstellerfeld zelfbouw, RDW (niederländische Zulassungsbehörde)
Technical data
Dimensions and weights
| Length | 4,200 mmcorrect |
|---|---|
| Width | 2,000 mmcorrect |
| Wheelbase | 3,100 mmcorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Wheels | 4correct |
|---|---|
| Top speed | 40 km/hcorrect |
Frequently asked questions
Up to what speed is the Self-build (Zelfbouw) BULS approved?
Approved up to 40 km/h.
What are the dimensions of the Self-build (Zelfbouw) BULS?
4,200 mm × 2,000 mm.
When was the Self-build (Zelfbouw) BULS built?
Production years: 1985.
What to check before buying
- Search the frame and welds at the axle mounts — that is where cracks start.
- Check the brakes and the last inspection in the papers.
- Compare the chassis number with the papers.
- Look at the floor, cover or body from the inside — rust does not show from outside.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
We do not sell machines. We ask the dealers who carry this model and come back with price and lead time.
Request a quote →
We ask the suppliers and come back with price and lead time.
Request spare parts →
This page carries 7 individual figures for this model. They come from 1 recorded source; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
The technical data on this page comes from official vehicle registration records (RDW/Traficom), not from the manufacturer.
Missing a figure you were looking for? Report it →
Know this machine better? Have a photo, a manual, or know that a figure is wrong? Add it to the register →
Sources: RDW — Dutch national vehicle register (retrieved August 2026) · How we check the data
Trailer in 3D section
Turn the model, look inside and click an assembly — each one is explained.
