RHD conversion

[roughground]

Does any one have a guide to converting from LHD to RHD?  I have a 1971 Florida car that I've had for 30 years and feel that it may be time to sell (my age). I've been advised by TRGB that the market for LHD is dead since Brexit so a better prospect would be a RHD car. The advice was also not use a repro metal dash but to cut and weld the original! Has any one done this and if so where do you make the cuts. I'm not looking to create a British spec car but simply make one that is easier to drive in the UK. Any advice would be appreciated

[Malbaby]

I have...

Converting the LHD dash is not as simple as it may seem.

It is not a cut and shut as some contours across the top are then different.

You either make one one RHD dash out of two LHD, or fabricate small infill sections to obtain the correct contour across the top.

[InfinityJon]

Have a look at my conversation (WIP) page 7 infinityjon “and so it begins”

i did a cut and shut job. Not sure if it’s 100% correct but I think with a RHD wooden dash it will work. 

[elclem1]

On 6/8/2023 at 5:56 PM, roughground said:

Does any one have a guide to converting from LHD to RHD?  I have a 1971 Florida car that I've had for 30 years and feel that it may be time to sell (my age). I've been advised by TRGB that the market for LHD is dead since Brexit so a better prospect would be a RHD car. The advice was also not use a repro metal dash but to cut and weld the original! Has any one done this and if so where do you make the cuts. I'm not looking to create a British spec car but simply make one that is easier to drive in the UK. Any advice would be appreciated

I am not sure that the market has changed that much since brexit. Dead certainly not.

It was never big in the first place, but if someone wants a LHD car they will buy it. 

I have converted a couple RH -LH for people here, the LH-RH conversion is the opposite way round both relatively easy. Ask Conrad for dash backing, steering rack, pedals, headlights   etc he usually has a bit of stuff laying around.I am sure he can help. 

Some people get put off because there is more paperwork involved these days but if you know the system its fairly easy to navigate. Clem

  

[stuart]

Also people like TR Bitz TR Shop TR Trader Revingtons etc often have R/hand metal dash for sale.

Stuart.

[Casar66]

I would never convert a left-hand drive car to a right-hand drive car or vice versa.

1. the range is large enough for both variants.

2. such a conversion is to my taste a too big interference into the DNA of the respective car.

And 3. I have a very nice right-hand drive PI with OD, which I would give away if necessary.

[trchris]

Would the expense of converting add any value once taken into consideration?
Chris

[elclem1]

I don't think the conversion would add value, only offer something that a particular person would want, I find here in France that French people tend to shy away from RHD cars but LHD ones are more sought after and they don't seem to mind that much if they are carb or injection, however that said  they are a bit nervous about injection  and finding someone who can set it up and maintain it for them.

Originality is king and price seems to reflect that. As long as it drives like a TR6 then that's fine  

[Phil Read]

Try using a web site like this https://www.carandclassic.com/list/41/tr6/  there are left and right hand drive cars for sale.

[matt george]

On 6/12/2023 at 8:32 PM, trchris said:

Would the expense of converting add any value once taken into consideration?
Chris

I agree with the above… would you really achieve the cost of the LHD-RHD conversion job on top of the asking price/value of the car as it sits when you come to sell? I'm not sure.

Matt

[Kenrow]

Try selling it as LHD. If you don’t get the price you want/expect, think about converting then.

[elclem1]

I find that people don't convert to sell on they convert to drive a car they want to keep be it LH or RH. 

As long as it comes with a carte grise and the numbers match, and it looks like a TR6 and drives like a TR6 they don't seem to care that much on model of TR6. 

[roughground]

many thanks for the advice, I'm still mulling it over. I enjoy the car but feel more vulnerable in this country in its present format as traffic and manners get worse. It would be nice to sit on the other side but not at any price. The rough figures given by TRGB was about 1/3 less for LHD than RHD so the cost of change is not significant.

 

[elclem1]

When shopping around for a conversion remember there are those that have been done properly where you can't  see whether the car was an original LH or RH. and those where you can see as the bolts that hold the pedal box in have been left in and the LH steering column hole is just a grommet and not welded up. Also the area of the FRH inner wing has not been touched and is straight rather than reworked for the injection system.

Prices can vary and it takes a few man hours of doing it correctly hence a higher price. But if you just want a RHD car then very doable. 

Steering rack

backing dash

front wooden dash

RHD clutch set up

RHD brake servo set up.

New brake and clutch pipes      

Fabricate RHD steering column support bracket

RHD wiring loom (front) (or splice the old one)

RHD brake and clutch pedals

RHD accelerator pedal

RHD accelerator cable

RHD speedo cable

welding skills!

The list goes on but can be done in a few days of work.

Don't forget the paint job afterwards.

Clem

 

[michaeldavis39]

As Andrew said its a lot of work and can be done- I am three quarters of the way through this process now myself and am doing it exactly so nobody will be able to tell with the exception of refitting the original USA vin plate on the door opening pillar.