Converting LHD to RHD

[Philbee]

Hi steve88,

where do you work, what other stuff do you do other than left to right converts...?

[GUT]

I will be fully documenting the conversion process we take on for the 930 Turbo and the 88 3.2 we have coming in . Plan at this stage is to leave them standard but convert LHD to RHD .

@Steve88 don't do it!

It's $ down the drain in cost to convert and value destruction.

I have both RHD and LHD and I honestly don't have a preference either way.

I can maybe understand with a big old yank tank but these little cars are so small you hardly notice being in the other side of the car.

Borrow my lefty for a week and tell me you can't live with LHD and that big wad of cash you'd save in your pocket. 

 

[Coastr]

@Steve88 don't do it!

It's $ down the drain in cost to convert and value destruction.

I have both RHD and LHD and I honestly don't have a preference either way.

I can maybe understand with a big old yank tank but these little cars are so small you hardly notice being in the other side of the car.

Borrow my lefty for a week and tell me you can't live with LHD and that big wad of cash you'd save in your pocket. 

 

+1 to the above.

if you absolutely must have Rhd the sell your lhd car and find an import.  The price difference will be less than the conversion cost.  Just think about hacking into the wiring loom and the potential for lots of electrical gremlins in the future.  It's not necessarily about what the long term value of the car is, but the potential to introduce issues into an otherwise sound car is huge.  They're only original once. Everyone has a story to tell about non-factory changes which have made a car worse over time, whether it is rust from bad repairs or repaints, to installation of alarms and after market sound systems making the car have strange problems, or loss of functionality like heating/demisting.  

Yes, all of these things can be overcome with applications of time and money, but time is better spent driving a good car and money is better spent on tyres and 98 octane.

I would seriously consider selling the lhd or getting used to it over rippong it apart for a months long project which doesn't add a single thing in performance, drivability or desirability. 

I truly enjoy driving my LHD and even get the nod from guys in LHD muscle cars. It's part of an exclusive little club and it's fun.  So either join that club or let it go to someone who is happy to be in that club.

#savethelefthookers!

[ANF]

Yeh I understand the value side of it but I also buy cars to drive and make me happy. For myself RHD is more natural and comfortable. The realistic approach we have taken with these is to convert and drive and at some point some day some year if we decide to sell them or one it is what it is regarding price , value , asking price and final sale price like anything else

Original market and condition is strong yes so so the restored zinc coated nut and bolt rebuild market , matching numbers low kms this won't change as there is always buyers who will be looking for collector pieces and happy to pay collector prices. Horses for courses , but in the same breath there are a lot of potential buyers that wouldn't pay the price of an Oz delivered 930 or 3.2 but would pay a converted price. I didn't buy these cars to flip or sell short term ( hopefully nothing changes ) Until they get here and we really look at them and pull them apart they could be hunks or junk and who cares. Fingers crossed there not.

Will keep you guys in the loop 

I will go against the trend and say go for it! you have clearly thought about it and know what you want, a car for you to drive and enjoy and know what you are doing.

Your money, your car

[SimonN]

Everybody has different views on the rhd vs lhd debate and there is no right or wrong answer. I have driven extensively with the wheel on the wrong side, having owned lhd cars in the UK and driven rhd in Europe. If I was living in the UK, i would have no hesitation owning an lhd car if I couldn't get the car I wanted in rhd, or there was a significant enough price difference that I couldn't afford a rhd car.

Here in Oz, I wouldn't want to own a lhd car for road use (I don't care about which side on the track). It's based on a personal view of driving conditions here. But here is the crunch. It is my personal view and just like those who like lhd, we are all entitled to that view.

However, the one thing I am not convinced by is that you can sell a lhd car and buy a rhd one for a smaller difference than it costs to convert, if you are doing the work yourself as Steve seems to be. Done properly, the cars are just as good as each other, although to do it properly needs a lot of research and detail, again fine if you are doing it yourself.

Good luck Steve, and keep us posted.

[Steve88]

 

Interesting points from all parties . 

I do totally agree with Coastr with " Its only original once " but without a detailed history and full log books who can really say 

I do totally agree with Coastr in the financial debate . I have worked out to do it properly with factory parts will cost a few cents ; but no where near as much as the fastbacks or Camaro`s . These cars were delivered RHD unlike the muscle cars where precision fabrication knows no boundaries . I was at the engineers today looking at the Camaro . Now that was an expensive venture . Finished product though is pretty fantastic ( off topic not German )  . We have a great engineer that works on our cars and an amazing fabricator that pretty much just builds cars for us so this isn't too much of a worry or financial strain due to having a clear price on what this project will cost outright having tallied it up . 

 Dash pad`s are the only bugger .

I do totally agree with  ANF too as doing what i have planned as this was the objective from the get go . But will have to wait and see

The 930 is a bit of a dark horse . Pretty good nick not original colour which is fine as it will be changed possibly . The 3.2 is a one owner full history with ice cold AC . I don't want to give away too much . But I do appreciate all the advice so please keep it coming . Its easy to get tunnel vision . Would love to swap the 3.2 for a 964 . Anyone ??

Not to leave anyone out Mr.GUT I will take them out for a while in the LHD set up before pulling the trigger on it . I will be praying that I fall in love with the LHD set up on both and I get to keep them as is . They will be arriving in 35 days so won't be sleeping until that point . 

This is really what I love about the forum . Opinions , Options , Choices and different points of view . Makes for good whisky thinking !

[SC 3.2]

I think after a couple of weeks driving a LHD 911 you will question why you planned to spend a lot of time and money to convert a sound factory assembled car to move the controls a metre to the right 

[Coastr]

It's actually less than  a meter. It's more like 75cm.

My point is not so much about value preservation - by all means paint it bright yellow and fit it with new wheels.   It's about the work involved to get something assembled to factory quality.  The 80/20 rule applies here - the last 20% of quality in a major resto job takes 80% of the time.  Guys who do top-quality restorations are an order of magnitude more expensive than so-so restos.  People who do quality work will be quick to tell you this.  

When facing a conversion you either do an 80% job and then live with the niggles, or you do a 100% job and spend the extra.

To me it makes no sense to spend the money on a 100% job or to live with an 80% job.

If cash/value/resale is not in the equation, the why not spend the dough on a kick-ass engine and gearbox and suspension rebuild.  That would improve the driving far more than choosing which door you get in.

[Classic Wheels Australia]

Might get old behind a caravan or truck on a two lane highway in a LHD.

If you've got a passanger, hope you trust them!

[Coastr]

Might get old behind a caravan or truck on a two lane highway in a LHD.

If you've got a passanger, hope you trust them!

probably in an impala.  In a 911 it's about as much of an issue as a motorbike.   Stick a bit further back, close to the centre line, lean over a bit and when you see an opening give it the beans.  Even with a passenegr I only rely on them for signs of freaking out rather than getting them to call it.

The only real issue is parking garages now that all the toll booths are automated.  For that you do the run around he car thing or just reverse through the gate.

[MFX]

...or just reverse through the gate.

I would like to see that  

[SC 3.2]

probably in an impala.  In a 911 it's about as much of an issue as a motorbike.   Stick a bit further back, close to the centre line, lean over a bit and when you see an opening give it the beans.  Even with a passenegr I only rely on them for signs of freaking out rather than getting them to call it.

The only real issue is parking garages now that all the toll booths are automated.  For that you do the run around he car thing or just reverse through the gate.

I use one of those grabber devices to grip the ticket on removal and insertion,works a treat much to the amusement of boring people in RHD cars.

[Rob H]

I have just joined PFA, and this is my first post.

I purchased a converted car 6 years ago, in fact it was the one shown in the link near the start of this thread.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/272316-australian-project-left-right-3-2-a.html

It has never required any repairs or fixes related to the conversion, only normal repairs and maintenance.

I have never had the thought "I wish I hadn't bought a converted LHD to RHD car" when driving it.

However, I do appreciate that I bought a solid, rust free, mechanically sound, well maintained car with a tidy interior, every time I drive it.

And I bought it for less than the price of some of the tired examples I looked at prior to buying this one.

So, for me the only down side is if and when you go to sell, you need to re calibrate your expectations.

That's the situation I find myself in now. So I would say, don't be scared of buying a converted car if it is well done.

Sadly for the person who did the conversion, they are possibly the big loser, unless they enjoyed pouring in those countless hours of research and work.

At least it is tax free profit for them but it's a huge job!!

 

[bumble]

IIRC ALL 911s up to a certain point were built as LHD, and for RHD countries, driven off the line and into a special area and converted to RHD.  I don't know when this ceased, but by definition therefore anyone with a RHD 911 up to a certain year will have a LHD-RHD converted car.  Just sayin...

[SimonN]

IIRC ALL 911s up to a certain point were built as LHD, and for RHD countries, driven off the line and into a special area and converted to RHD.  I don't know when this ceased, but by definition therefore anyone with a RHD 911 up to a certain year will have a LHD-RHD converted car.  Just sayin...

Unfortunately, this is an urban myth that has been debunked. It is believed to have come from the 356, where the first 2 RHD cars were converted by the factory and sent to Alan Hamilton in Australia for testing.

I have just joined PFA, and this is my first post.

I purchased a converted car 6 years ago, in fact it was the one shown in the link near the start of this thread.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/272316-australian-project-left-right-3-2-a.html

It has never required any repairs or fixes related to the conversion, only normal repairs and maintenance.

I have never had the thought "I wish I hadn't bought a converted LHD to RHD car" when driving it.

However, I do appreciate that I bought a solid, rust free, mechanically sound, well maintained car with a tidy interior, every time I drive it.

And I bought it for less than the price of some of the tired examples I looked at prior to buying this one.

So, for me the only down side is if and when you go to sell, you need to re calibrate your expectations.

That's the situation I find myself in now. So I would say, don't be scared of buying a converted car if it is well done.

Sadly for the person who did the conversion, they are possibly the big loser, unless they enjoyed pouring in those countless hours of research and work.

At least it is tax free profit for them but it's a huge job!!

 

Welcome to PFA. You must be my long lost twin brother  (which you would understand if you had read some of my previous rants on the subject!)

[OZ930]

I purchased a converted car 6 years ago, in fact it was the one shown in the link near the start of this thread.

So you have Saintz' car. Wondered who had it.  He did a nice job. He took me for a ride when it was for sale. Very nice.  Does it still have the small dent in the right rear corner ?

Did he tell you the history of the car?

[bumble]

Unfortunately, this is an urban myth that has been debunked. It is believed to have come from the 356, where the first 2 RHD cars were converted by the factory and sent to Alan Hamilton in Australia for testing.

 

I must admit, when I 1st read it I couldn't believe it - how ridiculous!.  But it was in print.  Or on the interweb somewhere.  And they couldn't possibly be wrong.  Could they?...  I'll see if I can unearth the source.

Welcome Rob...

[SimonN]

I must admit, when I 1st read it I couldn't believe it - how ridiculous!.  But it was in print.  Or on the interweb somewhere.  And they couldn't possibly be wrong.  Could they?...  I'll see if I can unearth the source.

There is a Pelican forum thread on this with pictures of the  long hood production line (can't remember the date) where you can clearly see unfinished rhd cars on the same line as lhd cars.

[Rob H]

Thanks for the welcomes.

Yes OZ930, I bought Saintz's car. I flew to Sydney, spent the weekend with him at Newcastle almost 6 years ago, pouring over the car and the paperwork, and had several test drives.

Settled up on the Monday and had an uneventful drive back to Adelaide. Yes it still has the small ding under the right rear guard.

I gave him a call a while ago to let him know I wasputting it on the market.

About the only thing left to do is wire up the LHS window switch to the RHS if anyone nows how to do that.

Doesn't really matter though, I can easily reach the LHS switch.

It really has been a great car, your typical 3.2 with a G50 box and started my love affair with Porsches, up to my third now and thinking about a fourth.

All he told me was it was a German car originally, then spent some time in Japan and then he picked it up from an importer in Adelaide before he bought it and took on the conversion job. Any more to tell? (good stuff hopefully)