RHD conversions?

puhpaper · #1 10-24-2005, 04:20 AM

Has anybody done a RHD conversion? Or know how to go about doing it? I'll take a stab at it and guess that you cut out the whole firewall and weld a RHD firewall on, and go on from there?

drftk1d · #2 10-24-2005, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puhpaper

Has anybody done a RHD conversion? Or know how to go about doing it? I'll take a stab at it and guess that you cut out the whole firewall and weld a RHD firewall on, and go on from there?

no, because thats a good way to weaken the chassis.

most mass produced jdm cars were made with the subframe to adapt to both rhd and lhd steering racks

you take everything out of the rhd clip and drop it into your lhd car.

may i ask whats the point to doing that other than jdm-toitness?

puhpaper · #3 10-24-2005, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puhpaper

Has anybody done a RHD conversion? Or know how to go about doing it? I'll take a stab at it and guess that you cut out the whole firewall and weld a RHD firewall on, and go on from there?

just asking a question out of curiosity.

FDTT · #4 10-24-2005, 02:37 PM

The hole JDM thing is getting far out of hand IMO. Just do a serch of light bulbs or somthign on EBAY. 99% of then are JDM lights made in China LMAO.

Its not hard to do the conversion with an FC. But it is illegal, and i guarantee the car will be impounded if you do the conversion and drive it on the street.

drftk1d · #5 10-24-2005, 08:47 PM

its not illegal in the us

puhpaper · #6 10-24-2005, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FDTT

The hole JDM thing is getting far out of hand IMO. Just do a serch of light bulbs or somthign on EBAY. 99% of then are JDM lights made in China LMAO.

Its not hard to do the conversion with an FC. But it is illegal, and i guarantee the car will be impounded if you do the conversion and drive it on the street.

RHD cars are illegal in the U.S.? I knew a guy that drove his skyline RHD. I dont think anything happened to him, along the lines of impound or anything.

FDTT · #7 10-24-2005, 10:41 PM

No, RHD cars are not illegal in the US, RHD converted cars are. Unless you have the money to convert 15 LHD's to RHD and crash test them all and compile all the info they will remain illegal.

puhpaper · #8 10-25-2005, 02:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FDTT

No, RHD cars are not illegal in the US, RHD converted cars are. Unless you have the money to convert 15 LHD's to RHD and crash test them all and compile all the info they will remain illegal.

lmao - point taken.

Capt.Moe · #9 10-25-2005, 11:37 PM

RHD Cars are sweet. I love them... There's a 1994 Skyline GTR sitting at my work right now waiting for a new 2 stage clutch...

gigglesnirt · #10 10-26-2005, 12:09 AM

yea but, honestly what is the point exactly? im not trying to flame but all the work and money to get a rhd interior and dash and everything, but what does it add? its not like you can get more power or handling when you sit on the right side of the car? i've heard people saying they're right handed so they can grab the wheel better somtimes XD

Capt.Moe · #11 10-26-2005, 02:21 AM

The point? It's not everyday you see a sweet ass ride with RHD, and everytime I see a car with RHD I have to do a double take. It is an Aestetics thing.

drftk1d · #12 10-26-2005, 11:16 AM

the only rhd cars ive ever seen were skylines and one civic (that was an imported type r)

Capt.Moe · #13 10-27-2005, 12:14 AM

I see lots of them here, mostly imported skiylines and civics, but they are gorgeous.

carbuzzard · #14 10-27-2005, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drftk1d

the only rhd cars ive ever seen were skylines and one civic (that was an imported type r)

Subaru imported the Legacy (I think) with rhd for use by rural mail carriers. Having awd with rhd made rfd a lot easier. (note to city types: rfd means "rural free delivery"). There were mail jeeps that the post office used for urban use.

Mazda brought over an RX-7 Infini IV in 1991 for some ink in the U.S. buff books before the 3rd generation came out. It had rhd, being a Japanese market car. It had sound insulation stripped, a lighter, louder exhaust, and with less weight and more power (up about 15bhp), it was quicker. Bigger differences were stiffer suspension, etc. Where is it now? Dunno, but they put it back on the boat. Don't look for it here.

Driving a rhd car is a novelty for a while, especially if you have a big dog you can perch in the left seat. After a while, however, you get tired of asking the passenger to tell you whether it's safe to pass, etc. As to whether it's easier to drive from a left-handed/right-handed standpoint, it matters more what you've learned. I think lhd would be better because shifting is a more precise task than steering.

All the above said, you'll notice that sports racing cars, as used in road racing, have rhd but the shifter is usually on the outside bulkhead. But that's probably because it's easier to route the shift linkage to the transmission behind the mid-mounted engine.

That said, all the money you spend swapping the drive side sure could be put to funner uses, if you ask me.

Oh, the Aussies and Kiwis can give more info on this, but I recall that American cars shipped Down Under have to have the steering wheels swapped over to the right side. I don't know how much of a task that is.

drftk1d · #15 10-27-2005, 12:54 PM

i said theyre the only ones that ive seen (personally) but thanks for the info anyway

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