LHD to RHD conversion cost?
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New User
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: NSW, Australia
LHD to RHD conversion cost?
Hi im new here and you wouldnt have seen me post before because this is my first time. Anyway im from Australia and as most of you would be aware we are right hand drive, im looking at buying a 1956 F100 sometime next year and i was wondering if there are any other australians on here that have done this or know someone that did and could give me a rough estimate of the price...all help will be appreciated, Brendon
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From: Erie, pa
Welcom to the Internet's Best Ford Truck Site. Real good bunch of folks hang out here.
We have quite a Flock of Aussies here, I'm sure they'll be along soon enough. There are also a couple of guys from the Queen Mom's own, I don't know if the have LHD or RHD.
By the way I'm the Sites Equal Oppotunity Harrasser.
We have quite a Flock of Aussies here, I'm sure they'll be along soon enough. There are also a couple of guys from the Queen Mom's own, I don't know if the have LHD or RHD.
By the way I'm the Sites Equal Oppotunity Harrasser.
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From: Southern New Hampshire
Also check out this site as a bunch of Aussies and Kiwis hang there. Just do an intro before you start asking question or you will be fed to the Great Whites!
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=5
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=5
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From: Queanbeyan Australia
G'Day mate 
Being an all metal dash they aren't hugely complicated to convert, just lots of work.
The firewall is easy.
You will probably be doing a front end change anyway if you want it low, so HQ, L300 or XJ6 will all give you a RHD result.
Easiest solution may however be leave it left hook. Being old it will be eligable for LHD rego in most states, so if you are happy with standards style suspension and steering (or imported US stuff) then just drive LHD.......it's an aquired skill.
Being an all metal dash they aren't hugely complicated to convert, just lots of work.
The firewall is easy.
You will probably be doing a front end change anyway if you want it low, so HQ, L300 or XJ6 will all give you a RHD result.
Easiest solution may however be leave it left hook. Being old it will be eligable for LHD rego in most states, so if you are happy with standards style suspension and steering (or imported US stuff) then just drive LHD.......it's an aquired skill.
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Joined: Dec 2005
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From: NSW, Australia
cheers all... greatly appreciated, i thought thet you had to get specialists to proffesionally do it thats all, but i can see where your coming from with it being simple because it is all steel. thankyou both! also if it is converted to right hand drive is the transmission viewer lid going to be affected in any way?
Brendon
Brendon
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From: Queanbeyan Australia
Late model compliance plated vehicles need to be converted by an "approved" person, but for classics it is largely unregulated and you just do it as part of the rebuild.
Not sure what you mean by "viewer lid" IF you mean the metal transmission cover that bolts to the floor....maybe, depends on what trans, shifter, handbrake you run.
If you mean some form of shift indicator....needs to be visible from the drivers position, so may need swapping around.
Not sure what you mean by "viewer lid" IF you mean the metal transmission cover that bolts to the floor....maybe, depends on what trans, shifter, handbrake you run.
If you mean some form of shift indicator....needs to be visible from the drivers position, so may need swapping around.
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From: West London, England
Hi Mewey
I am one of the Brit's on here, Ford never sold F100's in Europe so any that are here have been imported, mine came from South Africa and was originally built as RHD
I thought they did the same in Australia and NZ but may be wrong
As halfdone has said a JAG IFS fits nice and should be easy to find then cut up the dash and weld it back together
Steve
I am one of the Brit's on here, Ford never sold F100's in Europe so any that are here have been imported, mine came from South Africa and was originally built as RHD
I thought they did the same in Australia and NZ but may be wrong
As halfdone has said a JAG IFS fits nice and should be easy to find then cut up the dash and weld it back together
Steve
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From: Southern New Hampshire
You might also want to find out when the F100 first became home built. They came from Canada thru at least 54 and I believe LHD. Also many were left behind by various US military, embassy and others.
When I was down that way in 81-2 I was amazed at the quantity of LHD US vehicles, cars and trucks.
Since the dash and cowl/cab is all one welded assembly I dont understand how a swap over would be simple. Certainly not as easy as converting all those Aussie and South American 30's phaetons that came up this way in the 70's.
When I was down that way in 81-2 I was amazed at the quantity of LHD US vehicles, cars and trucks.
Since the dash and cowl/cab is all one welded assembly I dont understand how a swap over would be simple. Certainly not as easy as converting all those Aussie and South American 30's phaetons that came up this way in the 70's.
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From: Durham NC
Shouldn't be difficult to convert the dash. Cut out the section with the instrument cluster, and a matching section with the glove box on the other side. Swap em side to side, weld em back in. Another alternative would be to cut out and blank off the hood over the cluster and the glove compartment door. Install individual instruments in the vertical panel. See Fatfender56's gallery for the LHD version of this mod.
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Joined: Dec 2005
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From: NSW, Australia
ok, thankyou all very much for your help and Steve_B i didn't know that they came in RHD i havent seen any around here, but i will definately keep my eye out for one, i usually buy a magazine with a lot of imports in it and most of the imported F100s that are advertised are mostly from California, so yea
Brendon
Brendon
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From: Queanbeyan Australia
Heaps of RHD F100 - F600 trucks here.
Cabs are all the same, for a given year so the cheapest way is to find a short chassis and then use the best cab you can find, regardless of the size of the truck.
The prices are starting to go up as the yuppies discover classic trucks, but I have seen some surprisingly cheap imports in Just Cars and Parts Peddler lately
All you yanks just sing to yourselves while we talk aussie stuff OK
Cabs are all the same, for a given year so the cheapest way is to find a short chassis and then use the best cab you can find, regardless of the size of the truck.
The prices are starting to go up as the yuppies discover classic trucks, but I have seen some surprisingly cheap imports in Just Cars and Parts Peddler lately
All you yanks just sing to yourselves while we talk aussie stuff OK
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From: Queanbeyan Australia
Originally Posted by kdmcinnes
Dont know much about RHD!
Kyle
Kyle
We have our wheels on the crorrect side of the car, being the right, and drive on the correct side of the road, which is of course on the left......got that, right.
You guys have your wheel on the wrong side of the car, being the left and drive on the wrong side of the road, being the right.
Simple isn't it.....you should have it all right now.....woops I mean correct
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From: Queanbeyan Australia
Originally Posted by kdmcinnes
If I was'nt more confused I would say I need to drive backwards.
Kyle
Kyle
I got tired of getting out, swipping the card and running around to get through before the boom gate closed.
Solution.....pop a U turn in the street and reverse through the parking gates.......got a few puzzled looks alright
