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 Purple Martin
A.k.a.: Martin
Fahrvergnugen
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 posted on February 25th, 2011 at 04:31 PM |
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Convert LHD splitty to RHD?
Is it possible to convert a LHD splitty to RHD, and if so how difficult/expensive would it be?
This is the reason I'm asking:
A nice USA splitty is listed for $26,000 USD: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1035072
A nice splitty here in Australia is listed for $83,000 AUD: http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/private/details.aspx?Cr=9&R=9898383&a...
So obviously I'm weighing up the possibility of importing from USA to here.
PLEASE NOTE:
I don't want this topic to dissolve into a big rant about Poms stealing our kombis, or about prices, or whatever. I've posted my quesion in Tech
Talk because I want to know about the technical side of converting LHD to RHD, and that's all. Thanks!
1959 red & white Beetle
1975 Kombi camper
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ratty 63
A.k.a.: Rossco
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| posted on February 27th, 2011 at 11:36 AM |
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I know that it must be possible as I have seen a couple of ex-LHD splitties in Australia.... one of our club members has recently purchased an ex-LHD
'66 Twin-cab that has been converted to RHD.
I have had no experience with the left to right hand drive conversion, but I imagine that it would be a fairly big job as the Dashboard and cab floor
would have to be converted to RHD... and neither of them are bolt-out, bolt-back-in parts.
I suppose that the cost would depend on just how close to factory finish you want the job to be when it's finished. It will also depend on how much
you can pick up the required RHD parts for... obviously if you had a RHD van to take all the parts from this would make the job a lot easier... but
then why would you need to convert a LHD van if you already have a RHD one?
I know that our club members twin-cab was converted in Western Aust somewhere and it is a fantastic piece of work... there must be people around your
area that deal in conversions, you would just have to find someone that has some VW experience so that they have a better chance of knowing what is
involved in the conversion process.
R 
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 Bizarre
Super Moderator
The artist formerly known as blue74l
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| posted on February 27th, 2011 at 12:01 PM |
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I think your biggest problem is what you do about the back/side doors
They will be on the wrong side
It would be too weird and mucked up "for me" to have a RHD front but rear doors opening onto the traffic
OK if you dont park on the street??
If it is a "weekender" I would leave as a
Futue te ipsum!!!
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ratty 63
A.k.a.: Rossco
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| posted on February 27th, 2011 at 12:32 PM |
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...of course if it was a double door van....
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matara
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| posted on February 27th, 2011 at 04:11 PM |
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From US
I have a LHD bus, and a RHD bus, and with a 23 window you won't have trouble driving it as is LHD.
Creative Engineering in the UK have just started making a kit to convert the pedals:- http://www.creative-engineering.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=180&Itemid=26
You'll still need a dash, RHD steering box and other bits like heater pipe duct, as well as relocate the clutch and accelerator conduits from the
left side to the right (which isn't a trivial matter on a samba with belly pans! etc
That 23 window is in Hawaii, which ironically costs more to ship to Australia than LA, since it needs to be shipped back to LA first! At least this
was the case when I was looking at a Hawaii car a few years back:-
Loading oading Country: USA
Loading City: Hawaii Departure Port Los Angeles
Destination Country: Australia
Destination City: Sydney Arrival Port Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane
Shipment Method: RO/RO
Pickup required:
Vehicle Condition: Drives and Stops Safely
Make: Volkswagen Model: Microbus Year: 1966
Quotation
Freight Upto 400cuft/11.33cum US$1650.00
401‐500cuft/11.34‐14.16cum US$1750.00
501‐600cuft/14.17 0 16.99cum US$1900.00
over 600cuft/17cum US$2100.00
Shipping via Shared Container Direct Service (not via Asia)
US$2100.00
Inland Trucking if required Honolulu to Los Angeles US$1245.00
Included
A$880.00
A$256 90
Clearance at Destination
Port Charges/Cartage to Depot/Unpack
Origin Handling Charges
($990.00 over 500cuft)
Customs/AQIS Fees A$256.90
A$467.50
A$215.00
Notes:
PLEASE READ THE DOCUMENT CAREFULLY FOR ANY DISCREPANCY IN DETAILS
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66brm
Seriously Crusin Dubber
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| posted on February 28th, 2011 at 01:56 PM |
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Do your research thoroughly, find out how hard it is now to import a modified vehicle as the laws have changed. You don't want to end up having a
vehicle shipped over just to have to send it back
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