LHD conversion

[kns]

Dear All,

Can anyone suggest a thorough resource for a "walkthrough" of a conversion (LHD to RHD) on a 113? The site search engine hasn't thrown up any threads on the keywords I have used so far.

Thanks,

kns.
1965 230SL, Manual
[1965 220SEb Coupe, Man.]

[114015]

kns,

so far I have never heart that someone ever converted a pagoda from lhd to rhd. If it were the other way round , I can understand .

But kidding aside ...
... I don't think the conversion being a good idea. Too much has to be exchanged. It's by far not as easy as with British roadsters.
Especially the complete dashboard is different. This would be a tough conversion.
Furthermore:
exhaust manifolds, clutch, brake, accelerator linkage, overflow tank for coolant, steering box, brake booster and thousand little other things...  - all different.

The factory spare part lists list hundreds of parts which are different between lhd and rhd.

If you are a very skilled mechanic (like Dan Caron or Joe Alexander) it might be possible if you have a bad rhd and a good lhd and make one car (rhd) out of two.  :?
But better the other way around  towards lhd.

My two cents: don't! Just look for a better car. Much, much less trouble.

Best,


Achim
(Magdeburg, Germany)

[hands_aus]

Hey kns
I saw a lhd car that had been converted to rhd for sale here in Canberra. It started at $39K but was finally advertised at $33K. It was later for sale by mb classics in Sydney for about $40K. They said on their web site that it was being painted. At one time there were many pics of the car on the net.

One main thing i noticed was that the brake booster was on the left of the engine, and the radiator overflow tank was on the rhs of the engine, like the USA cars.
I figured the converters did a minimum job. Obviously pedals would have had linkages either made or adapted.
The layout of the inside was almost new with new leather and carpet. It looked terrific.
One thing i noticed was that the tacho was on the left of the speedo where as my RHD car has the tacho on the right of the dash cluster.
Technically I have no idea what was involved because I never spoke to the seller about the conversion.
From what i think, the major changes would be the pedal linkages, the dash and steering, the trim like the windscreen wood would need to be swapped over to RHD.
The heater lever unit is in the centre of the dash.
The hand brake lever in the RHD was left on the LHS of the tunnel.
Most states of Aus allow us to drive LHD cars if they are over 30years old.
It would be a huge project to do

Bob (Brisbane,Australia)
early 250 SL, RHD

[Benz Dr.]

You couldn't pay me enough to do that kind of job. Not impossible but not practical either.

Dan Caron

Daniel G Caron

[kns]

Thanks Bob, and a [belated] happy new year to you.

What prompted the enquiry was the idle thought of picking up some restoration projects in the US or Europe at prices much lower than we could hope to see here (if any were to become available), and then restoring to RHD, to end up with a car in the (say) AUD $45 - 55K range. The costs of transport and duty etc. are not such a big deal, but the degree of difficulty of the conversion might make or break.

I'll keep mulling over the idea.

Cheers,

kns.
1965 230SL, Manual
[1965 220SEb Coupe, Man.]