RHD conversion

[Khurram Darugar]

Hello all,
          I have been visiting this forum for about a year now and really appreciate all the interesting tips and anecdotes here, thank you.  

I know this topic has been touched on before but i wanted to add a bit of spin on this.  A donor RHD car, or more acurately  a portion of a donor car is available to me.  The car which was unrestorable has been cut from the bulkhead  and door across the cross section of the car.     The steering column and bulkhead are intact and the steering wheel which is power assisted moves.  

My car is a Euro LHD that i am about half way through restoring, having said that i feel i've been half way for a while now ...


My query here is how practical a venture is this from a technical perspective.  

My wife thinks this is a great idea as she would feel more comfortable driving the car and also thinks it would balance out some of the considerable expense that has gone into the restoration, even though we dont intend on selling it.

Anyone have any idea what sort of problems one would run into even with a donor.

Your views and insight would be much appreciated!!  

Kay

68 Euro 280sl

[Cees Klumper]

Hello Kay and welcome to the 'active part' of visiting this Pagoda community.

So far all advice I've ever read was to stay away from the RHD conversion work. Maybe you read up about it already, but apparently it's quite a bit of work. Steering, dash, brakes, linkages and the like. Of course, if you have the donor car (how about restoring THAT to former glory though?) it should be easier, especially if you have welding etc. skills. I am interested to hear others' views - has anyone every gone through this?

Cees Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[JamesL]

Kay, if hear you right, take the useable bits from the RHD car and put them in the LHD car...?

Why not do it the other way round? Can the LHD car become the donor? That way you end up with RHD. Suppose it depends on where "half way" is on the LHD.

Is there some way you can "cut and shut" the two together? I'm sure there's a bloke in a railway arch in Peckham who could help out on that! Failing that, give Roger Edwards a call. He has both left and right hookers through his place regularly and I'd guess a chat with him - and some info on the state of both cars - you might get a steer.

Shame to waste an RHD car though!

[Khurram Darugar]

Tosh/Cleese,
            The RHD is beyond repair.  It's lost structural integrity from enough places that it would take a truck load in parts alone to get it even road worthy, let alone restored.  And im not talking about the floor pans.  Rear subframe has holes in it, you can see daylight from the right angles  :? .  It would be a really long term project for someone with infinite funds....

So yes its about using the usable bits.  On the other hand my lhd is in fairly good shape now, prior to purchasing it it had four new wings and host of other small bits and pieces.  
 
I have'nt really done any research on this apart from a couple of pagoda restorers who've said its possible with a donor.
So you guys think im nuts or what?[:p]  

Kay

[Khurram Darugar]

Sorry i meant Cees

[George Davis]

Kay,

only moderately nuts.  With all the right parts, it's got to be technically feasible.  The questions are: how long are you willing to have the car cut to pieces, and how much are you able and willing to pay?  The dash has to be swapped over, and probably the bulkhead (or perhaps pieces of it) and maybe parts of the front floors(?).  So gut the dash, probably remove the windscreen and surrounds, remove everything close to the bulkhead including the engine/trans, then start cutting and welding.  You'll need the RHD exhaust manifolds and head pipes, they exit forward instead of back, or something like that.  You may have to find, or make, or have made, a new under-dash wiring loom, too.  I'd make a wild guess of 2-6 months in the shop and in the neighborhood of US$10,000 - $15,000.  Add 25-50% for contingency and extras.

Since it isn't my money, I say go for it, and pleast take a ton of digital photos to document the process, and post them here, of course!

George Davis
'69 280 SL Euro manual

[Khurram Darugar]

George,
       The car has presently got a new floor but there's more work to be done on the boot floor and the rear chassis legs.  So far i've done all the work myself.  I wont win any prizes on a mig welding costing but its not bad either.  When the cost of repairs started getting close to my own wages i started exploring other options.   Next thing i know i took two semesters worth of MIG welding.  A basic welding course and a more advanced automotive welding and starting sourcing parts.
Time wise, ive sort of gotten the notion of getting the car back on the road right away out of my mind.  Its a bit agonizing if i do.  
       Thanks for the manifold tip i had'nt thought of that.  I knew from sls that the exhaust is different for the LHD, but was guessing that that was more to do with getting around the steering column.
Will keep you guys posted!  Now wheres that digital camera...
Kay