converting to rhd?

[adz372]

just wondering if anyone on here (mainly aussies) has converted their there 55-57 to rhd? if so was it worth it? is it difficult? im in a bit of a delemar, what would the chances of it returning to the states? any advice from you guys would be much appreciated.

[Belairmark]

I have mine LHD in Blighty and love it! Unless the law requires it to be changed, I'd leave it. The custom parts will be a problem and things like new headers won't then fit! What steering? Steering box? Rack? Dash parts? Pedal box?

Way too much work!

Just drive the wheels off her.

Mark

[1956 Sedan Delivery]

My 1957 150 2 door post has been converted using the U.S dash cut and shut mirror swap to RHD. It also uses the RHD steering parts off an Aussie assembled 55 6 7
http://i36.tinypic.com/34ot5ap.jpg
http://i35.tinypic.com/bi460z.jpg

[espxtc]

I have converted my 55 to RHD with a HG holden box and colem.
Its not that a big job.
Cheers scott.

[CLSSY56]

My 1957 150 2 door post has been converted using the U.S dash cut and shut mirror swap to RHD. It also uses the RHD steering parts off an Aussie assembled 55 6 7
http://i36.tinypic.com/34ot5ap.jpg
http://i35.tinypic.com/bi460z.jpg

That's a nice custom conversion as the original 57 RHDs had a 56 dash.

[adz372]

thanks the feed back fellas, thats a nice job on your dash chevyshubox.
Just wondering espxtc, did your speedo just swap from one side to the other or do you have to cut and shut these dashes aswell? thanks

[torqbel]

If it aint brokern why fix it but not noing your rules and regs over there unless you where doing full bare metal rebuild i wouldnt worry about it
over here in the west we only go over once to get it licenced and never get it checked again
cheers
David

[espxtc]

You have to cut it through the part that gets coverd by the dash trim.Then what ever you cut out of that side cut the same on the other side and weld it in.:tu
5187

[1956 Sedan Delivery]

Torqbel, This car was converted about ten years ago when you could only get club rego on LHD cars in N.S.W but they have since changed the rules and you can now get full rego on cars over 30 years old that are LHD. This car was actually converted with the rest of the car basically complete, only had the seats carpet and windscreen removed and wasn`t a complete rebuild the paint on it is over 20 years old.Chris.

[torqbel]

Funny how each state was different i think it was about five or so years ago that they stopped yearly inspections on left hand drive cars back then you also had to have stickers on the bumper or back window stating it was left hand drive also.I cant remember but over here the car had to be over 20 years old and you didnt have to convert it just licence and yearly inspections now its just license and drive on normal license
cheers
David

[espxtc]

Its the same in VIC but i still did my 55 so its easyer for my wife to drive and it was no big deal as the chev is mid re-build.

[adz372]

thanks for all the feed back, the reason why i asked the question is im doing a full chassis off resto and thought while im at it i should convert it. people said to me what if it gets sold back to the states? the way i think, whats the likelyhood of that? not much, its a 210 two door post, there a dime a dozen over there, right? i also have top think of when my wife wants to have a drive, so looks like its getting the conversion. i noticed espxtc (scott) your car is yellow? i was thinking of painting mine bright yellow and ivory, any chance of posting me any more pics of your car? thanks adam

[rhodesy57]

I'm keeping my 57 LHD, same as it rolled off the line. Rego's cool..not too many hassles, so the way I figure it..I'll leave it the way it was made originally.
But the pics of the 57 dash that's been cut and shut look real clean and smooth:cool:

Damien

[espxtc]

Adam The pic i hand came off the net, Im going blue and white on my 55 its a 4 door belair and just about to get some paint this weekend i hope. People said the same thing to me, but im building it for me not them. A couple of pics of yellow 55's i have plus the color im going.
What state are you from?
Cheers scott.

[70sfreak]

try this as well
http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15122

and a few years ago I used Hedman street rod headers on my RHD '55 sedan delivery , they were made for a tight fit , stopped roughly in line with the sump and were no problem, sorry not sure if they still sell them ?????

[adz372]

thanks for the pics scott, geezz both those colours look unreal! how long have you been rebuilding yours for? im in sydney nsw how about yourself?

[espxtc]

Yea thay do look good I got the pics of US ebay. Ive had my 55 for about 2 years but i lost a 1 1/2 years of that with a no good panel betar.Im going the Pro tour look with the 18's and 20's billet wheels and the LS1 motor.
Im from Ballarat in VIC.
Heres some pics of a yellow 57 from a car show in vic.
Cheers scott.

[adz372]

gez thats no good about the panel beater, hope your on the right track now. Thats a cool lookn 57, im going the pro tour look aswell, but just sticking with 18s back n front, im mini tubing it so hopfully i can get 18x12 on it.Have you been to the ballart swap meet before? how good is it? i was thinking of travling down to it.

[Rus]

I'd leave it as is Adam; My 55 is left-hook and I plan on leaving it that way. It's an American car, so it should remain that way.

In *NSW there are no restrictions placed on LHD cars anymore (Caution! Left Hand Drive stickers no longer required); and the only real driving hazard is the inability to poke your nose out to see around cars when you are attempting to overtake on country roads.

Let's face it though, these cars are for the majority, built to cruise in; and I for one don't plan on traveling fast enough to feel the need to overtake all that often, especially not on narrow winding country roads where stone chips can happen frequently.

I see it as an unnecessary expense; and would rather spend the money on other areas.

This is, of course, just my 2 cents. Each and every man is entitled to his own opinion.

* = And Australia as a whole?!

[1956 Sedan Delivery]

There is one restriction that I know of in New South Wales and that is originally LHD cars where not supposed to have any modifications allthough I know of quite a few cars that have been registered with engine conversions and front clip conversions straight from the states without any engineers reports which is strange because in the past I couldn`t even get a RHD car registered for the first time without an engineers report.
A friend of mine recently bought a 1951 Ford Victoria which has a 350chev/turbo 350 and he rang an engineer to see about an engineers report and was told that the Transport Authority states LHD cars should be standard but it was not written as such so he would do a report for it. He said they have relaxed the law a bit.
In the end the guy just went to the local registration guy and got a blue slip and went and registered it. All the rego guy said was what sort of engine is that and how come there is no door handles.
I don`t know what would happen with these guy`s if there car was in a bad accident probably end up in the can. Also I plan on buying a 57 coupe soon and I will more than likely leave it LHD especially if it doesn`t need a rebuild.
Chris

[jaywildone57]

The only problem I see with LHD vehicles in Aus is throwing change in toll booths, and ordering drive through McDonalds........hmmm love those big macs.

Mc Jay. :)

[1956 Sedan Delivery]

At least your close to the button on the traffic lights so you can jump out and push the pedestrian walk button.

[Ronny's 55]

adz372 - A dime a dozen for a 210 2 dr. sedan. I'll take a dollars worth.

[nomadawhat]

There is one restriction that I know of in New South Wales and that is originally LHD cars where not supposed to have any modifications allthough I know of quite a few cars that have been registered with engine conversions and front clip conversions straight from the states without any engineers reports which is strange because in the past I couldn`t even get a RHD car registered for the first time without an engineers report.
A friend of mine recently bought a 1951 Ford Victoria which has a 350chev/turbo 350 and he rang an engineer to see about an engineers report and was told that the Transport Authority states LHD cars should be standard but it was not written as such so he would do a report for it. He said they have relaxed the law a bit.
In the end the guy just went to the local registration guy and got a blue slip and went and registered it. All the rego guy said was what sort of engine is that and how come there is no door handles.
I don`t know what would happen with these guy`s if there car was in a bad accident probably end up in the can. Also I plan on buying a 57 coupe soon and I will more than likely leave it LHD especially if it doesn`t need a rebuild.
Chris


Same here in Vic - a lot of modified LHD cars are going straight thru rego without Engineer's report, whereas modified RHD cars generally need that report.

adz372 - all my cars are RHD because they were built before the laws changed allowing LHD. I would not do another conversion, but do know of many cars that are still being done, mally because of the reasons given here by others. Converting the 55-56 dash is no big deal, a lot more work on a 57. Years ago we would have no trouble finding a RHD dash and the steering and hand brake parts, but they are getting harder to find.

Do whatever you feel comfortable with.

Des

[sdrew]

I've got 2 57's one which is registered and on the road and another being rebuilt. Both are LHD and will remain that way! My driver is a 2 owner car and currently has 50800 miles on it and it would be an injustice to cut it up now. The 4dr hardtop will remain LHD and will be rebuilt back to a stock car too. At the end of the day, and it might be a long time after I'm gone, I think these cars will end up back in the USA. Why wouldn't they, their dollar until recently has always been a lot stronger than ours (and is again now) they are much less likely to rust here, so they will come to buy excellent rust free cars from here. That's my 2 cents though.

[jimbo]

Ididit now makes a RHD tilt column.

[aussie57]

Hi All
A bit late but someone might come back to this thread as i did so for my two bobs worth....

Just converted a 57 4 d h/top to RHD cutting and shutting the original dash. A 57 should be a 57 IMO. so it was worth the effort. We installed a Flaming river polished tilt column with column shift. Connected up the trans with a Lokar cable set up. Got both from Hotrod Hardware in Melbourne.

Also fitted up a bolt in RHD Unisteer power rack and pinion kit. Excellent and so simple.

Its just so much easier and less 'stressful' to drive as we always do - on the right. Couldnt be bothered with the hassels of LHD