Right Hand Drive Conversions

[matmoxon]

As I will be buying a LHD Mustang when the time comes this may be a strange question, but let me explain; my dad seems to think that after a few months I'll be sick of the "difficulties" of the LHD Mustang, and believes I'll regret it and it will be a waste of money, and is saying that I should buy one with or get a RHD conversion, now I am aware that these cost in the region of £8k to £10k (personally if I had that much spare cash I’d spend it under the bonnet etc).
So just to answer his question if any of you have seen or had experience with RHD conversions; are they any good or are they a waste of money?

Matt

[Stig]

Matt - IMHO your dad is talking out of his ar$e. Getting used to LHD take all of about 30 seconds and certainly isn't worth spending £5k on a conversion.

Hope that helps?

[benny.c]

Yup, after a week or two of driving you wont even notice the difference. When I picked my car up I was very conscious of my road positioning and I hugged the kerb a fair bit. You soon forget all about it and it all seems natural. I drive a RHD car daily and the Mustang at the weekends, and can honestly say I don't notice the switch. This is my first LHD car BTW. A LHD car will be easier to sell on too. For the cost of a conversion you could have a 500 bhp blower and a nice suspension set up - or just epic suspension if you are stig

[51state]

As I always say to prospective customers, if I am driving a factory LHD and there is a slight rattle I dont worry too much as I know the cars are inherently safe and well built and minor problems can be sorted out. If I am driving a RHD converted car, however good it is, and there is a rattle I think I would pull over immediately and have the car recovered as I have no idea what has been changed and how well it has been done and how safe it is. I think your Dad is potentially encouraging you to put yourself in danger!!!

[Steve@V8]

Or just move over the the mainland .....
.........better weather and not need to worry about Lh vs Rh drive..

[evolutionvalet]

I have seen and tried a couple of RHD conversions. One in a Mustang (S197) and one in a Ford Lightning truck................





I wouldnt recommend them to my worst enemy....terrible....


If you remember..Jezza Clarkson drove a RHD converted Lightning on Top Gear a while ago and trashed it due to the creaks and groans and sloppy fitting plastic interiors........
Here's the clip.....convertion was done by a UK company somewhere near Manchester IIRC.

http://highperformancetrucks.com.vidiac.com/catego...

Edited by evolutionvalet on Thursday 14th August 12:58

[matmoxon]

Thanks for the replies, my question has been answered. He is trying to convince me not to get one "I can't understand why you want rid of your Focus ST, there's nothing wrong with it" is what he usually says when I mention the word Mustang.

I do remember the Lightening truck on TG yes, and I did wonder when I saw it how it would get out of the factory gates with an interior like the one in it.

I'm still going to buy one though (LHD) I just need to save up a bit more cash, and make sure I get a good deal on the sale of my ST Focus, anyone want one around November December time??

Matt

Edited by matmoxon on Thursday 14th August 13:25

[Twin Turbo]

Yep, as the others have said, LHD becomes natural by the end of your first drive. Weirdly, the thought of LHD put me off at first, before I bought it, but it's really not an issue.

[zektor]

LHD had no bearing at all when I bought my first yank motor. I had wanted an American car since I was a kid... nothing like this would ever put me off.

In a week you will be driving confidently in it. Now, years later... I don't even think about it!

[matmoxon]

To me LHD was never an issue, it's my dad trying to convince me it's a bad idea and that I should buy an M3 or keep the Focus ST.
I test drove a mustang at the Atlantic Sports Cars BBQ and even in the 10 minutes or so behind the wheel I can say it didn't really bother me that much, sure I went for the door handle a couple of times when looking for the handbrake but I'll soon stop doing that .

Matt

[300bhp/ton]

matmoxon said:

As I will be buying a LHD Mustang when the time comes this may be a strange question, but let me explain; my dad seems to think that after a few months I'll be sick of the "difficulties" of the LHD Mustang, and believes I'll regret it and it will be a waste of money, and is saying that I should buy one with or get a RHD conversion, now I am aware that these cost in the region of £8k to £10k (personally if I had that much spare cash I’d spend it under the bonnet etc).
So just to answer his question if any of you have seen or had experience with RHD conversions; are they any good or are they a waste of money?

Matt

Waste of money IMO. You'll end up with crap fitment, messy interior, probably a pile of stuff that no longer works and no proper parts supply for a lot of components.

Not to mention long term issues with putting the steering on the otherside of the car, such as heat and vibration.

And to top it all, who will want to buy a 2nd hand hacked about RHD conversion?

[matmoxon]

300bhp/ton said:

matmoxon said:

As I will be buying a LHD Mustang when the time comes this may be a strange question, but let me explain; my dad seems to think that after a few months I'll be sick of the "difficulties" of the LHD Mustang, and believes I'll regret it and it will be a waste of money, and is saying that I should buy one with or get a RHD conversion, now I am aware that these cost in the region of £8k to £10k (personally if I had that much spare cash I’d spend it under the bonnet etc).
So just to answer his question if any of you have seen or had experience with RHD conversions; are they any good or are they a waste of money?

Matt

Waste of money IMO. You'll end up with crap fitment, messy interior, probably a pile of stuff that no longer works and no proper parts supply for a lot of components.

Not to mention long term issues with putting the steering on the otherside of the car, such as heat and vibration.

And to top it all, who will want to buy a 2nd hand hacked about RHD conversion?

Thats exactly what I am trying to get through to my dad.

I'm sticking with a LHD car and I'm damn well gonna enjoy it

Matt

[LuS1fer]

LHD is better in my view.

A RHD conversion is like taking £10k and flushing it as the car will be worth no more than a LHD when you sell.

Finally, the cheap insurance is often on the basis of it being LHD and stock. Once it's "modified", the insurance becomes more of an issue because you're insuring the car, not the value of the car and the conversion and if you crash it, you won't get the value of the RHD conversion. RHD cars tend to be more nickable in a RHD country.

[malc350]

LuS1fer said:

LHD is better in my view.

A RHD conversion is like taking £10k and flushing it as the car will be worth no more than a LHD when you sell.

Finally, the cheap insurance is often on the basis of it being LHD and stock. Once it's "modified", the insurance becomes more of an issue because you're insuring the car, not the value of the car and the conversion and if you crash it, you won't get the value of the RHD conversion. RHD cars tend to be more nickable in a RHD country.

Yep, to me LHD is part of the experience of owning a US car. RHD would be very strange indeed...

Further to what LuS1fer has said I would even say that a RHD Mustang would be worth even less than a LHD car.

Whenever an "oddball" RHD US car like the occasional Corvette is for sale, it constantly seems to be on the market as numerous dealers and private individuals struggle to get rid of it.

If the factory (Ford) made it RHD from the factory I'd say that would be a much more sound buy but generally RHD US cars are a no-no unless you live in Australia.

And if I lived in OZ rather than this depressing country (Channel 4 news headline now: "Bank Holiday, the end of summer and the end of growth in the economy" why are we obsessed with bad news over here?!) I would indeed suffer a RHD Mustang.

Or I would seek out a 70's Ford Falcon XB GT.....

[SurreyMustang]

I have to agree with most of the above. We've looked at RHD conversions and to quote Lusie "It's like taking £10k and flushing it".

It won't add any value to the car, on most conversions the fit & finish of the interior panels is not to 'new car' standards, you really don't know what's gone on behind the dash or with the steering, and I tend to feel it dilutes the whole 'American-ness' of owning a Mustang.

I know owners who've had their cars converted and are happy with them, but most are just as happy with driving a LHD car (as I am).

No, buy a left-hooker and get to love it. Should only take about 15 minutes to achieve this!

[largelunchbox]

you mite as well throw 10k out the window,dont do it. And plz when you get your stang refuse to drive your dad anyway untill you get a full apology and admittance he was wrong, you should get plenty of mileage outta that one.

[matmoxon]

I wasn't going to do it or buy one with it done, I wanted opinions from US car owners, so I could show him this thread.

My main concern is going to be selling my current car, i.e. I probably won't be able to, I have seen the same ST on the forecourt of a dealer for 2 months now that is newer and has less miles than mine, advertised for £13k which is what I wanted for mine, and every £1k less than that in value in mine means about 3 months extra on getting the Mustang .

Matt

Edited by matmoxon on Saturday 23 August 22:00

[fatboy18]

In my opinion if you were to have an American car converted to RHD it looses part of its make up. I also think that it would be hard to sell on as most American car owners want LHD. Ive had a couple of Yanks in my time and love the LHD. Heres the + and - points ive found.

+ Points.
Its LHD its AMERICAN

When you go to park the car, you can look down out of your side window at the curbs, that way you dont wreck your wheels

Now if your single? you can talk to the girls walking along or waiting at the bus stop

As far as the driving goes if you aim to run the edge of the tyres along the edge of the yellow lines by the roadside, you will be fine

- Points.
Not all insurance companys like LHD so you will have to shop around. However the good news is you may get a better deal with a specialist broker or company.

As far as Overtaking other cars goes, If your on a normal A road, all you have to do is hang back a couple of car lengths, you can then see fine

If you cant see round the car in front,Dont Overtake, mabie its not such a bad thing, less chance of getting yourself into trouble.

Watch out for central reservations on Dual carrageways!
Friend of mine clipped one in his Viper, had to buy a new wheel (bloody expencive)

[matmoxon]

Doesn't look like I'll be getting one any time soon, my ST is worth far less than I anticipated, and I can't bring myself to take an 8 to 9k loss in 2 years selling it (If I can sell it that is). So I think I'm going to hang onto it for a while. Also I have struggled to get insurance on a Mustang for less than £1k which is far too much (tried A-Plan, Adrian Flux and a few specialists) even waiting until I am 25 brought it down by about £50 some companies wouldn't cover me as I have no LHD experience, so in short I am stumped at the moment.

Matt

[fatboy18]

matmoxon said:

Doesn't look like I'll be getting one any time soon, my ST is worth far less than I anticipated, and I can't bring myself to take an 8 to 9k loss in 2 years selling it (If I can sell it that is). So I think I'm going to hang onto it for a while. Also I have struggled to get insurance on a Mustang for less than £1k which is far too much (tried A-Plan, Adrian Flux and a few specialists) even waiting until I am 25 brought it down by about £50 some companies wouldn't cover me as I have no LHD experience, so in short I am stumped at the moment.

Matt

You could try these companys / Brokers
Headley Insurance 01202 583688 (This company dose a discount scheme for the UK Viper club)
Osbourne & Sons 020 8388 6000
Keith Michaels 0845 337 3380
Then theres always the Mustang owners club route! Some brokers do discount insurance for owners clubs.

I think most of us have been where you are now , Stay focused keep positive and something will turn up

To be honnest the companys you called above,I found to be some of the Dearest!!!