Convert to RHD

[roymck]

I fancy another 914 but my wife is unhappy sitting on the wrong side of the car in the UK . Anybody done a rhd conversion , in theory it does not look to bad to complete . I remember seeing a rhd conversion many years ago in a breakers yard, think that was a Crayford conversion.

Any thoughts or anybody got a converted car?

Thanks Roy

[911hillclimber]

Find Jonathan Williamson on here, he has a lot of understanding on this and I think knows someone with a conversion.

I have converted my 911 and not the same car obviously, it really was not that hard.
On the 914 I think the tank is an issue and certainly the day board top.

I converted my 911 because my wife tired of the overtaking gamble at times so fully understand the pressures!

Good luck, find Jonathan.

I've just looked on Google, and there is a lot of info on how to do it.

[jwhillracer]

Sorry, it's not something I have done.............. Wayne (rhd racer on here) has a rhd racer, strangely enough.... and moriarty has converted 2 (?) cars to rhd.
Both of these two will have plenty of knowledge.

Cheers!

JW

[Philw]

Many moons ago I had a right hand drive conversion done by a garage in the NW, she was an orange 2:0 litre, great car but when I sat in an original lhd and then in Ian McMath's Crayford rhd conversion I realised that in my car they hadn't got the pedal assembly true to the original as it involved reshaping the petrol tank which is more challenging than the cosmetic changes. I also felt that the gear change is not as natural in a rhd conversion as in the original, and as a result my next 914 was a left hooker and will stay as such.....

[Darren C]

I fancy another 914 but my wife is unhappy sitting on the wrong side of the car

Any thoughts?

Thanks Roy

Find a new wife

Really though, this is such an irrational reason to modify a car that if not done correctly could be highly dangerous.

[roymck]

Sorry Daren don't get where you are coming from. Any modification to a car that's not done properly could be dangerous. So why do people modify cars ? To suit there needs, my need is my wife does not like lhd. Yes I could leave her at home or px her. But to convert to rhd because the passenger or the driver does not like lhd is not irrational.

Roy

[23e Heure]

There are lots of threads on 914world about RHD conversions.

General consensus there seems to be that it's not tooo difficult, but that opinion does assume either that you know what you are doing with cutting and welding, OR that you have deep pockets.

If you fall into either of those camps, then your biggest challenge might be making/sourcing a RHD dash.

As said above, if you get serious, talk to Wayne Eason. User name here is "rhd racer"

Sounds like you don't actually have the 914 yet that you would do this to?
In which case, have you really exhausted all options for alternative models, that you could get in RHD already?

[911hillclimber]

Jonathan:
I knew you would remember the names, hence the ref to you.
Forgot about the Gulf colours hill climb car but remembered Ian's.

When I converted my 911 to RHD I bought some original Porsche dash panels (this was in 1993).

The RHD dash with instrument holes etc was a LHD panel cut in the centre and welded back together.

I cut the bulkhead out under the heater blower box, reversed the dash underside and welded the lot back together with the new panels as required.
Lengthened the loom a full 1000mm, made a new floor panel for the pedal box and removed the smuggler's box for room.

Used the same steering, re-routed the brake system etc.

That was about 70,000 miles ago, 13 years of hillclimbs and one big thump at Shelsley Walsh.

It survived it all inc a big pull on the Cellette jig to pull the one front side out.

My conversion held firm.

Still have the car, and the wife is very very much against it being sold.

The whole conversion took 2 weeks of solid work in my home garage.
NOT for the novice or weak of heart this stuff, but if you can restore an MGB you can do this work.

[Darren C]

Sorry Daren don't get where you are coming from. Yes I could leave her at home or px her. But to convert to rhd because the passenger does not like lhd is not irrational.

Roy

It's called banter Roy.

Seriously, if a passenger doesn't like LHD, leave her at home, there's more things wrong with non-acceptance of each others dreams and the world around you for what it is, than converting a car to RHD.

[Tosh]

Does this thread help at all?
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=32916

[hot66]

these days you could probabally buy a boxster for what it would cost to do a RHD conversion properly .. so therefore using man maths buy a nice original 914 and a boxster for when the wife wants a trip out .. if they happen to both be the same colour you might even get away with the wife thinking you've only bought 1 car

[Nige]

Sounds like a plan James, I bet a Boxster can easily be had for less £ than a half decent 914.

Dunno:
Good LHD 914 £10k+(RHD conversion £3k totally guessing there) = £14-15K (but knock some of the value off the 914 once it's been converted)

or

Good LHD 914 £10k + cheapy RHD Boxster £4k = £14-15K


2 cars for the price of 1 unnecessarily converted 914

[roymck]

Thanks Tosh, good thread

[911hillclimber]

Sound thinking in many ways. find a very good 2.5 Boxster and you have a future classic in the pocket.

Trouble with 'modern' Porsches is you quickly start to avoid using the old one.

I have just bought a Boxster and the 73 911 hotrod is getting left behind, but the Boxster is VERY good.

Serious thoughts!

[23e Heure]

All sound reasoning, except I wish you luck with this bit these days!... "Good LHD 914 £10k"