max_boost951

Whom has done a right hand drive conversion in the US?? Just wondering because I seen a Honda Civic at the local grocery store that was a right hand drive.

No Civic is cool (sorry honda enthusiasts) but it being right hand drive made it smidgen cooler!

techartisan

I see 1 or 2 rhd 944 imports on CL every year....never at a time Im liquid....never close enough either. In fact theres a rhd 928 in arkansas for sale right now. Personally, I think Id prefer to hold out for an import than to try to tackle converting one.

max_boost951

Curious to know what is different....wonder if you can just nearly flip flop this like the rack and brake booster, etc...

techartisan

Cant just flip flop it geometry is all wrong...you need a different rack and crossmember and steering shaft. The steering shaft passes through an opening in the crossmember...you can kind of make it out in the auction shot.

The rhd brake pedal really looks like a conversion part....long bar to the LHD position.

The dash is obviously different as well.

As I said....Id rather pick up an import car. The only reason Ive any inklings on conversion is that my daughters have been dreaming about doing a drivers ed style conversion to theirs.....its a twin thing.

dillon410021

I would think the steering shaft would be in the exhaust. the whole front clip is different.

max_boost951

That's what I would have though too. I just cant fathom how that setup would look...

MAGK944

I had one in the UK, if I remember correctly the whole firewall is different. There was a separate clutch fluid reservoir and the battery is relocated to the lh rear compartment inside the trunk. A lot of things are done differently, different parts and sheet metal pressings in places. Plus all the trim changes, even small things like window switches (two on "passenger" side). I did a conversion once on a Land Rover and those parts simply flip over it was a weekend job. I would imagine the 944 would be a nightmare to convert and quite costly.

67King

A smidge cooler? Shoot, a RHD Civic is abotu the most uncool car I can possibly concieve. A bone stock CIvic isn't cool, but it isn't offensive. There's a reason "rice" is a derogatory term, and I can't think of anything ricier than a RHD conversion. I mean, really. Has anyone ever driven a RHD vehicle over here? It sucks. You have to plan your trips ahead to avoid left hand turns at intersections without a dedicated left turn arrow. You basically can't pass on a 2 lane road. I used to drive an Australian Falcon test car a lot when I was at Ford. LOVED the car, but hated having to deal with driving the darn thing in normal conditions because of the lack of visibility.

I do not understadn teh appeal of this AT ALL. Different? Yeah, okay. So were the three stooges.

J1NX3D

^^+1 re: appeal tbh. I've been in LHD 944's and 911's here in NZ as a passenger on the street and it is not the most pleasant experience. to want one because its slightly 'cooler' is not a good enough reason for me to get one!

this is my car. the clutch hydraulics is on the right (left in the pic) while the the brakes MC is on the left. There is indeed a bar that runs from the MC to the pedal box ton the drivers side. the streering shaft is a tight fit between the chassis rail and the exhaust manifold. you can see where it comes thorough the firewall just below the hose for the clutch fluid.


By mad924 at 2008-03-24

btw i did get a new reservoir shortly after buying the car


while there are some cool things that Porsche did for factory RHD's (like rear mounted batteries for late cars) there a few silly things that I don't like, like the bonnet(hood) release is still in the LH footwell and on early cars the windscreen wipers were set up for LHD's!

Hollywood D

I saw a Civic one that the guy turned into a targa. Pretty much he just cut half the roof off with a sawzall then used some spray paint to touch it up. It was.....interesting.

87 944 C

might not seem like a lot, but rhd conversions for most cars aren't worth it. gotta remember civics in japan or the usa are still built the same way, its a different dashboard and set of holes for the pedals to pass throuh, but the rhd holes are still on the usa cars...also remember the engine doesn't really get in the way of anything, as the exhaust is on the front side.

a friend did a rhd conversion to his mitsubishi 3000gt vr4, it cost over 15k to do, and do it right. got it legalized(a bitch in utah evidentally) only to have it crashed into on the way home from the dmw. i asked him about doing one he simply said not worth the time and effort.

also you must think that in the modern USA rhd would be a little more difficult, everything is designed for lhd. however, you must also realize, rhd isn't illegal like some people think it is. it just fell out of favor.

Dougs951

If you want one import it.

Thats my plan anyway...

techartisan

A few years ago I came across a rhd jaguar XJS. The owner had installled a rearview cam, like you find on RVs, in the left side mirror housing facing forward with a small monitor on the center console. Where there is a will there is a way I guess.

A quick websearch turns up cameras....

and mirrors...

to tackle the problem.

Im not sure that "curb side exits", and "stop light meetings" make up for the visibility concerns....I dont eat enough fast food to care about the loss of "drive thru" privileges....but I would buy an imported RHD anyway. Much like driving a 20+ year old sportscar, our vehicular decisions arent always based in reason nor practicality. I dont think Id go through the hassle of a conversion though......unless my daughters talk me into building them the "Drivers ED 944" BothHandDrive of their dreams.

max_boost951

Never thought about the traffic obstacles.....not to mention I think the word CIVIC is a sensitive subject around here...

JustinL

Up here in Canada we have a ton of RHD cars imported from Japan. It was a fad and now RHD cars are pretty much considered very uncool. They are owned by kids who can't afford the LHD version. Why anyone would do a conversion is completely beyond me. Take a nice car and make it harder to drive just to impress kids.