I am weighing up selling my immaculate (never driven in the rain or on wet roads) 964 and buying an unknown car in Australia, or possibly going with a RHD steering conversion option after being exported to Australia.

Anyone have any idea on what kind of costs this conversion would could incurr.

 

Hi

I think there is an article in porscheworld this month re Australia and LHD.
Not sure as have not had a chance to read properly yet.

Cheers
Rob
91 964 cab

 

I know the LHD vs RHD conversion is complex and probably rather costly. It involves changing the whole front tub as they are different between the two versions.

Why do you feel you need a RHD car in Oz? There are many many LHD cars in the Uk, even though its a RHD country. I drove my 964 for 2 years without a problem.

 

Many years ago, I did a feature on a 964 Turbo that was converted. The cost was around £15,000 and it was scary to see what was involved. The car needed a new bulkhead welding in, amongst many other things. Sorry, it's not worth doing to a 964!

The 996 and Boxster are much simpler in that the bulkhead does not need changing.

Cheers

 

Youcef,

If you do decide to take it to Aust. and not convert it before shipping check with the state authorities of where you are going to live if you can register it. Some states will not let LHD cars be registered until they are a cetain age.

 

Sorry for late reply and thanks to those who did. I have done quite some searching on the subject and if I want to keep the car in Ozz it needs to be converted within 6 months of the landing date!! Still searching conversion options...might be up for sale soon!

 

Do you mean that its actually illegal to have a LHD car in Oz?

 

Dear Riccardo,
The front tubs are not different. What is different is the positioning of some components in the bulkhead and some countries do not permit the drilling out of the RHF bulkhead cutouts to accomodate the changes. If you remove the fuel tank of any 964 you will see all the cutouts available. Some countries require the bulkhead to be removed and replaced with one that only had the RHD cut outs open. I am not sure of the Australian laws regarding this issue. I can tell you that Porsche do not replace the bulkhead in the factory for the RHD conversions. If the 964 was originally a LHD and then is converted (happens quite often) before it leaves the factory the LHD cutouts are plugged.
No it is not legal to import and keep LHD in Australia apart from the Northern Territory (may have also changed in the past 10 years) unless the car is 30 years old.
Ciao,
Adrian
964C4

 

There are plenty of shops in Aus that convert 911's. There are a lot of imported cars down there. The trick is to find a clean original car - really it's tough, there are some dogs down there.

Driving a LHD is a real pain in Aus. In WA you have to have a big sticker on the back of the car - REALLY BIG. I wouldn't do it.

I'm in the same predicament - I love my RSA and one day I'll return to Aus. Will I take it back? Probably not. There are a few things I don't like about Aus - the police, speedlimits and car theives. There's too many of all of them down there.

 

New South Wales was the same. I asked about taking a bunch of 911s back to make up a little museum in my home of South Australia. The way I was treated you would think customs and the law thought I was trying to import an illegal drug making company. Basically they said the answer was no. I did not want to drive them. I was hoping that the old historical import system was intact but it was all changed in 1998.
Ciao,
Adrian
964C4

 

So much for being a 'free' country!

 

Free meaning you are free to follow the rules which protects local industry against the evil imports. "Buy crap or walk" we used to say. Protectionism is alive and well around the free world. No exceptions. We cannot have the population thinking that such cars can be imported and used by anyone but the wealthy and elite. Us versus them. Besides we cannot allow the population to see quality up against the normal crap they are forced to purchase.
Ciao,
Adrian
964C4

 

Plenty of RHD cars in the USA also. I can't think of a single state mandating any conversion; Interesting that some foreign legislators would think driver position is much of an issue

 

It has nothing to do with driver position. It is purely protectionism of a local industry which builds rubbish and fears competition. As with all these things in protecting Holden (US owned) and Ford (US owned) from equivalent imports they have made autos that have no equivalent in Australia, luxury items (with additional luxury tax), taken them outside the pay packet of the average Australian and further reinforced the us versus them stereotype.
Ciao,
Adrian
964C4

 

Adrian, I know what you mean. Back in Brazil (where I grew up) we too had the crappiest auto industry as imports were banned altogether. Now the barriers have been opened, though taxation on those goods is over 100%. That makes your average BMW 330i worth about $70k and a basic Carrera 2 worth about $200k+. In a country where the average wage is $2k per year that puts things into perspective.