LHD to RHD Conversion

[norman m. macleod]

Hi all,
Am commencing shortly the ground-up restoration of a Series 1 (1967) 4.2 2+2....It was a LHD, probably ex US. I have got various quotations for the parts required to convert it to RHD (list required seems to vary from supplier to supplier, bit confusing.....!) Are there any members out there that have actually undertaken this, and have any advice/words of wisdom re problems/pitfalls, etc......? Any help would be highly appreciated..........
Norman, Perth, Western Australia.

[Heuer]

Norman

You will require: steering rack, bulkhead blanking plates, left and right dashboard, throttle linkage, wiper motor, clutch pedal, speedo cable, small wiring loom, headlights, amber indicator lenses, instrument legend strip plus a number of brackets and ancillary items. Tell tale signs of a poorly converted car are wipers parking on the wrong side, indicator switch on wrong side, switches and meters in wrong RHD order, white indicator lenses, headlights dipping the wrong way and clutch/brake reservoirs in the wrong place.

Angus Moss (1954etype) has done it as part of his recent restoration and is very knowledgeable. Try PM'ing him if he does not see this post and respond here.

[1954Etype]

Norman

You will require: steering rack, bulkhead blanking plates, left and right dashboard, throttle linkage, wiper motor, clutch pedal, speedo cable, small wiring loom, headlights, amber indicator lenses, instrument legend strip plus a number of brackets and ancillary items. Tell tale signs of a poorly converted car are wipers parking on the wrong side, indicator switch on wrong side, switches and meters in wrong RHD order, white indicator lenses, headlights dipping the wrong way and clutch/brake reservoirs in the wrong place.

Angus Moss (1954etype) has done it as part of his recent restoration and is very knowledgeable. Try PM'ing him if he does not see this post and respond here.

Norman,

David is right in his list of bits. I would say you don't need a new wiper motor as you can successfully convert your existing one. The rack has to be adjusted for the parking mechanism to park on the right side as well. IIRC, the wiper arms are different for RHD as well.

The steering column tube has the bracked brazed to it for the indicator switch. This needs the braze melting and moving through 180 deg to allow the switch to be fitted to the RH side (has to be done otherwise it fouls the choke.

It is also possible to heat the clutch and brake pedals and bend them to the correct orientation - ideally you will need an original RHD template to work from.

You will need brake pipes as the plumbing is different. I used Hutsons for my bits and pieces - they reproduce the dash parts and will cover them for you in material that is indistinguishable from the original. (They might even help you crank your pedals over if you ask them nicely!).

Good luck, it really isn't that difficult to do.

[norman m. macleod]

David,
Many thanks for your prompt reply on this one, most informative. Angus sounds like an invaluable contact. As an impending retiree, I am one of the age group that has been dragged wailing and protesting into the world of computers and IT generally...of consequence I don't even know what you mean by PM'd.....!! It took a determined mustering of my limited technoskills just to post a couple of topics on the Forum recently!! I trust I shall improve......A bit of help would be appreciated! The "E"-Type restoration project is intended to consume the first 2-3 years of my "retirement", I have just built a 23' x 23' workshop specially for the project. I bought a brand new S2 4.2 FHC in 1969, (there goes my age....!) and sold it the following year in what is now Zimbabwe...have regretted it ever since........
So all help I can invoke for tha LHD to RHD project will be greatly appreciated, it's a bit of an information wilderness here in Western Australia.........
Thanks/best regards,
Norman.

[Dave K]

Hi all,
Am commencing shortly the ground-up restoration of a Series 1 (1967) 4.2 2+2....It was a LHD, probably ex US. I have got various quotations for the parts required to convert it to RHD (list required seems to vary from supplier to supplier, bit confusing.....!) Are there any members out there that have actually undertaken this, and have any advice/words of wisdom re problems/pitfalls, etc......? Any help would be highly appreciated..........
Norman, Perth, Western Australia.

Norman,

As someone else who has also done this using as many of the original parts as possible you can easily bend the wiper arms so no need to buy new ones of those either.

It is also possible to reuse the dash you need to bend the flange the opposite way. I didn't do that but I plenty of people who have successfully done it.
Angus is right about the wiper motor it can be used again. There is a write up somewhere on either Jag-lovers or the JNCA website from a guy called Joe Hardy who lives in the UK. He is known affectionataely as 'Concours Joe' :D

Some of the accelerater mechanism can also be used again you may need to buy some 1/4 mild steel bar and get measurements from someone else but again this will save money.

Dave

[Echezeaux]

Hi Norman,

Where are you in Perth ? I am north of the river, Woodvale, maybe I can help you ?

Cheers.
Thierry

[norman m. macleod]

Hi there Thierry,
Thanks for your interest......I live South of the river, in Mt. Pleasant. I bought the car about 8 months ago, it was/is a complete basket case, having had (at least, I think....) two owners who had dismantled it almost completely, and left it pretty much like that...not a pretty sight!! Anyway, seems to be generally structurally sound, so that's a start.....I suspect the previous owners lacked either the expertise, the patience, or the money to take the project on properly....(or all 3.....!) As I retire soon (1 week from now actually....) It seemed like a good project to occupy me for the next 2-3 years, and re-calibrate the extent of my wife's patience. I have some 45 years in restoration of cars and classic motorcycles, but am moving away from the latter, back to 4 wheels.....
Have you done work in the LHD to RHD conversion thing....? Would appreciate any help or advice..............
Kind regards,
Norman.

[Heuer]

Norman

I am also learning from this thread - never thought about modifying the wiper arms and dash panels :brightidea:

As regards your challenge over the term 'PM' it refers to a Private Message which you can send to other members much like an email but within the Forum. Only the intended recipients can see the messages (even Admistrators/Moderator's cannot read them) so great if you want to be controversial, talk off topic or do deal's that should not be made public. You can send them by clicking on the PM icon (middle one of the three) at the bottom left of each members post e.g.: This will open a box for you to type into. If anyone sends you a PM you will be notified by email and a pop-up when you visit the Forum.

[Echezeaux]

Hey Norman,

I havent done it myself but my car was Lhd.
You should come to the Jag club, 2+2 are quite common here, and I know two of the members who are converting their E-type to Rhd.

By the way the next meeting is at ROADBEND JAGUAR, 32 Welshpool Rd in Welshpool , on the wednesday 11 from 19.30, come in, they are offering drinks and nibbles !! :D

Thierry

[JEP41]

Welcome Norman to this great forum,

I am like you struggling with the computer jargon and what can be done with it. David and Clive appear to be absolute wizards. Like you I retire soon (next year) but I have been working frantically to get most of the expensive jobs out of the way before retirement.

I was in Perth two years ago for six months working on adding more compression to Atlinta's gas pipline which pumps natural gas from the North down to Bunberry. The plan was to relocate perminantly but too hot for me especially in a non-air conditioned E-Type. Also I like track days and found perth boasts only one race track Wannaroo. So I decided to stay in Blighty much to my Wife's disgust

Good Luck with your project

[Echezeaux]

Norman,

I forgot to said that the jag club as a day out on sunday 15th at Hougton winery in the swan valley for the annual concours d'elegance.
Always very well attended.

Thierry

[paulsco]

I have successfully 'mirrored' my LHD driver?s facia panel to fit on the right.

Note that the choke leaver remains on the right hand side, so the slots for the leavers have to be welded up and a single slot cut and the bolt studs on the far end have to be drilled out and welded to the other side. The spot welds on the bracket for the heater leaver have to be drilled out and welded up? the bracket can be used on the new passenger facia panel when altered.
It is not all that difficult if you are methodical. I drew along the fold lines with a felt tipped pen on both sides before starting to fold the lip the other way; this is the key to getting it accurate. That and many pictures of the angles that need to be achieved.

Paul