My question is: has anyone done a conversion from left to right hand drive on an old Ford or any other American made car that came from over seas? And, is it worth it? Thanks, I've been steered in the right direction now! Got it back assward. I meant RHD to LHD Thanks
If you run a crossover steering system, Like many do with a vega box. You should be pretty well set other than mounting. You just need to run the drag link the other direction (right to left rather than left to right). I hope you have spindles with bolt on steering arms, because you'll need to swap the steering arms from one side to the other. Here's speedway motors' example flip it around and you've got the method you need Or you could run a parallel steering setup with a reversed corvair box. Mounting wouldn't look as clean but it'd work just as well as it does for us.
Why go through the work??? Leave it RHD, and make people stare. Or you can start working for the USPS, and have the coolest mail car around. Also, RHD is safer in a head on crash.
What specific car are you thinking of? Beam-axle ones would be fairly easy as you will be able to pick up LHD spindles and steering box, and also pedal assemblies, from anywhere. Some of the chassis, e.g. Model A and '32, are straightforward as many of the mounting points are duplicated on each side. Assuming you're talking about using the original Ford running gear you'll have to swap the clutch arm and handbrake mounts too. Some models, like '33-'34 have subtle differences in the centre crossmember that would cause problems with original mechanical brakes, but if going with hydraulics you'll be modifying parts anyway. There will be lots of little things to resolve, like Model A steering column mounts rivetted/soldered to the tank on the wrong side, and from '34-on you'll probably want to hunt down a LHD dash. Even 50's-onwards wouldn't be insurmountable, but swapping dashes, pedals and controls will be more complicated.
Looking at 36 to 39 fords. I have a source that can find them cheaper and am not afraid of the work, more so of the cost. Modified original equipment is preferred over upgrades like disk brakes etc.
I'm left handed and work for the Gov. Sounds like that you should just sell it to me and find another project.......
They shouldn't be too difficult - all I've said above applies. Steering boxes, pedals and spindles will probably be cheaper than earlier ones. You'll want the dash unless you're building a custom one. One thing I forgot earlier is that if the headlamps have been updated with sealed beams, especially 12V ones, you'll probably need to swap for the correct dip pattern ones. And if it has a single tail light it'll be on the wrong side! EDIT: '40-on with column shift transmission will proably be a bit more work as I'm sure the shift forks are on the opposite side. The gears will be the same, but you'll need a left side case and associated parts - or just go with a top-shift unit.
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