right hand drive conversion

[Dodgy Motor]

Id like to look into changig my car to right had drive, I understand some of you have done this already any tips and advice, parts used etc. would be gratefully excepted.
Al

[Dodgy Motor]

as you can see my N key sticks :oops:

[Dan6457]

Not keen on driving a lefty then? I would imagine the hardest bit is sorting all the trim out, but if you re-trimming your whole interior anyway it might be fairly straightforward.

[Dodgy Motor]

Thats what i thought mate, seeing as its coming out anyway, take advantge of the situation 8)

[Guinney1971]

Have a word with Darren and Chris at PJ Grady - they're doing a RHD
at the moment and have worked on a few of them too.
I'd say they are the 'professional' experts at RHD conversions and would
be able to give you the best advice and help.

[neal]

Or Tracey and Andy Steele

[steve.s]

hi

your looking at serious work to convert to RHD.

i would say the trimming interior work is the easiest bit.

though perhaps Darren and Chris will correct me but the hardest is the pedal box, steering rack (unique to the RHD), moving the brake servo (did not some Wooler Hodecs have 2>), handbrake to name but a few.

i understand it from Dave Howarth that the Wales car used to be LHD now right, and the chap spent £12k or so in the 80's!.
he also had it laquered, and i have seen it and the laquer is peeling bad!

it also has trumpet like exhausts (rusty) and a bottom of door side stripe.

i offered £12-13K and he turned me down a while ago. i expected to spend 8k or so on a partial rebuild.

the easier bit is the instruments!

[stunned_monkey]

Right hand conversions = not easy done properly, and a lot more involved than you might at first think. Chris N will be the first one to tell you this.

Vent box is the biggest pain, the pedal box a close second because you can't swap the clutch and brake masters around - or at least nobody tried any clever linkages at Wooler Hodec or factory. The twin servo setups are troublesome. The dashboard isn't the same shape on tie right and left sides, there'll be some custom parts for things like the handbrake etc etc. Thw wiper linkage is surprisingly easy if you think about it though.

There are shortcuts if you are happy to ditch Wooler Hodec's way of doing things. A friend of mine, Chris Harding, converted his using various off-the shelf parts including a Rover servo setup which natively has a link bar from the right to left of the car, a Granada steering rack that was exactly the correct length but required different brackets, and he relocated his vent box intake to the bottom left corner of the windscreen, but still jumped through hoops to modify the left hand heater box by inverting it.

Door wiring, esp mirror switch is actually easier than you'd think

[Dodgy Motor]

Thanks for that Martin, I didnt think it was going to be easy, and the pedal linkage idea I like the sound of, and I thought the rack was similar to the old Granny ones, not sure about this "vent box" I did notice the heater hoses go through the bulk head near to where the pedal box will be, it was more things like the dash top, obviously being a totaly different shape , where does that come from, or is it a matter of making my own.
Things like the handbrake dont worry me and Im happy with one brake servo. might fit a small one to the clutch if theres room :lol:

[Phil Peters]

stunned_monkey Wrote:Right hand conversions = not easy done properly, and a lot more involved than you might at first think.

Yep, what he said.

I'm about 3 months into the restoration of my Wooler-Hodec car and from the various bits I've investigated so far, it's clear that these VIN# 121XX cars (along with the AXI series RHD cars) had a lot of intricate conversion work done to them. And that's before you get down to items such as interior trim, carpets and switchgear being re-located. Like Steve said the easiest bit is the instrument cluster!

It's never been adequately researched to date but I have a suspicion that the twin brake servo set up may have been done post-factory by Gerry Castle (the guy responsible for retrofitting the so-called "Euro-spec" tail lights to some cars). It would be good to uncover some definitive evidence on this.

[Dodgy Motor]

Thanks for your input Phil. My intention is not to recreate or copy a Wooler Hodec car, but maybe seeing one might help, When do you expect to have it up and runinng and flaunting it to the world?

[Phil Peters]

Well I don't want to tempt fate by putting a date on it but to be honest I think it's a bit of a way off yet. I think I'm in the same boat as NickT - too much work and not enough time to go home and play with cars

I've currently stripped out about 80% of the interior which I have with me in Birmingham and I'm cleaning up piece by piece. I also spent some time over Christmas checking all the car's wiring while the interior is out. It’s untouched from new, aside from the tail light harness.

I also updated the starter motor wiring as per the DMC factory Service Bulletins. I've not started on the fuel system, engine or hydraulics yet but it's just a case of doing things in logical stages, doing a proper job and not rushing anything.

One thing I will say: to all those who are considering putting their DeLorean in a museum for 18 years, don't do it! Your DeLorean won't like it! :lol:

[Dan6457]

What has sitting in the museam done to it? Is it things like oil seals that have all perished and stuck cables etc?

[Phil Peters]

As far as I can tell at this stage, the main things will be the fuel, brake and clutch systems. The car runs but it needs setting up properly after sitting for so long.

Our Bosch K-Jet fuel system is a very reliable system…unless it’s left to stand for a prolonged period :roll: :lol: So I’ll need to check things like the fuel injector spray pattern, system pressure etc. A big thanks to NickT for helping me choose a suitable fuel pressure testing kit, cheers matey!

The only other things to watch will be things that are inherent to VIN# 5xx cars in terms of updates etc but there are documents to suggest that Wooler-Hodec performed the factory updates as the conversion work was carried out.

[Dodgy Motor]

I take it you will be showing us the progress at some point Phil?
and I hope you are documenting it to pics, Im sure we will all love to see them :wink: