103 replies to this topic

[AMC Rebel]

I wouldn't bother with a RHD bodge in a yank.

Yanks are LHD and that's that.

 

 

I have to agree.  LHD is a big part of the charm, and means you can forgive quite a lot of imperfections.  If RHD is that important, buy a Honda, they come from a RHD country.

 

 

And I highly disagree (sort of).  

 

My RHD yanks are (steering wheel location aside) what you could have bought in the USA at the time - but with the wheel on the side that makes sense for use here - but then I don't consider mine a "bodge" either.  

 

There are other advantages to RHD - a lot of yee-hah Yank car enthusiasts sneer at RHD - which can make them cheaper to obtain.

 

Drawbacks are - rarity (so much less choice) - possible bodge jobs (although those chain drive conversions are a rarity) some parts made of unobtainium (but I tend to get help from the Aussies for that) and fake Americans with cowboy boots and confederate flags looking down on you (although the last one should really be an advantage)  

 

I don't mind LHD but there's nowt wrong with a well-chosen RHD Yank either IMHO 

[eddyramrod]

Point taken!  I wasn't aiming my comments at your fleet, given that you have made your choices and have had them for years.  It's the first-time-buyers I was aiming at.

[Junkman]

Nothing against an RHD export model, although the choices are slim indeed.

I wrote RHD bodge jobs and that's exactly what I mean.

And since not a single yank I like came proper RHD, LHD it is for me.

[Rod/b]

What did come proper RHD apart from some Explorers?

[Junkman]

TMTL.

In over 100 years of American automotive history, it did add up.

Survival rate is dismal, though.

[PhilA]

If you want to do it easily, our mailman drives a right hand drive, early 2000's Jeep Cherokee.

Just get yourself blue shorts and a blue pinstripe shirt and you're all set.

Phil

[danthecapriman]

If you want to do it easily, our mailman drives a right hand drive, early 2000's Jeep Cherokee.
Just get yourself blue shorts and a blue pinstripe shirt and you're all set.
Phil

The USPS used the Grumman LLV trucks too, these were all RHD.

Grumman LLV (AJM CCUSA) by AJM STUDIOS, on Flickr

There was one of these at the place that brought my Mercury over from the states. Bit of an odd thing to import but hey!

[DodgeRover]

Pretty sure you can buy F100s and F150s in RHD for the Australian market

[Joloke]

I believe back in the 70's/80's an engineering company called Holbeck Engineering used to convert the Mustang II and early Fox body plus a few others U.S. Granada,Mercury Monach etc.

Ive seen a Mustang II RHD in bits and it was crude

Metal toolbox like box behind the dash with the steering column going into it  on the right and what amounts to a couple of motorbike sprockets and a chain (you know where this is going )

They cut the column on the left used a chain to join the wheel to it on the right and  used cables or bars to join up the right and pedals to the left bit of a mess

I would buy this if it was cheaper then source a LHD Dash and Rack and put it back to how the Detroit gods intended

http://www.ebay.co.u...vkAAOSwEH9Za0V9

Don't get me wrong though each to their own but i actually like driving Left Hookers now  I have got used to it
 

[danthecapriman]

Shit, that yellow stang II is lovely! And it's only in East Sussex, not that far away from me...

I'm likely in a minority here but I do like the Mustang II. Kind of reminds me of the Pinto, which I also really like!

[DodgeRover]

Factory RHD 60s Impalas for the SA market, at least 1 made it to NZ

[eddyramrod]

Oh yes, absolutely.  Many many years ago when I was at art college, one of my fellow students had a RHD 1960 Impala flat-top, which was one of the first American cars I ever rode in.  You can see how big an impression it made!  SCB 989, if anyone knows where it is....

[Joloke]

Shit, that yellow stang II is lovely! And it's only in East Sussex, not that far away from me...

I'm likely in a minority here but I do like the Mustang II. Kind of reminds me of the Pinto, which I also really like!

Your not the only one Dan I love them too but the prices are getting silly now for what they are,and they do like to rot for fun

Even though its a V6 I like this one better but again sadly its OTT on the price

http://www.carandcla....uk/car/C877720

[Rusty Sills]

When I was in the trade the garage had a Ram SRT10 that was RHD and manual. It was shit.

I've got no qualms against any RHD yank, though I imagine an NA Supra/300ZX or big old school Volvo (960?) would give most of the experience of a yank without the hassle of LHD (and it really is a hassle for me).

[eddyramrod]

Jodie, did you read my column in CCB where I described failing to buy a Mustang II many years ago?

[Junkman]

Oh yes, absolutely.  Many many years ago when I was at art college, one of my fellow students had a RHD 1960 Impala flat-top, which was one of the first American cars I ever rode in.  You can see how big an impression it made!  SCB 989, if anyone knows where it is....

 
 


✗ Untaxed
Tax due:
01 August 1994

 

So I guess

 

 

 

 

Was even a 348, so quite a loss, really.

[Joloke]

When I was in the trade the garage had a Ram SRT10 that was RHD and manual. It was shit.

I've got no qualms against any RHD yank, though I imagine an NA Supra/300ZX or big old school Volvo (960?) would give most of the experience of a yank without the hassle of LHD (and it really is a hassle for me).

By the way I am not saying RHD conversions don't work for some I guess before I first got mine I was worried but I do get on with LHD now but thats just me,i do get they are not for everyone. if you want Yank Tanks in proper RHD Australia got some interesting stuff back in the day  

Spotted a 351 Falcon and a Galaxie 500 both RHD at a local meet last week that were built for Oz

[eddyramrod]

JM: it might have been a 348 originally, but when I knew it (1977) it was a 283.  Thank you for checking though.  

[Joloke]

Jodie, did you read my column in CCB where I described failing to buy a Mustang II many years ago?

CCB? You will say what it stands for and ill remember then

I do remember you saying somewhere though yes

I half owned a White one with my brother but it was soo rotten it was bending in the middle like a Banana

[eddyramrod]

Classic Car Buyer.  In their wisdom they allow me an occasional column to air some of my experiences, and in one of those (series title "Rafter's Rollercoaster") I reminisced over some cars I didn't quite buy, one of which was a piss-yellow Mustang II V6.

[Joloke]

Classic Car Buyer.  In their wisdom they allow me an occasional column to air some of my experiences, and in one of those (series title "Rafter's Rollercoaster") I reminisced over some cars I didn't quite buy, one of which was a piss-yellow Mustang II V6.

In all honestly I would have a II in a heartbeat would be bothered if it wasnt a V8 to be honest the 302 in the II was so detuned you were only buying it for the noise LOL! Think Ive mentioned this before but a work colleague about 10 years ago owned GUL2N which was a Ford press car,they brought 10 over here GUL1N-10N I believe 1-5 were left LHD and GUL6N-10 (10n being the motoring press test car) where all converted to RHD

Graham (my colleague) his was a 2.8 hatch with an Autobox, He took off all the smog rubbish under the hood and ditched the exhausts that had early cat style boxes to suck out the nasties!

The nearest he could get to replace them here was 2 x Morris Marina exhausts! Oh dear you couldn't make it up!

[eddyramrod]

I well remember the GUL press cars!  There was a Fairmont estate too, in orange; probably more than one but that's the one I remember from reading Motor at the time.  Yes, I'm so sad that I can remember registration numbers of press-fleet cars from over 40 years ago...

 

I just went upstairs and looked up the relevant issue of CCB and already I've forgotten the issue number; think it was 374.  The date was March 22nd, if you need to try and find it.  Senility, it's a bitch...

[Junkman]

Classic Car Buyer.  In their wisdom they allow me an occasional column to air some of my experiences, and in one of those (series title "Rafter's Rollercoaster") I reminisced over some cars I didn't quite buy, one of which was a piss-yellow Mustang II V6.

 

Is that the one Hallucinationcorporation isn't writing for atm?

[eddyramrod]

That'll be the one.  We actually both went for the same job a couple of years ago, he got the full-time and I got the columns, which tbh is an ideal situation for me.

 

 

Wait a minute..... isn't writing for?  Are we treading on some news he'd prefer to keep down?

[Junkman]

I don't know. I bought the recent issue because I had to wait for some repair and maintenance work

done to the Pooshow and found his name in it being suspiciously absent.

[Ghosty]

He was talking about work on Sunday so it's probably nothing.

[Junkman]

I guess not. The issue appeared to have been written by one guy only,

so maybe everyone else was on holidays.

 

Still fun to stir around a bit and cause rumours to spread.

[DodgeRover]

A surprising number of Fairmont wagons from the 70s have survived.

I'm also slightly staggered how long this thread has become, a new personal best.

[gordonbennet]

I had an 86 Camaro, 5.0 litre but carbed, T roof, lady in USAF based at Alconbury owned it previously and sold it when she returned home so i was second owner.

 

It wasn't that fast being the toned down carb version but given enough of a straight it would get up to about 30mph second time round the speedo whatever that might have been...i foolishly had the roofs off on a flat out run and my golden retrievers ears were fully upright being pulled up by the ensuing gale, seemed a good idea at the time.

Shocks were bollocksed but cheap as chips to buy and improved the ride no end, it handled like a pig on the American tyres it came on, i swapped them for some Pirellis or summat and it transformed the car into a very enjoyable motor.

Soft close on the tailgate which was a first for me, odd spec all round.

Had mahoosive great OE speakers built into the rear panels and my kids (divorced weekend dad) loved it, roofs off and Queen at full blast.

 

Lot of fun and very reliable, it was probably 8 years old when i sold it on and to be honest i hadn't seen any rust at all.

 

Quite honestly for hooligan value i preferred me 71 mustang, even though it had drum brakes all round and no servo, which made stopping from speed er interesting.

[AnthonyG]

Loads of American cars in the 1950s and 1960s was built factory RHD in Canada for U.K./AUS/SA/NZ and anywhere else in the Empire/Commonwealth because of low or zero tariffs. Shouldn't have thought there's much original UK market stuff left now except for something very old and very solid, like a early fifties Ford.