converting japanese rhd to lhd before you import

semlin · 08-25-04, 08:02 PM

Anyone ever heard of these guys or comments on the process? Seems they will convert a RHD japanese lc to LHD before export for only 30,000 yen but for some reason they will only do it for pakistanis who want to export the truck to the UAE. That's doable for us Canadians if we can then get it in the country.

http://members.at.infoseek.co.jp/jap...r/index-1.html

Radd Cruisers · 08-25-04, 08:22 PM

Thats gotta be wrong, or maybe 30 000 Yen per person and it take four to make the conversion?

Otherwise its a smoking deal, I have heard of Canadian guys asking 6K for the conversion.

wesintl · 08-25-04, 10:49 PM

I've seen a japanese spec 60 converted from RHD to LHD.. it was really a botch job. IMHO need all the correct LHD parts so it will look clean and that probably isn't cheap.. Guess it depends on the company/person doing it...

Dave · 08-25-04, 10:52 PM

Keep guessing.

You guys should learn to read. It is 30,000 to introduce you to the guy that has the information on how to do this. He will then set you up with a shop to do the work and skim off 50% of the final charge. I am betting that it will set you back close to 1,000,000 yen.

This is all crap. It is because importing any vehicle into Pakistan is difficult and the taxes are very very steep. It is cheaper to send them via Afganistan and risk war damage and paying bribes at every camel crossing and then either running the border or bribing your way across.

How do I know this? I shared an office with a Pakistani grad student here until two years ago. He planned to take a Hilux home but eventually gave up as the import duties were just about three times the cost of the truck here.

If you want them converted before shipping let me know, I will get a local shop to do it and charge you 0% overhead. It means a new steering box and column. A new dash and a set of pedals. Those parts are not available here used. So it will not be cheap.

Radd Cruisers · 08-25-04, 11:55 PM

Some of the more frightfull issues will be wiring harness lenght, heater outlets.

I looked hard and long at a 60 series firewall and compared it to the right hand drive , more little things would rop up on the first install.

Where do you start, its tempting to cut into the seams and make it look factory. That would be a pile of work that may not pay off.

Sheldon still has a 70 series fire wall that I have often thought about, wonder if he kept the dash etc?

Rob

roscoFJ73 · 08-26-04, 05:45 AM

The Japanese 70/73/74 series have no seat belts in the rear.If you wish to fit them you need the Euro/Aust spec roll cage and the rear seat. The Japanese seat has 1 rear mounting in the floor that uncouples to fold the seat forward.On the seat belt version there is 2 mountings ,10 inches apart.Looks a pain to fit into the floor.
Most of the owners who import them into oz give up and lic it as a 2 seater.

My local landcruiser mechanic imported 5 LHD 75 series cabs into oz left over from an aid program in Vietnam or Laos with the intention of converting them to RHD and selling them to the mining companies here .
Its fair to point out that he did it for commercial reasons and not as a labour of love but he said he would definately never undertake it again.

The problem according to him that because of the scale of landcruisers sold in the world Toyota can afford to build separate LHD and RHD cruisers rather than a single vehicle that can be adapted either way.

roscoFJ73 · 08-26-04, 06:02 AM

Would it be possible to import a RHD 61 turbo into North america and swap all the good stuff onto your own 60/62.Probably be cheaper and better
This ones in AUD landed in oz.

http://www.prestigemotorsport.com.au...p?StockID=1647

Waggoner5 · 08-26-04, 08:58 AM

Thats the way I would do it. But, I would drive it for a week or so, then make the decision. RHD is an easy thing to figure out. I have let many people jump in and drive mine and all of them said wow this is no big deal. My wife drives it regular in car pool.
Gary

Stickboy · 08-26-04, 10:37 AM

just drive the rig RHD... no big deal
my .02

08-26-04, 11:03 AM

I agree with stickboy and wagoneer5. Learning to drive the rhd was no problem. Just turned on the wipers a bunch of times while trying to turn on the signals. The levers are opposite to a lhd. 5 grand is a lot of money to spend on a swap that I could use elsewhere,i.e. roof rack, snorkel,mtr's,intercooler.

wesintl · 08-26-04, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stickboy

just drive the rig RHD... no big deal
my .02

Yeah.. drive it rhd or do an engine swap...

semlin · 08-26-04, 09:28 PM

that is a truly weird website now that I read it again. I had converted 30,000 yen to $3000 but I missed a decimal so maybe $300 is not so much for an introduction. I doubt pakistani nationals would pay top dollar for the conversions, especially if they have to smuggle the trucks through dubai and then afghanistan (via Iraq or Iran I guess???)

Stone · 08-26-04, 11:07 PM

I love driving my RHD. It's my DD and I haven't come across any issues. I would definitely spend the $$ on other stuff rather than a conversion to LHD.

Radd Cruisers · 08-27-04, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stone

I love driving my RHD. It's my DD and I haven't come across any issues. I would definitely spend the $$ on other stuff rather than a conversion to LHD.

Numerious cruiser heads say the same thing, until you own one and drive it on the wrong side(or right depending on thought process) its hard too judge.

I think its a non issue and if it really is and you have some money burning a hole in your pocket, giddy up........

beanz2 · 08-27-04, 03:02 AM

Try ordering food from a drive through or pay highway tolls

Makes you want to take your wife or GF all over.

Dave

Stone · 08-27-04, 08:02 AM

Dave: I do have one disadvantage. There's this one hooker that hangs around the corner near the hospital parking lot where I have to make my right turn onto King George Hwy., and when the weather was hot I always had my windows rolled down. My driver's seat being closest to the curb, she never failed to take the opportunity to proposition me while I was helplessly waiting for traffic to pass. Then she'd give me crap for never taking her up on her offer! Gives me the creeps what some people stick their willies into to fulfill themselves. YUCK!!

Otherwise, I don't mind reaching over to order a meal, pay a parking attendant, or for the toll booth. I don't like having to get out of my truck for the transponder in my underground parking lot, but I don't have to deal with that anymore after the end of this month.

wesintl · 08-27-04, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beanz2

Try ordering food from a drive through or pay highway tolls

Makes you want to take your wife or GF all over.

Dave

How about some of those taco bells with the drive thru on the wrong side of the building? Ive seen a few fast food joints with drive thru on both sides. I guess you have to be selective on your fast food if you don't want to get out

paulj · 08-27-04, 06:31 PM

This is probably a long shot, but I read an article in the Wall St. Journal within the last couple of months. It was a piece about how Dubai is the used car capital of the world. In it they mentioned that there are a lot of people there who will convert vehicles from left to right hand. I'd guess there are a lot of Cruisers there for sale too. Probably diesel. If I thought there was any way I could get a long wheelbase 70 series into the U.S. I'd beg, borrow and steal to get there and buy one to put on a shipping container bound for Houston.

beanz2 · 08-28-04, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stone

and when the weather was hot I always had my windows rolled down. My driver's seat being closest to the curb, she never failed to take the opportunity to proposition me while I was helplessly waiting for traffic to pass. Then she'd give me crap for never taking her up on her offer!

Got A/C?

Quote:

Originally Posted by wesintl

How about some of those taco bells with the drive thru on the wrong side of the building? Ive seen a few fast food joints with drive thru on both sides. I guess you have to be selective on your fast food if you don't want to get out

Try backing into the drive through instead

Lucky for you BJ74 guys you can see where you are going. Imagine if you had an 11 seater troopie with spare tire on the rear door.

Dave

HZJ60 Guy · 08-28-04, 02:19 PM

I found a Canadian guy that will do the conversion. 5000.00 US is the cost!

FORGET ABOUT IT! IT ISNT WORTH IT!

My man Stone is correct. Put that cash into a spring over and some wheels and tires and a winch!

TB

Waggoner5 · 08-28-04, 04:26 PM

Exactly what I did. SOA, Tires, Wheels, already had the factory PTO.

mot · 08-28-04, 04:35 PM

Driving RHD vehicles is not that big of a deal.

A lot of people here in Japan don't mind (some like my father prefer) driving LHD vehicles.

I on the other hand would rather drive a RHD here and therefore would prefer driving a LHD in the US.

However, if driving a RHD in the US means that I would get to own/drive a unique Cruiser then I would not hesitate in doing so. It's not like driving backwards or blind-folded, not that bad once you get used to it.

Mot

Waggoner5 · 08-28-04, 04:52 PM

Hey MOT, not to hijack a thread, but since Toyota has cloth interior over there for the 80s, do you think that there are any companies doing leather conversions, that might have a take out cloth interior?
Gary

Jim_Phillips · 08-31-04, 09:11 AM

If you want to buy a RHD vehicle then buy mine. .. see the for sale section

The only reason you sit on the left if you drive on the right is so that you can get a good view down the road when overtaking. How often do you do that in a diesel Landcruiser? For me to drive a LHD vehicle is no issue at all - takes no getting used to apart from walking to the wrong door the first few times.

cruiserdan · 09-01-04, 02:19 PM

You could always get a rural Postal route

.. Subaru and Saturn offer RHD vehicles in the US for just this purpose.

TFS55 · 11-06-04, 08:12 PM

i can get you guys a converted (RHD to LHD) LC80 with turbo diesel, a/t for around 20k USD or LC60 for less or any cruiser for that matter. but you have to pay for the shipping from the Phils.

Stone · 11-07-04, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roscoFJ73

The Japanese 70/73/74 series have no seat belts in the rear.If you wish to fit them you need the Euro/Aust spec roll cage and the rear seat. The Japanese seat has 1 rear mounting in the floor that uncouples to fold the seat forward.On the seat belt version there is 2 mountings ,10 inches apart.Looks a pain to fit into the floor.
Most of the owners who import them into oz give up and lic it as a 2 seater.

What's so hard about mounting two lap belts on the floor using readily available lap belts from domestic 60 series? That's what I did with mine...

roscoFJ73 · 11-07-04, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stone

What's so hard about mounting two lap belts on the floor using readily available lap belts from domestic 60 series? That's what I did with mine...

Thats fine if you like the lap belts.

roscoFJ73 · 11-07-04, 05:09 AM

Also if you want to lic an imported lc here and you fit a non factory seat belt set up they want a heap of paperwork from engineers.
We normally remove the seat and lic it as a 2 seater then fit something later.
Of course your on your own if something goes wrong.

08-25-04, 08:02 PM	#1
semlin northerner Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: north of 49 Posts: 4,064	converting japanese rhd to lhd before you import Anyone ever heard of these guys or comments on the process? Seems they will convert a RHD japanese lc to LHD before export for only 30,000 yen but for some reason they will only do it for pakistanis who want to export the truck to the UAE. That's doable for us Canadians if we can then get it in the country. http://members.at.infoseek.co.jp/jap...r/index-1.html __________________ 93 fzj80 66 fj40L m101cdn trailer 91 LS400 sedancruiser 64, 2x65 honda ct 200 2 x67, 2x68, 3x1969, 1972, 1975 Honda ct90 "Diplomacy is the art of having someone else impose your will on you" Lester Pearson "I have the conch" Piggy

08-25-04, 08:22 PM	#2
Radd Cruisers IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vancouver Island BC Canada Posts: 3,831	Thats gotta be wrong, or maybe 30 000 Yen per person and it take four to make the conversion? Otherwise its a smoking deal, I have heard of Canadian guys asking 6K for the conversion. __________________ Come and visit us in Duncan, BC www.raddcruisers.ca --> 60 Series Cable Lockers available - 4.11s or 3.70s - handles and cables included --> 12HT & H55F combos available - complete & running --> in stock and ready to go.

08-25-04, 10:49 PM	#3
wesintl IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Denver TLCA# 4180 Posts: 3,586	I've seen a japanese spec 60 converted from RHD to LHD.. it was really a botch job. IMHO need all the correct LHD parts so it will look clean and that probably isn't cheap.. Guess it depends on the company/person doing it... __________________ 1964 FJ40 \| 1966 M416 \| 1976 FJ40 \| 1985 BJ70 Volvo Power\| 1997 FZJ80 \| TDI commuter car Rising Sun; Former CLCC You should be able to delete your own thread. Communists abound Real Change is here --> Cato Institute

08-25-04, 11:55 PM	#5
Radd Cruisers IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vancouver Island BC Canada Posts: 3,831	Some of the more frightfull issues will be wiring harness lenght, heater outlets. I looked hard and long at a 60 series firewall and compared it to the right hand drive , more little things would rop up on the first install. Where do you start, its tempting to cut into the seams and make it look factory. That would be a pile of work that may not pay off. Sheldon still has a 70 series fire wall that I have often thought about, wonder if he kept the dash etc? Rob __________________ Come and visit us in Duncan, BC www.raddcruisers.ca --> 60 Series Cable Lockers available - 4.11s or 3.70s - handles and cables included --> 12HT & H55F combos available - complete & running --> in stock and ready to go.

08-26-04, 08:58 AM	#8
Waggoner5 IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,290	Thats the way I would do it. But, I would drive it for a week or so, then make the decision. RHD is an easy thing to figure out. I have let many people jump in and drive mine and all of them said wow this is no big deal. My wife drives it regular in car pool. Gary __________________ Gary Waggoner Golden, Co 1989 FJ62 SOA, 502 Mercruiser, ARBs Sold 1987 HJ61 SOA, Cable Locks, 39k miles Sold 1983 FJ40 sitting broke since 89 1965 FZJ45 Pickup on Slee 80 chassis 2003 Tacoma, ARB, OME, SC, TRD Sold 2007 100 series, ARB, OME, TLCA 10689 LSLC 2000 Rising Sun 2007 www.powerplayracing.net

08-25-04, 10:52 PM	#4
Dave IH8MUD Junior Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 98	Keep guessing. You guys should learn to read. It is 30,000 to introduce you to the guy that has the information on how to do this. He will then set you up with a shop to do the work and skim off 50% of the final charge. I am betting that it will set you back close to 1,000,000 yen. This is all crap. It is because importing any vehicle into Pakistan is difficult and the taxes are very very steep. It is cheaper to send them via Afganistan and risk war damage and paying bribes at every camel crossing and then either running the border or bribing your way across. How do I know this? I shared an office with a Pakistani grad student here until two years ago. He planned to take a Hilux home but eventually gave up as the import duties were just about three times the cost of the truck here. If you want them converted before shipping let me know, I will get a local shop to do it and charge you 0% overhead. It means a new steering box and column. A new dash and a set of pedals. Those parts are not available here used. So it will not be cheap.

08-26-04, 05:45 AM	#6
roscoFJ73 Diesel for blood Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: west australia Posts: 6,523	The Japanese 70/73/74 series have no seat belts in the rear.If you wish to fit them you need the Euro/Aust spec roll cage and the rear seat. The Japanese seat has 1 rear mounting in the floor that uncouples to fold the seat forward.On the seat belt version there is 2 mountings ,10 inches apart.Looks a pain to fit into the floor. Most of the owners who import them into oz give up and lic it as a 2 seater. My local landcruiser mechanic imported 5 LHD 75 series cabs into oz left over from an aid program in Vietnam or Laos with the intention of converting them to RHD and selling them to the mining companies here . Its fair to point out that he did it for commercial reasons and not as a labour of love but he said he would definately never undertake it again. The problem according to him that because of the scale of landcruisers sold in the world Toyota can afford to build separate LHD and RHD cruisers rather than a single vehicle that can be adapted either way.

08-26-04, 06:02 AM	#7
roscoFJ73 Diesel for blood Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: west australia Posts: 6,523	Would it be possible to import a RHD 61 turbo into North america and swap all the good stuff onto your own 60/62.Probably be cheaper and better This ones in AUD landed in oz. http://www.prestigemotorsport.com.au...p?StockID=1647

08-26-04, 10:37 AM	#9
Stickboy IH8MUD Regular Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 302	just drive the rig RHD... no big deal my .02 __________________ 1986 FJ60 - 13BT/H55F powered (BJ60T?) 1986 VW Turbo Diesel Jetta w/ straight veg. oil conversion 1992 Dodge Ram 250 - 5.9 diesel All running 100% Homebrewed Biodiesel made from waste oil and homepressed mustard seed oil....

08-26-04, 11:03 AM	#10
burger Guest Posts: n/a	I agree with stickboy and wagoneer5. Learning to drive the rhd was no problem. Just turned on the wipers a bunch of times while trying to turn on the signals. The levers are opposite to a lhd. 5 grand is a lot of money to spend on a swap that I could use elsewhere,i.e. roof rack, snorkel,mtr's,intercooler.

08-26-04, 09:28 PM	#12
semlin northerner Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: north of 49 Posts: 4,064	that is a truly weird website now that I read it again. I had converted 30,000 yen to $3000 but I missed a decimal so maybe $300 is not so much for an introduction. I doubt pakistani nationals would pay top dollar for the conversions, especially if they have to smuggle the trucks through dubai and then afghanistan (via Iraq or Iran I guess???) __________________ 93 fzj80 66 fj40L m101cdn trailer 91 LS400 sedancruiser 64, 2x65 honda ct 200 2 x67, 2x68, 3x1969, 1972, 1975 Honda ct90 "Diplomacy is the art of having someone else impose your will on you" Lester Pearson "I have the conch" Piggy

08-26-04, 11:07 PM	#13
Stone IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: May 2004 Location: BC, Canada TLCA# 13772 Posts: 1,992	I love driving my RHD. It's my DD and I haven't come across any issues. I would definitely spend the $$ on other stuff rather than a conversion to LHD. __________________ Stone's Land Cruiser & Flyfishing Pics Flyfishing British Columbia: www.flyfishbc.com bcfishingreports.com

08-27-04, 03:02 AM	#15
beanz2 IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 2,126	Try ordering food from a drive through or pay highway tolls Makes you want to take your wife or GF all over. Dave

08-27-04, 08:02 AM	#16
Stone IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: May 2004 Location: BC, Canada TLCA# 13772 Posts: 1,992	Dave: I do have one disadvantage. There's this one hooker that hangs around the corner near the hospital parking lot where I have to make my right turn onto King George Hwy., and when the weather was hot I always had my windows rolled down. My driver's seat being closest to the curb, she never failed to take the opportunity to proposition me while I was helplessly waiting for traffic to pass. Then she'd give me crap for never taking her up on her offer! Gives me the creeps what some people stick their willies into to fulfill themselves. YUCK!! Otherwise, I don't mind reaching over to order a meal, pay a parking attendant, or for the toll booth. I don't like having to get out of my truck for the transponder in my underground parking lot, but I don't have to deal with that anymore after the end of this month. __________________ Stone's Land Cruiser & Flyfishing Pics Flyfishing British Columbia: www.flyfishbc.com bcfishingreports.com

08-27-04, 06:31 PM	#18
paulj IH8MUD Regular Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 305	This is probably a long shot, but I read an article in the Wall St. Journal within the last couple of months. It was a piece about how Dubai is the used car capital of the world. In it they mentioned that there are a lot of people there who will convert vehicles from left to right hand. I'd guess there are a lot of Cruisers there for sale too. Probably diesel. If I thought there was any way I could get a long wheelbase 70 series into the U.S. I'd beg, borrow and steal to get there and buy one to put on a shipping container bound for Houston.

08-28-04, 02:19 PM	#20
HZJ60 Guy Tank Buster Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Seattle area TLCA# 13102 Posts: 2,337	I found a Canadian guy that will do the conversion. 5000.00 US is the cost! FORGET ABOUT IT! IT ISNT WORTH IT! My man Stone is correct. Put that cash into a spring over and some wheels and tires and a winch! TB __________________ 2001 VW TDI Bora 1987 Toyota HZTJ-60 I'm a democrat member of the House of Representatives, and I've got what it takes to take what you've got!

08-28-04, 04:26 PM	#21
Waggoner5 IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,290	Exactly what I did. SOA, Tires, Wheels, already had the factory PTO. __________________ Gary Waggoner Golden, Co 1989 FJ62 SOA, 502 Mercruiser, ARBs Sold 1987 HJ61 SOA, Cable Locks, 39k miles Sold 1983 FJ40 sitting broke since 89 1965 FZJ45 Pickup on Slee 80 chassis 2003 Tacoma, ARB, OME, SC, TRD Sold 2007 100 series, ARB, OME, TLCA 10689 LSLC 2000 Rising Sun 2007 www.powerplayracing.net

08-28-04, 04:35 PM	#22
mot I ruin surprises. Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 4,369	Driving RHD vehicles is not that big of a deal. A lot of people here in Japan don't mind (some like my father prefer) driving LHD vehicles. I on the other hand would rather drive a RHD here and therefore would prefer driving a LHD in the US. However, if driving a RHD in the US means that I would get to own/drive a unique Cruiser then I would not hesitate in doing so. It's not like driving backwards or blind-folded, not that bad once you get used to it. Mot

08-28-04, 04:52 PM	#23
Waggoner5 IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,290	Hey MOT, not to hijack a thread, but since Toyota has cloth interior over there for the 80s, do you think that there are any companies doing leather conversions, that might have a take out cloth interior? Gary __________________ Gary Waggoner Golden, Co 1989 FJ62 SOA, 502 Mercruiser, ARBs Sold 1987 HJ61 SOA, Cable Locks, 39k miles Sold 1983 FJ40 sitting broke since 89 1965 FZJ45 Pickup on Slee 80 chassis 2003 Tacoma, ARB, OME, SC, TRD Sold 2007 100 series, ARB, OME, TLCA 10689 LSLC 2000 Rising Sun 2007 www.powerplayracing.net

08-31-04, 09:11 AM	#24
Jim_Phillips IH8MUD Addict Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: England Posts: 619	If you want to buy a RHD vehicle then buy mine. .. see the for sale section The only reason you sit on the left if you drive on the right is so that you can get a good view down the road when overtaking. How often do you do that in a diesel Landcruiser? For me to drive a LHD vehicle is no issue at all - takes no getting used to apart from walking to the wrong door the first few times. __________________ 1979 BJ40 - Now in Morocco 1989 HJ62 - Now in Pieces The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and a leaky tire

09-01-04, 02:19 PM	#25
cruiserdan Parts Shaman (per Romer) Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Where's my glasses? TLCA# 11332 Posts: 14,075	You could always get a rural Postal route .. Subaru and Saturn offer RHD vehicles in the US for just this purpose. __________________ Original owner 93 FZJ80,locked,blown,water/methanol injected(like a WWII fighter aircraft),lifted,winched,snorkeled,slidered,Sleeed ,moneypit. Balanced on a pin head. 95 FZJ80 trail truck (hers), 94 FZJ80 320K with a knock and a lumpy old Dodge car.

11-06-04, 08:12 PM	#26
TFS55 IH8MUD Junior Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 97	i can get you guys a converted (RHD to LHD) LC80 with turbo diesel, a/t for around 20k USD or LC60 for less or any cruiser for that matter. but you have to pay for the shipping from the Phils.

11-07-04, 05:09 AM	#29
roscoFJ73 Diesel for blood Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: west australia Posts: 6,523	Also if you want to lic an imported lc here and you fit a non factory seat belt set up they want a heap of paperwork from engineers. We normally remove the seat and lic it as a 2 seater then fit something later. Of course your on your own if something goes wrong.

11-07-04, 08:32 AM	#30
Satamax IH8MUD Regular Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: South western alps south east part of France. Posts: 285