converting japanese rhd to lhd before you import (3 Viewers)

[crushers]

it is like anything, you can look to the past for a hint of what might come to be, i agree. i am not trying to come across as an ass here and i appologise if i do. importing has a lot to due with exchange rate, agreed and if i was importing wood, live stock or food then what you say would be very important. since i import priemium Land Cruiser then the exchange rate become a distant second to WHAT i am buying.
to save a few bucks on this particular unit might not be to your benefit since one like this is far and few to be found. if i was looking for a truck like this one i would snap it up, SWEET looking unit.
cheers (and no offense was intended, Madams)
Wayne

 

[madams557]

True, one needs to find THEIR balance between waiting for the perfect exchange rate and waiting for the perfect cruiser. The exclusivity of an item would definitely change the importance that the exchange rate would play.

 

[folsom50]

I spent last Dec. over in DK, and that exchange rate really hurt. But with that said, if I had the funds I'd be grabbing that Italian 42, a show-room condition 84 with 29k original miles. Finding something like that on this side of the ocean at that price seems almost impossible to me. Note I said Almost!

crushers, I know what you mean about the exchange rate when importing, my g-friend's brother wants me to import his rifles from DK for him. With the dollar being so weak, it just won't pencil for me to make that venture.

Dave

 

[crushers]

i know that it is pricey but check out www.lostguide.com and he has a SWEET BJ40 that is totally importable to the states. very low KM, i think it is somewhere around 49,000km

 

[Jan-78FJ40]

don't want to be too negative, but if you'll wait until the dollar rebounds to the euro, the rubber on an 84 truck will be naturally degraded by then...

 

[semlin]

I imported my 80 into Canada when the $C was worth US$0.63 two years ago. Now it is worth US$0.82. The exchange rate difference in the cost to me is over C$5,000 not counting the fact the same 80 would sell for less today. However, I have had an 80 for two years now. I would do it again.

 

[crushers]

i can relate, i bought an 80 series back a couple years and i thought that $25,000 was a fair price delivered to my door. i found out that in the previous 6 months the prices had dropped to where that truck was only worth $16,000. i learned a valuable leason, shop before you buy, prices on cruisers change fast.
once the HZJ81 and the HDJ81s start coming in the gasser models will take a big dip again.
cheers
Wayne

 

[TFS55]

again a sample of a converted (rhd to lhd) land cruiser II

 

[crushers]

interior shots?

 

[beanz2]

interior shots?

Yeah, interior shots please.

Dave

 

[mot]

again a sample of a converted (rhd to lhd) land cruiser II

But kept the fender mirror on the left(for RHD) side?

 

[TFS55]

sorry got no interior shots. next time will if the client will visit again will try to get some.

BTW the engine is a 1KZ-TE 3.0 turbo diesel with manual tranny, shift on the fly 4wd and rear factory diff lock. Dobinsons springs, AR Baja look a like rims and 33x12.5R15 BFG MT's.

 

[Previa Diesel]

IMO converting from RHD to LHD is a waste of time and money.

Have any of the folks concerned about this ever driven a RHD in NA (on the right hand side of the road)?

I've been driving one for about 1000K now and I like it better all the time.

1. When turning right, it is easy to check for cyclists coming up the right side. Instead of cranking my head over 45 degrees and trying to peer into my RV mirror, thus losing sight of what is happening in front of me, I just glance down into the right hand mirror and I can see everything; no blind spots.

2. At night, oncoming headlights don't shine in your eyes as much and it is easier to follow the white line on the right side of the road than trying to see the yellow line on the left.

3. With a RHD you get out of the vehicle on the curb side, not in the road

4. The left hand door pillar, instead of being in your face, blocking part of your view is farther away, blocking less of your view. Better when turning left, which is always more difficult than turning right.

5. And if you're worried about a head-on collision, your chance of surviving is better in a RHD as the impact is likely to be on the LH side.

6. Passing is not a big issue for me. You can look up the right side of the traffic in front or pull back a bit so you can see more on the left. If the margins are so close, you probably shouldn't be passing anyway, especially in a diesel.

I guess this explains why so many Japanese can drive LHD cars on roads that are a heck of lot more difficult than most of ours.

 

[folsom50]

Since this thread just got drug back up, I got a quick question. All this talk about converting from RHD to LHD must be geared towards the newer cruisers correct? I mean, converting a 40 series seems like it would be easy to me. All it would take is a recowl along with a LHD steering box (maybe steering linkage). Granted you might have to work on a little wiring if the there are LHD and RHD harness differences. Does anyone see any major problem with my thinking or is there some major difference that I'm not aware of?

 

[lshobie]

I find that most people calling me about my cruisers are women. When they test drive the RHD they love it and get used to it in a few minutes. I find that most men have problems with RHD - atleast can't get by it in thier heads until they drive one..

When most unopenminded guys freak out that the trucks are RHD I just ask them if they have ever driven a boat before - ahhh - boats are right hand drive, 4 wheelers are middle drive, and snowmobiles are too but somehow they magically managed to do it.

Bottom line is if you have ever accomplished anything that you consider to be a major feat in your life - then driving a RHD cruiser should be a piece of cake in comparison.

Regards

 

[semlin]

Hawke, that is very cool. If you have time you should post up a thread on the process and the extra parts you needed.

 

[HZJ60 Guy]

Waste of time and money. So you cant go through a bloody drive through. It'll help you keep
the weight off. You shouldnt be eating that crap anyways.

 

[Previa Diesel]

Waste of time and money. So you cant go through a bloody drive through. It'll help you keep
the weight off. You shouldnt be eating that crap anyways.

Well, if I didn't feel my wife was safe on the right, I wouldn't want her to drive RHD either.

As for the drive-throughs, amen! Hydrogenated oils are better burned in the engine.

At least we don't have toll booths all over the highways (yet) like they do in Japan. That can be a real PITA if you're on the 'wrong' side!

 

[crushers]

this is my findings with RHD and woman drivers.
after well over 400 test drives i can say that women are better drivers than men RHD. i have found they do not get as over confident as we do. also if it is the husband that is teaching the wife to drive RHD the women seem to be more easily frustrated and turned off even trying. Most men are control freaks and figure their wives are not capable of driving RHD unless the male tells her every move she has to make.
it usually takes women about 15-20 minutes longer than a man to get used to the RHD aspect (which is nothing really) and then they are relaxed behind the wheel.
as for spending thousands of dollars to get the unit converted to LHD i would have at least had her try it for a few weeks before dropping the cash but each to their own.
at least this is what i have found.
cheers

 

[Greg_B]

I think if someone can not get, or does not want to get their mind around RHD (perspective really is a wonderful thing), then Ciarans firewall swap is a viable option. It will be done right.

For me...I don't care either way...after driving a RHD for 1.5 years now.

Both peoples are right, for their headspace.

gb