Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Jif and I am currently a 2nd year student at UWO in London, Ontario. I currently have a LJ78 that is UN-insurable due to the fact it is a right hand drive, sure I have found some companies that are willing to do it, but I simply cannot afford to dish out $500 to drive it at my age. What I would like to do is convert my car over to a left hand drive. I know this has been done many times using a BJ70 (any 70 series) dash/firewall for the procedure. I am aware of the 2l-te and it's heavy baggage, but I have yet to encounter any problems with the car, that may also be due to the fact that it is only at 112,000 km. The car itself is in immaculate condition, I recently had it restored at Gozzard's. What I would like to know is, who can I trust to give my car to in Ontario to do a clean and professional looking conversion, at this point traveling is not a concern, what is a concern is getting a quality conversion done and certified.
LJ78 advice in Ontario
- Thread starter Jiffy
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Hey Jif,
Sorry to hear about your troubles. Living in Ontario and being 25 myself, I can attest to the ridiculous amount of effort it takes to get these things insured. It took my brother and I ~20 insurance companies before we were finally able to get our RHD 80 series insured.
Before going forward with your conversion, I do advise doing your due diligence (if you have not done so already), and try having it registered with a senior family member with a clean driving record. If you do that, you may find some luck with smaller brokers who are willing to go to bat for you and find you a company willing to insure it as a secondary vehicle.
Either way, good luck in your hunt!
Sorry to hear about your troubles. Living in Ontario and being 25 myself, I can attest to the ridiculous amount of effort it takes to get these things insured. It took my brother and I ~20 insurance companies before we were finally able to get our RHD 80 series insured.
Before going forward with your conversion, I do advise doing your due diligence (if you have not done so already), and try having it registered with a senior family member with a clean driving record. If you do that, you may find some luck with smaller brokers who are willing to go to bat for you and find you a company willing to insure it as a secondary vehicle.
Either way, good luck in your hunt!
- Thread starter
- #4
Dear seifist,
I have already asked both my parents if I could have them register the car as a secondary car, both of them firmly said no, because it does not have any airbags, they are pressuring me to sell it, but this is my first car, I bought it when I was 18, I have seen the darkest of days and brightest of mornings with this car, and I am simply not ready or most likely never ready to part ways with "Life partner" yes I named my land cruiser
Thank god they do not know about the engine problems associated with the car. My only other option is to insure the vehicle in BC, I have cousins that live there, but they already told me I'm most likely going to be pulled over non stop with BC plates, and I doubt that will go over to well with UWO campus police, all the vehicles there are registered accordingly to their unique owner, and they already know I am from Ontario. At this point, I have to convert the car over or be forced to sell it and walk away with nothing, which is a shame, I spend about $45 bucks a week on gas and it gets me to where I need to be even in the coldest of winters, I used to go to college in Sudbury, and my LJ78 has never ever to this date, never let me down. I have received a couple PM's about a talented mechanic by the name of Wayne who goes by the alias "Crushers" on this forum, I have contacted him and am praying that I can have my LJ78 blessed by him at his shop. I will keep you posted on how it turns out, I already know I would save about $400 or more on a LHD, got quoted for $135 a month for a BJ70 with Regal Insurance in Waterloo.
Thanks again for the reply,
Jif
I have already asked both my parents if I could have them register the car as a secondary car, both of them firmly said no, because it does not have any airbags, they are pressuring me to sell it, but this is my first car, I bought it when I was 18, I have seen the darkest of days and brightest of mornings with this car, and I am simply not ready or most likely never ready to part ways with "Life partner" yes I named my land cruiser
Thank god they do not know about the engine problems associated with the car. My only other option is to insure the vehicle in BC, I have cousins that live there, but they already told me I'm most likely going to be pulled over non stop with BC plates, and I doubt that will go over to well with UWO campus police, all the vehicles there are registered accordingly to their unique owner, and they already know I am from Ontario. At this point, I have to convert the car over or be forced to sell it and walk away with nothing, which is a shame, I spend about $45 bucks a week on gas and it gets me to where I need to be even in the coldest of winters, I used to go to college in Sudbury, and my LJ78 has never ever to this date, never let me down. I have received a couple PM's about a talented mechanic by the name of Wayne who goes by the alias "Crushers" on this forum, I have contacted him and am praying that I can have my LJ78 blessed by him at his shop. I will keep you posted on how it turns out, I already know I would save about $400 or more on a LHD, got quoted for $135 a month for a BJ70 with Regal Insurance in Waterloo.Thanks again for the reply,
Jif
hey Jif,
seeing that your looking for a mechanic that can to do a clean and professional conversion i would suggest Street Rate Parts
he is in Ajax a bit of a drive i know but he does quality work
He just did mine i had a lj70 RHD and made it LHD
here is the build https://forum.ih8mud.com/70-series-tech/776794-bj-70-lj-71-my-build.html
if u call him up u can go look at his work on my truck and see for your self in person and judge for your self.
seeing that your looking for a mechanic that can to do a clean and professional conversion i would suggest Street Rate Parts
he is in Ajax a bit of a drive i know but he does quality work
He just did mine i had a lj70 RHD and made it LHD
here is the build https://forum.ih8mud.com/70-series-tech/776794-bj-70-lj-71-my-build.html
if u call him up u can go look at his work on my truck and see for your self in person and judge for your self.
weird, here in New Brunswick nobody gives a damn weather it's RHD or not. i do have to admit i like my LHD 73 better than the right 73 though. 1- more left foot room in LHD 2- i always steer with my left hand so have to switch to shift in the RHD.
i hear in quebec you cant even register a rhd?
i hear in quebec you cant even register a rhd?
RHD to LHD isn't as easy as one would assume. If you want it done right, I would budget 10K if you want someone else to do it. Maybe more. You need a donor vehicle to start, because about the only thing you will use from the LHD is the nuts and bolts. Maybe some wiring. Everything else needs to come from a RHD donor.
$500 for insurance? Annually? The cost of the conversion would pay for 20+ years of insurance. The math says just pay the insurance, or sell it and invest the money in a LHD if that is what you want.
I think Wayne will give you good advice similar to above
I am doing it because that is what I do, what I enjoy, the challenge. Not necessity or need.
$500 for insurance? Annually? The cost of the conversion would pay for 20+ years of insurance. The math says just pay the insurance, or sell it and invest the money in a LHD if that is what you want.
I think Wayne will give you good advice similar to above
I am doing it because that is what I do, what I enjoy, the challenge. Not necessity or need.
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- Thread starter
- #8
Holy smokes! What a story! I am definitely looking forward to the end result of your build, I love the coupe! I appreciate the information about your friend in Ajax. After the initial post, I have found a good chunk of people here in Ontario that can get it done. Lowest price I found was $2500 and the highest so far $3500, not sure who I will pick to get it done.
- Thread starter
- #9
Perhaps, I should move to New Brunswick haha! I can't say the same about Quebec, managed to get my only speeding ticket in the LJ78 with the Francs, got clocked doing 140. ************
That's $500 a month, I am aware whoever takes upon this job from me will definitely have their work cut out for them, but I know it is definitely do-able. I'd have to be inhaling a lot of diesel fumes to justify spending 10k on a conversion like that, I'm sure it will be somewhere in between the $2500 to $3500 range, which isn't really bad at all. If it really did end up some how going to the 10k range, I'd probably look at other diesel vehicles for that price, I paid 10k for this car 5 years ago, and to this date it is worth every copper penny
$3500 is not going to get you a quality conversion. Not even close.
Mine was done for a little more then that price lol
Would have been $3500 if the bj70's bolts were not seized from rust
And it's all quality
But for that to happen u need a donor bj70 LHD to make that happen if not will cost way more
There's a bj70 right now for sale on kijiji for $2000 that will help u out in your conversion
http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...ota-Land-Cruiser-BJ-70-SUV-W0QQAdIdZ533056230
Buy it sell the engine and trany recoup some of the money and there's all the parts u need for the conversion
Would have been $3500 if the bj70's bolts were not seized from rust
And it's all quality
But for that to happen u need a donor bj70 LHD to make that happen if not will cost way more
There's a bj70 right now for sale on kijiji for $2000 that will help u out in your conversion
http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...ota-Land-Cruiser-BJ-70-SUV-W0QQAdIdZ533056230
Buy it sell the engine and trany recoup some of the money and there's all the parts u need for the conversion
So then what you're saying is at least $5,500 (less what the drivetrain from a 640k BJ70 is worth..so almost nothing). And you did the work yourself, which is not what the OP is proposing.
Did your conversion swap over the cowl and windshield wipers?
Did your conversion swap over the cowl and windshield wipers?
Yes the swap over the cowl and windshield wipers was done like it was in the LHD sorry didn't get pics of that in the build
$3500 would be all labour
And no I did not do it my self Street Rate parts did it
I say $5500 is better then $10,000 don't u?
$3500 would be all labour
And no I did not do it my self Street Rate parts did it
I say $5500 is better then $10,000 don't u?
- Thread starter
- #14
Well, one can only hope, these were all verbal quotes and nothing has been set in stone on paper yet.
You are always amazing me good sir, I left the gentlemen a message, going to try and barter the price down a bit, seems like O'l Yeller is in his final days, 640k yikes haha!
I talked to Chris at Street rate parts, he said he could definitely do it. Another concern of mine is, if I do the swap, will I have to rebrand the car as a BJ70 or could I go the legal route and request for a VIN re-registration? From my knowledge, wiping vins or serials can lead to vehicle seizure or perhaps even legal problems both of which are things I cannot have happen to me if I end up dropping this much on the car, any advice would be greatly appreciated.
- Thread starter
- #15
Good evening folks, thought I would update everybody on the prado, which also has the nickname play-doh...but hell playing with play-doh is fun even at my age. Anyways, the truck has been converted over to a LHD, but it is far from being complete, there are a number of small details I would like to have addressed, but these issues will have to be addressed over time, perhaps next summer, considering that this is my summer vehicle. I have found a new project that is currently underway, my fj40. I will be sure to post pictures of my progression as the summer continues....this is what I am working with.
Until then,
Jif
Until then,
Jif
how much did you end up having in the conversion
Very reasonable
- Thread starter
- #20
Interesting story about the insurance...had a hard time getting it on the road at the right price, finally found a new firm in Northern Ontario, but they are insuring our prados as RHD (even with the LHD conversion), but the thing is, we have two 78's in our family one is a LHD and one is a RHD, and now both are insured at the same rate, and it is actually affordable. I should have waited for insurance instead of doing the conversion, but it is what it is at this point. It is truly a beautiful vehicle, with fall coming it is time for it to go away in storage until next summer. Tuning up the fj40 for daily driving in the Winter this year.
Take care folks,
Jif
Take care folks,
Jif