Converting 2500 from left hand drive to right hand drive

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JonnyB
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Converting 2500 from left hand drive to right hand drive

#1 Post by JonnyB » Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:12 pm

Hi Folks
May have chance of 2500 TC residing in France and wondered if anyone had any advice or experience of converting this model to right hand drive?
Also any ideas about who you could recommend to do the work?
Look forward to hearing your thoughts
Regards

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Re: Converting 2500 from left hand drive to right hand drive

#2 Post by Dave B » Tue Jan 30, 2018 11:18 pm

Initial thoughts are that this is a non-starter. So many parts different from LHD to RHD, not least the bulkhead layout that carries things like clutch & braking system hydraulics, steering column, pedal box, dashboard, wiring harness to name just a few problems. Not impossible to do, but the cost would far,far exceed the value of the car in my opinion.
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Re: Converting 2500 from left hand drive to right hand drive

#3 Post by johnnydog » Thu Feb 01, 2018 7:02 am

It would be far beneficial when converting a Triumph from LHD to RHD, if you were able to source a scrap car of the same vintage to use the required parts, and it would also give you a guide for measuring components like the reinforcing plate on the bulkhead where the steering column passes through, and for the servo mountings, etc etc, for example. Because our cars are not 'handed', there is a reasonable amount of work, especially if you are not doing it yourself. Bolt on components are not too much of an issue, but things like the wiper motor mounting etc, which is a spot welded bracket, and extending the wiring loom are just a couple of issues that you need to overcome.
Equally, I'm sure you will find buyers for the LHD steering rack and column, and dash parts to offset your cost.
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Re: Converting 2500 from left hand drive to right hand drive

#4 Post by JonnyB » Fri Feb 02, 2018 9:03 am

Hi
Thanks for your thoughts.Sounds too much like hard work and as you say not economically viable.

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Re: Converting 2500 from left hand drive to right hand drive

#5 Post by johnnydog » Fri Feb 02, 2018 6:18 pm

Equally, if it has a very good solid body, and the price is right, then I wouldn't worry about it being LHD if you can live with the steering wheel on the 'wrong' side. Good facelift models are now becoming rarer.
Just bear in mind, if you did go for it, then bringing it back to the UK may incur import taxes, as 'purchase tax' will not have been paid when it was originally exported to France. Customs don't just go off what you paid for it; they assess the actual vehicles worth to you, and the effort you have gone to get it back to the UK. If you only paid £500 for a car, but your overall expenditure is obviously a lot higher, they take that into account with the thinking that to go to that effort, the car must be worth it to you to import it (does that make sense?!), and charge you accordingly. You also would not be able to register it in the UK without the necessary customs import paperwork showing all duties had been paid. I went through all this when I found a really solid PI in Cyprus years ago, which was attractive being RHD, but basically the shipping costs (which obviously would be a lot less from France), combined with the associated high import duties because of the effort I had gone to to get it to the UK made it a very expensive proposition unfortunately.
If you buy it, and you then can't live it being LHD, Ebay has opened up a whole new audience if you did choose to sell it.
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Re: Converting 2500 from left hand drive to right hand drive

#6 Post by Thorsten » Tue Feb 13, 2018 7:06 am

Hi John,
I wonder if you are describing a post-Brexit scenario there? AFAIK there are no customs duties between EU countries. So make use of the common market as long as it is still there for you! :)
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Re: Converting 2500 from left hand drive to right hand drive

#7 Post by johnnydog » Tue Feb 13, 2018 10:50 am

Hi Thorston,
I think you are correct! I have 'googled it' and it would appear that vehicle movements within the EU are permissable as Single Market Rules apply under EU laws, as taxes will have been paid to the original destination country.
However, when I made the enquiries about the PI in Cyprus, it was 18 years ago, so the rules may have been relaxed regarding vehicle movements within the EU as then Cyprus wasn't part of the 'eurozone'. Importing from France then shouldn't be an major issue - at least for the time being!
See you at the National in June?
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Re: Converting 2500 from left hand drive to right hand drive

#8 Post by Thorsten » Fri Feb 16, 2018 5:48 pm

Hi John,
yes, I’m planning to come to the National. Will check the ferries and do the booking this weekend!
Looking forward to seeing you there!

Already excited 😊
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