LHD to RHD conversion | FerrariChat

LHD to RHD conversion

Discussion in '348/355' started by Haydar, Jun 8, 2019.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. Haydar

    Haydar Rookie

    May 26, 2016
    29
    Pakistan
    Hi all

    I have a 348 Ferrari that I want to convert from LHD to RHD.

    Now I know all the arguments against this as it is often said that it is cheaper to sell the LHD car and buy a RHD one but my car is in Pakistan, it is the ONLY 348 in Pakistan! It is now almost impossible to import another Ferrari in Pakistan so I have to stick to this one and do the necessary...

    So putting aside the madness of doing this, I need you 348 gurus to help me identify all the parts that I will need to do this. Below is my initial list:-

    I. Dashboard
    2. Steering rack
    3. Steering column (if this is different?)
    4. Clutch and brake petal box (if this is different?)
    5. Accelerator pedal (if this is different?)
    6. Accelerator cable (if this is different?)
    7. Handbrake lever console
    8. Handbrake lever
    9. Wiper linkage
    10. Wiper arms
    11. Wiper motor (if this is different?)
    12. Heater box (if this is different?)
    13. Door mirrors
    14. Door card buttons

    Apart from this what else will need to be done? Will the fuse box in the passenger footwell have to be relocated?

    Thank you for your help.
     
  2. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Mar 31, 2006
    32,793
    East Central, FL
    Full Name:
    Wade O.
    #2 Wade, Jun 8, 2019
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2019
    Try going through the parts diagram and you'll find items that are specific to LHD or RHD. For example, item #7.

    https://www.ricambiamerica.com/car-diagrams/ferrari/v6-v8/348-group/348-1989-1992/passengers-compartment-carpets-valid-for-ts-valid-from-car-nr-94910-ts-and-nr-94269-usa-ts.html

    Definitely some differences for the electrical cables.

    https://www.ricambiamerica.com/car-diagrams/ferrari/v6-v8/348-group/348-1989-1992/electrical-system-not-for-usa.html
     
    Pangea likes this.
  3. Haydar

    Haydar Rookie

    May 26, 2016
    29
    Pakistan
    Hi Wade

    Thanks for that. Will look into the diagrams.
     
  4. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Mar 31, 2006
    32,793
    East Central, FL
    Full Name:
    Wade O.
    Sounds like a very challenging but fun project.
     
  5. jtremlett

    jtremlett F1 Rookie

    Feb 18, 2004
    4,696
    Do you absolutely need to do a conversion? I mean is not legal to drive a LHD car in Pakistan? There are lots of LHD Ferraris in the UK, for example and it is no issue.

    Assuming you do, then I think there is a difference between what you would have to do and what you might do. For instance, your list mentions door card buttons. I don't think they are different between LHD and RHD but even if they are I cannot see why they would need to be changed unless you absolutely wanted the car to end up exactly as an original RHD car. Bear in mind parts will not necessarily be easily available. Equally, the headlights are different but you might not need or want to change them.

    By the way, I assume your car is a Euro car? US cars, for example, have additional differences to UK or Australian RHD cars that may or may not matter.

    The fusebox is in the right hand passenger footwell on LHD cars and in the left hand footwell on RHD cars so certainly would need to be relocated because the pedals would need to go where it is currently.
     
  6. Haydar

    Haydar Rookie

    May 26, 2016
    29
    Pakistan
    I know it's a little bit of madness but I really want a RHD car. Rewiring should not be an issue as I have really good electricians here that can do all of that. I just want to make sure I have all the bits and pieces to do it.
     
  7. 97 Spider

    97 Spider Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 15, 2012
    2,241
    Texas
    Full Name:
    Brian
    Image Unavailable, Please Login The biggest problem is you will have to chop up and section the firewall and rebuild it and the way you need it, if it can even be done. Well, anything can be done but it might just so messed up you turn the car into junk. You will need to cut out the pedal box mounting from the left and cut out the AC hole/ mounting from the right then rebuild it all the opposite way. This would be a tremendous amount of work and I’m afraid you would run into something in the middle of the job that you cannot overcome and you render the whole car worthless.
     
    Pangea and Qavion like this.
  8. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 20, 2015
    11,484
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Ian Riddell
    If the 348 is like the 355, then the fuse box will have to be relocated and mounted upside down.
    The fuse box in the luggage compartment seems to be in the same position, but this may not be a good thing as all the wiring between the two fuse boxes will have to be lengthened if you can't buy new or second hand harnesses. These harnesses will literally have hundreds of wires in them. I don't know if individual wires can be purchased with the same colours. Ferrari uses a lot of wires with two colours.

    I have wiring diagrams if you need them, but I don't know what special wiring changes will have to be done. I think most if not all the wiring aft of the cabin rear bulkhead will be the same and you may be able to use a lot of the existing wiring by running the harnesses left instead of right (and vice Verda) as they emerge from the forward end of the centre console under the dashboard. If you do this, then the door cards will probably have to be replaced

    Also consider what your country's authorities require you to do to make this car roadworthy. e.g. Are there special lighting requirements?
     
  9. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Mar 31, 2006
    32,793
    East Central, FL
    Full Name:
    Wade O.
    Great point!

    See item #3

    https://www.ricambiamerica.com/car-diagrams/ferrari/v6-v8/348-group/348-1989-1992/body-general-units.html
     
  10. 97 Spider

    97 Spider Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 15, 2012
    2,241
    Texas
    Full Name:
    Brian
    You have to move over the steering column mount etc. everything... So it’s not just finding parts it’s a large amount of reworking the chassis. Good luck.

    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  11. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 20, 2015
    11,484
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Ian Riddell
    Is the gear lever centrally mounted or will that have to be moved, too?
     
  12. 97 Spider

    97 Spider Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 15, 2012
    2,241
    Texas
    Full Name:
    Brian
    I believe the gear shifter/ tunnel is centrally located, but the seat pans are different depending on which side is drivers. It moves the seat tighter center and leaves room for the e brake between the seat and the door sill. Which of course is another thing that will need relocating unless you like going around to the other side of the car to set the brake. I think once you start thinking about all it would take you realize how deep that rabbit hole is.
     
    MAD828 and Qavion like this.
  13. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Mar 31, 2006
    32,793
    East Central, FL
    Full Name:
    Wade O.
    Items 3, 4 and 6 are entirely different between LHD and RHD.
     

    Attached Files:

  14. 97 Spider

    97 Spider Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 15, 2012
    2,241
    Texas
    Full Name:
    Brian
    4 and 6 are different where the holes are for the windshield wipers come through. You’d have to section those up too.
     
  15. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Mar 31, 2006
    32,793
    East Central, FL
    Full Name:
    Wade O.
    Maybe just import a project car by the boxful. :)

    I was reading about someone who did something similar.

    "When I initially opened the two massive wooden crates of parts that arrived with the rolling shell, I had 80 percent of the car in front of me."

    https://www.forza-mag.com/issues/175/articles/the-everyman
     
  16. Yassa

    Yassa Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    May 23, 2011
    1,266
    London
    Full Name:
    Dr Yassa Hughes
    This....
     
  17. INTMD8

    INTMD8 F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Jun 10, 2007
    6,487
    Lake Villa IL
    Lots of work here. How about center steer ala McLaren? :D
     
    Yassa likes this.
  18. Haydar

    Haydar Rookie

    May 26, 2016
    29
    Pakistan
    Thanks for all the replies.

    I know how mad the project is, especially when you consider the car is worth north of $250k dollars in Pakistan due to the very high import duties and the fact that you now can't import one regardless of duty!

    However humour me. As long as we have the right dimensions cutting and welding is not an issue. Despite the fairly rough images projected about Pakistan we have a huge car loving community here and the art of high quality panel beating has not been lost. Give these guys a couple of baked been tins and they'll make you a Rolls Royce... :).

    So based on the feedback I've amended the list:-

    Definitely needed:
    I. Dashboard
    2. Steering rack
    3. Handbrake lever console
    4. Handbrake lever
    5. Wiper linkage
    6. Wiper arms

    Not sure if needed, please correct:
    1. Steering column - this looks similar in the pictures but could be different. If so how?
    2. Clutch and brake petal box - this again looks similar in the pictures but could be different.
    3. Accelerator pedal - considering the front wheel well I would have thought this was different.
    4. Accelerator cable - this would be slightly longer
    5. Wiper motor - not sure if this is different.
    6. Heater box - looks like the plumbing is reversed.

    New things that have been added:
    1. Gearlever position - needs to be moved to the right.
    2. Bulkhead modifications - for the heater box, pedals and steering rack.
    3. Wiper linkage modifications - this doesn't seem to be too difficult. The body already has the position for the wiper arm, it's just blanked off.

    The way I was thinking about going about the project was to get all the cutting and welding bits out of the way first. Also do it in a way that if required we could go back!!! To do this I need a couple of things:-

    1. The steering rack attachment bracket. This way I can leave the LHD bracket in place while we fit the RHD bracket on.
    2. The box into which the pedal box is fitted. Again we can then leave the LHD box alone until we have properly fixed the RHD box.

    Thanks again for all the info and help.
     
  19. Haydar

    Haydar Rookie

    May 26, 2016
    29
    Pakistan
    Qavion likes this.
  20. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 20, 2015
    11,484
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Ian Riddell
    Not the gear lever. The driver's seat needs to be moved closer to center.
     
  21. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 20, 2015
    11,484
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Ian Riddell
    #21 Qavion, Jun 9, 2019
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2019
    Do you have at TB or GTB? The catalogue for the TB is not really clear. The accelerator cable setup on the TB may be the same as the GTB (and the F355):

    Left hand drive (GTB):

    https://www.ricambiamerica.com/car-diagrams/ferrari/v6-v8/348-group/348/throttle-housing-and-linkage.html

    Right Hand Drive (GTB)

    https://www.ricambiamerica.com/car-diagrams/ferrari/v6-v8/348-group/348/throttle-pedal-and-brake-hydraulic-system-valid-for-rhd.html

    The cable curves around (and needs to be longer). There also needs to be a mounting bracket on the front bulkhead (Item 39)

    Here's what it looks like on the F355 (RHD)

    https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/posts/146056393/
     
  22. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 20, 2015
    11,484
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Ian Riddell
  23. bjwhite

    bjwhite F1 Rookie

    Mar 17, 2006
    4,675
    Seattle, WA
    Full Name:
    Brian White
    Assuming this is a European spec car, the headlights can be opened up and changed from LHD to RHD, so no cost there.
     
  24. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 20, 2015
    11,484
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Ian Riddell
    Actually, I didn't think of the headlights. I was thinking more about the brake and turn lights, including the side repeaters.

    I hope the rules are more lax than Australian ones. I fitted a popular UK upgrade brake kit to a (non-Ferrari) car and the inspector rejected the modification because I couldn't supply him with specs on the braided lines (which were clearly superior to the OEM rubber ones). He wanted me to fit all new lines.
     
  25. andyww

    andyww F1 Rookie

    Feb 7, 2011
    2,775
    London
    Does the 348 have a hydraulic clutch or cable? The 308/328 RHD with cable clutch have a cross-shaft to transfer motion from the pedal to the left side of the tunnel.
     

Share This Page