308 gts 1979 lhd to rhd

You can't drive a LHD car in the UK?

 

The steel structure of the dash under the dash pad is sided, as is the A/C evaporator and the gearshift - leave it LHD. You'll have more fun on the Continent then, anyway!

 

You could compare standard & rhd parts books at Eurospares

 

Yes indeed. Notably, I was wondering, if my memory is still serving me well, about the central chassis tube, underfloor. If I remember well, that tube is offset from center by a few centimetres. I wonder if RHD and LHD cars use the same chassis, or mirrored ones?

Rgds

 

Why do you ask then?

Bruno,

Your memory still serves you well

Image Unavailable, Please Login

Best Regards
Martin

 

100% disagree with that. I think LHD is the best configuration for most Italian cars, right up to the 2000s & it doesn't matter whether you're driving on the left or the right hand side of a carriageway. UK Integrale & F40 owners would concur.

 

I encountered a LHD to RHD conversion recently. The two giveaways were VIN, and that console layout (and gate) we’re still in LHD configuration.
Other than that, very cleanly done.

 

When I try to reach for the shifter while sitting on the passenger seat I cannot imagine, that this feels right in some way while driving.
It's a pity to bugger up the otherwise great ergonomics of the 308.

Best from Germany
Martin

 

The Japanese, who are driving on the the Left side of the road, like our british friends, always insisted on receiving LHD cars from the factory nevertheless. You see, the Japanese are purists: for them, a Ferrari is only "right" in LHD, whatever the side of the road you are driving it. All 308s and 328s produced for the japanese market (VINs in "JAP" etc...) were LHD...

Rgds

 

Bruno,

I didn't want to say, that the 3x8 has to be LHD. Of course everyone feels most comfortable with what he's used to.
But when I try to reach for the shifter being far away on the opposite side of the center console it somehow feels like shifting in a light truck and no more in a Ferrari
The shifter being on the same console side like the driver's seat feels just perfect.
Therefore the above mentioned LHD/RHD conversion without mirroring the center console is less than half work, since it buggered up, what's part of the fun.

Best Regards
Martin

 

Well Martin,

My point here is that there must be enough cars in RHD in the UK to satisfy the needs of anyone looking for one. For the sake of me, considering the costs and the work involved, I cannot see any point in converting a LHD car into a RHD.
Considering the amount of work involved, and the man-hour costs, after the work has been completed, it will still be "neither fish nor fowl", i.e: not a true LHD anymore, and not a true RHD either.
It MIGHT be technically and mechanically doable, BUT, by all means, to the original poster: just DON'T DO IT!
Otherwise, as we say in French, you will end up "collé avec un sparadrap" ("glued with a band aid") a car that nobody will want to buy from you, should the need for a sale occur.
In other words, and to the original poster: (= this is only my own point of view, but I support it 100%): bad, bad, bad idea. Don't do it.

Rgds

 

It's also about pedal, footrest & transmission tunnel ergonomics. And if you're right handed, the shifter is far better in your right hand. Other console controls, too.

 

not necessarily, since there's a sucker born every minute

Best
Martin

 

I beg to differ - I would rather have the steering wheel in my right hand (I'm right handed) and the shifter in my left hand. Likewise I feel pilots sit on the wrong side of the plane too - coming in to land, I have my most coordinated hand doing nothing sitting on the throttle just in case I need it, and my least coordinated hand flying the actual plane. I think LHD is completely wrong for right handed people which the majority of people are.

 

Same in French, but the word we use for "sucker" is "pigeon" ("Taube" in German).
"Un pigeon se lève tous les matins, le truc c'est de le repérer" ("A pigeon raises up every morning, the trick is to find it")

Rgds

 

I'm right handed and I don't have any problem changing gears with my left hand, but then the British are well known to be superior to other races ;-) I can even sit in a LHD drive car and change gears with my right hand, although I tend to wind the window down instead for the first mile or two.

It's much safer to overtake on single carriageway UK roads in a RHD car, but even then the opportunities to do so are pretty limited these days. RHD cars in the UK carry a considerable premium (particularly over US cars) but even so I wouldn't consider a conversion.

 

That's a philosophical question, but as far as Ferraris and your money go: leave a RHD-born Ferrari RHD, a LHD-born Ferrari LHD. No more complicated than that.

Rgds

 

When I first moved to the US, there were occasions when approaching a corner that I would take my left hand off the steering wheel and bash the door going to change gears. Likewise I think I went to get in the passenger side on about 3 occasions also.

 

Certainly agree with you there - I would never convert a car, especially not a classic. Living in the US, LHD is the obvious choice for me - but given I might retire to NZ in the future, I would be ok with a RHD in the US for now and put up with the inconvenience, so that I have a RHD when I get back to NZ.

 

Well, yes, of course. Makes sense to me, no question (ughhhh: only one, actually: when do you expect to retire? in four years time, or in twenty-four years time?)
And some others, actually, but outside the scope of this thread: why NZ and not the US? You have whetted my appetite here, but we are outside of the scope of this thread indeed...
I intend to retire in France, leave Paris (Yes, yes, yes, by all means!) go back to my family birthplace, which will allow me to visit our friend "Martin 308 GTB" in Germany just "on the other side", that is, if I'm still fit to drive in seven years from now.
But I'm digressing, and in danger of derailing the thread...

Rgds

 

Interesting perspective. Personally, I don't feel there's much coordination required with respect to one handed steering wheel control. Far more is needed when reaching the console for gearchanges & other stuff.

Of course, I can do both with both hands & I've either owned or extensively driven a wide range of RHD cars in LHD countries, LHD cars in RHD countries, LHD cars in LHD countries and RHD cars in RHD countries (is that all permutations? ). My conclusion is that with a manual box, LHD is significantly more enjoyable.

Auto boxes aren't too different either way. Mind you, I was in a new Cayenne last week for a day's driving & trying to work the immense quantity of push button gadgetry on the centre console with the left hand was tedious. I was in a similarly equipped Q7 last month in LHD & it was much easier to button-fiddle.

 

Being an organ player I'm glad, that to train coordination and approaching right hand's capabilities for the left hand too (strength, speed and accuracy), is part of the fun

Best Regards
Martin