Pagoda SL Group
W113 Pagoda SL Group => General Discussion => Topic started by: n/a on July 21, 2003, 10:35:33
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how hard is it to convert a 280 sl from left to right hand drive
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Simple, drive in reverse! :D :D
Rodd
1966 230SL Euro
1994 E420
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I'd guess it's pretty difficult to convert. The cars aren't made to easily go one way or the other, like MGBs and Spridgets. I'm reasonably sure the dash would have to be cut out and replaced, and maybe the front floors and bulkhead as well. The steering box and idler arm support would have to be swapped, idler support is welded in. Might need a RHD-specific steering box? Different exhaust manifolds and pipes. Major project to do it right.
George Davis
'69 280 SL Euro manual
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quote:
Originally posted by George Davis
I'd guess it's pretty difficult to convert. The cars aren't made to easily go one way or the other, like MGBs and Spridgets. I'm reasonably sure the dash would have to be cut out and replaced, and maybe the front floors and bulkhead as well. The steering box and idler arm support would have to be swapped, idler support is welded in. Might need a RHD-specific steering box? Different exhaust manifolds and pipes. Major project to do it right.
George Davis
'69 280 SL Euro manual
I have parted out a RHD 280SL. It seems the parts are in great demand in Australia, New Zealand and in South Africa.
If you wish to convert, you must have all of the parts out of a donor car. The biggest task at hand is hanging cowl form the LHD for the RHD. You must cut out the entire front cowl since that contaons all of the steering, braking and varous compnents that are moved over to the right hand side.
Then all of the componentsmust be exchanged. You can use the same engine, but must exchange the power steering plumbing, brake booster bracket, exhaust manifolds, radiator plumbing, etc.. Then the interior of the car dash trim is changed as is the dash padding to accomodate the instrument binacle moving over to the right side.
It's a big jib, but I assume RHD cars in those countries where it is normally mandated are worth more there than LHD cars.
I do have some parts left over from the parts car if anyone is interested, email off line.
Pete Lesler, W113SL@aol.com
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Absolute , total waste of time. If you can't find an original one it would be better to go without. There's no way you could pay me enough money to do a job like that and there's definatly no way you'd ever get me to pay good money for something like that.
A few years back I was invited to look at a 300SE Cab. This is a very rare and valuable car until I found out it was RHD. I could have lived with that and the fact it was a prety rough car but someone had made a feeble effort to change it over to LHD by cutting holes in the frame and floor - with a cutting torch.
What a mess. What was easily 10 to 15K was little more than a parts car. And it still ran too.
Dan c
Daniel G Caron
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In the US our mail delivery trucks have the RHD, if the same principal holds true in the UK, you can place a mail delivery decal on it and it should be fine
Daryl
'64 230 SL