Hi,

I have a chance oportunity to go to Australia and want to take my pickup with me(I could give a list yay-long why) and was wondering if there was a kit to transfer everything from the left side to the right or if none exists, suggestions on how to convert it.


Any info is appreciated
-Matt

 

Does it have to be converted to drive it over there? The bigger question is will they let you drive it over there if you did convert it? If you think we have too many rules and regulations, just wait till you get there.

My brother lived over there for about 5years. I still remember him talking about how it rains mud. They have these big dust storms in the middle of the country, and it gets up in the air, floats over to the coast, and when it rains, there is a thin coat of mud all over everything.

 

That's one of the main reasons why I want to take my truck with me - it's an '84 f150 with 4wd and from what i've seen and read it has to be converted if i plan on living there permantly(in wich i do, just to be different) within so much time so I figure i'd hunt for this kit or way of converting it now. There's already alot of things that need to be done to it so it passes inspection.

-matt

 

It would make more sense to buy a rhd truck when you gat over there, how much to ship a truck to australia?

 

1650 by boat in shared container. me and my truck have been through alot and not willing to drop it here in the states and hope to get something of that year with 4wd over there.

 

Ford sold these models in Australia so there's still parts available but there's a lot of changes you will need to make.

Cars over 30 years old can be registered LHD but usually only on a club licence (ie you need to be a car club member and use the vehicle only for club events).

I've just done an almost complete rebuild on mine so here's what I think Ford did to sell them here. I have never seen a kit to convert them although there are quite a few people who import them, especially the ones that weren't sold here

- Headlights (to point to the right side of the road)
- Independant brake/turn signals (we use orange turn signals)
- Frame modification to take the RHD steering box (crush tubes and plates). Always breaking
- RHD specific drag link and steering box (and I don't think it's a common box either as everyone asks a fortune for them)
- Cabin floor mods - Take a close look at your current floorpan and you'll notice the offset in the transmission tunnel and how small your passenger's footwell is. That becomes the driver's footwell, not too squeezy but a lot less than you have now. I guess they had a special firewall for these trucks because I can see where they (very poorly) cut and shut it.
- Steering column is from a local Falcon of the era I think and a special collapsible shaft is used to join to the steering box.
-Reverse dashboard. I don't know if the trim bits interchange, but the major dashboard piece is mirrored

You might be able to get by with the windscreen wipers left where they are, but the local authorites will check to see if your vision is impaired by where they don't wipe.

The panel at the base of the windscreen that the wipers go through is Aus only and very expensive - even from the wreckers.

Get a B&M floor shifter if you have an auto, much easier than trying to install the column change (which doesn't have the gear indicator in the instruments like the US versions). I've adapted a local Falcon floor mounted handbrake to replace the under dash one, much nicer.







Where abouts in Oz are you planning to move to? Got any spare room for some Mustang bits in the shipping container?

 

Oztang, if everything goes through the way it's supose to, Melbourne. The truck in question is a 1984 F150 4sp 4wd. I thought it was only swapping the steering over, not reconfiguring the entire front end lol. I might have to hunt for a project truck once I get there now...

 

 

doode, where do i get one of those?!

 

Right Hand Drive Conversion Kits - Postal Things Inc. - RHD Jeep Cherokee, Caravan, Kia Sportage, more!

 

Wow, a V-belt! Makes me feel a lot better about my cracked frame... LOL

 

word around the water cooler is that there is a serpentine version coming out, add the billet under drive pulley kit and you got one hell of a steering system

 

After I calmed down a bit from my excitement of sutch a system, I talked with a couple of conversion companies here in the states and they both agree that a system like that would never pass inspection. Nice try though, and after everything was said and done(both companies quoted me a price of $17k for a total conversion), I think i'll bite the bullet, save up and buy a truck once I get over there. I don't want to but don't have any choice. Thanks to everyone for their input.

-Matt

 

i actually posted that picture as a joke.. i bet junkyards over seas would have such parts to convert.

 

well i found out that system are for postal cars here in the states.