RHD Mustangs

[BigLepton]

Just spotted a classified ad in the back of Autocar for a 2005 right hand drive Saleen 281 Mustang with 5000 miles for £28k.

It looks quite interesting but is I've never seen a RHD one before of this age, just much older ones which I think were imported from Australia. Is it likely to be factory RHD or a conversion does anyone know? Cheers.


PS - can't link to it as the ad is in the mag, but I can't find it on the website.

[Roo.]

Aftermarket conversion probably carried out by a company called American Pick Up Trucks.

[SleeperCell]

BigLepton said:

Just spotted a classified ad in the back of Autocar for a 2005 right hand drive Saleen 281 Mustang with 5000 miles for £28k.

It looks quite interesting but is I've never seen a RHD one before of this age, just much older ones which I think were imported from Australia. Is it likely to be factory RHD or a conversion does anyone know? Cheers.


PS - can't link to it as the ad is in the mag, but I can't find it on the website.

Any Right Hand drive Mustang is going to be a conversion, there were some fourth generation official Ford Mustangs in RHD for Australia around 2002, but these were still conversions, but done officially by Tickford.

[300bhp/ton]

BigLepton said:

Just spotted a classified ad in the back of Autocar for a 2005 right hand drive Saleen 281 Mustang with 5000 miles for £28k.

It looks quite interesting but is I've never seen a RHD one before of this age, just much older ones which I think were imported from Australia. Is it likely to be factory RHD or a conversion does anyone know? Cheers.


PS - can't link to it as the ad is in the mag, but I can't find it on the website.

I tmust be a private aftermarket conversion.

My adive - staf FAR FAR away.

All you'll get is a hacked up interior, probably poor panel fit and possible things that don't work. Not too mention long term reliability issues.

You also have no parts backup for any of the interior trim and possible some of the steering components.

Lastly - who on Earth really wants a RHD one? First off it looses part of the appeal of having an American car but with all the potential problems it's not even worth half what a LHD one is.

All IMO of course

[BigLepton]

300bhp/ton said:

BigLepton said:

Just spotted a classified ad in the back of Autocar for a 2005 right hand drive Saleen 281 Mustang with 5000 miles for £28k.

It looks quite interesting but is I've never seen a RHD one before of this age, just much older ones which I think were imported from Australia. Is it likely to be factory RHD or a conversion does anyone know? Cheers.


PS - can't link to it as the ad is in the mag, but I can't find it on the website.

I tmust be a private aftermarket conversion.

My adive - staf FAR FAR away.

All you'll get is a hacked up interior, probably poor panel fit and possible things that don't work. Not too mention long term reliability issues.

You also have no parts backup for any of the interior trim and possible some of the steering components.

Lastly - who on Earth really wants a RHD one? First off it looses part of the appeal of having an American car but with all the potential problems it's not even worth half what a LHD one is.

All IMO of course

Thanks for the advice. No, I wouldn't want it if it is a conversion as you say, but they had used to build factory RHD Mustangs for the Oz market in the sixties and seventies IIRC. I wondered if they still did and this was an Oz import in which case I would've been interested.

As for wanting RHD, I'd much prefer RHD to LHD having had LHD in the past and getting bored with waiting to overtake. I also have two old bullet holes in my right leg courtesy of my time serving her majesty and it's usually more comfortable having it pressed against the door than the centre console!

[300bhp/ton]

BigLepton said:

300bhp/ton said:

BigLepton said:

Just spotted a classified ad in the back of Autocar for a 2005 right hand drive Saleen 281 Mustang with 5000 miles for £28k.

It looks quite interesting but is I've never seen a RHD one before of this age, just much older ones which I think were imported from Australia. Is it likely to be factory RHD or a conversion does anyone know? Cheers.


PS - can't link to it as the ad is in the mag, but I can't find it on the website.

I tmust be a private aftermarket conversion.

My adive - staf FAR FAR away.

All you'll get is a hacked up interior, probably poor panel fit and possible things that don't work. Not too mention long term reliability issues.

You also have no parts backup for any of the interior trim and possible some of the steering components.

Lastly - who on Earth really wants a RHD one? First off it looses part of the appeal of having an American car but with all the potential problems it's not even worth half what a LHD one is.

All IMO of course

Thanks for the advice. No, I wouldn't want it if it is a conversion as you say, but they had used to build factory RHD Mustangs for the Oz market in the sixties and seventies IIRC. I wondered if they still did and this was an Oz import in which case I would've been interested.

As for wanting RHD, I'd much prefer RHD to LHD having had LHD in the past and getting bored with waiting to overtake. I also have two old bullet holes in my right leg courtesy of my time serving her majesty and it's usually more comfortable having it pressed against the door than the centre console!

If I'm honest I don't know if the current s197 Mustang is sold in Australia or not, I haven't seen any sign of one though. They did sell a sn95 based Cobra in 2001 in RHD form there, I looked at importing one once (only numbers wise). It made me bulk at the cost of doing it.

[roger1197]

Its a dog conversion, already said, there are no rhd 2005-2008 models, issues will be poor fitting interior panels, water leeks thro bodged sealed redundant bulkhead holes, lack of aftermarket steering components & the conversion will kill the value.
Oz govt will not allow LHD cars in on a permanent basis, so no lhd for sale at dealers, if you live in Oz & import yourself yo have to have converted to rhd before it gets a road ticket
Walk away!!

Edited by roger1197 on Wednesday 3rd September 20:02

[planetdave]

Has anyone seen one of the APT RHD conversions?

I don't know one end of anything from the other but I could go take a gander...IIRC they're local to me. Maybe they'd like to defend themselves with some cunning photos or something.

[tomTVR]

I think i would prefer a RHD even it it was a conversion. The ones i have seen advertised look quite good in terms of interior finish, plus you dont buy a mustang for its quality of interior. Also shirley if you need to repair bits of it then you can just buy the parts from the conversion company. Not like steering components wear out quickley anyway.

[BigLepton]

tomTVR said:

I think i would prefer a RHD even it it was a conversion. The ones i have seen advertised look quite good in terms of interior finish, plus you dont buy a mustang for its quality of interior. Also shirley if you need to repair bits of it then you can just buy the parts from the conversion company. Not like steering components wear out quickley anyway.

Seems odd to me that we get RHD crap like PT Cruisers and Avengers, but no Mustangs. I know they are not exactly cutting edge, but they are different enough to be fun. There must be more of a market for Mustangs than PT Cruisers!

[g_attrill]

planetdave said:

Has anyone seen one of the APT RHD conversions?

I don't know one end of anything from the other but I could go take a gander...IIRC they're local to me. Maybe they'd like to defend themselves with some cunning photos or something.

http://www.americanpickuptrucks.com/rhd.htm
http://www.right-hand-drive.co.uk/index.htm

The photos are small but it looks like a decent conversion. I saw a review in a magazine a few years ago and their in-house conversions were a bit more thorough I think, they talked about fitting a brand new firewall rather than cutting the existing one with a jig.

[300bhp/ton]

tomTVR said:

I think i would prefer a RHD even it it was a conversion. The ones i have seen advertised look quite good in terms of interior finish, plus you dont buy a mustang for its quality of interior. Also shirley if you need to repair bits of it then you can just buy the parts from the conversion company. Not like steering components wear out quickley anyway.

1. I can't understand why people diss the Mustang interior. It looks fantastic and is as well made as anything else I've been in, even vehicles costing double.

2. There is a real difference between an interior you don't consider plush and the same interior hacked up and badly fitting.

3. Repair bits are likly to be more costly and give you know choice or option on where to buy.

4. So what happens in a few years time when the company doing the conversions may no longer exist, who do you turn to?

5. You say steering doesn't wear quickly - but how do you know? On the conversion there will have been little to no long term R&D on the affect on the steering of moving to the other side of the car. Heat, vibrations, components used and angles could all affect it.

As an example, I know of a Range Rover (Classic) which was converted to a Chevy V8 (years back). It had an issue with boiling the power steering fluid due to the relocate pump and exhaust manifolds. It ran fine at first however.

[planetdave]

g_attrill said:

planetdave said:

Has anyone seen one of the APT RHD conversions?

I don't know one end of anything from the other but I could go take a gander...IIRC they're local to me. Maybe they'd like to defend themselves with some cunning photos or something.

http://www.americanpickuptrucks.com/rhd.htm
http://www.right-hand-drive.co.uk/index.htm

The photos are small but it looks like a decent conversion. I saw a review in a magazine a few years ago and their in-house conversions were a bit more thorough I think, they talked about fitting a brand new firewall rather than cutting the existing one with a jig.

I linked to that website - they are 5 minutes drive from me. I know the workshop - the place used to be Stewart Wilson Tyres before and I used them. Does anyone seriously want me to go ask them questions?

[Kentish]

I saw an excellent chain driven RHD conversion done in OZ, they literally just moved the column to the left and made and adaptor drive up for the rack.

Nice simple idea.

BTW, £28k sounds way OTT for a 2005 Mustang!

[tomTVR]

300bhp/ton said:

tomTVR said:

I think i would prefer a RHD even it it was a conversion. The ones i have seen advertised look quite good in terms of interior finish, plus you dont buy a mustang for its quality of interior. Also shirley if you need to repair bits of it then you can just buy the parts from the conversion company. Not like steering components wear out quickley anyway.

1. I can't understand why people diss the Mustang interior. It looks fantastic and is as well made as anything else I've been in, even vehicles costing double.

2. There is a real difference between an interior you don't consider plush and the same interior hacked up and badly fitting.

3. Repair bits are likly to be more costly and give you know choice or option on where to buy.

4. So what happens in a few years time when the company doing the conversions may no longer exist, who do you turn to?

5. You say steering doesn't wear quickly - but how do you know? On the conversion there will have been little to no long term R&D on the affect on the steering of moving to the other side of the car. Heat, vibrations, components used and angles could all affect it.

As an example, I know of a Range Rover (Classic) which was converted to a Chevy V8 (years back). It had an issue with boiling the power steering fluid due to the relocate pump and exhaust manifolds. It ran fine at first however.

All fair points. Although when i said you dont buy a Mustang for its interior that is all i meant, it isnt anywhere near as bad as some other yank cars but you buy a Mustang for the looks and the engine.

I still think i would take the risk though, depends on the quality of engineering.

[300bhp/ton]

tomTVR said:

All fair points. Although when i said you dont buy a Mustang for its interior that is all i meant, it isnt anywhere near as bad as some other yank cars but you buy a Mustang for the looks and the engine.

I still think i would take the risk though, depends on the quality of engineering.

Well I guess it's each to their own. I can see it may be right for some.

As for American interiors - I still don't get it. Sitting in my Camaro is a lpeasant environment with well made, designed and looking interior. Nothing really looks cheap and nothing feels cheap to the touch.

Even comparing to new 3 Series BMW's.

I admit there is a lack of aluminium and shiny silver plastic that is the fashion today. But the Camaro came out in 1998, and back then the fashion wasn't bits of metal and silver.