Was bored on the M25

[muzza65]

Driving back from Cardiff the other day. I got stuck on the M25 when a car with French plates went past, it got me thinking.

As they drive on the other side of the road. They put the driver on the other side of the car. Now its pretty plan to see the steering wheel and the dash board has been moved around. But about the rest of what goes on under there. Is the engine and gear box even the battery has that all been turned around as well???

Yep was rather bored on my drive to come up with that one, but it got me thinking and thought this was the best place to ask.

Cheers all

[slipstream 1985]

its sorted in the factory. they just put a mirror infront of the workers so they do everything correct but the other way arround.

[eltax91]

In a word. No.

[muzza65]

I knew it was something simply!!!

[NPI]

Pretty well all cars that originate in Europe (inc the UK) are originally designed in LHD - the exception being some "Japanese" cars.

So stuff that has to moved is moved to suit us, hence we get cars with the handbrake on the wrong side of the console, offset pedals etc.

[TREMAiNE]

Pretty sure its just a steering wheel swap and pedal.

Do you remember all of those French cars that didn't get built properly, and passengers could apply the brakes by pushing their foot against the back of the foot-well?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13446522

[996TT02]

Nerdily, no.

Apart from the obvious, wipers get relocated. Actually, they get relocated (so to speak) for RHD cars as most cars are designed for LHD primarily. Because of this, some are reputedly better in LHD, as the "conversion" is sometimes compromised for RHD.

[Puddenchucker]

On Nissan 350Zs the battery and brake servo swap sides between left-hand and right-hand drive.

[Ozzie Osmond]

• Engine and gearbox always stay the same.
• The chassis is built with locations for the steering column, pedals etc to be fitted either side without modification.
• Quite often the car is designed so that the battery can be switched side-to-side with the brake servo/steering column.
• The passenger compartment and dashboard is usually built symmetrically to keep the options open.
• One of the biggest changes in building the car is a completely different wiring loom.
• Front door trims are often fitted with blanking plates on the passenger side as a result of dual LHD/RHD use.
• The handbrake (if not central) is often left where it is.
• Windscreen wipers often, but not always, sweep the other way which means a different mechanism.
• Sometimes the bonnet release for UK cars is left on the passenger side.

.....ever wondered why the volume knob on your UK radio is inconveniently far away?

[supersingle]

Lots of cars keep the brake master cylinder on the left hand side and use a system of levers and pushrods to connect to the pedal. It's not usually a great solution. :cough: Peugeot :cough:

[Strawman]

Some cars that were designed as LHD never make it as RHD versions because the steering column won't squeeze past the engine when swapped over e.g the Mercedes W124 TD had a turbo fitted for LHD markets and cooling vents in the wing for the turbo, the RHD version had no turbo fitted because the steering column gets in the way, but it's still confusingly badged TD and the wing still has vents to cool a turbo which isn't there.

[muzza65]

Thanks for that all, I can sleep well tonight. And good to see I didn't open a large can of worms.

I also can bore ever one when driving why the volume knob is on the wrong side.

Cheers all

[DaveCWK]

On the fiat panda the brake servo is still on the wrong side and connected with a very flimsy looking linkage.

If you want everything to be correct, get youself a JDM car - Designed and built for RHD and the japanese care about ergonomics. The most annoying ergonomic fault with most cars is the indicator stalk being on the left... totally wrong for our roads, but now that everyone is used to it we're stuck with it.

[V8forweekends]

VW didn't even bother moving the wipers on MK2 Golfs - I had one for a while, huge unswept area right in front of me.

[valiant]

On the new Focus, the lettering and numbering on the stereo is angled slightly towards the LHD driver. I never noticed it until someone on here pointed it out and now it drives me nuts! Does my OCD no good at all.

[Nath88n]

V8forweekends said:

VW didn't even bother moving the wipers on MK2 Golfs - I had one for a while, huge unswept area right in front of me.

They did at some point;

[405dogvan]

Some cars are a LOT more work to convert than others, of course.

The SMART (For-Two - the proper one) has an asymmetrical cabin which has to be completely swapped-around for RHD (the seats are staggered to give more space and the passenger footwell contains ancilliries IIRC?)

We don't get 4WD AMG Mercs because the 4WD system and the steering column would get in each other's way (they'll re-engineer it for a new model but not an existing one I guess?)

Whilst engines and gearboxes don't swap - taking engines and gearboxes from LHD to RHD cars isn't always practical - as a mate of mine found after driving a car all the way from the south of France ;0

[Strawman]

V8forweekends said:

VW didn't even bother moving the wipers on MK2 Golfs - I had one for a while, huge unswept area right in front of me.

The MK1 has a tortuous path from the RHD brake pedal to the servo, only properly resolved in South African versions where they tried to improve brake response.

Lancia after abandoning RHD markets developed a concept car where the whole dashboard switches from LHD to RHD at the touch of a button (can't find a YT Clip).

[405dogvan]

Nath88n said:

V8forweekends said:

VW didn't even bother moving the wipers on MK2 Golfs - I had one for a while, huge unswept area right in front of me.

They did at some point;

A mate had an 86 Jetta which had 'wrong' wipers - if you were tall you actually couldn't see where you were going in the rain ;0

It also had a vanity mirror on the driver's sunvisor but NOT the passenger one - and the passenger mirror had an internal adjuster but the driver's didn't ;0

In other news, I'm told the ropey action of my 405's clutch is simply down to it's tortuous routing through the engine bay (with at least 2 90 degree bends?)

[blearyeyedboy]

Nath88n said:

V8forweekends said:

VW didn't even bother moving the wipers on MK2 Golfs - I had one for a while, huge unswept area right in front of me.

They did at some point;

Yup. Early RHD models had wrong-way-round wipers but VW agreed with Brits that this was bloody stupid, and changed them on later Mk 2's.