Right Hand Drive
09-23-08, 12:33 PM
#3
djessence
**IMO** (touchy subject always)
I think rhd would be an awesome project. A great engineering challenge. As DD said, parts'd be a bitch, there would be ALOT of mods required (if ur converting).
If you were wondering about buying one, IMO, RHD is extremely inconvenient, a bitch to drive and just stupid in a LHD continent. I know the only reason i would ever buy one is to have either a different car(mk IV supra..) or be able to afford something like an FD without paying like 20g for a LHD. Takes alot to get used to, and everyday driving just becomes invconvenient (parking, exiting parking spots - parallel, passing on the highway)
Not sure what exactly you were wondering but thats my $.02
I think rhd would be an awesome project. A great engineering challenge. As DD said, parts'd be a bitch, there would be ALOT of mods required (if ur converting).
If you were wondering about buying one, IMO, RHD is extremely inconvenient, a bitch to drive and just stupid in a LHD continent. I know the only reason i would ever buy one is to have either a different car(mk IV supra..) or be able to afford something like an FD without paying like 20g for a LHD. Takes alot to get used to, and everyday driving just becomes invconvenient (parking, exiting parking spots - parallel, passing on the highway)
Not sure what exactly you were wondering but thats my $.02
09-23-08, 01:20 PM
#4
Shinigami
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Thx, well things have finally gotten to the point where I know what to do with The FB. Which means its time to work on the next project. By this time next year I'll be cleaning up from the summers track time and I'll have my honda big rukus scooter by then so I wont be driving as much. So a RHD will be mostly track and learning how to drive like a mail man on the street.
Now, it wont be a conversion. I learned that lesson the hard way with Beetles and carollas. Its has be stock or already converted. Thats why I'm starting a year in advance.
And I'm hopin for a "shell" with minimal running gear. so I can keep costs down and just swap what I can.
I know its crazy but comin from jersey where you cant pass inspection if the tire size isnt OEM spec to New Mexico were there is NO inspection, not even emissions if you have an address outside of the city.
It'd be a shame NOT to push it a little
Now, it wont be a conversion. I learned that lesson the hard way with Beetles and carollas. Its has be stock or already converted. Thats why I'm starting a year in advance.
And I'm hopin for a "shell" with minimal running gear. so I can keep costs down and just swap what I can.
I know its crazy but comin from jersey where you cant pass inspection if the tire size isnt OEM spec to New Mexico were there is NO inspection, not even emissions if you have an address outside of the city.
It'd be a shame NOT to push it a little
09-23-08, 01:30 PM
#5
One con : You have to have a passenger to get food from the drive-through 
(not that I let people have food or drinks in my car anyway)
But other than the slight inconvenience of sitting on the wrong side of the car (which is great for illegal passing on the right hand side, lol) the RHD cars are basically identical to their LHD brethren.
Two exceptions I can think of are the fact that any parts related specifically to the steering and dash might be hard to find locally, and having the steering system on that side gives you less room to work with if you're trying to fit a turbo into it or other similar work with the exhaust.
Jon
(not that I let people have food or drinks in my car anyway)But other than the slight inconvenience of sitting on the wrong side of the car (which is great for illegal passing on the right hand side, lol) the RHD cars are basically identical to their LHD brethren.
Two exceptions I can think of are the fact that any parts related specifically to the steering and dash might be hard to find locally, and having the steering system on that side gives you less room to work with if you're trying to fit a turbo into it or other similar work with the exhaust.
Jon
09-23-08, 05:35 PM
#6
coming from someone who has 4 RHDs in the US they are both fun and challenging. I don't need help at the drive through i just back through (beep beep beep beep.... LOL JK). Yes some parts are difficult but it can be done. the good thing I have found is that mazda hates to retool anything, what does this mean well the holes in the frame rail are already there for the steering gearbox and likewise on the opposite side for the idler arm. The marks are in the older firewalls for the most part and many of the interior parts interchange. If you are really serious about doing this and do not have access to a JDM chassis here is what you need to do.
Contact someone in AUS like Phil's rotary and buy off a series 2 (81-3) Rx7 the following items, complete wiring harness (doesn't matter if it isn't perfect) dash with gauges, steering gearbox, idler arm, pedal set with throttle cable, carb and intake.
things you will need to get made here or bought from AUS will be metal brake lines and clutch lines.
Why all this stuff
1) wiring is different it all runs different than what we are used to. This is the easiest solution.
2) dash.... no brainer there if it is cracked you can get the same plastic caps for them we have here.
3) Steering gear box and idler arm, they mount opposite of ours again this is the easiest solution.
4) Pedal set.... you could modify yours but this is easier
5) Throttle cable, ours is too long way too long
6) The carb is different the linkage is backwards to our thinking
7) The metal brake/clutch lines everyone forgets you are swapping sides with these parts
that should do it, the only other way to do it on the cheap is watch ebay close one or two with legal US titles come up per year. The last one I got because everyone was afraid of a little work but it only cost me 800 + 600 to ship
Contact someone in AUS like Phil's rotary and buy off a series 2 (81-3) Rx7 the following items, complete wiring harness (doesn't matter if it isn't perfect) dash with gauges, steering gearbox, idler arm, pedal set with throttle cable, carb and intake.
things you will need to get made here or bought from AUS will be metal brake lines and clutch lines.
Why all this stuff
1) wiring is different it all runs different than what we are used to. This is the easiest solution.
2) dash.... no brainer there if it is cracked you can get the same plastic caps for them we have here.
3) Steering gear box and idler arm, they mount opposite of ours again this is the easiest solution.
4) Pedal set.... you could modify yours but this is easier
5) Throttle cable, ours is too long way too long
6) The carb is different the linkage is backwards to our thinking
7) The metal brake/clutch lines everyone forgets you are swapping sides with these parts
that should do it, the only other way to do it on the cheap is watch ebay close one or two with legal US titles come up per year. The last one I got because everyone was afraid of a little work but it only cost me 800 + 600 to ship
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09-23-08, 10:43 PM
#9
aint a rotor aint a motor
you guys are crazy....haha
why RHD just to be different????
just so ya know and feel better,
everyone with RHD 1st gens in Aust is jealous of u LHD boys....
with RHD the steering box really limits the room you have for turbos and exhausts, need custom manifold to relocate turbo forward...cant hide big turbs from the law
the heat soak on RHS from the turbo and exhaust gets very hot under foot for driver,my feet burn in summer and heat soaks into brake and clutch masters....ya gotta shield everything from heat etc...its a pain man!!!!!!!!
why RHD just to be different????
just so ya know and feel better,
everyone with RHD 1st gens in Aust is jealous of u LHD boys....
with RHD the steering box really limits the room you have for turbos and exhausts, need custom manifold to relocate turbo forward...cant hide big turbs from the law
the heat soak on RHS from the turbo and exhaust gets very hot under foot for driver,my feet burn in summer and heat soaks into brake and clutch masters....ya gotta shield everything from heat etc...its a pain man!!!!!!!!
09-24-08, 10:52 AM
#10
Shinigami
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you guys are crazy....haha
why RHD just to be different????
just so ya know and feel better,
everyone with RHD 1st gens in Aust is jealous of u LHD boys....
with RHD the steering box really limits the room you have for turbos and exhausts, need custom manifold to relocate turbo forward...cant hide big turbs from the law
the heat soak on RHS from the turbo and exhaust gets very hot under foot for driver,my feet burn in summer and heat soaks into brake and clutch masters....ya gotta shield everything from heat etc...its a pain man!!!!!!!!
why RHD just to be different????
just so ya know and feel better,
everyone with RHD 1st gens in Aust is jealous of u LHD boys....
with RHD the steering box really limits the room you have for turbos and exhausts, need custom manifold to relocate turbo forward...cant hide big turbs from the law
the heat soak on RHS from the turbo and exhaust gets very hot under foot for driver,my feet burn in summer and heat soaks into brake and clutch masters....ya gotta shield everything from heat etc...its a pain man!!!!!!!!
I'm not going turbo, I believe i can do good things with a NA-12A and heat will always be an issue at 10,000ft with an average temp of 98 degrees.
And like I said it DOESNT get much better than NM for tuners. My friend has a S12 and a Carolla ad he has NEVER ran a exhaust, just headers and a down pipe.
If anybody gets a chance tell the Mrs. that you want to go to the Albuquerque balloon fiesta, to make it seem like a real vacation. then I'll give you a tour you WILL not believe the cars that are legal especially if your from Cali or the Northeast. You dont have to hide anything here it's like land of the lost for tuners, frozen in time.
Heres a quick tour plug this into google maps 35.021175, -106.857834 and this one too 35.205672,-106.455181
I know some parts of the county has tracks and mountains this tour aint for yall.
But this stuff is why I've got so many plans
Last edited by phalerider; 09-24-08 at 10:57 AM.
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