uk66fastback
Club Member
I’ve got no problem with driving a LHD car, never have ...
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10k for LHD to RHD conversion?
- Thread starter atomman
- Start date
SeanDezart
Well-Known Forum User
Jay.
Club Member
Who had the quote? I wasn't going to get involved but figured I should chime in here.
I contacted them as it was (is) something I want to get done on my car, and they have a great reputation for quality of work. They quoted £10k minimum if I supplied the parts - not them. He said the cost would likely be higher considering my engine setup.
As you said in an earlier post, it's their choice to quote what they want. I can't justify spending that much.
I asked for a basic breakdown of how they got that figure and they essentially ran through the work they would be carrying out (removing parts, fitting parts, welding, painting).. They estimated 100-150h of work.
They had no desire to do a "half" conversion (e.g. just the dash, pedal box, steering rack and rewelding the firewall) - so fair enough if they wish to keep their quality of work high.
I hope this clears up some rumour and confusion.
uk66fastback
Club Member
So when you say 'parts' - which ones?All of them? Metalwork, pedal box, dash etc.
Albrecht
Well-Known Forum User
I specifically asked about that very point - because I think it is a KEY point, considering rarity and cost of the some of the RHD-specific componentry - and was told that the quote included them supplying the necessary parts, not the customer.
So, crossed wires?
Jay.
Club Member
Hmm, I also asked (as I had no parts at the time) and he said I'd need to source them myself. My discussion was approx. a year ago
If it does include the parts then as above I'd suggest it's not an unreasonable figure at all
SeanDezart
Well-Known Forum User
Maybe you get a different service Alan - ever wondered ?
Albrecht
Well-Known Forum User
I'd be inclined to believe that every customer gets a unique service tailored to their requirements, their pocket book and their attitude. Just like a Savile Row tailor, fr'instance...
But that's beside the point in this case. I'm not converting a car from LHD to RHD, and I have no need of that service. I made my enquiry a couple of days ago in response to the "10k" claim question raised on this forum in more than one thread. Seems to me that a few wires might be getting crossed, but the long, short and tall of it is that I reckon it is in the ballpark for a professional, VAT-registered specialist in the SE of England which charges £80 per hour plus VAT. If anything, 10k is a bit light for a drive-in-LHD, drive-out-RHD conversion with all the bells and whistles.
There's usually a big queue of customers for Fourways. Whenever I visit there's often between six and eight S30-series Zs in there being worked on (a few of them wearing Z Club stickers....) whilst there are other makes and models too. There are others on this forum who have their cars worked on by Fourways, but who - strangely - seem rather shy to mention it. Funny that.
I'm currently somewhere in the middle of a Fourways paint and body queue for my 4/70 HLS30U, somewhat delayed by Covid-19, but hoping it will get in there early-ish next year. I don't want to take it anywhere else.
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Unfortunately i haven’t been there for donkeys years even though they’re 3 miles from me. I fell out with them years ago. I used to get on well with Geoff until my severed brake pipe put me in a hedge following a 5sp conversion tunnel cut. (Was a bank and hedge or a tractor.)
Not sure where they’re relocating to but I guess it’ll be local.
Not sure where they’re relocating to but I guess it’ll be local.
richiep
Club Member
10k is entirely believable in the circumstances Alan outlines, given the work and parts required. Having done the conversion myself to Project Dixie, I know exactly how much effort is involved, and I wasn't counting hours for billing purposes (good job, as I'd have to count the time lost to mistakes made during my welding learning curve!!). It is a complex exercise to achieve properly with many details people may not consider. It's not just a biff-bash-boff bulkhead done, whack the new bits in exercise. Even with panel kits like those Andy Plant makes, fabrication is still required in numerous areas, depending on exactly how "accurate" you want to be, e.g. swapping wipers over or not, heater intake moved over to keep like stock, or re-plumbed to a footwell air-tube intake, LHD hardware all deleted for factory-like look, or kept in place, just holes closed up, etc. Parts may need reconditioning - heater and blower rebuilt, RHD dash restoring, pedalbox restoring, etc. Additional issues may come to light - converting a US LHD car may lead to the inner wing needing a repair once the battery tray is removed, given the oh-so-common acid damage.
Undoubtedly, it could be done cheaper - particularly outside of the Southeast - but Fourways have the marque experience and know what they are doing (similarly someone like Andy Plant/Z Farm, or MZR). If you can't DIY it or aren't in a position to micro-manage someone else doing it to ensure all the details are done right, then your options are limited and application of cash required accordingly.
Undoubtedly, it could be done cheaper - particularly outside of the Southeast - but Fourways have the marque experience and know what they are doing (similarly someone like Andy Plant/Z Farm, or MZR). If you can't DIY it or aren't in a position to micro-manage someone else doing it to ensure all the details are done right, then your options are limited and application of cash required accordingly.
uk66fastback
Club Member
Richie has summed up the thread for me. A top specialist can say it it 10k. And they're in the south-east where the money is! Up in the frozen Cambs badlands, it seems a lot.
Although as a marque specialist they should have done it lots of times and know the pitfalls, shortcuts etc so they shouldn't be over-estimating it including any 'buggeration' factor.
Although as a marque specialist they should have done it lots of times and know the pitfalls, shortcuts etc so they shouldn't be over-estimating it including any 'buggeration' factor.
I suspect that in the SE it also seems a lot to those paying the bill, but often where old cars are concerned, what it actually costs to do a job is a very different thing from what people want to pay for it.
richiep
Club Member
That is an oh-so-common feature of classic car work. People don't want to pay what it costs to do stuff. It is a common reason why many garages have got out of the restoration game - people don't want to cough up and think they can barter everything down to the change they found at the weekend down the back of the sofa.
Jay.
Club Member
We'd need clarification - I was told by them it didn't include parts, Albrecht was told it did. Best for anyone who's seriously considering it to contact them directly.
Fairlineguy
Club Member
Labour. £3500
Paint. (Bulk/scuttle) £350
Bulkhead panels/ battery tray £350
Used parts
Dash. £650
Steering rack. £300
Wiper mech. £100
Wiper arms £50
Shuttle panel. £100
Heater box. £100
Heater motor. £50
Pedal box. £125
Throttle pedal. £ 40
Total. £5715
Paint. (Bulk/scuttle) £350
Bulkhead panels/ battery tray £350
Used parts
Dash. £650
Steering rack. £300
Wiper mech. £100
Wiper arms £50
Shuttle panel. £100
Heater box. £100
Heater motor. £50
Pedal box. £125
Throttle pedal. £ 40
Total. £5715
richiep
Club Member
Those part prices can vary wildly though. Depends on how good a deal you can score. For example, my RHD dash and frame and harness cost me £250, the pedal box with throttle pedal 50 quid, scuttle panel 40 quid, steering rack sub-100 quid, so even cheaper than some of those quoted; but others may consider items twice the price you’ve listed to be acceptable (based on some eBay bidding!).
Also, what are you including in that bulkhead parts price? Used donor cuts? A new repro kit from Andy Plant including the bulkhead sections with the correct pressings and holes is a lot more than 350.
Basically, there’s a lot of latitude and luck/biding ones time versus desperation can make a big difference!
Also, what are you including in that bulkhead parts price? Used donor cuts? A new repro kit from Andy Plant including the bulkhead sections with the correct pressings and holes is a lot more than 350.
Basically, there’s a lot of latitude and luck/biding ones time versus desperation can make a big difference!
Bump