# Conversion LHD to RHD



## kate13 (May 4, 2008)

Hi
Could anyone tell me please, who does the Hymer conversion from LHD to RHD. Yes I know its expensive. But we want to keep our hymer, we do not go abroad in her. So would like to have it converted.
Yes, I also know we could trade it in, and buy a RHD model, but we do not want to do that either.
Any help with company that does it, would be very appreciated.

Thank You
     Dave
I have asked Kate, to put this on the forum for me, hoping to get some help. I have tried a few places, but do not do the conversion


----------



## Deleted member 775 (May 4, 2008)

kate13 said:


> Hi
> Could anyone tell me please, who does the Hymer conversion from LHD to RHD. Yes I know its expensive. But we want to keep our hymer, we do not go abroad in her. So would like to have it converted.
> Yes, I also know we could trade it in, and buy a RHD model, but we do not want to do that either.
> Any help with company that does it, would be very appreciated.
> ...


depends on the type of chassis your hymer is built on, also the year of manufacture, wether you want new or second hand parts, if the van is an oldish one i dont think it will be worth it unless you can do the conversion yourself. i have done a couple in the past very involved!!!!   you will soon get used to driving it in this country i have driven quite a few left hookers and they are not to bad at all


----------



## kate13 (May 4, 2008)

*Convert LHD to RHD*



mandrake said:


> depends on the type of chassis your hymer is built on, also the year of manufacture, wether you want new or second hand parts, if the van is an oldish one i dont think it will be worth it unless you can do the conversion yourself. i have done a couple in the past very involved!!!!   you will soon get used to driving it in this country i have driven quite a few left hookers and they are not to bad at all



Mandrake
Thanks for reply. Its a Fiat 1995. No I do not want second hand parts. And yes I know it will be costly. I want it professionally. As for, will it be worth it, yes, I do not want to sell it, so the value does not come into it. I know I could not get the Money back. But it will be money well spent in our eyes. I have been told a rough figure of about £5000.
Just need name of company that does it now.

Thank You
            Dave


----------



## Deleted member 775 (May 4, 2008)

kate13 said:


> Mandrake
> Thanks for reply. Its a Fiat 1995. No I do not want second hand parts. And yes I know it will be costly. I want it professionally. As for, will it be worth it, yes, I do not want to sell it, so the value does not come into it. I know I could not get the Money back. But it will be money well spent in our eyes. I have been told a rough figure of about £5000.
> Just need name of company that does it now.
> 
> ...


i think apart from mechanical parts that will be able to be sourced . what about the interior fittings ie dash  and wiring loom also is the hand brake handle at the drivers side  as the talbot i had was fitted to the seat box


----------



## kate13 (May 4, 2008)

mandrake said:


> i think apart from mechanical parts that will be able to be sourced . what about the interior fittings ie dash  and wiring loom also is the hand brake handle at the drivers side  as the talbot i had was fitted to the seat box



Thank you again.
Thats the reason I need to know a company who can do it. Then find out total cost. I am sure there must be a Company that does do it?

Thanks
       Dave


----------



## AndyC (May 4, 2008)

This sounds complete madness. If you wanted RHD why did you buy LHD?

To get it converted, if indeed it is possible, would cost far more than selling and buying a similar model in RHD.

If you really want to pursue this try talking to Peter Hambilton: www.friendlyhippo.co.uk/hymerdirect/

AndyC


----------



## Deleted member 2636 (May 4, 2008)

I think that you'll find the estimate of £5k to be well under the final amount. You will probably have to go to all the fun and games of an engineers report when the work is completed. 
Is the vehicle on a "Q" reg. plate at present?
As AndyC said Why did you buy a left-hooker? Was it really cheap?


----------



## kate13 (May 4, 2008)

baloothebear said:


> I think that you'll find the estimate of £5k to be well under the final amount. You will probably have to go to all the fun and games of an engineers report when the work is completed.
> Is the vehicle on a "Q" reg. plate at present?
> As AndyC said Why did you buy a left-hooker? Was it really cheap?



Circumstances changed, will not, now be travelling abroad. Only use in the UK.
So yes maybe best to sell it, but Private, not to dealer. To answer your final question
No, it was not cheap

Thanks
      Dave


----------



## tofo (May 4, 2008)

kate13 said:


> Circumstances changed, will not, now be travelling abroad. Only use in the UK.
> So yes maybe best to sell it, but Private, not to dealer. To answer your final question
> No, it was not cheap
> 
> ...



would you not even think about trying it in the uk as l hook
 two in the front too start with 
take it steady put p plate on the back just to give white van man a
 panic attack


----------



## kate13 (May 4, 2008)

tofo said:


> would you not even think about trying it in the uk as l hook
> two in the front too start with
> take it steady put p plate on the back just to give white van man a
> panic attack



What do you mean, ( as I hook two in front to start with)?


----------



## Deleted member 2636 (May 5, 2008)

I think that he may mean "L" hook. 
I'd try the vehicle as a LHD in the UK. I've never found it to be a problem. The increased insurance premium was very about 10% more. 
If anything, I found that having LHD made me a D.sight more careful driver


----------



## Deleted member 775 (May 5, 2008)

i do think you will be aswell trying to get used to driving your van, as once you get used to it you will find it ok. as i said earlier when i used to work as a mechanic we had a couple of left hookers used to come in the only thing i found hard to get used to was getting in on the left , but if you cannot get used to it i dont think you will have much of a prob selling it. geoff  had a left hooker yank van he found it ok as far as i know but i havent seen him on the site lately i only found that overtaking was the worst .


----------



## jimmnlizz (May 5, 2008)

*Lhd-rhd*

Hi,
   you can soon fix the overtaking lark.  When I used to drive in Europe in RHD trucks, (nobody seemed to have left hookers in the early seventies  ) I fixed an extra driving mirror on the passenger side, facing oncoming traffic.  A quick glance to the left into the mirror and away you go!   CAREFULLY!!!!


----------



## clarkson (May 6, 2008)

I drive a LHD drive camper every day and it makes no difference whatsoever.  The only annoyances to be had are idiot drivers that hang in your blind spot on the motorway and junctions that are angled to the road, but that can be fixed with an extra mirror.  I'd save your cash and spend it on a big holiday in your camper.  Also in my experience, LHD parts can be cheaper too.


----------



## tofo (May 6, 2008)

kate13 said:


> What do you mean, ( as I hook two in front to start with)?



thanks barloo
i did mean left hook 
 try a passenger and driver
 up front till you get the measure of driving a LHD


----------



## kell (May 9, 2008)

kate13 said:


> Hi
> Could anyone tell me please, who does the Hymer conversion from LHD to RHD. Yes I know its expensive. But we want to keep our hymer, we do not go abroad in her. So would like to have it converted.
> Yes, I also know we could trade it in, and buy a RHD model, but we do not want to do that either.
> Any help with company that does it, would be very appreciated.
> ...



Hi Dave.
Sorry to see that you're not getting the answer to your original post as to where you can get the conversion done.

I must admit I'm at a loss as to why you want it done at all. I understand you've got a great van which you want to keep but I don't understand why it needs to be RHD. Is it that you've little experience of driving left hookers in the UK? or you have experience and don't like it?

If it's the former then I'd certainly consider tofo's advice and give it a go. you might be be pleasantly surprised at how easily you adapt to it.

As a relief driver I swap back and forth between LHD and RHD both here and in Europe without a second thought, but when I first jumped into a LHD truck it seemed alien and uncomfortable for the first couple of hours until I got used to the slightly different positioning on the road and at junctions, and the different blind spots (which as mentioned can be cured with mirrors).

Anyway good luck with it.
Cheers, John.


----------



## nedrawnep (May 9, 2008)

*RHD conversion*

I agree with the advice to try it. I drive a large LHD American motorhome in the summer and have only one problem. It has only one door and it's on the right.
Nedrawnep


----------



## t&s (May 9, 2008)

cant understand your worrys many like me drive  r.h.d. motorhomes or trucks on the contenent most of the year and have done for many years you soon get used to it, 
i have driven many l.h.d. vehicles over hear same thing you soon get used to it 
 i hope you do not spend your money purely based on your fear ,


----------



## Deleted member 207 (May 10, 2008)

I've done two LHD to RHD conversions on Merc campervans and generaly they are very simple, especially on European and Japanese built LHD vehicles, they are impossibly hard on US vehicles. Europe and Japan build for both left and right hand drive and usually the chassis and bodywork are the same, with panels pressed to accept the interchangeable parts. 

Any competent mechanic should be able to do the job for you, about 75 to 100 hours work - so at 50 quid an hour your labour costs are going to be near 5000.

Buying and supplying the parts will make it more cost effective - Stub axle RHD, steering gearbox RHD, dashboard RHD (is it Hymer specific?), handbrake lever RHD, windscreen wipers relocated for RHD, headlamp lenses for RHD, throttle linkages for RHD, air cleaner (probably) for RHD, underdash wiring loom for RHD. You may need to convert the gearbox for RHD as well.

Getting all the parts you need from a van wreckers or a donor van that has failed MOT would be the cheapest way to go.


----------



## walkers (May 10, 2008)

as i understand it yours is an A class m/home converting to rhd from lhd may be a lot more troublesome than in the standard chassis cab. the a class usually only have the one door in the front and this is on the drivers side how would you overcome that it seems it is going to be so difficult and expensive that changing the vehicle for a rhd equivalent may be the best option
regards tony


----------



## G4GMO (May 10, 2008)

*Converting lhd to rhd*

Sorry this isn't going to answer the original posters question but having worried about driving a lhd vehicle so big over here and then buying one, it doesn't present me with any issues. I swap between the car and the motorhome quite regularly with no problems. Glad I never bought rhd as I think rhd would be a pain with such a big vehicle. 

As has already been said, if you really must have rhd then you would be better off selling what you have because you shouldn't have too much trouble selling it and then buy a rhd, you might even find a more suitable vehicle.

The costs to convert will never ever be recouped and you might even find it more difficult to sell because of the conversion.

Best of luck whatever you decide.

Jon


----------

