LHD to RHD Conversion

So possibly going to check out a GTI on saturday and found out it's a LHD, I was thinking if I get it to convert it to RHD but I need to know exactly what is involved as I don't want to end up stuck on a job once started :?

So has anyone done this before and can give me some words of wisdom?  

The things I am worried about are below:

1. Regarding the steering rack ; are GTI steering racks any different to non-GTI steering racks as i have a donor car which i could get parts from but isn't a GTI

2. Same question as above but for steering column, brake linkage to servo(across bulkhead), servo and master cylinder, brake lines, or anything you know is different from a GTI and non- GTI

3. If anyone knows if the mountings for the dashboard is different for a RHD and if it is just a matter of removing and welding brackets in different locations

4. Wiring loom under the dash, is it possible to extend the wires to the RHS of the car without changing the loom?

5. Since it is a 2 door car the passenger seat I assume folds forward , is it possible to switch the seats over and alter the mechanism to the opposite side

I know it would be just easier to get a RHD one but is seems to be the only GTI tintop in the country and I wan't to get one before they become too rare 8)

Thanks in advance any advice would be helpful

leave it LHD, as then you will get better brakes, no problems with clutch cable, or steering rack mounts, knuckle joint boot, etc etc
these cars was made to be LHD.

If you think its the only GTI tintop in the country, then you're not looking in the right places! Loads of hassle for no real purpose to convert, when you can simply buy a RHD in the first place.

You've not said what year the GTI or donor car are. There is a difference in the steering rack on 4 speed and 5 speed cars (the 5 speed rack has a bracket to hold the gear selector mechanism) this may or may not affect you depending on the year spec i.e early 4 speed, later 5 speed etc.

The bracket can be transferred across to a 4 speed rack to make it 5 speed, so if your LHD rack is 5 speed but the donor RHD is 4 speed you can transfer the bracket over, or if the GTI is 4 speed but the donor is 5 just cut the bracket off.

You'll need to transfer the pedal box over but I think the rest is the same, the column mounting brackets will have to be drilled off and transferred to the other side, the dashboard side mounts are the same.

You should be fine to extend the loom and unless it's an early car (non-folding would've been at base N spec) both seats should fold forwards, if not the frame should have the mountings in for a cable to be fitted.

I don't think you could get much rarer than the only GTI in the country!  

paul_c said

If you think its the only GTI tintop in the country, then you're not looking in the right places! Loads of hassle for no real purpose to convert, when you can simply buy a RHD in the first place.

I've been to Malta more times than I can remember and I've never see a MK1 GTI over there! Where are they all hiding Paul?

T :dontknow:

GavB95 said

You've not said what year the GTI or donor car are. There is a difference in the steering rack on 4 speed and 5 speed cars (the 5 speed rack has a bracket to hold the gear selector mechanism) this may or may not affect you depending on the year spec i.e early 4 speed, later 5 speed etc.

The bracket can be transferred across to a 4 speed rack to make it 5 speed, so if your LHD rack is 5 speed but the donor RHD is 4 speed you can transfer the bracket over, or if the GTI is 4 speed but the donor is 5 just cut the bracket off.

You'll need to transfer the pedal box over but I think the rest is the same, the column mounting brackets will have to be drilled off and transferred to the other side, the dashboard side mounts are the same.

You should be fine to extend the loom and unless it's an early car (non-folding would've been at base N spec) both seats should fold forwards, if not the frame should have the mountings in for a cable to be fitted.

I don't think you could get much rarer than the only GTI in the country!  

Ok so the GTI is a 1983 1.6 5-speed(I assume), the owner said he had it from new in his family with a total of 3 official owners. The donor car is a series 1 so probably has a 4 speed rack , might check if I can get a 5 speed one from a scrapyard to make things easier. The pedal box shouldnt be a problem as i'll be transferring the whole steering column over including the pedals.

Regarding the loom I'm planning on using some computer ATX connectors male and female with an extension in the middle so that if i regret doing this conversion I can easily reverse the process.

The brakes I'll probably upgrade to the 16v ones to counteract the worsening effect of the conversion, if someone could link me to a discussion which this has been done I would be grateful  

Still have to find a dash in good condition as the one of the donor car isn't too good   :cry:
 
Can't get the bloody tie rod ends off but I bought an angle grinder today so  :twisted:

Tian said

paul_c said

If you think its the only GTI tintop in the country, then you're not looking in the right places! Loads of hassle for no real purpose to convert, when you can simply buy a RHD in the first place.

I've been to Malta more times than I can remember and I've never see a MK1 GTI over there! Where are they all hiding Paul?

T :dontknow:

Absolutely right, not one in sight, actually this one was in a garage and the only reason we found out about it is because a friend of my dad saw him driving in the golf and offered to sell it. He just told me casually ''A friend of mine is selling his GTI'' and I was like  8O  8O  8O "WHAT!! UR JOKING"

paul_c said

If you think its the only GTI tintop in the country, then you're not looking in the right places! Loads of hassle for no real purpose to convert, when you can simply buy a RHD in the first place.

How I wish I was living in the UK    It gets depressing sometimes on Ebay when I see all the nice things I can't buy  :cry:

ollymalta said

paul_c said

If you think its the only GTI tintop in the country, then you're not looking in the right places! Loads of hassle for no real purpose to convert, when you can simply buy a RHD in the first place.

How I wish I was living in the UK    It gets depressing sometimes on Ebay when I see all the nice things I can't buy  :cry:

Drop me a PM next time mate.

Oh and we maybe over in Malta for a week so I could sort you out.

T

I honestly didn't realise he was in Malta!

paul_c said

I honestly didn't realise he was in Malta!

It's ok I forgive you  

No worries….I think you need to carefully weigh up the relative cost of the parts to convert a LHD, or to import a RHD. You'll need to import a number of the parts, I imagine. Don't bother trying to extend the dash loom, it should be easily obtainable eg on eBay or a wanted ad here and much less hassle.

Can you import stuff or do you get stung for import tax? And postage?

paul_c said

No worries….I think you need to carefully weigh up the relative cost of the parts to convert a LHD, or to import a RHD. You'll need to import a number of the parts, I imagine. Don't bother trying to extend the dash loom, it should be easily obtainable eg on eBay or a wanted ad here and much less hassle.

Can you import stuff or do you get stung for import tax? And postage?

Yeah postage is a hassle for big stuff. My thoughts on the dash loom is that either way I wouldn't be keeping the present one so I might as well extend it for now , maybe if I find one later I'll get it. Does anyone know if they were just standard looms for all the gti's or is each loom specific to the options of the car?

I already have the brake linkage cleaned up and sprayed and next on the list is to get the steering rack off the other car hopeully it's in good nick
Thing I need to see about is the brake lines as the master cylinder will be further out.

Ok so wen't to see the car today and all the interior and wiring to the fusebox was disconnected as he was planning on selling it for parts, luckily he says everything is still there so not a problem. Engine has been sitting for a year but it has plenty of oil in it and the owner said it needs an oil seal at the crankshaft end but if I'm going to take out the engine I'll just rebuild it with new parts anyway.

 There's alot of welding to be done though as there is bad rust on the doors, floor pan, scuttle panel, rear corner and boot seal lip. Surprisingly no rust on bonnet or tailgate and also around tank filler and the arches seem to be perfect.

There is a set of alloy wheels on it that I've seen on some golfs on the site maybe someone can tell me what they are called and if they're original to the car.

There are some pics of it below , sorry if they're too grainy as there wasn't much lighting in the garage and they were taken with a mobile

Hi there,

I had a VW Golf 1.1L  (small rear lights 1980) that I imported from  Belgium in 1981. & registered here in the UK.

I was LHD. I drove it for a while until I found a RHD complete dashboard inc instruments for £20.  I had the car converted to RHD.

The only parts that I bought were:-
1) Dashboard
2) Carpet.

They used the old steering rack and modified the brake servo links etc

The company (now defunct ) who did the conversion extended the wiring loom as far as I know.
The only other thing that I was going to change was the driver door lock as it was set up for LHD, and I also added a door mirror on the drivers(previously passengers side)