Right Hand Drive
 

Im thinking about converting my 1303 to a right hand drive? Exactly what will i need and where can i find it? I really have been wanting a rhd, though a Super that is rhd, is pretty hard to get without importing it to SO.Cal.

Any help?? Commments?:dance: :driving:

It seems to me most of what you will need will probably need to be imported, too. I don't have a laundry list since conversion was not something I ever investigated. Some things like the pedals, the dash, etc. seem like obvious items. I know when I ordered my CSP shifter, the first question asked was whether it was for RHD or LHD, so there must be a difference there. Maybe the tranny, too? I don't know.

If your 1303 is a 1975 model or newer, the rack and pinion is different. Years ago when I was looking to buy my first GL project, I was considering importing a '75 RHD 1303 I saw in VolksWorld. I was advised to buy an extra r&p if I could as they were supposedly very scarce. (I don't know if the steering box of older models are different but they should be much more plentiful as they should be the same as RHD standards.)

its a 73, with the three bolt strut, Bubble window. As for the dash, im looking to have a custom one made. So its obviously pedals, steering and shifting.....? Anyone think of anything else

...master cylinder...wiring harness

Hi

Stock shifters are the same right or left, custom shifters often have a button so that's why they would be drive side specific, good steering boxes can be hard to find, the LHD master could still be used by having some custom steel pipes made up.

The wiring still runs down the left on RHD bugs, you would just need to extend some wires over to the steering column.

I could probably find a pedal cluster for you in my stash, but steering boxes are hard to find.

Steve

steering
 

The steering box and related items pitman arm etc......
will be one of the biggest hurdles.
we have many RHD Type 1's here both standard and supers and it is very hard to find the steering parts. Most of the junked bugs I have found are missing the steering components.
the other big one is the pedal cluster as the throttle shaft passes all the way through the tunnel and the cable is connected to an arm on the left side of the tunnel.

Just curious but why would you want a RHD?

It makes drive up windows, toll booths etc a real PIA

I only know this because I have had a few LHD cars here and without power windows it can be interesting at least with a Bug you can reach over and roll the window down but try that with 74 Pontiac or 78 T-Bird:eek:

Thanks for all the input, very appreciated. Well, I'd like my bug to be that more more different from the others.....

I did not know that. My CSP shifter had a forward-facing butterfly-style lever to lift rather than a button so the question of RHD or LHD made me think there was a difference.

Another assumption of mine blown to bits. I would have thought steering boxes were more plentiful.

I totally understand this answer (and some of the inconvenient consequences). Before I needed a replacement GL, I was looking at '74 "Big" Beetles and '78 Last Editions to be imported from the UK as a point-to-point runabout for giggles. Good luck with your conversion, Type 1.

I think Im gonna need it. "luck", that is

Hi

Compared to total world wide build numbers, RHD bugs would be a very small proportion. Off the top of my head, there's Australia, UK, some parts of Africa and Japan. That's why RHD specific parts like dashes and steering parts are hard to get.

Maybe you could adapt an after market rack to your car so then you would only need the pedals.

Steve

There are plenty Steering boxes etc about over here in UK

You just need some decient bloke to find you 1 and send it over ccouugghhh ccoouugghh

If i can help just drop me a PM

IT is not only steering boxes that are scarce, they are expensive too! something like €300!! Ok, but then again, the are probably new.... Seeing that this is a GL build, why not go full custom with all the parts needed?

ok, this is probably a stupid question, but other than a steering box what else can I use? Ive heard or a "rack" how does that work and how would i bolt it or secure to the car?

rack and pinion is the steering setup that replaced the standard boxes in 75 and later supers

aside from all the steering components u need pedal assy, master cylinder and brake lines, dash board, wiring and speedo cable