Question about Right Hand Drive
12-29-2004, 03:18 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 4
Question about Right Hand Drive
Well guys I am new to the 240SX world but not to tuning ( I have a 400 HP Eclipse as my current car), but I have some questions. I want to swap in a SR20DET to my 1990 240SX, and I am wondering if I buy a complete front clip if it is possible to convert my 240SX to right-hand drive as well. This may have been aswered before but I searched around some and didn't seem to find anything. Are the interior pieces interchangeble, and how hard would it be to move the pedals and the linkages? If anyone has done this please let me know what I would be looking at.
12-29-2004, 05:52 PM
#2
Contributing Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Chicago area
Posts: 1,254
well. if you buy a front clip there shouldnt be much modifications. everything comes setup already for rhd. but, your interior is not interchangable because it would not accomidate the rhd. the center concil would have to be changed as well as the dash of coruse(you would probably get one with the clip). under the hood, thats another story. i couldnt answer that question for ya
good luck if you decide to do it, and if you do POST SOME PICS
good luck if you decide to do it, and if you do POST SOME PICS
12-30-2004, 10:49 AM
#5
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 4
So as long as I have the dash and the interior parts from the front clip, they will fit the US 240 SX but be flipped around, correct? The underhood junk shouldnt be too hard besides the steering column and moving the pedals. As for why I'm doing it: why not? How many RHD cars do you see? As long as I'm going all out with a swap and trying to make it an authentic Silvia i might as well make it RHD. Its different... and I have a lot of time and a big garage to waste 
12-31-2004, 11:14 AM
#7
Contributing Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: knoxville tn
Posts: 999
rhd is not all that hard if you have thetime and can fab your *** off... first off the dash fits kind of okay minor problems with door panels not meeting just as did the factory... second part here is not all the bolt holes line up exactly so some riggin and custom brackets are needed...wiring is another issue... the plugs dont match up but if you keep your usdm harness and flip extend where needed it works out...now the hard part... the firewall is where you will spend most of your time... things like heater hose locations air conditioning lines (if you keep it) the location of the brake booster is another problem...there is not a lot of room in the engine compartment on the passenger side... it would work yes just a little tight...the rack and pinion in the car flips over or you can use the one on your kit... it will bolt up with only making new holes in the cross member...the advantage of having the clip is you can measure where each hole needs to be and only have to cut once... the cables will come with the clip so there is no problem there... last thing here is the computer does not fit in the usdm cars on the left side some creative work here helps out since there is a lot of space behind the glove box once you put the steering assembly on the right...
having done this on civics and integras has given me a lil bit of knowledge on how it is done and the work it takes... just so you know im buying everything i need for a rhd conversion in my 89 240 hatch...
as far as pointless in america... who is to say what is pointless to another person... dare to be different is what i say and once you get used to making blind exits from driveways it is all good... i loved rhd and im building my own... why??? cus i can and i wanna... pointless to another person yes... pointless to me no...
now there is another way to do the conversion but i dont suggest you try this less you have a bodyshop in your pocket ... you can graft the rhd front sub frame from the firewall forward onto your car... but this is not something the average builder can do... well if you take your time i guess you could... what this method requires is that you cut everything from the firewall forward out of your usdm can and then cut the same out of the front clip you bought... then weld the 2 units back together... now since this is a unibody car you can run into the body flexing when you cut it free... easy way to solve this is to weld the back half of the car to stands that are secured to a level floor... shop floor shop lift if you have one...i would also suggest welding cross braces where you are going to cut the firewall...
it has been done lots of times i just dont know if i would do this to my car unless i really trusted my life into the hands of the welder doing the welding...
having done this on civics and integras has given me a lil bit of knowledge on how it is done and the work it takes... just so you know im buying everything i need for a rhd conversion in my 89 240 hatch...
as far as pointless in america... who is to say what is pointless to another person... dare to be different is what i say and once you get used to making blind exits from driveways it is all good... i loved rhd and im building my own... why??? cus i can and i wanna... pointless to another person yes... pointless to me no...
now there is another way to do the conversion but i dont suggest you try this less you have a bodyshop in your pocket ... you can graft the rhd front sub frame from the firewall forward onto your car... but this is not something the average builder can do... well if you take your time i guess you could... what this method requires is that you cut everything from the firewall forward out of your usdm can and then cut the same out of the front clip you bought... then weld the 2 units back together... now since this is a unibody car you can run into the body flexing when you cut it free... easy way to solve this is to weld the back half of the car to stands that are secured to a level floor... shop floor shop lift if you have one...i would also suggest welding cross braces where you are going to cut the firewall...
it has been done lots of times i just dont know if i would do this to my car unless i really trusted my life into the hands of the welder doing the welding...
12-31-2004, 07:11 PM
#11
Contributing Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: knoxville tn
Posts: 999
when i do my rhd conversion im a have the whole thing done in a step by step ... im thinkin bout doing the grafting if i can get a good straight clip... if not i will do a complete write up of the parts swap with all the pics and everything... stay tuned...as the name says it is gunna be one wikd 24o...
01-01-2005, 05:50 PM
#12
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 4
Hey thanks a lot wikd240, that gives me a better picture of what I will be looking at. I agree with you; why not do it for the fun of it? It's not my primary vehicle, and if I really have a problem with it then I can always swap it back over if absolutely necessary. Don't see that happening however. Again, thanks for the info wikd240 and I will be sure to post pictures once I get into this project!
01-03-2005, 07:33 PM
#14
Contributing Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Washington State
Posts: 573
One fo our customers did RHD and he cut and welded the JDM firewall into the US 240SX. He's been collecting parts and building it for almost 2 years now its finally awaiting paint and it's done.
