Lhd To Rhd S130 (280Zx)

[Zorm]

Good day gents, hello from the U.S.

Some history first. My son was looking for his first car 4 years ago and I found a 1979 RHD 280zx two seater, for $500  Engine was in pieces and stuff missing, body seemed ok and the interior was ok, we picked it up anyway, never see a RHD z over here.

 

So fast forward to now. After a few vehicles, mostly older Jeeps (Dad's influence) he finally has a good daily driver and a good job, so back to the Fairlady z. We were going to put in a v8 but then he started looking at the engines out of a skyline. He found a place over here that will get him all he needs, complete engine with turbo,5 speed tranny, wire harness, ecu and even motor mounts.

 

We started looking at the Fairlady again and the body needs some major work so I started looking for a good shell.  I found a 1983 "T" top shell, no fenders, engine mostly intact, selling it anyway. Its got an automatic, I think its only good for a boat anchor but who knows, someone might want it.  No interior, good suspension, only good glass is the back hatch and one of the T top glasses. It is actually a real solid shell, never been wrecked, as in, hit, but it did go through a tornado, causing the damaged glass. 

 

So then, we started thinking, we got all the RHD parts, how hard would it be to just cut out the 79 firewall, repair the rust areas, and graft it into the 83.

 

I'm asking you guys because someone may have done this down there or gone from a RHD to a LHD just for something different . Also, another thing, we could really use a good cowl area cut out and shipped over here, the one on the 79 is really rusty. 

 

By the way, I was in Fremantle for about 3 weeks back in 2003 while I was in the Navy, would love to take my wife back there and not be a tourist, you folks are so awesome and friendly!!  

 

thanks for any comments and pics gents. 

[260DET]

Welcome Zorm, seeing that the site is having a nap I'll mention what I've heard in passing and that is converting from one side to the other is a hell of a job and not worth doing if another body is available. I'd advertise the RHD stuff for sale, you may be surprised at the response you receive, and look for something that involves as little structural work as possible. That's about all I can offer, pretty sure that there has been at least one thread here on the topic.

[gav240z]

If anything the RHD shell is worth saving since for some reason it has hipster appeal to have a RHD car in North America.

 

But if it's too much work and you're not keen on the RHD thing. I would list it for sale and focus on a clean minimal rust LHD car.