Left Hand Drive Cars
Everyone has seen those funny-looking left hand drive cars that people operate in other countries. Whether you have seen left handed cars from watching movies set in the United Kingdom, such as Austin Powers, or have visited yourself there is no doubt about the fact that they are disconcerting, to say the least. When you do things one way for so long—in this case, drive on the right hand side of the road—left hand drive cars can be a bit of a strange concept.
- Want a Left Hand Drive Car? The Benefits of Left Hand Car Driving
- Left Hand Drive: A History of Driving on the Left
Left Hand Drive Car Basics
The United Kingdom isn’t the only country in which people drive on the left hand side of the road. People also drive on the left in Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, the Virgin Islands and the Bahamas are just a few of the many countries in which left hand cars are driven.
- A List: Countries Who Drive on the Left Hand Side of the Road
- Left or Right: A List of Countries Categorized by Left/Right Side Driving
Left Hand Car Conversion
While it is quite costly to do so, it is possible to convert a vehicle from right hand drive to left hand drive. While it may seem like a simple conversion, there are several tasks that have to be completed in order for a car to be safely converted to be operated on the left side of the road.
The dashboard must be taken out of the car and replaced with a left hand drive dashboard. The steering rack must also be taken out and replaced on the left hand side with a left hand drive steering assembly. The wiring must be switched around to accommodate the new left-side steering assembly.
This isn’t where it ends, though. Things do get more complicated than that. The brake assembly must also be removed and replaced, and the pedal assembly must be replaced as well. The door panels and everything having to do with driver access, including hazard lights, temperature controls, gear shift, wiper mechanisms, and other electric controls must be moved over to the left as well. Often times, the shifting fo the pedals and gear shift require that the entire floor of the car eb replaced with one more fitting for a left hand drive car model.
Often times, other things under the hood of the car must be replaced as well, such as the engine and transmission. They must be removed to allow access to different components of the car that would be made nearly inaccessible with the move of the other components.
Finding Left Hand Drive Cars
Left hand drive cars are not usually sold on lots in the United Staes, but it may be possible to find them through classified advertisements and specialty auto sales. Most left hand drive cars have been transported from overseas, so they don’t usually come at cheap prices. Left hand drive cars can also be found on the internet.
- Loot Motoring: Buy Left Hand Drive Cars
- LHD London: Specializing in London Left Hand Drive Cars
- LHD in Essex: More UK Based Left Hand Drive Cars for Sale
