LHD to RHD 500e
 

How hard would it be to convert a 500e from left to right hand drive? Are there any parts that are 500e only that are set up for LHD? Or could I replace the steering box, dash etc with rhd units?
We never got 500e's in Oz so I have never seen one to have any idea of the likelyhood of such a project.
Thanks in advance.
Cheers

ALMOST impossible!

There are so many parts that are different that you would spend more than 2 good used cars!

[I] agree with the Doc,,,, but it would be interesting to see if we could come up with everything that might be needed to convert it over. A few things I can think of,,, Dashboard and all wiring, steering column, front door interior panels and wiring, emergency brake pedal assembly, steering box and related assemblys, along with any holes in the firewall that need to be made or plugged, front seats would at least have to be swapped, console and shifter and related items may be different also,,,, anyone else ?

Are you just positive steering, brake components, etc., will even clear the engine?

Yes, what's "500E only" is the engine.

That's another good point,,, the whole exhaust system is probably different.:eek:

Exhaust and that sort of thing is only an inexpenisve fabrication away. As for wiring, dash etc, you can buy a 300e in RHD here for about $5000 AUD. So that gives you all the miscelleneous parts (steering etc). What i'm talking about is things like, bell housing (can you swap the starter motor from side to side as on 380se's etc) and steering box mounting points.
The items I can see that would have to be changed are,

-steering box location (with idler arm, tie rod ends etc)
-starter motor swapped to LHS
-firewall modified to take steering column on RHS and brake booster mounting point moved to RHS (this could be canabalised from a RHD car and welded into the 500e firewall
-dash and front stiffener behind the dash, heater box perhaps, wiring loom, swap mirrors for RHD versions (may require changing doors).
This is just me thinking and writing so feel free to add other things I have overlooked.

Would someone have a picture of a 500e taken from underneath and looking backwards from halfway down the engine so I can compare? I know the w124 chassis of the top of my head.

Can you not get a 500e imported from here in the UK? I'm sure we got them over here.

Have you inquired at www.500Ecstacy.com

This is a 500E only website, worldwide, maybe you could get specific definitive answers there.

Heavens knows, you have the wide open roads out there to really enjoy a 500E

The 500E was a low production car and ONLY made in LHD.

I stand corrected, the one i've seen here must have been LHD. I didnt see it closely, I was looking more at the 560sec with a 6.0 v12 shoehorned into it.

Wouldn't it be easier to just get the powertrain from a 500 and drop them into a 420? I would have to think that swapping the motor would be easier than changing LHD to RHD.

I'll second that:)

I'm not sure on the specifics, but I believe that one of the modifications that MB/Porsche did was to the chassis to fit the engine transmission in there. I don't know if its possible to put the 500e engine/trans combo into another w124 (not .036).

I could be wrong though.