Convert R107 Steering from Right to Left

[Bondavi]

You can contact Skyline Motors in Santa Ana, CA at (714) 558 -7655 for more information on left hand drive conversions. They do a lot of conversions for Skylines brought into the states, and would certainly give you a list of other certified shops in the area able to do the conversion.

But first....find out if you CAN keep the car as a RHD. Good chances that it won't be the same after a conversion. Just my 2 cents.

David

[nobby]

PS, if Paul Hogan can win an American girl in real life, there is hope for me, as I am a little bit better looking and I don't carry a big knife.

Den Downunder 1982 500SL Euro Red.[/QUOTE]


BUT you don't carry a big knife......

[Jim B.]

Try www.foreignborn.com for a quick rundown on bringing your SL into the USA.

To get it plated in California, as a 1982 car, you will need to get the EPA/DOT conversion done and smog modifications as needed. Figure about $15,000 and up to do this, I would estimate.

Don't do it unless you are sure you can afford it, and be sure to follow ALL the rules. I don't know of any shops in LA that do these conversions, the EURO is running 1.89 to the one US dollar these days, so it wouldn't be worth it to do a large business in gray market conversions.

Converting it to a left hooker is another matter altogether. I don't know if that is done here, but maybe someone else does.

As for pulling the birds, a 500SL is only "average". The Mercedes is called the "Beverly Hills Volkswagen", and there is a reason for that.
They 're everywhere

[denis gow]

Many thanks folks for all the information on this project .

Certainly you gave me a lot of different ways to travel re steer conversion etc .

I will follow up with some more questions if needed .

Thanks

Den Downunder 1982 500SL Euro Red

[t walgamuth]

Originally Posted by Jim B.

Try www.foreignborn.com for a quick rundown on bringing your SL into the USA.

To get it plated in California, as a 1982 car, you will need to get the EPA/DOT conversion done and smog modifications as needed. Figure about $15,000 and up to do this, I would estimate.

Don't do it unless you are sure you can afford it, and be sure to follow ALL the rules. I don't know of any shops in LA that do these conversions, the EURO is running 1.89 to the one US dollar these days, so it wouldn't be worth it to do a large business in gray market conversions.

Converting it to a left hooker is another matter altogether. I don't know if that is done here, but maybe someone else does.

As for pulling the birds, a 500SL is only "average". The Mercedes is called the "Beverly Hills Volkswagen", and there is a reason for that.
They 're everywhere

i heard the euro was $1.36 something yesterday (ouch!) at the local bank which gives exchange. i have never heard of it as high as 1.8

tom w

[kip Foss]

If you think converting a MB to US standards is expensive wait until you try to convert a blond, LA arihead to a reasonable person. With the US balance of payment what it is we can really use all the cash you are willing to bring.

I converted a Euro 280slc and a BMW 3.0csi to US standard in 1983 and at that time it cost $4k a car. And that was in Texas, not Calif. When I lived in Perth, WA in 1977 In 11977 I converted a 1972 Land Rover stationwagon, that I had driven overland from the UK, to right hand drive. It wasn't fun but all the right hand drive parts were easily available there and my labor was free. Such will not be the case in LA. Junk parts may be availabel but unless you have a lot of spart time and another car you will have to farm out the job. this means labor rates of probably $75-90 an hour, plus, plus, plus.

Regardless of what you have done to and for your SL I would highly advise you to sell it or store it in Oz. Cars in the States are too cheap by half to mess with converting your MB. If your car survives the LA freeways it probably won't survive being stolen. If you just have to drive a SL look on www.cartrader.com or the like and price a US model. Remember, once you convert the car not only is it just another SL in LA, but now it has a bodgie past and the VIN is probably not listed making it impossible to sell in needed.

Good luck.

[t walgamuth]

on the other hand, if you buy a complete parts car lhd and do the work yourself, i bet a lot of the underlying stuff was originally designed for lhd and the conversion might be not all that hard.

i know nothing about the federalization but i think you said in a few months you will miss all that.

and a gross generalization about airheads is not fair. people are people the world around. good ones and bad ones to be found. mostly good.

tom w

[denis gow]

Thanks for all the input folks ,

I have made a decision to not tamper with the 500SL in any way , I will only go for the 25 year rule ( If I can get it ) and drive right hand side . I will save a lot of $ 's and have a unique car in the bargin .Also I will maybe want to return it to Aussie in years to come .

An Aussie in LA with a right drive car , and a guy that is slightly better looking than Paul , this could be dynamite . I think I will put an ad in the LA times and see what I get .

Many thanks

Den Downunder 1982 500SL Euro Red .

[t walgamuth]

probably best decision.

tom w

[kip Foss]

The question is, "Do you really want to a girl who is impressed by an Aussie accent and a rhd car"?

[Carlos Serrano]

Bring it to Florida there is all kinds of right hand drive cars around, from mini Cooper to Ferrari, BMW and MB's, military personnel bring them from Europe, there is also a lot of very old retirees that drive autobahn style, no stop signs, no red lights and they drive on either side of the road at anytime anyday so pretty much we will make anybody feel at home. By the way have you tried California's web site? Just about every state have one, ours is www.myflorida.com.

[t walgamuth]

Originally Posted by kip Foss

The question is, "Do you really want to a girl who is impressed by an Aussie accent and a rhd car"?

for a single guy, whatever works, right?

tom w