Wipers are not reversed, but they are not normal either. I think it would be a pain to have the lighter on the opposite side as the ashtray, but of course no one would be smoking in this car these days.
they were sent to australia like that along with many other countries.i had to send parts to a guy in south africa that was trying to change his car from right hand drive to left
I've seen this car several times, and it's really cool. Some other oddities to think about...
The heater core is now on the left, so the firewall has to be modified for the heater core and steering column. The heater cables would also all need to go to the opposite side of the interior, and a special heater box/duct needed to be fabricated. The heater hoses are now really weird. They traditionally go from the core to the back of the right cylinder head, and the other to the right side outlet of the timing cover. Now the one hose has to come from the LEFT side of the car, and get over to the RIGHT side of the engine compartment to attach to the timing cover.
The steering box is now on the right side instead of the left, but the power steering unit remains in the traditional location using standard Pontiac brackets. So the power steering hoses need to be very long, as they go ACROSS the intake/water pump area, then go down to the steering box.
The throttle cable needs to be longer, and now goes from the pedal (which is now way over on the right side of the interior) all the way around to back left side of the engine to activate the carb linkage.
The fuse panel had to be relocated to the right side, else the wire harnesses would all need to be revamped.
The power brake booster and master cylinder are now on the right side of the car. The master cylinder bleeder screws would now be facing the engine, and the power brake booster vacuum hose would now need to be longer, as the booster valve is now against the right side fender!
On a 4-speed car (this one is an automatic), I can't imagine what the clutch linkage would look like, as the clutch pedal would now be on the right side of the trans, while the trans linkage is on the left side.
This car doesn't have a/c, but could you image how cramped the a/c unit would be with the power brake booster and master cylinder on the same side of the engine?
Think about some other odd little things that need attention, least of which would be an entirely new dashboard (made of steel of course) with the approriate cutouts for the glovebox and steering column, now reversed! If this were a column shift car, the long transmission gears selector would hit the door, so they probably had to have a different column with a gearshift lever on the other side.
There are probably other things that were required to make this a right-hand drive car that I can't think of right now, but it's fun to think of all the minor details that would require some special engineering to make a Firebird a right-hand driver.
Well, I just thought of another odd little thing! The "slapstick" auto trans shifter used on the 69's, where you pushed right and forward to go from 1st to 2nd, 2nd to 3rd....what did they do for the right-hand drive cars? Special shifters, or no "slapstick" shifter at all, and they just used a standard shifter?
I am so glad that Australia stopped making the conversion mandatory. It is an engineering feat indeed, but really modified them in a very permanent way.
Vikki 1969 Goldenrod Yellow / black 400 convertible numbers matching
Wow, I didn't know that about the steering box! So the bolts to hold the steering box to the frame would be on the INSIDE of the frame? It seems like the steering box would interfere with the inner wheelwell. I'd really like to see how they did the idler arm and centerlink!
Yep, these days it would be so much easier to just drive the LH drive car in a RH country and just get an exemption.
2012 Mustang Boss 302 #1918, Competition Orange. FGF replacement 2006 Mustang V6 Pony, Vista Blue. Factory ordered. 2019 BMW X3 (Titled to the wife, but I'm always driving it for her. So I'm claiming it) Old projects, gone but not forgotten: 1967 FB 400, original CA car. After 22 years of work, trashed by the guy who was supposed to paint it. I had to sell it. 1980 Turbo Trans Am 1970 Mustang fastback, 351C 4Bbl, auto 1988 Mustang GT, 5 speed 1983 F-150 4x4, built 302 1994 Chevy K2500 HD 4x4, 454 TBI
