LHD conversion kit for L400

[kjmickelson]

Hello. I talked to Mardy and he said he didn't think the LHD conversion kit for the L400 was safe? Waiting to hear from Coombs if it might be. Any thoughts out there?


Kevin
newbie

[konadog]

Why not just drive it as is? RHD doesn't take long to get used to - I prefer it, when I'm the driver and any rate

[loki]

I would have a had time trusting a "conversion kit" that was anything less than all the LHD parts from Mitsubishi.

and yes RHD isn't the big deal that ICBC seems to want to make of it.

[kjmickelson]

Well, the vehicle would be mainly for my lovely wife. I'd love it, but too much stress on her, carrying new baby...

Mardy said these were all genuine parts as they come from the Phillipines where they are factory made for 2WD LHD versions for that market.

Any comments on this Mardy fellow?? What should I think?

Kevin

[mdrive]

If you buy all the LHD parts required (Not modifying them), there is no risk at all. AC conversion will be a headache. Also if the L400 is column shift, you won't be able to do the conversion easily, L400 has to be floor shift or 5 speed.

[kjmickelson]

Hey, by that do you mean there will be some L400 autos (lovely wife can't drive 5spds) that could have the shifter on the floor OR the colum?

Thanks
Kevin

[loki]

I'm not sure where you would have heard bad things about mardy, I have only ever heard the highest praise about him on this site, though I have never had the pleasure of dealing with him myself.

[nishby]

Seriously, don't bother with the conversion. Get your wife to test drive a right hand drive, and I'm willing to bet she'll like it just fine. I say this because I had some reservations about my wife getting used to it. She has never really liked driving, and has always been somewhat reserved about attempting new things that are technically oriented.

To my pleasant surprise, she really enjoys driving the Delica, and made the adjustment within a couple of drives. It's really not a big deal.

It mainly just takes a while to start heading for the correct door to get in.

...and I echo loki's words about Mardy. He gave me very helpful information before I bought my Deli and from what I know he is 100% trustworthy.

[MardyDelica]

hi, kevin,
no offense of what you are saying about me, i try to help you as much as i could spending time & knowledge. but if you think the other way sorry cannot help you that much.i try to help you as much info about the steering convertion kit to LHD.for L400, spending time & effort without any fee. but if still have any doubt, pls your welcome to ask anybody who can help you & support you.
i try to help many member here is our forum club, spending time long distance call without any fee just to help them & in return they are happy & appreciate it whether they buy the car from me or not. still help them. i try my best to help other people.
as per your suggestion regarding doing the convertion to your L400, as i mention to you. i talk to my inspector & he suggest to stay away from your idea as if in case you or your wife encounter accident with this convertion L400 to LHd, you might encounter maybe big lawsuit to other party. as they are not registered & authorized by mitsubishi to do this such convertion. the result if anything happen will be a lawsuit to the seller & installer who did the convertion to you. money cannot buy anything if somebody get hurt as the result of modifying the steering from RHD to LHD. just a reminder.
you cannot just move the original structure of your RHD vehicle to LHD steering.
you can ask other poeple if they want do this convertion to you,its o.k. all i say is good luck to you.
sorry but for me i wont do it. also maybe you can pls ask them to help you to find all the kit for this L400 spacegear. i dont want to take part on this.
hope this help:
Cheers;
Mardy

[kjmickelson]

Oh, morning Mardy. I am getting great responses, both here and privately that your reputation is impeccable! No offense intended.

On the LHD kit issue, I wonder if this is just a liability issue, which I would understand you not wanting to expose your company to, or yourself or what? Could you be more specific about what would be unsafe? I obviously want/need family to be safe? If, as one of the posts here points out all the parts are from Mitsu for the factory LHD, I wonder what the weakness is?

I am just trying to get my dream vehicle going!

And again, this seems to be such a small community I apologize, I never meant to be negative about you. I was just hoping to find someone who had done this, or was going to, and find out the details...

Thanks.

[jessef]

I drove L400's while I was in the UK and one wierd L400 when in Germany that was a LHD conversion.

The LHD conversion was crap. The dash rattled and was not a good mold, the column shifter was cut down so it wouldn't hit the door and the worst was the steering was very wobbly. The guy said he had everything done in Germany with parts from the Phillipines. The company who sent him the conversion parts had a disclaimer in english about avoiding responsibility of the manufactured conversion parts.

If you want to have one done properly, you'll have to wait until the L400's physically get in our country first.

Once that's done, you can order the kit from overseas (expensive to ship) and once it gets here, have a good mechanic install it.

Personally, and I've had both the pleasure and displeasure of aiding on two LHD conversions, I see them as a liability if you get into an accident. I'd have a hard time thinking that any mechanic/installer/LHD parts manufacturer would assume any liability for a conversion. Dealing with the insurance co. will be a nightmare if not a downright shut out.

If you insist on a LHD Delica, then you can pickup a 88-89 Mitsubishi Vanwagon from the USA (originally sold there LHD) and have a mechanic swap over the dash, electronics, shifter, steering column, etc... there will be some fabrication involved and I'm guesstimating it would be at least a $1,500-2,500 cost for labour alone. You can convert an L300 that way here. But you'd still be changing the original spec of the vehicle, creating insurance/liability issues if you or the drive would get into an accident.

My 2 cents.

ps. Mardy is the person to speak to about RHD -> LHD conversions.

[loki]

Oh, morning Mardy. I am getting great responses, both here and privately that your reputation is impeccable! No offense intended.

On the LHD kit issue, I wonder if this is just a liability issue, which I would understand you not wanting to expose your company to, or yourself or what? Could you be more specific about what would be unsafe? I obviously want/need family to be safe? If, as one of the posts here points out all the parts are from Mitsu for the factory LHD, I wonder what the weakness is?

I am just trying to get my dream vehicle going!

And again, this seems to be such a small community I apologize, I never meant to be negative about you. I was just hoping to find someone who had done this, or was going to, and find out the details...

Thanks.

I don't think you will find anyone in Canada that has done RHD to LHD conversion, happens in the Philippines I know for sure, as for safety modifying the steering of any vehicle to that extent is a little sketchy, and if your looking at getting pretty much the entire front end of a LHD L400 and putting it in a RHD one, why not just get a LHD model from another country? I haven't looked at the availability of them but they are probably out there and I would suspect it's a cheaper way to go too.

[konadog]

This conversion project sounds like a big expense and headache that will diminish the charm and fun, and probably the value and possibly even the safety of your bus

[kjmickelson]

My dream is fading...

Other than the Philippines, anyone know other countries that would have got a LHD, factory 4WD. The Phils only got 2WD!

I might have to convince my wife to try it. New things like that are also a problem for her. I just didn't want the stress.

I appreciate all the replies.

Kevin

[jessef]

Where are you located ?

Every single skeptic that didn't want or didn't like my RHD's loved them after driving them. Women included that thought it would be too intimidating or scary.

All of them.

In fact, two of the women that were 100% freaked out about RHD's and the first block were gripping the wheel with a kungfu grip, both now own Delica's.

You can show her this thread but there is only so much you can get from a computer screen.

A simple and relaxing introduction to your wife would be a good thing if you are looking at getting a RHD.

There are many in the Delica community that would help out with that.

Jesse