Left Hand Drive

RHD-related issues ONLY please (NOT for general political ads!)
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hidanne
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Left Hand Drive

Post by hidanne »

Hi, I live just across the border and am looking for a LHD diesel Delica. Does anyone have any leads? Thanks
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Lapprentis
Posts: 357
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Vehicle: Delica L300 StarWagon 1990
Location: Quebec

Re: Left Hand Drive

Post by Lapprentis »

Your Best luck: Europe: a little bit different model, once in a while you will get a clean L300. Will cost you about 2X as much as a Delica from Japan. OR, from Taiwan: usually not as clean as Japan Delica and harder to import as there do not seem to be many brooker operating there...
Good Luck and keep in touch if you have alternate solutions...
Meanwhile go to www.leparking.fr and type (L300). I saw, and did not act fast enough on 2 quality L300. Once in a while you will get a decent L300 (the name they used in Europe).
Lapprentis :M
bosc
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Location: Masset, BC

Re: Left Hand Drive

Post by bosc »

The only LHD Delica I have seen was a camper from Switzerland, and I was surprised to see the sliding door was still on the left side. If I could change anything about my van it would be to have it on the curb side. Driving on the right doesn't seem to matter much for me.
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thedjjack
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Re: Left Hand Drive

Post by thedjjack »

You also need it to be 25 years old finding a LHD 1989 delica is going to be hard...

Unless you need it to be left hand for some reason I really found no difference driving on the right it is only about 3 feet between the two positions

Same as boats helm could be on either side... you get use to it.

Drive up and test drive a few in Vancouver no difference. Maybe my 5 speed was a little more challenge, but I never had a issue shifting wrong hand..

but I always turned on the wipers as turn signals.
yojimbo
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Vehicle: 1994 Delica L300 - Jasper
Location: Bucks, UK

Re: Left Hand Drive

Post by yojimbo »

thedjjack wrote:You also need it to be 25 years old finding a LHD 1989 delica is going to be hard...

Unless you need it to be left hand for some reason I really found no difference driving on the right it is only about 3 feet between the two positions

Same as boats helm could be on either side... you get use to it.

Drive up and test drive a few in Vancouver no difference. Maybe my 5 speed was a little more challenge, but I never had a issue shifting wrong hand..

but I always turned on the wipers as turn signals.
I always turn them on too. Its a delica or van thing or something. Not a rhd thing!
1994 L300 Jasper
1986 Scimitar 1.8Ti
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Mr. Flibble
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Location: Issaquah, Washington

Re: Left Hand Drive

Post by Mr. Flibble »

hidanne wrote:Hi, I live just across the border and am looking for a LHD diesel Delica. Does anyone have any leads? Thanks
LHD Delica's are EXTREMELY hard to find. As you need a vehicle that is over 25 years old, you are much better off with a RHD.

You can adapt to a RHD surprisingly quickly believe it or not.

USPS uses RHD every day with no training.
Canadian living in Washington USA
hidanne
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Re: Left Hand Drive

Post by hidanne »

Unfortunately only USPS are allowed to have a rhd vehicle in the states. My only option is a lhd and diesel 4wd passenger vans just don't exist here unless a vw syncro gets a rebuilt diesel engine and the price is 25,000 +. I'll keep looking......
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Mr. Flibble
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Vehicle: 1995 L400 Royal Exceed
Location: Issaquah, Washington
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Re: Left Hand Drive

Post by Mr. Flibble »

hidanne wrote:Unfortunately only USPS are allowed to have a rhd vehicle in the states. My only option is a lhd and diesel 4wd passenger vans just don't exist here unless a vw syncro gets a rebuilt diesel engine and the price is 25,000 +. I'll keep looking......
That is not the case.

There are no laws against RHD in Washington state.

The laws that your are up against are at the Federal level, and they are not related to which side of the vehicle the steering wheel is on.

You have two main obstacles.

1) NHTSA.

This deals with the crash-worthyness of the vehicle. If the vehicle passes NHTSA crash testing LHD OR RHD, it can be imported.

There is an exception for vehicles over 25 years of age from manufacture.

2) EPA


The EPA has a list of mandates that the engine and emissions must pass. These can be tested at a licensed EPA facility. It is expensive.

There is an exception for engines over 21 years of age, or an older vehicle with an updated engine fitted to the same model.
Canadian living in Washington USA
XyriuS
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Re: Left Hand Drive

Post by XyriuS »

Hello everyone, I'm writing from Italy, and I am a almost-happy owner of a L300 LHD, I am now looking for the next model (L400), which is a LHD .. I've only seen one in my life on the border with Germany about three years ago, had five doors like mine .. Now that the time has come to buy it I can not find it anywhere.
For me there is no problem if the steering wheel is on the right or left, the problem is that I consider dangerous ONE door behind for five passengers who should get out (or enter) in the middle of the road..
Someone can give me some suggestions?
To be precise I want the model with glass roof and gearbox with Super Select .. (ideally the 3000v6)
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FalcoColumbarius
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Re: Left Hand Drive

Post by FalcoColumbarius »

Regarding passengers getting in or out on the street side of the vehicle: I just make it a point to be a good host and open the door for them, thereby oversee that they safely enter the vehicle. This is particularly a good thing to do if your vehicle is equipped with security devices such as telescopic spears that spring out from the door jambs. It can be a seriously disappointing start to the day if your passenger trips one of those units off!

Falco.
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