Right-hand drive conversion

[zilver8]

Scroll down to see this interesting conversion of a right-hand drive conversion in process, it's a rare color combo too... topaz and red!

[Z8Aus]

[QUOTE=zilver8;24382]Found this interesting video of a right-hand drive conversion in process on youtube. It's a rare color combo too... topaz and red!

zilver8,

I know this is a pretty old thread, and I can't access the video you posted but a Topaz/Red in England is a giveaway, so be assured its genuine - that was my car at Birds Auto in London in 2010. It was challenging but successful, and no cutting or welding of the frame required. Mods to exhaust to accommodate steering column, and a great deal of pain fabricating double curved aluminium panel for the new passenger side airbag, to mention only some of the challenges. The whole process took way longer than expected but Kevin Bird did an amazing job and he is a genuine perfectionist.
Here it is in progress, sorry the image quality is pretty ordinary, I will post some decent pics of the car when I am in the same hemisphere with it soon.

[boomster]

The workmanship looks amazing! Did you convert the car to right hand drive knowing it would eventually end up in Australia where there is no choice other than conversion? Unless I am mistaken, England allows left hand drive cars to be licensed.Bill

[Z8Aus]

The workmanship looks amazing! Did you convert the car to right hand drive knowing it would eventually end up in Australia where there is no choice other than conversion? Unless I am mistaken, England allows left hand drive cars to be licensed.Bill

Hi Bill
Yes, you are right, LHD is fine in the UK, and RHD is equally perfectly legal in Europe - its just Australia where we believe anything that doesn’t meet our nanny state road standards will immediately kill the rest of the population. They don’t seem to be cognisant that all the European tourists in England seem to survive without catastrophic mayhem at intersections. I would think that statistically we have a greater threat to our population here from sharks, crocodiles, spiders, and 7 of the worlds 10 deadliest snakes than the occasional LHD driver. The only real hazard to local life caused by the wrong side wheel (in any country) is the extra time it takes to pay at the exit to a parking garage or a drive thru!

I drove the car in England for 7 years from new, then 3 years in France. At that point in 2010 we moved back to Aus and I decided after much research to let Birds convert the Zed. I have been between Sydney and Oxford since then so I kept the car there until now, despite earlier expectations that it would be shipped here following the conversion.

The workmanship is exceptional both in and under the cockpit and the colour match on the new leather is perfect, we sourced it from the original supplier to BMW in 2000. My only criticism is that the gas pedal is too close to the brake and takes a bit of getting used to.

Jim

[2112]

Love the colors

[Thackray]

The Z8 would go perfectly with the Old Parsonage (second photo)!!!

[macfly]

There now 2 RHD e52's in Australia, this one and Peter's Black/Red Alpina - love this color combo too, rare and stunning!

[Peter Koh]

Thanks Andrew. It’s also the only two RHD in the world, Jim is a Z8 and mine a Alpina Z8 and Australia is fortunate to have both type in the country. Cheers

[vzben]

I found some more pictures of the car on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMzx7IDHbqm/

[Z8Aus]

That's my Z - new shoes, new exhaust and now ready to make the trip downunder.

[MauiMike]

The new shoes look great! And the exhaust is sweet - I love that little clip of the sound. That's the first one I can recall that completely replaced the stock exhaust tips.