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MG MGA - Left hand drive to right hand drive

Having owned my coupe for 5 years, I returned back to the UK at the end of February this year from the USA. Finally got round to converting the car from LHD to RHD, completing it last week.

It feels like a totally different car. Where with LHD it seemed to fit like a glove it just does not feel right now even though I have been driving two other RHD cars.

Funny how you get used to things. No doubt I will get it to fit me again. I guess one positive thing having just taken the wife out in it is that I don't get so many sharp intakes of breath as I am now the one closest to the cars coming in the opposite direction.

Just need to fit the supercharger next which I hope to complete in the next few days.

Rod
Rod Myers

When I spend time away from the MGA and then return to driving it, I always feel uncomfortable and cramped. After a while I settle in again. Perhaps you're experiencing the same phenomenon!
Steve Simmons

Rod,
Us folks on the BBS are always hearing from people looking to acquire parts to change from lhd to rhd or the opposite. I find it interesting your comments about the experience after it was done.
On a side note to this change.
I was fortunate to be in another country where "they drove on the wrong side" of the road. I stayed away from driving, plus the cabs were easy to hail.
Switching from lhd to rhd seems totally a thing I would do only on a early Sunday morning, when NO other cars were on the road.

Ray
Ray Ammeter

Honestly, you get used to it quickly. Shifting with the "wrong" hand never seems to feel normal, but especially in such a small car it isn't difficult to make the LHD to RHD change. My current daily driver is a RHD BGT. Other than all the attention it gets, I forget I'm in a different type of car than everyone else.
Steve Simmons

Rod

It's a change that just takes getting used to. I drove my car for years as RHD, then converted it a year after leaving theUK. I was sitting in the passenger seat and trying to change geras for the driver (she hadn't got the hang of the GBX) and found that I also had trouble shifting with the left hand. Stick me in a modern RHD car, I just switch without any problem (except for the occasional attempt to change gear with the window winder...)

It will soon fit like a glove again. What supercharger are you fitting? I'm just starting withmy Judson fitment.

Dominic
dominic clancy

Well a bit of investigation showed that a previous owner had chocked up the passenger seat quite a bit, and the seat back was not going all the way back. These are now rectified and the seating position is a lot better.

However, even though one of my other cars is a manual, changing gear in the MGA feels strange with the left hand, and as for finding the indicator switch!

To answer your question Dominic I have a Moss motors one for an early MGB as my car has a 18V MGB engine in it.

Rod
Rod Myers

This thread was discussed between 30/11/2004 and 01/12/2004

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