Ami RHD conversion ?

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sonoramicommando
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Ami RHD conversion ?

Post by sonoramicommando »

Hi all.
I'm thinking of going down the path of simpler motoring in form of an Ami.
I understand there are more Ami's in France, in better condition and cheaper cost but obviously they are LHD.
I'd like to pick some brains here regarding how and what is involved in converting them to RHD and so on.
Cheers,
Sam
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Re: Ami RHD conversion ?

Post by Stickyfinger »

Nothing wrong in driving a left hooker over here, you get used to the change very quickly. (Its not like your going to be racing and overtaking like a nut case is it ?)

My advice, just keep it OEM.
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Re: Ami RHD conversion ?

Post by sonoramicommando »

fair point - it's just that i'm a bit of a dumb dumb who gets easily confused.
like indicator stalk being LH side on European cars vs RH on Japanese - I always mix them up whenever I switch cars. That said, driving on the right side (which is on the left hand side :)) should be more obvious...
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Re: Ami RHD conversion ?

Post by van ordinaire »

I'd keep an Ami LHD too. in fact I'm toying with getting one - & it'd never occurred to me to convert the steering.

As for indicators, yes, if you switch (soooooree!) cars you might turn the wipers on before turning - once! I know I do when swapping between the Cadillac & the Jeep. As for there being a convention, I've only driven one Jap. car & so long ago I can't remember, but which side the indicator's on, I think is random, but has more to do with whether it's combined with the light switch than where it was made.
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Re: Ami RHD conversion ?

Post by Peter.N. »

One of my first cars was LHD, a 1955 Vauxhall Velox, I had no problem driving it in fact it was very good in the smogs we got in those days as you could hang out of the window and see the kerb.

I bought a LHD Morris Oxford estate just before we came down here because it was cheap and had no rust as it came from the Lebanon. I drove it for several years like that then went to the scrap yard and got all the conversion bits from the equivalent Wolseley, complete with the walnut dash. I suspect that they were a lot easier to convert when the engine was the right way round.

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Re: Ami RHD conversion ?

Post by sonoramicommando »

ok i ditched that idea.
i'd better start with the basics though - are the RHD headlight readily available?
cheers
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Re: Ami RHD conversion ?

Post by Stickyfinger »

Go-ogle (robbers) throws up a few, I would think, via the CCC and some of the specialists, you will find all you need in the £150 mark, same with speedo's (not the budgie type).

I am sure you could get one of us to act as a collection point and ship when its worth it....could save many $$$ on postage.
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Re: Ami RHD conversion ?

Post by xantia_v6 »

I missed your location earlier, I presume that it is NZ that you are considering importing the car to?

The NZ rules are a bit different to the UK. If a LHD car can be converted to RHD, it must be converted before it can be registered, there are some exceptions, but you had better be awre before importing a LHD car. NZ of course generally requires a KPH speedo (although my XJ-S has never been failed for only having MPH calibration).

Can you find an Ami in Australia?
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Re: Ami RHD conversion ?

Post by sonoramicommando »

I don't think it is required to be RHD converted according to LTSA/NZTA/or whatever it's called now as it's more than 20 years old.
I'll have to research on speedo conversion (thanks for bringing it up) but I doubt it's a requirement.
I haven't looked into Aussie Ami's but somehow I don't think there will be many if any - it's just not the kind of car that would work in Aussie... Plus the shipping and clearance ex-Oz I hear is pretty steep.

If I was to pick up a car from France, I'd probably head up there, buy the necessary bits and bring them over. I have a contact in La Rochelle and a few people in London and Bristol.

Cheers,
Sam
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Re: Ami RHD conversion ?

Post by van ordinaire »

Obviously an Ami CAN be converted - because RHD ones were built, but whether it's practicable or not is another matter.

RHD headlamps could be tricky, given that you can't get square 2CV lights any more (in either configuration). How do NZ enthusiasts with things never produced for RHD markets manage, I wonder as I don't suppose beam converts/deflectors are readily available - & I don't suppose the relevant agencies in NZ are familiar with strategically position triangle/parallelograms of black tape.

The speedo issue won't arise if you're sourcing the car from France (Belgium, Holland, wherever) but don't forget if you do look for a UK spec one, one with the 2CV Club dash would make fitting a metric "clock" easier.
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sonoramicommando
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Re: Ami RHD conversion ?

Post by sonoramicommando »

van ordinaire wrote:Obviously an Ami CAN be converted - because RHD ones were built, but whether it's practicable or not is another matter.

RHD headlamps could be tricky, given that you can't get square 2CV lights any more (in either configuration). How do NZ enthusiasts with things never produced for RHD markets manage, I wonder as I don't suppose beam converts/deflectors are readily available - & I don't suppose the relevant agencies in NZ are familiar with strategically position triangle/parallelograms of black tape.

The speedo issue won't arise if you're sourcing the car from France (Belgium, Holland, wherever) but don't forget if you do look for a UK spec one, one with the 2CV Club dash would make fitting a metric "clock" easier.
I'm no longer looking to do RHD conversion - I think I can live with it as a LHD car.
As for the headlights, I guess the only source would be from UK Ami's then?
I've heard of the tapes over the headlights being used on UK cars in the Continent and vice versa but isn't that a temporary measure? I don't know for sure but I doubt it would be allowed during re-compliancing when permanently imported into NZ.
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'05 (yes, really) C15
'97 Xantia Exclusive estate
others:-
'96 Jeep Cherokee Limited - the "donor"
'99 Jeep Cherokee Orvis - the green one
'97 Jeep Cherokee Limited - the red one
'99 Cadillac Seville STS
'96 Cadillac Eldorado ETC
& numerous what might be described as abandoned projects!
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Re: Ami RHD conversion ?

Post by van ordinaire »

Black (although must confess I prefer white) insulating/gaffer tape is the budget alternative to the pukka Lucas kits (essentially small sheets of black self adhesive vinyl) & generally used for cross-channel jaunts.

However, if you have something that was never imported new into a a country that drove on the left but does have model specific, asymmetric headlamps (e.g. lots of E. European stuff) you have little choice. As an extension of this I have LHD lights in my Cherokee (because Hella reflectors outlast the O/E Cibie/Vario many times over - but no-one can identify them in RHD format) so has taped headlights permanently)

A possible alternative with an Ami is to carefully rebond old UK lenses onto good LHD reflectors (that's the Fiat 500 solution - because RHD 4"(?) lights aren't available).

On last thought is, whether Ami lights ARE handed or, even, asymmetric? Not sure they're not, effectively, "square" Cibie Type 22's, i.e. with almost clear lenses & LHD/RHD being selectable by alternative positions for the bulb.
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'96 Cadillac Eldorado
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Re: Ami RHD conversion ?

Post by addo »

It really seems a lot of work to import a car that will remain in the eyes of so many, an orphan.

Would it be worthwhile importing a couple of more saleable cars as dummy runs, and using the profit to offset your final choice? 2CVs always seem to be a commodity.
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Re: Ami RHD conversion ?

Post by xantia_v6 »

I don't think that any form of tape or stick-on device is likely to get through NZ compliance inspection. If you couldn't find a set of RHD headlights, you would probably have to fits some round headlights (at least for the day of the compliance test).

It would be useful to get some close-up photos of the headlamp lenses (RHD and LHD) to see how different the lenses are. Headlight technology was a lot younger then, so the dipping action may have been achieved mostly with bulb position rather than lens effects.
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van ordinaire
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'05 (yes, really) C15
'97 Xantia Exclusive estate
others:-
'96 Jeep Cherokee Limited - the "donor"
'99 Jeep Cherokee Orvis - the green one
'97 Jeep Cherokee Limited - the red one
'99 Cadillac Seville STS
'96 Cadillac Eldorado ETC
& numerous what might be described as abandoned projects!
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Re: Ami RHD conversion ?

Post by van ordinaire »

Ah - round headlights: "Federal" Amis had those!

Surprising number of 2CV's over the pond now so someone should be able to help source those parts -then you can fit 5 3/4" RHD lamps of choice.

Otherwise, the people in NZ who will have the answer/workround are those with Barkus, Trabbiies, Wartburgs & the like.
Citroens:-
'81 2CV Club :cry:
'05 C15 :!:
'97 Xantia Exclusive estate [-o<
others:-
Jeep XJ Cherokees x 3 :?
'96 Cadillac Eldorado
'99 Cadillac STS :|
& the numerous "abandoned projects" #-o
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