Ok I finally finished one of the more fiddly parts of the job. Because the steering column was shortened for the chain drive the headlight dimmer switch and the ignition (electronic) switch no longer had room to mount on the left side of the steering column.
Those familiar with where they are originally located will tell by the pics what has been done. Basically I had to make new mounting points for them that wouldn't interfere with anything else.
The headlight dimmer was fairly basic. It involved trimming the original mount and rerouting the bar to operate it outside the steering column mount. I then welded 2 small bolts onto the steering column mount to give it somewhere to sit and now it works like a charm.
The ignition switch was a different dilema because of its size. Now instead of a simple bar operating it I had to move it to the other side of the column and make a new fairly solid mechanism to make it operate. The pictures tell the story pretty well.
Doesn't look pretty but it is all hidden anyway. I am definately getting better at welding small items now though.
Well I decided over the weekend to tackle the park brake relocation. There was 2 ways I could do the cables. 1. Get custom made cables to mount in the original mounting points on the cradle. 2. Flip the original cables over, reroute them slightly and make custom brackets to hold them. I chose option 2 because basically it cost nothing as apposed to getting big dollar custom cables.
The first few pics are what I have to work with once the original configuration is removed.
The original mounting point on the left which is now obselete.
First I clamped the park brake handle together so the bar I needed to bend didn't bend in the wrong spot.
The inner bar bent to its approximate new location so it faces the right way when mounted on the right side of the car.
The next couple of shots show where I cut the original park brake handle to allow me to bend it in the opposite direction.
And welded back together to face the right direction for the other side of the car.
Then I fabricated a bracket to weld to the floor on the other side of the car as it could no longer mount up against the side of the car. Not visible in that pic is the 10mm spacer I had to weld onto the back of the bracket on the rear bolt location to allow for the original park brakes unusual mountings shape. I also welded some flat nuts I made onto the original park brake handle so the bots going through the new mounting bracket have something to bolt into. No room there to hold a spanner later.
These 2 brackets are ones I made to mount the park brake cables to new locations on the cradle. I chose to run the cables on the front side (cat side) of the cradle as it was impossible to run the through the cradle without major mods and welding.
The right cable is now the left cable.
And the left cable is now the right cable.
An overhead shot showing the park brake handle mounted to the right side of the car. Of course I had to drill new holes through the firewall for the cable to exit the car.
A better overall view of the park brake inside the car on the right hand side.
Hard to fathom these shots if you are not familiar with the underside of your Fiero, but basically the different cable lengths means they are now mounted differently. On the cat side of the cradle as previously mentioned. I have the brackets bolted on for now but if the engineers say so I will have to weld them instead.
I stil have to make 2 new rubbers to seal the new holes in the firewal. Extend the park brake warning light cable to the opposite side of the car. Fill the old holes in the firewall where the cable used to come through. This I will just do with rubber seals. No need to weld it. All that shouldn't take more than an hour tomorrow.
When I get to the interior stage I will have to make a new boot for the park brake and cut both lower interior trim panels to get rid of the left side hole and indentation for where the park brake used to be, and add them to the right side.
When working under the car I found damage to the lower skirt and knew straight away someone had tried to jack the car in the past from the incorrect spot, so I dropped the cooling tube down to check for damage. Sure enough, there it is. As it is too expensive to import one into the country (because of size) I will remove the original at a later date and repair it by cutting out the offending section and welding in a new piece.
A pic of the Fiero as it now sits. Note the horrible finish on the front fascia thanks to the car bra that was on the car when I bought it. The fascia is a slightly different colour as well but I don't car too much about it as eventually I will get to a fair few body mods and I intend to resparay the whole car even though most of it is top notch. The wheels on the front are ones I bought for my 86 GT I used to have and never used them. So they are the wrong offset. As I cant get the same rims in the offset I need I spoke to a wheel place today who is going to mod my front ones (even though they are a 1 piece rim) to be a different offset. I will go into that at a later date. Yes the car looks like it is sitting high. Hasn't had a chance to settle after jacking it up to put the wheels on.
[This message has been edited by AusFiero (edited 06-23-2008).]
Feel like I have been watching for 2 1/2 years!!! Glad to see your back to this car again. Glad to see the move went ok, and you health is better. Last I heard (month or two ago) you were taking a break for health reasons (I basically knew this already). Yes, I am still watching since I found this thread in early '06, and I am still interested.
Awaiting the next visual pleasure assisted by your kind narration.
lol Myke. It has been 2 and a half years. I certainly spent a long time away from it. All of the park brake is finished now so the next job I have to do is tidy up a couple of things I am not happy with. I removed the left side mount for the chain drive because it looked too flimsy. I am making one of them next.
After that it is time to move onto the most difficult job. Working out how to do the cross shafting on the brake pedal. There is very little room to work with.
Besides the pedals the remaining jobs for australian compliance are. The easier jobs. 1. Different headlights. 2. Australian complied seat belts. 3. Relocate the front parkers and indicators further out of the fascia so they are not so recessed. 4. Finish the new ductwork under the dash for the aircon and heater.
Very cool, Aus. Is the diameter the issue with your space constraints (not enough room for the thickness of the tubing), or is it just mounting in general (IE: not clear path from brake to brake?)
What's wrong with the headlight? (other than the fact that they are only good for city driving with street lights....)
About to start removing the heater soon. It is in the way for working on the car. I didn't want to have to do it as my aircon is icy cold. But so be it.
Very cool, Aus. Is the diameter the issue with your space constraints (not enough room for the thickness of the tubing), or is it just mounting in general (IE: not clear path from brake to brake?)
What's wrong with the headlight? (other than the fact that they are only good for city driving with street lights....)
Myke
More a space constraint with the tubing. It just fits. Apparently RHD and LHD headlights are orientated different to shine on the right part of the road. Not noticable really but too much so for headlight adjustment to get it perfect.
I was joking about the headlights.... RHD cars are pointed slightly offset, just the opposite way from what would be optimal for a LHD. I assume your going to do the headlight upgrade Cooter has done or similar? https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/091603.html
As far as the tight fit for the tubing, do you need to fab the area to make it a comfortable fit, or is it "just barely perfect" (I am curious as to how much can be cut back under there if you do it. I have a different project I am working on, and this would be helpful to know before I get under the dashboard.)
How much progress have you made lo these past few weeks?
Well I have the heater out now and pretty much everything in the front of the car. Tomorrow I start the final stage of mods. The pedals. Pics to come soon.
Hehe,s till goign. Kicked up a deal with my neighbour. I am designing his house extension and he is going to design and build my custom brake components. I am getting his palns next week to mod so I can then move the Fiero over to his workshop.
And why woudl that be? Because being self employed I dont have the free time others do to work on their vehicles and it should be finished by now? Because you think RHD shouldn't be done to a 88 GT? Because you are just a whiny little b!tch who likes to put people down for doing stuff you cant? So what would you do, leave the car Left hand Drive and never be able to drive it? You sir sound like a total wanker. Part of the reason I dont come in here much anymore. It used to be full of pretty cool people years ago. It has been overtaken by too many idiots. Sorry to all the decent people around here but I am sure you guys have noticed the same.
As an update the brake part of the conversion is almost done and I will have more pics when we get it installed. Did a deal with my neighbour. I did some house plans for him and he is doing the brake part of the conversion for me Once we have that bit done it is time to start reassembling it. The fun part. Then hope it passes engineering compliance. If not they will tell us what we have to change.
And why woudl that be? Because being self employed I dont have the free time others do to work on their vehicles and it should be finished by now? Because you think RHD shouldn't be done to a 88 GT? Because you are just a whiny little b!tch who likes to put people down for doing stuff you cant? So what would you do, leave the car Left hand Drive and never be able to drive it? You sir sound like a total wanker. Part of the reason I dont come in here much anymore. It used to be full of pretty cool people years ago. It has been overtaken by too many idiots. Sorry to all the decent people around here but I am sure you guys have noticed the same.
Hey AusFiero, I've always been a fan of the products you've made in the past, but my point is that converting a fiero to right-hand drive is a waste of money and time. Everything in a fiero is situated to suit a steering wheel on the left-hand side. I don't see anyway way you could reproduce the dash and everything else to work in the right-side, not to mention the brake booster, and all that other jazz. I just don't believe you thought this through. Moreover, you stated
quote
Originally posted by AusFiero: Part of the reason I dont come in here much anymore.
That statement is clearly a lie because I posted this just yesterday and you responded within 24 hours, which indicates that you still do come to this forum and read what we have to say - and you should because it is good advice. This transition leads me to the advice I will give you right now, sell the vehicle on EBAY to someone who will put the left-hand drive fiero to good use. Let's not start a war.
Hey AusFiero, I've always been a fan of the products you've made in the past, but my point is that converting a fiero to right-hand drive is a waste of money and time. Everything in a fiero is situated to suit a steering wheel on the left-hand side. I don't see anyway way you could reproduce the dash and everything else to work in the right-side, not to mention the brake booster, and all that other jazz. I just don't believe you thought this through. Moreover, you stated [QUOTE]Originally posted by AusFiero: Part of the reason I dont come in here much anymore.
That statement is clearly a lie because I posted this just yesterday and you responded within 24 hours, which indicates that you still do come to this forum and read what we have to say - and you should because it is good advice. This transition leads me to the advice I will give you right now, sell the vehicle on EBAY to someone who will put the left-hand drive fiero to good use. Let's not start a war.
[/QUOTE]
Well Left hand drive vehicles cannot be driven in my state unless they are 30 years old and considered a classic. Stupid law but that is the way it is. And I have thought it ut very well. As have the other 120 to 150 RHD Fiero conversions over here.
An interesting take on the RHD conversion there AusFiero. When I saw the topic I was half expecting to see the commoner's method - carving half the firewall out and using a Hillman Imp steering rack
I'll keep an eye on this, definitely a different approach. I must say though, from discussions with the certifiers over here on the other side of the ditch, you can't get away with the chain drive arrangements here. I can't recall the exact reason why not, but they don't like it one bit!
I should get some snaps of my one's conversion. It's pretty bloody hokey on it though, my old '84's conversion was far tidier... but that's a story for another day
I have had convetional conversion and chain drive Fieros. I went the chain drive this time because they drive better than a conventional conversion. They feel factory standard.
Strange NZ wont allow them as the Ford Taurus's from 1998 are cross shafted conversions by Ford. It is a very save system and doesn't upset the factory suspension and steering geomatry.
I'll get some shots once I get the cooling system dramas solved... had the thermostat housing burst open and dump all the coolant on the way home last night. Haven't driven a stock Fiero yet for comparison, but the '87 I've got now definitely doesn't handle as neatly as the old '84 I had with the Hillman rack in it, seems to shuffle the inside wheel at hard lock. It's some faceless japanese looking rack, too much throw and the rack ends look too long for my liking...
We have the brake mechanism working outside the car on bench testing. Just prettying it up and making it adjustable now. 2 popular racks used in the conversion are Holden Gemini and Volvo 244. That is another reason I like the cross shafting method. The car is still all GM original parts besides the chain drive. Easier to know what spares are needed in the future.
Originally posted by: chrismclubm .....but my point is that converting a fiero to right-hand drive is a waste of money and time. Everything in a fiero is situated to suit a steering wheel on the left-hand side. I don't see anyway way you could reproduce the dash and everything else to work in the right-side, not to mention the brake booster, and all that other jazz. I just don't believe you thought this through.
How could you say that? Your basically saying it's a wasted of time for a person to work or customize their car. Did you happen to notice the extensive modifications that have been done already? He's definitely got the skills to do the job. Even if it wasn't a law there, it would be one of those "cool" factors.
Aus,
It would be cool to have a RH drive, but I couldn't get used to driving on the wrong side of the road like you Ausies. J/K
Originally posted by chrismclubm: .....but my point is that converting a fiero to right-hand drive is a waste of money and time. Everything in a fiero is situated to suit a steering wheel on the left-hand side. I don't see anyway way you could reproduce the dash and everything else to work in the right-side, not to mention the brake booster, and all that other jazz. I just don't believe you thought this through.
Interesting. How is it difficult to make things like the brake booster work in a RHD environment? How is it a waste of time when we drive on the left hand side of the road, and therefore sitting on the left side of the car gives minimal to no view around cars ahead making overtaking nearly impossible and removing from the overall driving experience? The RHD conversion is possibly the most logical thing you could do over here or in Aussie/England/etc. Especially since by law it must be done.
As for the controls... why would you change them? Left-side stalk and shifter on left side keeps your right hand free to steer the car and/or have a cigarette or a beverage while driving without comprimising the ability to control the car.
But to each their own. I guess AusFiero thinks similarly to me. I'd rather fancy an '88GT in RHD myself if I could find one around here!
I just came across this thread... Aus, this is an awesome build! Hope time/work is allowing you to continue!
Wood
------------------ * 1984 Black Fiero SE (1995-1998) blown tranny - rest her soul * 1988 Black Fiero Formula (2001-2004) Was to be a 3800SC, badly rusted rear frame. * 1988 White Fiero GT (2009 - Present) This one's a keeper!
That statement is clearly a lie because I posted this just yesterday and you responded within 24 hours, which indicates that you still do come to this forum and read what we have to say - and you should because it is good advice. This transition leads me to the advice I will give you right now, sell the vehicle on EBAY to someone who will put the left-hand drive fiero to good use. Let's not start a war.
YES YES! Please follow his advice.........at least the part about selling the car.....(to me) lol. I'm sure there are several of us who would LOVE to have it! Aside from that, pretty much everything Chris said is crap. And Chris, if you didn't want a war, why the h*ll did you fire the first shot? Personally, I pretty much think Aus is a blanking genious!
[This message has been edited by timcha (edited 02-23-2010).]
Aus! Where's the progress? And as promised, here's a pic of the conversion in my '87. I'd get you some shots of the work on the front end but this particular conversion is god awful and not worth showing! The interior work is pretty ugly too compared with what you've done so far, so keep up the good work!
The '86 is still LHD, but it's very unnatural to drive on local roads, and I'm looking at converting it myself down the track.
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[This message has been edited by Carcenomy (edited 09-11-2011).]
Hah, don't say that too loudly, it's badly in need of a clean at the moment! I'll get some better pics in a few weeks, just bought a GT wheel for the old girl from Paul Vargyas so when it arrives I'll get some good shots detailing the RHD swap.
Awsome work man!
Even if it wasn't a law there, it would be one of those "cool" factors.
J/K
