LHD Corsa to RHD Nova Sport Replica Track Car

5 minute(s) of a 59 minute read

Got the 1.0 loom out, brakes and pull tank out today aswell as starting on the RHD conversion...

Hmmm, this is too tempting to keep!

On the rear beam, pretty cool. Stamped 19th July 1984

Tank straps repainted, masked up the original stamps for a bit more OEM-ness

I'm going to take some photos of the differences between rhd and lhd shells so anyone wanting to do the conversion doesn't go in blind like I have. Aslong as you have a donor shell its pretty straight forward (so far!). I'm going to cut the bulkhead out of the GTE, hold it up to the LHD shell and use it as a template of where to cut/drill for the steering rack and pedal box. Should be as accurate as possible then... Let's hope!

Only noticeable difference will be the windscreen wipers going the wrong way. I was thinking of replacing sections of the scuttle from the GTE and welding them to the LHD shell, but it seems a lot of work that can easily go wrong and look rubbish if did go wrong. I will be sat low in the car so it affects only a very small portion of the screen in the top RH corner. Ill be fitting a subtle sun strip to the top of the screen if I cant refit the sun visors on with the cage.

6-11-2013

RHD to LHD bulkhead differences. Actual bulkhead is identical, just holes & brackets that need moving or swapping for RHD equivalents.

LHD

RHD

Removing the steering rack bracket was a complete nightmate, loads of hidden spot welds. Got there in the end though with not too much damage to the bulkhead.

Tomorrow I will be cutting the bulkhead out of the GTE to use as a template to drill all the holes needed in the LHD bulkhead.

Is the difference in master cylinder because its an early car vs a later one, or because it is LHD?

My Redtop...

What ya think?

6-12-2013

Superb progress today, got the RHD pedal box in and mounted. Just need to pop in some plates & welds to get rid of some extra LHD things. Luckily used a RHD bulkhead out of the GTE as I didn't realise how different the holes were for the brake master cylinder.

Clamped the RHD bulkhead onto the LHD shell and used it to template where to drill & cut. The 2 heater pipe holes are identical luckily, and so is the pressing so once I'd trimmed off the little screw threads that hold the plastic brake line clamps it fitted up nice and easy.

Sprayed over the template to show where to cut...

Started cutting and drilling

Bolted up to the bulkhead. Still need to cut hole for brake MC, but will do that once I've welded the current hole up.

Need to get my welder sorted now so I can get on with putting the column and rack bracket on. Once its all built up it will all come apart again and be prepped for painting as well as cleaning & painting all the little bits too.