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LHD versions are the rarest of all
I appreciate LHD and American cars but am sick to death of the amount we are seeing here in recient years.
Some event coverages seem to comprise of almost totally imported cars.

that duesey looks wonky in the pic , maybe its shadows but it dont look to straight to me..
and its a behemouth what twice the lenght of an fb?

Smooth customs wrote:LHD versions are the rarest of all
I appreciate LHD and American cars but am sick to death of the amount we are seeing here in recient years.
Some event coverages seem to comprise of almost totally imported cars.

gotta agree Paul..

Smooth customs wrote:LHD versions are the rarest of all
I appreciate LHD and American cars but am sick to death of the amount we are seeing here in recient years.
Some event coverages seem to comprise of almost totally imported cars.

I still dont get what the problem is with LHD? If its a nice car then its a nice car. Whats the difference which side you sit on.

I agree that the market is now flooded with american cars but that can only affect values here. Nothing else. I guess thats why the aussie cars are so strong now.
Would you be more interested if these imported cars were converted and then displayed?

My 67 Impala SS 396 coupe came here new in 67. I bought it 25 years ago when I was 21 with 19000 miles on the clock.It was converted by Bill Buckle. He did a nice job 45 years ago but a few years ago I took it for a pink slip and the inspector said "never let this thing run out of rego as you will never get an engineer to pass that conversion today". All these years later its still driving fine (53000 miles) but I would still rather have an uncut butchered car over RHD. Ive even considered reconverting my SS back to LHD so its more stock.

First bit of advice I got when I was looking for a Vette was dont touch anything converted.

Steve Jackson wrote:

By the way could somebody please put up a pic of what a proper duesenberg looks like. I can appreciate the work thats been put into this creation but thats not what they look like. They are mechanical masterpieces from the 20, and 30s

They were the top of the wazza in their day - mostly handbuilt to order I think , theres lotsa pics on the web , heres a couple -







Works of art , every one of 'em.

bootlegger wrote:

Smooth customs wrote:LHD versions are the rarest of all
I appreciate LHD and American cars but am sick to death of the amount we are seeing here in recient years.
Some event coverages seem to comprise of almost totally imported cars.

I still dont get what the problem is with LHD? If its a nice car then its a nice car. Whats the difference which side you sit on.

I agree that the market is now flooded with american cars but that can only affect values here. Nothing else. I guess thats why the aussie cars are so strong now.
Would you be more interested if these imported cars were converted and then displayed?

My 67 Impala SS 396 coupe came here new in 67. I bought it 25 years ago when I was 21 with 19000 miles on the clock.It was converted by Bill Buckle. He did a nice job 45 years ago but a few years ago I took it for a pink slip and the inspector said "never let this thing run out of rego as you will never get an engineer to pass that conversion today". All these years later its still driving fine (53000 miles) but I would still rather have an uncut butchered car over RHD. Ive even considered reconverting my SS back to LHD so its more stock.

First bit of advice I got when I was looking for a Vette was dont touch anything converted.

There are some LHD cars that should not be converted, Very rare or of extremly special interest.
The rest are just different or bread and butter cars that have found there way here.
20 yeas ago I would never have thought some one would be importing 55 to 57 Chevy 4 door posts. And similar other makes and models.
And why a lot of imports are finding there way into the hands of none car people, that want them as a novilty to park with their BMW and Harley.
Unfortunatly with the unbelievable number of imports have come some of the most dangerous and absolutly frightening shit boxes I have ever seen in my life.

I have been doing RHD conversions for over 35 years when required, and converting some RHD cars to LHD

I have friends in America that have been interested in our Australian versions of American based cars, or even some of our locally designed and manufactured models.
But none of them are interested in a RHD version, They have no interest in driving a RHD car in a LHD country. So anything they want must be converted before leaving Australia.

When I first saw the picture of the Mercedes I thought it may have been one of the few that were sold here decades ago and had to be RHD. This would make them extremly rare and in some peoples minds a more desirable car to have.

But in the end its personal preference.

Thanks for posting the pic blacky. The first time i went to america in 1998. I was hanging around the east coast at rhode island. While there i trawled the wreckers. All the cars there were stuffed. I got talking to the owner of the yard and he invited me to his house. He was a typical wrecker looking guy. Filthy clothes unkept hair etc. Nothing prepared me for what came next when we got to his house. He had a shed full of gold. Restored muscle cars and a few early things such as stutzes pierce arrows and packards. We went to the house and on its own was this beautiful black duesenberg. It wasnt long before it was out of the garage and we were going for a run. Most are in museums wrapt in cotton wool. Ill never get another chance to get so close to one.

Paul the gullwing was imported by my mate as a dismantled wreck a couple of years ago. He flew the guy he bought it off out from the states to complete the resto after the bodywork was done here locally at a specialist restorer at rydalmere.
The car runs a works mercedes 300 race engine. The car flies.

I get your point about too many cars coming in. Ive had to work on several of the mexican restos. I feel so sorry for some of the people who have bought them in good faith only to find they are bogged up wrecks.

I still dont get why you feel they need to be converted. I guess some people dont feel confident driving on the other side.
Personally I cant see why you would bother now that they can be fully registered.

I have converted my '46 because I have to , and my '57 because I wanted to. I am not a fan of driving LHD cars in a RHD country. I have no problem driving LHD cars in LHD countries.

Blacky wrote:They were the top of the wazza in their day - mostly handbuilt to order I think , theres lotsa pics on the web , heres a couple -







Works of art , every one of 'em.

Look like they've been chopped

fibreglass moulds needed...
and all of these ,please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUKZh_Ev ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=en ... kC4ig&NR=1


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I6U2Ruc ... ure=relmfu

bootlegger wrote: Paul the gullwing was imported by my mate as a dismantled wreck a couple of years ago. He flew the guy he bought it off out from the states to complete the resto after the bodywork was done here locally at a specialist restorer at rydalmere.
The car runs a works mercedes 300 race engine. The car flies.

I get your point about too many cars coming in. Ive had to work on several of the mexican restos. I feel so sorry for some of the people who have bought them in good faith only to find they are bogged up wrecks.

I still dont get why you feel they need to be converted. I guess some people dont feel confident driving on the other side.
Personally I cant see why you would bother now that they can be fully registered.

Its just not the Mexican restos, Have had cars built by your avarage and name shops out of the States that driving into the workshop was enough for me!
And the biggest problem is that the majority of Australians buy cheap cars out of the States, and thats exactly what you get. But I have workedon big dollar cars that have been shit as well, but no where as often as the budget buys.
I have no problem driving LHD cars and have covered tens of thousands of miles behind the wheel in American over the years.
As an ever day driver, or something I was going to use on a regular basis I personally prefer RHD when having to share the road with Australians in RHD cars.

Mick Jagger wrote:fibreglass moulds needed...
and all of these ,please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUKZh_Ev ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=en ... kC4ig&NR=1


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I6U2Ruc ... ure=relmfu

Then they would just be kit cars that some home builders would stuff up by changing and adding things that dont belong
Joe Bortz is a legend in the world of locating and restoring 50's and 60's Dream cars over the last 30 odd years. I have articles on his collection and stunning cars in my magazine and book collection.
Luckily we still have a restored version of one of the two original prototye GTR-X test cars and the restoration/recreation of the Hurricane, on display at Holden to show what could have been here in the late 60's or early 70's

If Steves Jacksons Gold EK was an American built car in a similar condition there would be people like Joe wanting to add it to their collection.
But seeing we are in Australia, dealing with Australians that view it as just a Holden with different paint and some sepcial accessories that will possibly never happen.