RHD to LHD conversion

Hi all

We've just recently brought our V8 Disco to Spain and are thinking of converting it to left hand drive...

Has anyone got any experience with doing similar? LHD to RHD?

We've got our eyes on a Spanish LHD V8 with a duff engine that's going for peanuts to use as parts.

Also, I'm pretty handy with a spanner, so I'm confident I can do it.

Just wondered if there is anyone with experience out there that could help me?

Cheers!

Even if it were converted, can you reregister the Disco in Spain once your time's up on the "temporary import" thing - or make it back to the UK regularly enough not to need to?

Seems like a waste of time & money personally. Sell the RHD in the UK and buy a decent LHD in Spain. I dare say it will be less rusty too.

Get the LHD V8 and engine swap it? Or sell the RHD back home and buy a LHD over there. Costs and difficulty will make it not worthwhile.

Does the car have a specific sentimental value?

Some good points!

paul_c said:

Even if it were converted, can you reregister the Disco in Spain once your time's up on the "temporary import" thing - or make it back to the UK regularly enough not to need to?

Seems like a waste of time & money personally. Sell the RHD in the UK and buy a decent LHD in Spain. I dare say it will be less rusty too.

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We originally looked at buying over here but the prices are silly...
it has cost us about €2500 to buy, insure and ferry/drive the new Disco down here and the best we could find locally on Spanish plates was a ratty old RR for €3950!
We were looking for a V8 manual and everyone drives diesels out here.
It costs between €500 and €1000 extra to change vehicle ownership in Spain.
They also have very strict rules on vehicle modification out here, fer instance, you can't even put different size tyres on yer car without having it homologated! :crazy:

Re. re-registering: As we are still "on holiday" and have a newly taxed vehicle we can get away with at least 6 months before we have to decide if we want to re-register it in Spain or trek back to the UK for a fresh MOT etc...

The nice thing with the British V5 is that is doesn't state which side of the car the steering wheel is on, so if it is changed before it is re-registered, they will be obliged to register our - rather modified - Disco as is, without all the palaver we'd have to go through if I was to choose to do the conversion after changing to Spanish plates... well that's the hope anyway!

eltax91 said:

Get the LHD V8 and engine swap it? Or sell the RHD back home and buy a LHD over there. Costs and difficulty will make it not worthwhile.

Click to expand...

I have considered swapping the goodies, inc. engine, over to the Spanish Disco, but apparently there is some 'problem' with the vehicle's paperwork (not sure if I want the hassle) and I'd still fall foul of the homologation requirements for all the mods...


Thank you for your comments!



It's still not an absolute cert that I'm gunna do it... but I would like to try!

So if there is anyone out there who has some experience/knowledge that can give me any pointers...?

Adios