Let's see photos of right hand drive Mopar steering geometry

[67Dart273]

One of you guys "out of country" or whatever, that has an A/B body factory right had drive, let's see details of the column, steering box mount, and underside, the K member, engine mounts, pan configuration and idler/ pitman/ center link combo. And what about the spindles?

From this thread here:

Ever seen a RHD A-body?

 

[Professor Fate]

Pics posted a while back by member cjh:

 

[George Jets]

Believe it was @ProjectBazza that helped the Auzzie with his right hand drive in Minnesota.

I saw that right hand drive at Mopars in the Park, Farmington around 5 years ago.


* * * * *

 

[Jim 68cuda]

I was shown a factory right hand drive 67 Barracuda convertible that is undergoing a restoration in Delaware while at the Ocean City, Maryland Cruise in May. I took these pictures while there. Original slant six car.

 

[nutz]

shifter on the wrong side with the pnd backwords too ...cool

 

[Jim 68cuda]

shifter on the wrong side with the pnd backwords too ...cool

Yes, and also worth noting is the Aussie Valiant cowl was used with the wiper pivots positioned for the wipers to make the opposite sweep from those on left hand drive cars.

 

[nutz]

is that cause their toilets flush backwards ?

 

[67Dart273]

Thanks a LOT you guys for the great photos. After the explanation about the steering box, I did not know what to expect. Looks like the center link is pretty much in the same place, just the idler/ pitman trail behind it

 

[RustyRatRod]

shifter on the wrong side with the pnd backwords too ...cool

Yeah, I'd have to have a supply of turn signal levers because I'd break um off trying to put um in park. lol

 

[Bewy]

The real headache was when V8s were fitted, especially the big blocks, in A bodies. The same LHD body pan & K member was used, biased towards the right side; very obvious in top pic of post #4.
Makes it really tight for the exh system on the rt. side with a BB engine, steering box, etc, on A bodies. Only SB engines were sold in A bodies. Polys came in B bodies up to 1966; in 67 & later SB or 383 was optional.

 

[fshd4it]

Yeah, I'd have to have a supply of turn signal levers because I'd break um off trying to put um in park. lol

The wife and I spent March in New Zealand, and the turn signal/wiper stalks were reversed in the rental car. Getting them confused for the first week was humorous. Next 3, not so much

 

[YY1]

Interesting that the cowl panel still has the blower fan blank for LHD, but not the steering column blank, and the RHD column hole is stamped (with a lip).

I drove a postal DJ-5 for several years for work (a large resort, not USPS) and it only took about a week to get completely used to it.
Auto shifter in the center was pretty easy to get used to.
Worst part was being "in the ditch" of the road crowns.

I imagine shifting a 4 speed left handed could be interesting.

 

[ProjectBazza]

Believe it was @ProjectBazza that helped the Auzzie with his right hand drive in Minnesota.

I saw that right hand drive at Mopars in the Park, Farmington around 5 years ago.


* * * * *

Yes, that was me, GJ. I had Bazza's car at my place 2 years ago (has it been that long already?), and what started out as a simple "get it running" project turned into a full suspension rebuild, front and rear.

Del, do you have what you need, or is there something more specific you haven't seen yet? I have a lot of pictures of the work I did on Bazza's VG on our NAS drive at home, and if there's any way I can help you out, please shoot me a PM or give me a shout-out here.

Jim

@67Dart273

 

[ProjectBazza]

shifter on the wrong side with the pnd backwords too ...cool

Good eye! Bazza's VG is floor/console shifted, and as far as I could make out, all that Chrysler did in Oz/NZ for the RH drive cars was rotate the "US" steering column 180*, which meant the turn signals were on the right, instead of the left like we are used to. Amazingly enough it was easy enough to get used to, as long as your right elbow was sitting on top of the door with the window rolled down....

But the "backwards" shift pattern shown on the column above- that is cool!

 

[nutz]

I wonder what the linkage is like to cross over the trans

 

[Righty]

Sorry I haven’t got any helpful photos, that’s my green barracuda on the thread you linked. But I do know that there are issues associated with the steering box flexing the frame rail where it is attached, leading to corrosion and failure the previous owner of my car had plated up the frame in that area to reinforce it.

 

[nutz]

That must be cool to have over there
Its cool here...
How many do you think are righties

 

[Righty]

Actually I do have one photo.

 

[ProjectBazza]

Sorry I haven’t got any helpful photos, that’s my green barracuda on the thread you linked. But I do know that there are issues associated with the steering box flexing the frame rail where it is attached, leading to corrosion and failure the previous owner of my car had plated up the frame in that area to reinforce it.

I can attest to that! A mouse made a really nice nest in the RH frame rail of Bazza's VG, right where the steering box attaches to the frame, and the resultant moisture caused enough rust that I had to cut things open and fish-plate a repair. Not a fun job, by any means.

 

[Righty]

That must be cool to have over there
Its cool here...
How many do you think are righties

So from what I can work out they only imported a few hundred and sadly by now there are not many left. They came with stiffer torsion bars, front disks, anti roll bar and a Sure Grip 8.75. It is such a nice car for here because it’s an A body it’s not even that big for our crappy little roads. I’m taking it back with me to Australia.

 

[ProjectBazza]

Actually I do have one photo.View attachment 1716463998

So is this all boxed-in (orange box)?

 

[Kern Dog]

Wow...you can see the added structural brackets for the steering box mounts. Also, look close and you can see a fairly complicated transmission shifter linkage that seems to run to the LEFT side of the car for support.

 

[Righty]

I can attest to that! A mouse made a really nice nest in the RH frame rail of Bazza's VG, right where the steering box attaches to the frame, and the resultant moisture caused enough rust that I had to cut things open and fish-plate a repair. Not a fun job, by any means.

It’s one of those details where it’s really surprising they didn’t work out a better solution.

 

[ProjectBazza]

It’s one of those details where it’s really surprising they didn’t work out a better solution.

Agreed! When I dropped the k-member I couldn't help but think they (Chrysler in Oz) just grabbed something off the shelf instead of engineering something a little more "proper".

 

[Righty]

So is this all boxed-in (orange box)?

View attachment 1716463999

From memory he had added the flat bar you van see to the bottom of the rail and side plates to the outside for reinforcement.