G’day,
I am an Australian currently working in the USA for 3 years. I have always loved the F-150 so I took the opportunity to buy a 2004 FX-4 when we first moved over here in 2006. I am considering importing this truck or maybe a 09 model, back to Australia when I leave sometime in the next year or so. Under Australian customs rules I can do this under a personal import licence, which will save me a lot of money. The only problem is converting the truck to right hand drive for driving on the opposite, although some might say correct, side of the road. The cheapest estimate I have found for this RHD conversion was $20,000 USD from a New Zealand company or $36,000 Australian dollars to do it in Australia. I really love these trucks and I was wondering if there are any companies in the USA that would be able to convert a F-150 to right hand drive at a reasonable price? I was thinking that maybe someone that deals with the reverse process using Japanese or British imports might be able to help. I would love to take home my “Yank Tank” and show it off back in Australia, so any help would be greatly appreciated.
I have no specific suggestion but I’m wondering whether you have searched much for this in the US. I don’t know the nature of the modifications, but many rural mail carriers have their cars modified for right side driving. If you’re in a rural area, ask you mail carrier or ask at your local post office. A quick search turned this up:
Did you look at any pictures of the so called conversions? I wouldn’t want it done like that. That only usable for low speed driving like mail carriers do.
No - I said “I don’t know the nature of the modifications”
Google “rhd conversion ford f150” and you’ll find a number world-wide, but to do it right (make it look factory) has got to be some big $$. Might it not be cheaper to sell yours here, buy one already-converted and slightly used there?
They don’t sell F-150s over there, just the Ranger and a Falcon ute(essentially a Ranchero/Elcamino). Though I’d love to see that 3L turbo diesel here in the states.
http://www.ford.com.au/servlet/ContentServer?cid=1178841241685&pagename=FOA%2FDFYPage%2FFord-FullwidthLegacy&site=FOA&c=DFYPage
http://www.ford.com.au/servlet/ContentServer?cid=1163397392649&pagename=FOA%2FDFYPage%2FFord-Default&site=FOA&c=DFYPage
If you’re near Florida, give these guys a try:
http://www.usaautoexports.com/RHD.asp
You’re right, Ford doesn’t sell them, but there are conversion companies in Australia, so there might be some converted f150s around.
Thanks for all your comments. They do sell F-150’s in Australia but you pay ridiculous prices. Have a look at this search result below but one example is a 2003 F-150 (Harley Davidson model) going for $160,000. The reason they are so expensive is that you need a commercial import licence to bring them into Australia, hence they are very rare. I can get around that if I own the car in the USA for 1 year before bringing it into Australia. The import companies are the only ones that do the RHD conversions so they don’t want to let a private guy get away with a cheap import. I think that is why they quoted such a high price for the RHD conversion. I know it’s a big job but $36,000 is twice the value of my 04 FX-4. I was hoping that there might be a company in the USA that does LHD conversions on Japanese or British cars that could do it?
http://www.carpoint.com.au/used-cars/search.aspx?N=279%204294967239%204294964695%201426
Do you really need to do the RHD conversion? I’ve driven a right-hand drive vehicle here in the states and, though it was definitely a little disconcerting at times, it didn’t really seem like it was THAT dangerous. And besides, isn’t having the steering wheel on the wrong side part of the appeal of having some weird out-of-market vehicle?