left or right hand drive?

[Dean Lampe]

I am going to order my RCR next week and Fran has 2 chassis ready to go. One is left and the other is right hand drive. The "model builder" in me wants to go right hand because "that's the way it was" but the practical side says "stay with what you kow" and go with the left hand drive. I would like to try the right hand drive but I have concerns about resale in the states and how hard it will be to pass on those two lane roads. I think it would be a novilty. The left hand drive might appeal to more people when I am tired of it. I already know how to drive on that side of the car.

I am just fishing for some opinions. It is an option that can't really be changed later!

 

[chuck smith]

Dean, I would go with the left hand drive. I think resale would be tough with RHD and it is hard enough to see out of these things without adding to it. Some time I want to talk to you about how you did the valve covers on the Kirkham. I am adding webers to the gt40 and want to have the engine end up looking much like your KMP. I have a set of Gurney-Weslake valve covers but I think I like the simple look of the plain covers better. chuck

 

[Pat Buckley]

I agree with Chuck -

IMO the only time RHD is going to look good is when the car is being admired.

One more thing - Are you OK with shifting with your left hand?

Pat

 

[Dean Lampe]

Pat, even on the RHD cars Fran has the shifter on the right.

Chuck, I would be happy to share my secrets on the valve covers and I might be a buyer again for your valve covers!

The vision issue is a good point and I think the novelty of
RHD would wear off pretty quick.

 

[Steve Briscoe]

RHD drive is very unique and I would like to drive one someday. Some cities and counties in the USA require special licensing\clearance for a RHD. Check with your local and state authorities to see if it's going to be an issue.

 

[Mark Clapp]

I felt that driving on the right came surprisingly natural. To me, if you want the look and feel of a GT40, you must drive it on the right. It makes for the total experience. You have to pay a lot of attention when driving one anywhere so you develop a keen visability for surroundings and traffic. So once you've put in some seat time, passing, etc. is no big deal (especially with the power). You're only 6 inches over "that" way. I've never heard of anyone on the forum bringing up a problem registering a car with RHD in the US. Also, I doubt if you will ever get tired of your RCR 40!

 

[Ian Anderson]

Right is RIGHT

But if you are worried about the overtaking when seated on the "Wrong" side in USA build yourself a periscope (laid sideways) and put it across the dashboard to view from that side of the vehicle wen you start driving it. I'd bet within a few runs the periscope will be removed

Cheers
Ian

 

[Ron McCall]

ONe issue that I had with right hand drive is that the shifter makes getting in and out a bit tougher and takes up a bit of cockpit room .When it is left hand drive,the shifter takes no additional room.
It might not be a problem now but you WILL own the car for a long time and when you get to be an old fart it just might become an issue.

 

[Bill Hara]

Ron

I'd say that's good motivation to stay slim...:

Bill


p.s. (now back to the gym for another workout session so that I can test fit my seats.....)

 

[Frank Barba]

Right Hand Drive cars in the states are great to have. Resale Value sucks. It would be admired by all, driving is no problem, but when you are ready to sell you will have a very hard time. I know this from experience. I purchased a vehicle from South Africa that was being built for Speed World Challange. Great car, no longer have a need for it. Its been for sale 3 years now. Alot of interest because of the RHD but no sale.

 

[Keith]

Right Hand Drive cars in the states are great to have. Resale Value sucks. It would be admired by all, driving is no problem, but when you are ready to sell you will have a very hard time. I know this from experience. I purchased a vehicle from South Africa that was being built for Speed World Challange. Great car, no longer have a need for it. Its been for sale 3 years now. Alot of interest because of the RHD but no sale.

I find this all very strange as no UK enthusiast of US Muscle would even hesitate for a second when considering right vs left. It would always have to be genuine LHD. We have access to Australian imported muscle cars (RHD) but big bucks are paid for genuine LHD examples. I don't know anyone who drives a RHD US classic car even though they are available. I made a big mistake once buying a Mustang converted to RHD and nobody wanted it when I went to sell it, the market wanted the genuine article and that was LHD.

Personally, the LHD aspect made the cars way cool anyway. Interesting the difference in perception between over here and over there...

 

[Ron Earp]

I'd agree. But, I think I might be in the minority here in the US preferring a right hand drive right hand shift GT40. You can't see out of the car as it is, I can't see how being 10" to the right is going to really make that big of a difference. I did notice a difference at Donnington driving Malcolm's right hand drive GT40 in that I'd screw up the curbing a bit and scare Malcolm to death until I got a hang of it. Once you figure it out though all is good!

 

[Daryl Adams]

I agonized over this one for quite a while when I ordered my Superformance. Initially I was dead set on right hand drive, as that's the way the race cars were built. Ultimately I decided to go with the left hand drive. I remembered driving a right hand drive Miura around in Chicago traffic some years back, and it was not much fun. Besides, they did build a handfull of the original GT40's in left hand drive configuration, so it's not historically wrong. Then too, in the hopefully distant future when I check out, I think my heirs will have a much easier time selling a left drive car.

 

[colin artus]

Just as a note of interest - up until the early '60s nearly all purpose built sportscars (ie racing cars with 2 seats) were RHD because the majority of circuits run clockwise and therefore have mostly RH bends.

 

[CliffBeer]

I can attest to RHD being no fun on left hand drive roads. Having driven extensively in continental europe with RHD cars from the UK, I know how much of a PITA it is to deal with congested traffic and high speed passing when you're sitting on the wrong side of the car. If you ever plan on driving your car on the road then skip the RHD. And, as you've already deduced, I would suspect you'll suffer a 10-20% resale discount due to the RHD (if sold in the US).

RHD is cool on the drawing board, but it stinks on the road.

 

[Gary Kadrmas]

Right hand drive. Left hand drive. Driveability. GT40.

Not one day goes by where a person desides on one thing or another, and it is mostly based on personal preference. Sometimes a person makes a decision based on an impulse, and on the flip side of the coin, investigates the issue to no end to make sure they are "doing the right thing!"

Lets face it. A GT40 is not the most practicle vehicle to ever touch baron von blacktop. If a person is at a stage in their life where a GT40 is or maybe on their horizon, it all boils down to the question. How much can a person financially bare to pay to reach the ultimate thrill ride?

I find the responses to various postings about this subject interesting. I can relate to the type of responses directly to my Dad when he found out I wanted to buy a Cobra. His exact words were...."You are nuts to buy an old beat up car like that. You will end up dumping tons of money in that car, and never be able to get any of you money back."

Well, I was pretty young when I bought that car, and it was my desire to have it. It did cost me alot of money, but I do not regret one penny spent on my dream car.

As far as GT40s go.....Right Hand Drive.....Left Hand Drive.......Whatever. When you get to a point where your piggy bank holds enough pennies to afford a GT40, do what your gut tells you. Screw everyone else. But whatever you do, live with your decision.

Myself. It is going to be a Right Hand Drive, Right Hand Shift GT40, on no 40 at all. Period.

 

[Ian Anderson]

Another thought

Do you have toll booths near where you stay?
I bet they expect you to lean out the left window to pay

Look at the thread about Howard's Calif 2006 party and the fun someone had going home at the barriers!

Ian

 

[Charlie M]

Dean,

I'm going with LHD. I want to build something that I will enjoy driving. I'm sure sitting on the right will mess me up big time, but that's just me.

Bottom line is, this is the car of your dreams; build it the way YOU want. If you're already comfortable driving on the right side of the car then go for it. As far as the toll booth dilemma goes, you can use EZPASS.

Charlie

 

Does anyone really know how many MKI GT40's were LHD? Was it just the MKIII's that had LHD? Were any of the RHD cars converted to LHD?

 

[Scott Calabro]

Does anyone really know how many MKI GT40's were LHD? Was it just the MKIII's that had LHD? Were any of the RHD cars converted to LHD?

I'd like to know that too ! When you walked into a U.S. Ford dealer in the sixties what could you expect too see, RHD or LHD ?

I'm a newbie to this site, I plan on purchasing a Tornado soon, and I just wan't to say this site is fantastic !!!!