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Right-hand drive coupe


Blue90

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There's a pretty 1989 silver/gray coupe on ebay for $3500.

One of the pictures shows the car as being right-hand drive.

The car's history doesn't show any custom work.

Did the Craft Center make this?

S.

I Believe that the picture is flopped, I also noticed that. Bill

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There is one right hand drive Reatta in existence. It is owned by Doreen Humphries in New Zealand. Cliff and Doreen bought a '91 convertible in Florida and had it shipped to New Zealand. At the time the car was less than 20 years old so they had to have it converted to right hand drive. My wife and I had the pleasure of going to New Zealand, spending some time with Humphries and touring the country. Cliff and Doreen sent me lots of pictures while the conversion was going on and I still have those pictures. In the March 2007 Reatta division newsletter I wrote an article describing the conversion.

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Edited by Jim (see edit history)
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I spent some time in England and as you might guess, I found all the cars there are built this way. I doesn't matter much except when, for what ever reason, you become the designated driver. I'm not talking just an occasional lift from the Pub. I'm talking every day back and forth from the hotel to the plant and back and everywhere else, including the Pub. The rental they originally wanted to give us had a manual "gearbox" because the rate was cheaper. I finally convinced them that in the long run (fewer accidents etc.) the auto "gearbox" would be the better choice what with all the other "unusual" things to contend with. The other unusual things being, Driving on the "wrong" side of the road, the signage, the road markings, the roundabouts (three to and three back from the plant) and driving a car that had the steering wheel place on the "wrong" side of the car. Almost every morning (every morning that I awoke with a hang-over, which was often) I would enter the car from the left hand side only to find that someone had stolen the steering wheel. Again. And, my partner would (smiling) let me. Ahh the good old days in merry old England. After a while, I got the hang of it. But, I found that if I had to back up while looking out of the rear window then turn my head around to look out through the "windscreen" that I would become disoriented and monetarily be unable to determine if I was driving on the wrong side of the road or the "wrong" side of the road. Getting back to the states, I found the same thing would happen, only less frequently, until finally fully recovering after a month or so.

John F.

Edited by Machiner 55 (see edit history)
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Jim: I do remember that article.

John: The first time I drove a stick-shift car from the right side, on the Isle of Man, I kept hitting my right hand against the right door panel when I tried to shift; made for some tense moments.

Ol' Yeller: Tranny gears are the same.

Harry: I didn't notice those pictures the first time. You're right, it's obvious it's a LHD car.

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The first time I drove a stick-shift car from the right side, on the Isle of Man, I kept hitting my right hand against the right door panel when I tried to shift; made for some tense moments.

Stan,

(Had an Uncle named Stan.)

The force of habit is strong. We are all creatures of habit.

John F.

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Guest geolewis

Back in the 50s we moved the gear shifts to the left side of the wheel just to be different. This meant the gear shift patern was upside down,made for a fun ride if you were trying to race someone.

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Guest RaverReatta

This is an interesting thread. I have seen a few Reattas that went overseas and wondered if this had been done. I pondered upon doing a Right-Hand Drive conversion myself because I am interested in moving to Japan and driving it over there. That and, of course, adapting the corner/tail lights to Japanese Standards. All in due time though, I'm in no rush to leave the U.S. yet, and am also in no rush to spend that kind of money, haha.

Edited by RaverReatta
Commas in the wrong places!! D: (see edit history)
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