LHD or RHD 1969 BOSS 302

[BOSS 69]

Hi All,

just wanting to get some feedback. I am finally restoring my Fathers 1969 Boss 302  that he started a good  few years back but stalled.

it is currently in RHD . I was wondering what the thoughts are on bringing it back to LHD for originality or keep it n RHD for ease of use.

How does this affect value and also if we decide to sell one day what is more desirable ?

Cheers

[Megzee67]

Hi Boss 69
A great question and i am sure the purists, Boss enthusiasts and restomod crew will willingly provide good comments for both sides of the decision.
They are definitely a big dollar desirable model in original unmolested or restored concourse condition but my small 2 cents
Opinion would be finish it to how your dad was aiming for.....he will be super proud to see his dream car completed......once it's finished it will be hard to sell from the emotional viewpoint as well
Best of luck mate

[pgold]

Hi Dylan,
Welcome to the forum.
I think we need a little more info.
Was the conversion completed, engineered and registered in your state.

[AussiePhil]

Hey Dylan,
IMO I’d leave it RHD, conversions are a lot of work and money, and if you’re going to drive it you may find driving on the left a bit difficult, it’s fine if you don’t have a passenger, your view isn’t impeded but add a passenger they get in your vision and some passengers really don’t like being on the right if they don’t have control of the car.

Cheers Phil.

[Dwayne]

For me ... I'd get an engineer to inspect the RHD conversion to tell me how well it was done, and then make my decision from there.

[jiffy]

A completed RHD conversion wont hurt the value here in Australia if it's done well. Get it engineered and you're away.

However, if it's not completed then moving it back to LHD means that all the parts that are available and supposed to fit, WILL fit... and there is an argument to suggest that completing the car will be easier LHD if all the ancillary parts (dash, pedal box, wiring harness, heater etc) haven't been converted...

[gbader]

adding my 2c

Its a desirable car, so worth considering all options - think it also comes down to the quality of the car (are we talking concourse with the original sheet metal, running gear and desirable options or more driver)

Obviously to sell, the market is much larger for a LHD car (and now in AU, we can keep them LHD and enjoy - was not always the case) but also remember that with our import costs (LCT/GST etc) bringing in a high $ classic is an expensive exercise - so, locally we end up being a bit of a captive market (small one), I do not pretend to know every boss/shelby sale but my gut is that more circulate locally than actually leave or are imported in AU)

Summary - I would choose the path of least effort - if the RHD conversion is good (can be engineered for rego) then I would roll with that, enjoy the car (and in the background, you could collect the bits needed to reconvert, so if you ever sell the buyer has options). If its dodgy, back to LHD and enjoy

cheers

greg

[SMH00N]

I'd go LHD. When it's time to sell you just involved the US buyers who don't need to do anything to take it home and drive. Assuming you are considering selling.
If you aren't considering selling then do what you want regardless of what the people think.
Mines a lefty and it don't worry me for ease of use. Except when I act real cool and go to the right hand side to drive away from the shops by myself.

[fredm666]

As other said, it makes sense to me to investigate deeply how the RHD has been done and if it has been engineered.
If it is a top job properly engineered and with correct parts I would probably keep it, otherwise I would go back to LHD. If money is not a problem I would go back to LHD regardless, considering also car is a ‘69 Boss

my 2c

[RocketScientist]

Left or Right it really comes down to the quality of the restoration that determines a cars value. The 69B302 is really an interim car before they got production sorted in 70 and so it has a lot of unique/rare parts to make things fit right. It is hard enough sorting it out for a stock LHD car and so be prepared for some extra challenges getting it right for a RHD car. Look into the technical aspects of getting a converted Boss to drive like a Boss and that might determine your thinking either way. Also, do not get rid of any part as they are specific to that year/model and its a short production run car which makes them rare and impossibly expensive.

[barnett468]

For me ... I'd get an engineer to inspect the RHD conversion to tell me how well it was done, and then make my decision from there.

This seems like the first thing to do unless you decide for certain that you want to change it to left hand drive.

Unless you are driving it every day, I see no benefit of having it right hand drive.

Yes it is worth way more being left hand drive, HOWEVER, in my opinion, unless it has all original sheet metal and possibly the original engine etc, it is not a super high dollar car, in which case, I for one wouldn't be concerned too much which side the steering wheel is on.