Right hand drive C5

ZeroX

New user
Hi, I have been a member for a long time and I have been looking for years at a C5 Corvette. However the one thing that has put me off is that they are have all been left hand drive. Does anyone know if any right hand drive C5's exist at all?

Thanks!
 

Roscobbc

Moderator
LHD is nowhere near the potential issue that many people think it will be (before actually using a LHD vehicle).
There are advantages to LHD cars......parking closer to kerb. Traffic......being able to look up the 'inside' of a long line of vehicles when in heavy traffic when ordinarily you won't see past the vehicle immediately in front of you. Even overtaking isn't always the issue you might imagine.....simply tucking yourself close to the kerb enables a surprisingly panoramic view of vehicles behind you
Yes, overtaking means keeping a good distance behind the car in front.....and yes exiting a 'T' junction on a wet winter day requires sharper observational skills.
Coincidentally a rather nice C5 is being advertised on these pages......
 
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antijam

CCCUK Member
American LHD cars built after 1988 imported into Australia have to be converted to RHD for road use. Consequently there has developed a healthy conversion business in the antipodes and I believe several C5 'Vettes have been so converted. Done professionally it's obviously a very expensive job and usually adversely affects the cars value anywhere other than in Oz. Bonhams sold one in the UK about three years ago....

vette.jpg
...see here, so they are about. You might have a hard search for another over here though.
As Rosco points out, LHD really isn't that big a deal. Drive one for a few weeks on UK roads and it quickly becomes second nature.
 

Mr. Cricket

Committee Member
Never had any issues driving a LHD C4, C5, C3, C2 myself, many passengers have mentioned it's scary being on that side of the car but that ain't my problem. There must be someone you know can let you try theirs?
 

ZeroX

New user
American LHD cars built after 1988 imported into Australia have to be converted to RHD for road use. Consequently there has developed a healthy conversion business in the antipodes and I believe several C5 'Vettes have been so converted. Done professionally it's obviously a very expensive job and usually adversely affects the cars value anywhere other than in Oz. Bonhams sold one in the UK about three years ago....

View attachment 30621
...see here, so they are about. You might have a hard search for another over here though.
As Rosco points out, LHD really isn't that big a deal. Drive one for a few weeks on UK roads and it quickly becomes second nature.
That is perfect, shame I didn't see that at the time, that's exactly the time I was looking for one.

The main issue is insurance, my insurance is already very expensive and a left hand drive car makes it go through the roof!
 

antijam

CCCUK Member
I take your point regarding your insurance and obviously LHD loads your premium. Might not a non-original C5 with a very costly modification to RHD be just as expensive though? In the event of an accident, repair costs could be astronomical.
 

Chuffer

CCCUK Member
Hi, I have been a member for a long time and I have been looking for years at a C5 Corvette. However the one thing that has put me off is that they are have all been left hand drive. Does anyone know if any right hand drive C5's exist at all?

Thanks!
Odd that you flag up as "new user" if you have been a club member for a long time ??? Like the other guy`s have said , it no big issue driving a left hooker and you soon adapt . It is no different to taking your UK right hand drive car over to Europe . If you have done that then you are half way there .
 

Roscobbc

Moderator
Most of us will own and drive both LHD and RHD vehicles ad hoc without thinking about it. I used to find that it was a help when frequently driving a RHD car to practice driving closer to the kerb.......that habit made swapping over to an LHD car physologically much easier.
 

teamzr1

Supporting vendor
Having been driving for 60 plus years and almost all of that with a manual tranny it would be very hard
esp like my C5 with 6 forward and 1 reverse gears to be shifting up/down gears with left arm
be real confusing to say the least

With RHD is at least the foot pedals with clutch with left foot ?
 

antijam

CCCUK Member
Having been driving for 60 plus years and almost all of that with a manual tranny it would be very hard
esp like my C5 with 6 forward and 1 reverse gears to be shifting up/down gears with left arm
be real confusing to say the least

With RHD is at least the foot pedals with clutch with left foot ?
I think you underestimate your own adaptability. Even with a multi gear manual box you'd be surprised how quickly using the other arm to shift becomes second nature...and yes, pedal layout is the same for LHD and RHD.
 

teamzr1

Supporting vendor
I guess so but would be weird to be upshifting through gears towards you rather than normal away from you
and reversing that on downshifts

MN6shifter.jpg
 
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