Crash test standards & RHD

[JimJam]

Hi guys

I'm an Englishman now living in New Zealand. In '92-94 I worked in Saudi Arabia and was lucky enough to drive several Syclones and Typhoons around Riyadh. I wanted to buy a Syclone but the local laws forbade it as I wasn't a Saudi National and it was regarded as a commercial vehicle!

Anyway, I've always fancied a Syclone and now I've got a few spare pennies I was wondering if I could get one into NZ. The main obstacles are the crash testing compliance and the fact it's LHD.

Do any of you guys know what standard the Syclone was crash-tested to? The law requires a vehicle to comply with the '96 European off-set crash test or equiv' for the vehicle to be eligible for NZ but I know some older vehicles are allowed because the level of testing was deemed sufficiently high - for example Porsche's 911.

Do you know of anyone that has converted a Syclone to RHD or any of the Syclones less potent siblings? There's plenty of expertise here in NZ for the conversion as they've been doing it for years on various trucks, Corvettes and Mustangs.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

 

[VermontTy]

Re: Crash test standards & RHD

Tough question. I'd first try to get in touch with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). They did the testing on the S-10 platform back in the day, and might be able to give you some information.

I've never seen a right hand drive S-10. I don't know if GM ever produced any, maybe someone can help with that. They do make these hokey conversion kits for converting to right hand drive. Not the greatest of systems by any means, but they sell them for many vehicles; their main use is the Postal Service. If I were to guess, crash testing the below picture would be damn near fatal for driver and passenger alike. I don't see why there would be an issue with a RHD in New Zealand. We have several members in Sweden, and they are RHD as well. It might just be a paperwork nightmare, but I'd think you could get on there. Keep us posted on what you find.

-adam

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Crash test standards & RHD

It going to be pretty difficult to convert to RHD considering the Downpipe and Turbo are on that side and their is little room for a steering shaft.

 

[JimJam]

Re: Crash test standards & RHD

Thanks for the info guys.

I believe Sweden drive on the right hand side of the road now (i.e. LHD vehicles) - they switched over in the '60s I think - overnight! Imagine that. It worked though and they had few accidents. The NZ Land Transport Association have absolutely no idea when it comes to introducing sensible laws - hence the crash-testing thing. For me to import a LHD vehicle and continue using it in it's LHD configuration I must have owned and used it overseas for a minimum of 9 months. Even then I can't sell it for 5 years!

I suspected the blower etc would be in the way for a RHD conversion but all that means is it will need to be swapped over to the other side. Some custom headers and a bit of re-routing for the inlet pipework shouldn't be beyond the people doing these sort of conversions. Hell, it could even be an excellent opportunity to instigate a few upgrades!

 

[jwaller]

Re: Crash test standards & RHD

ryan might have some more input but in all my travles overseas I never saw a RHD sy or ty. and I spent about a month over there and saw at least a dozen trucks. I was in germay and switzerland and moneymooned in italy and monaco.