RHD conversion for Ford GT

Collectors in Australia can now legally acquire and operate the car that Ford built in limited volumes to commemorate the company's Le Mans wins in the 1960s.

A Melbourne-based firm, Mustang Motorsport, has completed the world's first RHD conversion of the GT, which was built by Ford in low-volume production between 2003 and 2006.

Converting the cars had been studied but never previously attempted, due to the complex nature of the undertaking.

Hard on the heels of completing their first RHD GT, Mustang Motorsport and the company's technical partner in crime, Crossover Car Conversions have announced they will offer their services for other customers wanting the desirable car in ADR-certified form.

"After inspecting cars in the US we decided that, with our experience and the skills of our staff, it could be done", said Craig Dean of Mustang Motorsport.

"We were under no illusions that it would be the biggest project we have tackled in more than 20 years of converting cars, but we were certain the end result would be worth the effort."

The experience to which Dean refers includes over 500 Mustang RHD conversions for local buyers. Among those are Shelby Mustangs, including the latest 2007 Shelby GT 500, and various Roush and Saleen-modded cars.

Contrary to expectations, the GT conversion was not particularly straightforward, despite the engine being mounted in the rear -- well out of the way of steering components. Many of the car's parts had been originally designed and built to fit in a specific location, in a certain orientation.

"We have had to manufacture or re-engineer over 300 individual parts for the Ford GT conversion, which is close to double the number usually required", said Dean.

"Basically the whole layout of the car has had to be mirrored left to right. Everything fits perfectly into its place, so there is no room to move in engineering terms, meaning everything has to be swapped."

From the commencement of the job to its recent conclusion, the staff at Crossover Conversions spent six months on the one car, a black example which has been tested at Calder Park Raceway and is shortly to go through the formal approval process for ADR compliance.

With all the brain-strain out of the way, converting the GT will be easier and the company is already working on converting new cars.

Significantly -- and despite there being no legislative requirement for new cars to be converted to RHD there -- buyers from as far away as Britain have been enquiring  after the converted GT.

Mustang Motorsport has not announced pricing, but the GT wasn't a cheap car from the get-go, so it might be time to cash in some of those blue-chip investments, if you're interested.

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