LHD conversion

[UK6]

LHD STEERING RACK FOR 403
J,
Your Alvis looks very nice.

Bristol did make LHD racks - see the American initiated Arnolt Bristol
(based on a 404 chassis and running gear).Unfortunately for you, I believe
that the racks were peculiar to Bristols and the even rarer Frazer Nashes.
My advice to you is to try and track down a LH rack from the USA or UK - the
Bristol rack is beautifully engineered and the options below do require a
fair bit of careful work.

There are two potential lesser options:

1. Utilise a 1950s Morris Minor rack turned upside down and adapt as
required.

For the record, the uncut Morris inner ball to inner ball distance is approx
26.5" and they run an 8 tooth pinion. If you are keen on using the Morris
rack, I would only use it if the Bristol has 8 teeth on their pinion -
otherwise your modified steering will be "too slow". As you know, recreating
the standard Bristol inner ball to inner ball distance and the location of
the rack housing is imperitive to achieve correct handling and to minimise
"bump steer". Sports car builders using Morris racks for their creations in
the 1950s cut the non rack side of the rack and or housing to suit their
purpose. The adaptation of any rack must be done very carefully and needs to
comply with every sensible engineering consideration and regulation.
I would not trust such an operation with my local garage!

2. Fit an under dash conversion unit - these were advertised in Australia
several years ago to convert imported Ford Mustangs etc to RHD. I'm not sure
if these devices were Aussie inventions and I'm not 100% sure how they
worked - I suspect that they may have employed a gear train and or sprokets
in an aluminium gear case.

Regards,

Brett