Help Needed: need to convert Toyota Corolla Levin to left hand drive. 3D printing, or make from scratch (?)

[Casson16]

Hi Everyone,

I usually build American muscle cars, so Im in new territory. Im starting this Corolla Levin kit and would like to build it like a car my mother owned. However this kit only has right hand drive. Does anyone have any experience scratch building a dash, or know how to print a new LHD dash? Would appreciate any advice/feedback/perspective. 

 

 

[stitchdup]

from pics on the internet it looks like you could swap the glove box and gagues around. it would take some careful cutting but both look to be square and the same size which makes it easier. the centre console would also need altered and that is more difficult but not impossible. also maybe theres another version of the kit has both dash included such as an american race version

[Casson16]

Hi, thanks, i thought of that... not sure how to cut it though. just repeatedly score a line until its free?

[gman]

Agreed- the dash is relatively symmetrical left right if the gauges and glove box were to be swapped left/right.  Many imported vehicles from that era had dashes designed that way so that tooling costs could be minimized to market to North America as well as RHD markets- you could do what Toyota themselves did and reorganize the dash face with some styrene slicing and dicing.. 

[stitchdup]

On 9/24/2024 at 7:51 PM, Casson16 said:

Hi, thanks, i thought of that... not sure how to cut it though. just repeatedly score a line until its free?

yes but use the back edge of the scalpel blade. it holds the line better and is less likely to wobble and slip. if you work slowly and leave the corners til last (makes the rest of the cuts easier as its a little firmer) you should manage it in an hour or two. you might need to add some small tabs behind the dash when you go to remount them so check for anything they might interfere with later. good luck