Morris Minor Owners Club

my name is Joachim, living in Germany and looking for a Minor to buy. First i thought only a LHD is suitable for me, now i´m thinking about a RHD.
One thing that does not feel good to me, is when driving in a city (mostly will do that) with a RHD and standing behind a refuse collector how to overtake it? A second thing is the parking house where the car is stored over the day during working. I have to change the seat every morning and evening to open the gate to get in and out the parking house. Ok, it´s an oldtimer, normally no seat belts, so it should be no problem to move to the other side, pull down the window and place the card to get in or out. Has someone experiences in driving a car with the steering on the "wrong" side?
Some told me: a british car has the steering on the right side, if you don't want that buy a continental classic.
Fact is, there where Minors build in denmark and the netherlands with LHD. So it is still a british car when it is a LHD.
I never drove a car with RHD here in germany, but talked to some drivers who have. They told me, no problem, its a feeling like wearing a suit you did not wear for a long time. After a little while, it fits again.
LHD´s are not so often offered, RHD´s are available in larger amounts.
So may be buying a minor in england and drive it home, if this is archieved i would know how it is driving a RHD and know how the cars condition is.
The offers in england seem to be a little bit more inexpensive because of more cars available. The other thing is, i have to do a full check for the german TÜV (like MOT) this would be another 1000€
thoughts over thoughts. Maybe someone can give me some advice
have a nice Sunday
regards
Joachim

There is a thread running on converting a RHD Minor to LHD. See the Mechanical section. I would not drive a RHD car on LHD roads - dangerous!

I hired a LHD drive car in Euroland once and broke the window winder trying to change gear with it

Whether it is LHD or RHD, it will still be a Minor. Like bmcecosse says, it is dangerous. I would try and go for the layout you are familiar with; it will always be a Minor!

It will be easier if your used to driving on your side of the road. Especially if your used to right hand drives aswell.

Joachim,
my Moggie is a RHD, and I do not have any problems with that on our German roads. Regarding the discussion LHD or RHD there is also a thread on the homepage of the German Morris Minor Register.

As viewsonic says: LHD or RHD doesn't matter - just drive the Minor !!

thanks for your opinions about this issue. i guess i would prefer a LHD but don´t exclude RHD
Want to look at two cars in the next days. One´s a LHD the other a RHD
i´ll keep you all informed

1000 Euro goes a long way in a Minor, so I'd try and find one in Germany and have that money go towards the car rather than testing it. LHD will be much more enjoyable to drive in Germany, since as you say you wouldn't have good visibility for overtaking on a RHD car, and with the Minor's limited accelerative properties good visibility is important.

RH Drive should be no problem for a good driver, be different in Germany and its safer to get out when you park.

I drive LHD cars in the UK and RHD cars in Germany anf have never really had a problem with cars, car parks can be an issue on modern cars with a high centre console but on an older car (or van) where you can slide acrois the seats it is not much of a problem, for overtaking if you lean as far as to can to the passenger side and hang back behind the vehicle in front you will have very little of the car exposed to oncoming traffic.

The one vehcile which can be an issue is vans where you can's see vehciles coming unless you are square to the junction, but I guess you are only looking at cars so this should not be a problem.

Kevin

An ex BAOR Traveller would solve your problems

once again thanks for your replys.
Next try is a 61´ 2 door salon RHD . Go to look at it on friday when it is not sold until then.
I 'll keep you up to date with my searching for RHD or LHD
i looked at a ex BOAR traveler, but did not buy it ;-)

i was in the netherlands on friday looking at a morris minor 61´ 2 door saloon RHD as i told before. After a few minutes of irritation, driving was fine and i got nearly no problems with the RHD. Now i´m thinking about buying the car. There are a few issues to be completed with export license and export number plates. And then, would the Minor drive the 400 km without braking down? The battery is new but empty, the car is not starting without another battery connected. Yes, i noticed it is a positive earth car. (the guys in the workshop did not know ) Is there something wrong with the dynamo, did they leave the lights on....
There is no history about the car. The car was imported to netherlands in 95, the last one had it for 3 years and drove it during summer.
I know, i buy the car, nobody else can make the decision for me, but it would be fine if anybody has some advice for me.
So, you will hear next weekend wether i go for taking the car to germany.
Have a nice sunday all together

The problem with 'wrong' driving position comes in an emergency - you are likely to swerve the wrong way.... Many many accidents in the UK with this every year - especially in the Highlands.. Much less likely if you are driving on the 'correct' side - you will have become conditioned to the driving position. A car with a flat battery - and not charging - is unwise for the journey you contemplate. Tell them to fix it!

a few things to do
look for a minor - done
buy the Minor - now done
RHD; so this question answered too
Drive it home - now done
bring it through the TÜV check - to do
get it registered in Germany with historic numberplate - to do

the first things i did now.

let me introduce to you `Miss Sophie`
She is a 61´ 2 door saloon. Don't know much about her. She came from UK to the Netherlands in 1995 and now in 2015 from the Netherlands to Germany.
Currently i drive with a dutch export numberplate which is for use for 14 days. She has a very very strong heart, and drives fine the last 500 km from Netherlands to Germany. Her feel well speed on the motorway is somewhere between 60 and 65 miles/hour. And she is RHD........
The garage changed the damaged generator and for safety reason the regulator too.
All was fine , but now it seems that the refurbished generator has a bearing failure. I first thought it is the water pump but i feel the noise only at the generator when putting a screwdriver on it. Not on the engine, not on the water pump.
Will check that tomorrow after work
[frame][/frame]
here is a first photo of Miss Sophie at a stop in Bocholt
I will keep you up to date how the story goes on........
Joachim

Looks good, enjoy!!

half of my family live in france.and I regularly drive a rhd over there on the right,and when they come over here regularly drive their lhd on the left. There is absolutely no problem with the driving position, its the fact that you are on a different side of the ROAD. But once you get used to it its not a problem. Overtaking is the only issue ,but sometimes being on the nearside of the road can help in that you can see further round the inside of the vehicle in front when the road curves to the left or right,depending where you are. In any case in a standard minor you usually haven't the power to safely overtake most modern vehicles. Mostly they overtake you

Well Kennatt your family obviously don't live near us as dawdling folk around here are often find a flying Minor brick (trav or van) overtaking them! And those 2 are RHD as well
I often zap up the motorway to Bordeaux in the trav too.
Now, in the LHD unmodified Series II I do admit that the only vehicles we're likely to overtake as those awful 'voitures sans permis'.