The RHD converters

GM-H dealers weren’t the only Aussie businesses converting Camaros and other American cars from LHD to RHD in the 1960s. Among those others who got a piece of the conversion action was a prominent pair of racing identities based in Sydney’s wealthy beachside locales, albeit on opposite sides of the city and doing their own thing.

Story: Steve Normoyle

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When the first generation Camaros arrived on our shores in the late 1960s in original American left-hand drive trim – and therefore had to be converted to right-hand drive – this was not an insurmountable problem. That’s because the practice of converting imported US ‘metal’ in Australia was not new.

A thriving cottage industry already existed: there were several workshops in Sydney and Melbourne which had been making a very good living performing such conversions on all kinds of American muscle (and the odd Euro exotic) since the early ’60s.

Main: Our gold hero car was ordered new by a doctor from Bronte, Sydney, who soon moved it on. It’s been in the same family for almost 50 years and has largely remained in original spec, except for wheels and tyres... which 99.9 percent of Camaro owners upgraded early in their car’s life. Above: The RHD converted Corvette which got Buckle into the conversion business.

Indeed, by the time the first Camaros lobbed here there were already plenty of right-hand drive examples on Australian roads of its Ford nemesis, the Mustang. Along with various Buicks, Cadillacs, Corvettes, Lincolns, Thunderbirds… anything American that took a customer’s fancy.