Crayford rhd 914, Genuine car? Options

[pep1]

Hi - JD Classics in the UK have for sale a rhd 914 that they say is a genuine Crayford conversion. Registration number is NRX 538K. The car started life in the US and then was exported to Australia (doesn't say when) where the conversion was done. JD say that it is one of only 9 cars that were converted by Crayford. From the research I have managed to do it sounds like this cannot be true. I have asked for some proof of their claim but they have gone quiet. Could this car however have been converted under licence using genuine Crayford parts or is it more likely to be a conversion just done by some garage in Australia as I understand quite a few cars were converted there in this way.

[914Nuts]

Hi - JD Classics in the UK have for sale a rhd 914 that they say is a genuine Crayford conversion. Registration number is NRX 538K. The car started life in the US and then was exported to Australia (doesn't say when) where the conversion was done. JD say that it is one of only 9 cars that were converted by Crayford. From the research I have managed to do it sounds like this cannot be true. I have asked for some proof of their claim but they have gone quiet. Could this car however have been converted under licence using genuine Crayford parts or is it more likely to be a conversion just done by some garage in Australia as I understand quite a few cars were converted there in this way.

Guys, hopefully this will help. This is from previous owner of the car that JD Classics are selling:

peterhmartinRookie
MEMBER

Location: Belfast, UK
Ride/s:914-4 (RHD)
Posted 4July, 2014
I live in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and am the proud owner of an ex-Australian RHD 914 (1972) - it won the Porsche Club GB regional concours last month - see "Best in Show" photo. I am interested in the history of this car and more generally in the history of RHD conversions of 914s in Australia.

My car was originally purchased in the US (traces of the US side repeaters can be seen within the front wings), it was originally Adriatic Blue but by the time it left Australia in 2009 (sold by Lorbek Luxury Cars of Port Melbourne) was its current "pearlescent purple" colour. The Australian reg. no was IXXI69 - indeed it still bears its last Australian tax sticker.

The chassis/VIN is 4722916129. The RHD conversion is of a very high standard - unitary dash and sill-inset handbrake - I suspect done using either a kit shipped from Crayford in England or using the Crayford tooling after it was sold off by Crayford. I am the second UK owner of the car, having bought it in 2012.

[wonkipop]

Hi - JD Classics in the UK have for sale a rhd 914 that they say is a genuine Crayford conversion. Registration number is NRX 538K. The car started life in the US and then was exported to Australia (doesn't say when) where the conversion was done. JD say that it is one of only 9 cars that were converted by Crayford. From the research I have managed to do it sounds like this cannot be true. I have asked for some proof of their claim but they have gone quiet. Could this car however have been converted under licence using genuine Crayford parts or is it more likely to be a conversion just done by some garage in Australia as I understand quite a few cars were converted there in this way.

Guys, hopefully this will help. This is from previous owner of the car that JD Classics are selling:

peterhmartinRookie
MEMBER

Location: Belfast, UK
Ride/s:914-4 (RHD)
Posted 4July, 2014
I live in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and am the proud owner of an ex-Australian RHD 914 (1972) - it won the Porsche Club GB regional concours last month - see "Best in Show" photo. I am interested in the history of this car and more generally in the history of RHD conversions of 914s in Australia.

My car was originally purchased in the US (traces of the US side repeaters can be seen within the front wings), it was originally Adriatic Blue but by the time it left Australia in 2009 (sold by Lorbek Luxury Cars of Port Melbourne) was its current "pearlescent purple" colour. The Australian reg. no was IXXI69 - indeed it still bears its last Australian tax sticker.

The chassis/VIN is 4722916129. The RHD conversion is of a very high standard - unitary dash and sill-inset handbrake - I suspect done using either a kit shipped from Crayford in England or using the Crayford tooling after it was sold off by Crayford. I am the second UK owner of the car, having bought it in 2012.

i saw your car at Lorbek's when he was selling it.
he called me up and asked me down to take a look.
i designed his showroom entrance and a few other bits and pieces back in the 90s.

in answer - there is no crayfords tooling apart from a dashboard mould.
they did not sell the tooling off. the mould came to australia via western australia way back in the 70s. there are other moulds (or were) that other people made here. and other technique for cutting up the dashboard. if the dashboard is fibreglass underneath the vinyl and external coverings and not steel it may be a dash from the crayfords original mould -- or one other that was floating around that was also fibreglass. if its a metal dash frame under there that has been cut and shut then its nothing to do with crayfords original parts.

i believe in the case of your car the conversion may have been done by a fellow called Ian Anderson. Ian did some conversions of 914s in melbourne back in the late 80s and early 90s. mostly he converted 911s from lhd to rhd. but there were some 914s in there. ian used 911 rhd pedal clusters in his conversions.

there was one other fellow who did a few here in melbourne. his are pretty much identical to ian's. he has been involved with 356 porsches most of his life.

the rest of the conversions are home garage back shed jobs by enthusiasts.

the crayfords cars and the crayfords conversion method is quite unique and a little different from how most of the aus conversions were done.

i had access to a crayfords car when i did mine.
there are two here, one at least survives intact and in good condition.
crayfords used the original lhd pedal cluster and modified it.
i copied that.

another giveaway on a crayfords is that they sliced the upper firewall where the steering column travels diagonally sideways to allow clearance. and covered this slice with a domed fibreglass cover that was pop rivetted to the metal.

generally speaking the conversions are a mixed bag.
the good ones were every bit as good as crayfords.

i remember your car. its a good one.