Left hand drive Holden conversions

Custom Holden Ute Conversion & Build Service

At AusParts International, we specialize in transforming standard Australian Holden bodies into one-of-a-kind, fully compliant left-hand drive vehicles for the USA. Whether you're after a high-performance, custom-built machine or a budget-friendly base model, our conversion service is designed to turn your vision into reality—all while meeting U.S. regulations.

How Our Conversion Process Works

1. Initial Consultation & Quotation

  • Get in Touch:
    Begin your journey by emailing us at imports@auspartsinternational. In your email, please include:

    • The specific car you want to convert (e.g., a manual Holden VF ute).
    • Your desired outcome (for example, a conversion featuring a 6.2L LS3 engine with left-hand drive modifications).
    • Whether you will supply the donor car.

  • Tailored Quote:
    Based on the details provided, we’ll craft a personalized quote for your project. Once you agree on the price, our conversion process kicks into gear.

2. Donor Vehicle & Body Preparation

Donor Vehicle Requirements

  • Customer-Supplied Donor:
    If you provide the donor car, it must meet the following criteria:

    • Clean Title: The vehicle must have a clean title. Salvage or untitled vehicles are not suitable.
    • USA Engine: The donor must have an American engine. This is crucial because the engine’s identification number is listed on the USA VIN database—a key factor in making your vehicle registrable.
    • Intact LHD Components: The donor car should retain all necessary left-hand drive components needed for the conversion. While accident damage is acceptable, all convertible parts must be in usable or customer-approved condition.

  • We Source It for You:
    If you choose not to supply your own donor vehicle, we’ll source the most suitable American donor car based on your requirements.

Body Preparation

  • Purchasing the Donor Body:
    While awaiting the arrival of the LHD donor car, we purchase the desired Australian donor body (ute or wagon).
  • Stripping & Preparation:
    The newly acquired donor body is then stripped and prepped for the conversion process, ensuring it’s ready to receive the LHD donor components.

3. The Conversion Process

Upon Arrival of the Donor Car

  • Shipping:
    The American LHD donor car is then shipped to Australia. Once received, our team gets to work immediately.

  • Component Removal:

    • We remove the running gear and all right-hand drive components from the donor car.
    • Next, we extract all left-hand drive components—including the critical American engine (essential for meeting U.S. emissions and VIN registration standards)—from the donor vehicle.

Retrofitting & Custom Assembly

  • LHD Conversion:
    The left-hand drive components are meticulously retrofitted and married into the prepared ute/wagon body.

  • Customization:
    The vehicle is then assembled to your exact specifications:

    • We can modify ride height and fit aftermarket suspension components.
    • Fit your preferred wheel and tire combinations.
    • Respray the vehicle in custom colors and fit body kits (including aftermarket and premium options like HSV body kits).
    • Customise interior options from factory leather to custom upholstery.
    • We can do many performance upgrades like fitting forced induction, full exhausts and performance cams. We also arrange dyno tuning.

  • Flexibility:
    We are open to all customization requests, from high-end bespoke builds to budget-friendly packages such as our stock base model V8 SS utes. No option is off the table.

4. Ongoing Updates & Final Assembly

  • Constant Communication:
    Throughout the process, you’ll receive regular updates, including detailed photos and videos of the build as it progresses.

  • Final Assembly:
    Once all components are in place and the car is assembled to your desired specifications, we perform a comprehensive final inspection.

  • Maintaining Title & Registration:
    The finished vehicle retains the title and registration information from the donor car. If your donor car was titled and registered before shipment to Australia, it will continue to be so after the conversion, now recognized as a fully compliant ute or wagon as its undergone conversion with all USA DOT & EPA compliant components.

5. Shipping & Delivery to the USA

  • Pre-Shipping:
    After final approval, your finished vehicle is transported to our shipping partner’s warehouse where its prepped and loaded for shipping. The finished car is shipped fully insured to the USA.

  • Door-to-Door Delivery:
    The car is then loaded and shipped directly to the USA. Arriving in our Indianapolis warehouse. Once it arrives, your vehicle is ready to drive straight off the warehouse floor — fully road legal and built to your exact specifications. Guaranteed to turn heads from day one.

Project Timeline & Payment

  • Timeline:
    The entire conversion process typically takes between 6 to 12 months, depending on shipping times and the level of customization you choose.

  • Payment:
    All payments are required upfront before work commences. Unfortunately at this time do not offer financing or payment plans.

  • Starting Price:
    Our conversion service starts at $26,500 AUD (approximately $16,640 USD Subject to change due to conversion rate*) when you supply your own GTO/G8/SS donor car and the corresponding ute/wagon shell. This price includes the entire RHD to LHD conversion proccess and shipping the donor car from the USA to Australia plus shipping of the finished car back to the USA. We can also provide both vehicles if needed. 

Ready to Transform Your Dream?

At AusParts International, we combine expertise, precision, and a passion for custom builds to deliver a conversion service that exceeds expectations. If you're ready to embark on the journey to create your bespoke Holden ute, email us today at imports@auspartsinternational with your ideas and requirements. Let’s build your dream car together!