Swapping Turn indicator and High/Low beam arms

[Steve-B]

All of our cars, save the TR 6 have the indicator arm on the left and the beams on the right. Curious to know if this is a huge project, or a simple remove the covers and loosen then pivot around the steering column kind of job?

I learn everyday from this forum so I have to guess someone's done this 😉 ?

[trchris]

Hi Steve yes it can be done however you would need a left hand drive light switch (l think ), the indicator switch is the same , mine is this way as it is a 250 converted to right hand drive using the original column 

Chris

Edited September 3, 2025 by trchris

[Steve-B]

34 minutes ago, trchris said:

Hi Steve yes it can be done however you would need a left hand drive light switch (l think ), the indicator switch is the same , mine is this way as it is a 250 converted to right hand drive using the original column 

Chris

Hi Chris, interesting as I was thinking it through and thought the only change would be moving the R and L wires so you get the correct direction after the alternation?

[trchris]

Hi Steve if your swapping the indicator switch to the left side it’ll work by changing the wires otherwise it’ll work the opposite way but placing the light switch on the right side of the column it’ll work upside down 

Chris

[JohnC]

I'm intrigued. Wouldn't the turn indicator work fine with no wiring changes? When on the left of the column, up (clockwise) is right. When on the right the switch is rotated 180 degrees and down (clockwise again) is right. Or am I missing something really obvious? It wouldn't be the first time...

The lights, on the other hand, would become down for on, rather than up for on, unless there's a handed light switch.

Cheers,
JC

[RobH]

Thread drift..........

Indicator stalk on the right with down for right turn, was how most British cars used to be.  All my father's various Fords and Vauxhalls were like that as were my first three cars  I think the first car I owned which had them on the left was a new-fangled '79 TR7.     Interestingly a subsequent Jap saloon had the stalk on the right too. 

As John says, swapping the indicator stalk over shouldn't need any change to the wiring if it its a rotation around the column. 

[trchris]

Yes you’re right John, indicator is a straight swap, but the head light switch will need replacing 

Chris

 

[stuart]

There will be quite a few of the light switches from left hand converted cars that would fill the need if you want to swap.

Stuart.

[Jules TR6]

4 hours ago, RobH said:

Indicator stalk on the right with down for right turn, was how most British cars used to be.  All my father's various Fords and Vauxhalls were like that as were my first three cars  I think the first car I owned which had them on the left was a new-fangled '79 TR7.     Interestingly a subsequent Jap saloon had the stalk on the right too. 

We have two modern cars, the German has indicators on the left, the Japanese on the right... and also the TR6 on the right, somewhat confusing - accepted.

Now I'm thinking it's a valid stimulation of my grey cells.

As for the Suzuki (our Japanese car), indicators on the right, that's actually an easy mnemonic, ...on UK roads the most significant indication is to the right - across on-coming traffic, so indicators, to the right. Kinda wish all indicators were on the right, and headlights to the left. The left is usually associated with darkness, so switching headlights on there fits.

Maybe rather than switching stalks, add the mnemonic? Left > darkness/light, Right > across traffic indication. Keep the tradition, and the possibly well thought-through wisdom.

[Steve-B]

Wow 👆 gets my head spinning as both our Subaru and our Lexus are on the left of the stalk as were our Über barges.
I clearly have too much time on my hands 🤪

This appears to be easy-as removing the cover and loosening their holds and spin 180 degrees if I read y’all correctly?

[stuart]

12 hours ago, Steve-B said:

Wow 👆 gets my head spinning as both our Subaru and our Lexus are on the left of the stalk as were our Über barges.
I clearly have too much time on my hands 🤪

This appears to be easy-as removing the cover and loosening their holds and spin 180 degrees if I read y’all correctly?

No, your light switch would then be down for off and your overdrive stalk would be pointing downwards.

Stuart.

[Steve-B]

Thanks, I've put a wanted advert for an ex-USA left side switch on the forum to see if anyone who's done a conversion has one laying about..

[stuart]

43 minutes ago, Steve-B said:

Thanks, I've put a wanted advert for an ex-USA left side switch on the forum to see if anyone who's done a conversion has one laying about..

EX USA light switch would be from the right hand side of the column.

Stuart.

[Jules TR6]

Also keeping the indicators on the right maintains the heritage of sticking your right arm out of the window to indicate left or right. In America the indicator of course on the left as it’s the left arm that sticks out of the window for the physical indication option. Just saying… in Britain keeping the indicators on the right maintains another classic connection to motoring in a classic vehicle. 

[Jezzer]

Interesting topic Lads. I'm currently assembling the steering column and was about to ask which side the indictor stalk went. Now I know. When I worked, we had a Nissan Cabstar pickup, horrible piece of junk, I was convinced it was trying to kill me, and a citroen pickup. The Nissan had indicators on the right and the Citroen on the left. I was fine with either but the youngster who drove the Nissan always complained about the right hand side indicators.

James

[Steve-B]

I'm fascinated (always here!) with the knowledge shown in this thread. I'm not that worried about the sovereignty of it being on the right, to each their own 😉 .

As I said to Michael Davis earlier I'm going to see if I can swing mine 180 deg and if not he has a US one I'll buy from him.