GM Specialty Vehicles (GMSV) has announced the launch of a new standalone remanufacturing operation dedicated to converting the Chevy Silverado pickup truck to right-hand drive. The newly converted pickups will be sold to customers in Australia and New Zealand.
As GM Authority covered back in 2020, GMSV was launched following the discontinuation of the Holden brand in Australia and New Zealand. Serving as an indirect replacement for the Walkinshaw-run Holden Speciality Vehicles (HSV), GMSV is currently importing and converting popular GM vehicles like the Chevy Silverado and Chevy Camaro for local consumption in Australia and New Zealand.
Now, GMSV is bolstering its right-hand drive remanufacturing efforts for the Chevy Silverado with a new facility in Dandenong, Victoria, which is intended to provide the group with “improved flexibility and capacity for [GMSV’s] range of Chevrolet Silverado products,” per a recent post made to social media.
“It’s particularly timely to have this new facility up and running as we recently announced Australia and New Zealand will be receiving a new MY23 Silverado 1500 range due mid-2023, including Chevrolet’s new flagship off-road truck, the first-ever Silverado ZR2,” said GMSV Director, Joanne Stogiannis, per Australian outlet Car Expert.
The new Chevy Silverado ZR2 will replace the pre-refresh Silverado LT Trail Boss trim level previously offered by GMSV in Australia and New Zealand. As such, the latest Silverado 1500 lineup will include the LTZ Premium and the off-road-ready ZR2, both of which are equipped with the naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 L87 gasoline engine, the GM 10-speed automatic transmission, and four-wheel drive. Under the skin is the GM T1 platform.
“We are confident that we will be in a position to better cater for the anticipated demand associated with the launch of these new Silverado 1500’s and the ever-popular Silverado HD,” Stogiannis added.
GMSV posted a brief video showing a time-lapse of the new Chevy Silverado remanufacturing line under construction in Dandenong, which you can watch below:
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Right hand drives
GMSV's conversion operations are still run by Walkinshaw, that part basically didn't change when Holden closed. Walkinshaw also converts the Ram trucks and is going to start a Toyota Tundra operation.
The Ram line was in the same plant as the previous GM line. They're selling around 3 times more Ram trucks, so perhaps they needed the space to expand.
So, what does the company do with all of the new left hand drive components that are taken off of the Silverado to convert it to right hand drive?
They are technically used parts.
ebay?
They must be engineered for right hand drive also.
Why not just run them down the line in Mexico now and then?
They definitely are not engineered for RHD. If you watch the video above, and look up the older HSV Silverado conversion video on YouTube, they rebuild the car. Work includes cutting away and welding a new toe board, cutting all the suspension and steering parts off the frame and welding new attachments points in.
I think the only real factory engineering that's been done is providing software calibrations for things like the yellow turn light mods and power seats.
And people still question the price.