What is important in a Sandman

[SLR_dave]

Thank you for your reply HK1837, I appreciate your opinion. I agree it would be more unique in Antelope, and somewhat more faithful, but again as you say, without the chassis hmmn... Still deciding!
Its a van by the way, windowless HX. (scuse my ommission to include that). There is a very slim chance I may find that chassis (one day), it is still around as far as I know, but well... luck is just that! I wouldnt be chopping up another HX van to fix this one though, or visa versa... I started this project to save an ageing beauty from the steel smelter. I realised the issue with cost vs likely value on this one a while back, still, the body was once a Sandman, and it would have been a travesty to let it be crushed, so at least its surviving as is currently.
Maybe Antelope will be the go (wrong chassis or not). Im interested that you advised it was DY1 stripes on Antelope, do you know if this was the only option for Antelope on HX? I got advice for DY4 a while back so I'm wondering how to verify this.
This car has a way to go yet, I have another couple of projects on that will overtake it, maybe I'll end up painting it twice (lol). I hope I am joking, I really dislike painting cars! (lol, lol, lol). Thank you again fo your comment and advice, it helps me on this decision.

[HK1837]

Thank you for your reply HK1837, I appreciate your opinion. I agree it would be more unique in Antelope, and somewhat more faithful, but again as you say, without the chassis hmmn... Still deciding!
Its a van by the way, windowless HX. (scuse my ommission to include that). There is a very slim chance I may find that chassis (one day), it is still around as far as I know, but well... luck is just that! I wouldnt be chopping up another HX van to fix this one though, or visa versa... I started this project to save an ageing beauty from the steel smelter. I realised the issue with cost vs likely value on this one a while back, still, the body was once a Sandman, and it would have been a travesty to let it be crushed, so at least its surviving as is currently.
Maybe Antelope will be the go (wrong chassis or not). Im interested that you advised it was DY1 stripes on Antelope, do you know if this was the only option for Antelope on HX? I got advice for DY4 a while back so I'm wondering how to verify this.
This car has a way to go yet, I have another couple of projects on that will overtake it, maybe I'll end up painting it twice (lol). I hope I am joking, I really dislike painting cars! (lol, lol, lol). Thank you again fo your comment and advice, it helps me on this decision.

I didn't mean to cut up another good car, but to buy a rusted beyond feasible repair complete HX 308 van (from the same body plant as yours - there are only two) and use your body on it. In my opinion you are doing nothing wrong, you are using a HX Sandman body on a Sandman. I'm sure most people would still value this much higher than a Sandman body not on its original rails. This way you'll have a matching numbers example and a 308 spec to boot. You'll buy a car like this for $5k especially in a HX. Just look at the Valencia HZ Sandman Adam was selling, it was a basically complete Sandman and went for less than that on Ebay, and it was a pretty good shell. Maybe investigate that Aqaurius HX Sandman crashed that is up for auction (link is here somewhere).

DY1 comes straight from the GMH colour and trim selection book for HX. There will be no option afaik, these were mandatory with stripes and that is how they came.

[Dago]

My original motor, gearbox and diff are all long gone. Well before I ever bought the van. The numbers match though, so to me, bringing it back to 'original' will only mean 308 M21 and 3.36 diff. It might be LSD and I might go discs. Also I'll keep it Mandarin Red and Keep the black interior. Thats important to me. If I saw a Sandman advertised and nothing matched, paint, motor, gearbox (specifically auto to manual or vice versa) it wouldn't appeal to me at all.
Sandmans are very popular currently. Any panelvan is over priced and called a Sandman regardless. If you're paying good money for a restored example I think it needs to be bacically original. Otherwise a genuine buyer will spend more than double the cost price to re-restore it.
If I found an HQ example, I would definately keep it original. Dream car right there..!

[SLR_dave]

Thanks for your comment Dago, checkd out your Mandarin Red Sandman album, looks like theres some good work going on there!
Good choices on your van I reckon man, I'm not in quite the same boat on this one though. I'm not really rebuilding mine to sell it, more to preserve it, but, as the cost in outlay goes up, I do have to think about the end value and why I am doing this (lol). I just need to choose the colour and get it protected so I can put it on the backburner for a bit. I agree, if I was a buyer looking for a restored Sandman van I'd need everything to match for top dollar, but as the restorer, I can only get this one as close as I can, and the chassis doesnt match. Might be worth more as a hot looking (ex Sandman) I dunno, I always loved that orange colour. I'm still working out the paint code for that orange, if you get time to post back, I be pleased to know if Mandarin Red is the darker shade, or if it is actually the bright orange (colour of an actual orange that you eat). Still deciding here, these posts are helpful, maybe I'll still go with the original Antelope.

[Dago]

I think the paint code is (Mandarin Red 1890 15953) It's a red colour with an orange tinge through it. It's really up to you. Your idea about just making it an awesome looking 'ex' Sandman is a good one, but then, restoring to 'original specs' is also a great option. Haha, I'm actually glad my decisions have been made for me. So many hot colour combos.

[adam perth]

HK1837, i think , for a guy like you who won't be happy with a 253 4 sp, go for L31 M41. then you can run a 355 stroker or simular with a tricked up T400 and still have it looking standard.

also i think these cars have to be lowered in the front, even if its 1 inch , it just settles them down a bit.

for future value, i think correct paint and trim codes must b kept in line with original

[HK1837]

I'd be happy with a 173 or 202 HQ Kingswood Sandman ute. I'd stick a Chev and TH400 in it, and unless it was green it'd stay its original colour. I wouldn't bother unless it had its original rails though.