What is important in a Sandman

[HK1837]

All good stuff. I knew i'd never get consesus, just interested in what the thoughts are. I know what my thoughts are, just interested in what others think and feel too.

I'm convinced now that if I do find a bright coloured HJ-HZ (like Jamaica Lime or Mint Julip) that it'd be a car to on-sell to someone with different taste to me. I couldn't own it, and would happily swap for the same car in Jade Green!

I'm pretty confident a non-original motor will defintely devalue an otherwise mickey mouse car. However as Sean says, maybe a period correct looking 308 and M21 or TH400 could offset that issue if in a 202 or 253 vehicle (the reason I stress looking is the actual block cast date is irrelevant in this context, just that it is done right and has the right prefix). Remember too the date code means didly squat, these can vary wildly. It is an engine number close to your original that you should be seeking if this is important to you.

I'd never trim a car different to original, paint, well doesn't bother me. Might be more of an issue on a van. But a properly repaired ute painted in 2 pack undercoat and painted in acrylic is easy to change colour. I'd only do this if the vehicle actually needed painting though, and I wouldn't bother with a concours resto. I agree with Sean that a ridgy didge original car should be left alone, i'm talking about a vehicle that needs work, but is a good solid rust free car. Just needs tired mechanicals overhauled, paint and some trim.

[wbute]

Date code and engine numbers that are close are not as important as an original rego or ordering documents with the actual engine number on them to go with the correct engine. That is what lifts a car up above all the rest, along with a documented resto.

All the rest are great to but are not up there with one with proof of originality.

Factory air is a great thing to put in even if hardly any of them got it. Pointless building a van/ute and having no fun driving it in summer.

[Vombil]

yeah the original puchase docs definately put it in a different league.

I recently sold a one owner Papaya HX windowed kinga 6 cyl 3 on the tree Van for over $9,000.

The buyer fell in love with the history and originality of the car. Now he can tell his mates he bought a "one owner with books"! not a bad statement to make for a 35yo vehicle

[Gaddy]

The most important thing in My Sandman is ME!!

Who REALLY gives a S*$t if the engine is the original?? As Far as i can tell, and have been told by ppl on here, mine is an all matching Number HX except for the engine!! It has a Mild 308, on LPG, but should be running a Hi Comp 253!!
Not an original colour either, but still looks the goods..
Big Deal!! When I turn the key and those 8 pistons start rumbling, There is a buzz in me for sure!!
So I say to all who just want to drive their Sandman and enjoy it, Put what ever engine you want in it!! Its all about Personal preference in my mind!!
If you have the original block tucked away then yeah it may help get you a better price if you sell it, but heres hoping none of us ever have to part with ours!!

[wbute]

I agree totally Gaddy, I dont even really care if the chassis matches to be honest. But when people start talking what is the most valuable as far as a collectible car goes then that is important.

I am happy with my WB which is exactly the same as a HZ Sandman ute but it has pretty much no value even though it is 100% original.

Value is really in the eye of the beholder. Its the stickers, the V8, the dash and the bucket seats as standard that give them their value. So much cooler than a kingswood or belmont/standard. Thats why people baught them in the first place, not because of the numbers on the plates.

[GNW1974]

I bought a HQ ute ex Qld which many of you would have seen advertised. Whilst every bit of research I did indicated to me the ute is a HQ Sandman, at the end of the day I could not determine the exact originality of the vehicle. Either way I will have either a genuine Sandman or a very nice Kingswood ute with all the right bits, and a rare combination to boot.

What did help me was some photos of the vehicle taken in the very early nineties where I could see the original colour of the vehicle on the insides of the doors and the firewall.

As the vehicle has a resonable paintjob now, all work I will do will be in the correct theme as I love originality and I would like to do a full resto and back to original colour down the track. A rough budget has been done and I am over 4K on interior alone.

I know I don't have an original motor, gearbox or diff, so over time I will have money to spend to get back to a semblence of an original HQ. But then a LSD and rear discs would be attractive. I would dearly love a 308 or 350 in it, but I would always keep the correct motor etc if i decided to sell it or revert to original spec.

What I do know is that I will get a great deal of satisfaction driving this ute on a Sunday arvo, going for a cruise and seeing heads turn and it will increase in value, and yes it does have Air Conditioning and power steering fitted (non original but factory setups) and these swung the deal for me.

[TwoTees]

I have been thinking of asking a very similar question to what Byron has asked here, albeit, mainly directed at body colour.
My van is now almost complete in the panel work and ready for primer and I really need to make a decision on colour soon.
10 years ago when I bought it and started to restore it there was no question as to the colour it was going to be painted... Jasmine Yellow. I always wanted a Jasmine Yellow HZ Sandman.
With my recent re-found love of my Sandman helped along with interest from 2 of my sons and the fact that they are becoming an asset, my belief is now, that it should be painted in its original colour... Atlantis Blue.
Now, I am really not feeling alot of love for Atlantis Blue, but I keep telling my self, I should be keeping re-sale in mind. (Just as Byron said earlier, Nothing is forever, things change and I may need to move it on)
From what I have read Atlantis Blue is not the most sought after colour so, by painting my van a more popular colour, will I make it more attractive to some buyers and put others off.
Also I was thinking of maybe custom tinting the colour a few shades darker to more towards Windsor Blue.
Yes I know that we should be doing what we want, but at the end of the day it is a fair sized financial investment that we may just need to cash in.
Hearing these opinions from you all is great. Please keep them coming.
Cheers, Chris

[Robbo]

So many good points been aired in this topic, with so many differing points of view.I prefer originality, and also enjoying what they were designed for in the first place! A great vehicle to get away from it all, and have fun in. I still have all my purchase papers and rego papers from when I bought mine, including the owners certificate from the service book. But, alas, I just dont have the ute.