http://www.greataussiecars.com.au/au...4-brown-hj-ute
Is this an example of the Sandman you are set on Byron?
Mauser
http://www.greataussiecars.com.au/au...4-brown-hj-ute
Is this an example of the Sandman you are set on Byron?
Mauser
That's close. Actually Persian Sand looks good with white HJ stripes.
I'd rather pay $30k for one not needing work though, than $10k and work!
Last edited by HK1837; 06-03-2011 at 05:41 PM.
Gotta make it worth at least 10k more than an orange one in my opinion. lol.Originally Posted by HZSandman
Hi all, this is my first post on this site. I am facing the same issue on paint colour, although I have other originality problems which maybe change some of the ideas in this thread, and I'd be really interested to hear others opinions:
The situation is that I have been working on a windowless HX Sandman I saved from the crusher several years ago. It had been badly butchered before I got to it due to rust being cut out in both rear quater panels, (a home job repair done not so well) and a section taken out of the roof with a panel welded in and boged over.
The body is original Sandman, no question (all numbers match, derated load, GTS loom, some remaining black interior trim and full length headlining - the interior was torn and shabby, and the exterior painted lumpy - some original paint and factory black outs were still visible on insides of the door frames), but, it came with no motor, and no gearbox, I do have the original diff, but its shot, and worst of all, (I didnt realise untill about a year into the restore and rubbed back the chassis for painting), its sitting on an HQ chassis! Dismay at the time I tell you!
However, the project is going ahead, for the moment to preserve the body, and get it driving. (I actually think I know geographically approximately where the original chassis and motor went, but even if I am right I dont think I could get hold of it without some serious cash.) So, this means, its barely 'genuine' however, the body was, once... And of course it gets worse, I got a guy in to sort out the roof for me, and he mucked it up completely, one day a proper restore pretty much means it will need a whole new roof - so in terms of originality.... well.
Anyway, back to the point of the thread, its original colour was Antelope Metallic (it probably had DY4 stripes). Antelope was never my favorite colour for a Sandman! Its now been soda blasted with all bog removed, fully rust treated, but still needs body work, the running gear however is now shmicko, and I want to get an initial top coat on soon to get the doors and guards on whilst I do other stuff, so I need to decide on colour. I was gonna do it in the bright orange because that always looked great, and I always wanted a Sandman that colour, but just today, as I went to order the paint I had second thoughts, maybe should I keep it as Antelope Metalic to at least preserve some authenticity?
I dunno, if I make it a ten year ongoing project, and even by massive luck, fluke it and find the original chassis, by the time the roof is redone, its probably 10k plus, on top of what has already been spent (about 6k)! And even then, will it ever be original enough to justify going back to Antelope metalic?
Should I just go for the bright orange - a bit of a quandry this week for me. I also recall that there was a one off Sandman called the 'Grasshopper' it featured a grasshopper design across the back a bit like the 'Chicken legs' version, I think they only made one or two. I dont know if that was HX, but I recall it may have been on Antelope paint. So doing that crossed my mind as well, as a mate of mine and myself independently had a sort of odd intuitive feeling when I first got it, and before I stripped the paint that maybe it may have once been a 'grasshopper', but there was nothing to show when it was sodablasted, and I havent seen a picture if that design in years and years. I wonder if anyone knows of it. It'd be great to hear what others think about paint colour anyway! Thank you to any members who consider this post for your time!
Last edited by Blocker; 26-03-2013 at 09:59 AM. Reason: grammar correction
It'd certainly be unique in Antelope, you just don't see HJ's or HX in that colour today. I have recorded 1 x HJ and 4 x HX Sandmans in 1894, one HX is a ute rest are vans.
Stripes would be DY1 with Antelope.
My honest opinion, do whatever you want. It is no longer original, and will no longer be the original car as the chassis is gone. Spending too much money on this one may be a big gamble. If it was me and with so much invested in the body, i'd be looking for a very rusty but original with all numbers matching 308 HX ute or van (you don't say which yours is) with the body from the same body plant as yours (either Elizabeth or Acacia Ridge for van or for a ute those two plus Dandenong and Pagewood) and using your body to restore it. It might cost you $5-7k for the car but when its finished it'll be worth twice that more than yours due to all the right numbers being there. That or buy the car that has your original chassis in it!
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..!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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