HQ Sandman found!!

[Shan.78]

What a cracker!
I'm not one for windowed vans but thats nice.
Good find.

[GNW1974]

Coincidence is a wonderful thing. As I was looking for a HQ ute semi seriously for about 18 months I had been looking at one advertised in Qld for quite a while. I decided just after Christmas last year that I would fly up and have a look. Anyway the Qld floods just got worse and I didn't know what to do. The listed price was unrealistic and there was and still is no proof it is a genuine Sandman.

I was talking to the owner for a couple of weeks and still didn't know which way to go as I had to get it Adelaide from central Qld and was considering the cost. Driving wasn't an option as it is not roadworthy.

I asked for photos of all the underneath, ID plates etc and all looked good. I asked the owner did he have any photos of the ute before it was repainted. Yes he did and they filled in a lot of gaps, especially when I could see the original colours on the firewall and around the doors.

I then rang him back one day and he said the business next door had its main office in Adelaide and that they could transport it for me. I rang the gent involved and he said no problem, $250 as a backload. He also verfied some more details on the vehicle which filled more gaps.

Finally I did the mad thing, bought a site unseen vehicle, have paid for it and due to a fire at the the transporters premises in January, are yet to see my ute.

So when I have it I will be so glad, and it's original colour is green like my original HQ Sandman ute was. I don't think that was stamped with XX7 either.

[mauser]

I flew to Geelong to get the hq van and drove it home.

Mauser

[GNW1974]

I flew to Geelong to get the hq van and drove it home.

Mauser

Bet that felt fantastic and you would have felt like a Million $ as you lived the dream. Followed a green HQ Monaro to work this morning, had to do 70 kmh in a 60 zone to keep up so I could have a gooood squizz. I wasn't a GTS or anything but it looked bloody great.

[will.co]

I asked for photos of all the underneath, ID plates etc and all looked good. I asked the owner did he have any photos of the ute before it was repainted. Yes he did and they filled in a lot of gaps, especially when I could see the original colours on the firewall and around the doors.

So when I have it I will be so glad, and it's original colour is green like my original HQ Sandman ute was. I don't think that was stamped with XX7 either.

Yes the ol XX7 debate, being fairly uneducated with these matters from what i have learnt there are a few around and its not the be all and end all, some would have you believe otherwise but in so saying that would mean that any Sandman without XX7 would not be able to be gauranteed...i bet theres alot of people who would disagree with this as would I!!

Can someone answer for me and pls excuse my ignorance but wasnt XX7 an option for tyres, what if that option wasnt requested, would there still be an XX7, Was the XX7 only that and just an option...not a requirement??

There will be someone gauranteed can answer this one for me!

--- Updated ---

Also what did the original seatbelts in a HQ look like?
Mainly i need to know about the clasps, were they plastic fantastic or the oldskool metal Holden ones with the Insignia of the lion on the button??

[jennie285]

Old school metal clasp, and didn't retract...at least that is what I remember doing up as a child, and their were usually none in the rear.....

I can be corrected though.....

[HK1837]

Yes the ol XX7 debate, being fairly uneducated with these matters from what i have learnt there are a few around and its not the be all and end all, some would have you believe otherwise but in so saying that would mean that any Sandman without XX7 would not be able to be gauranteed...i bet theres alot of people who would disagree with this as would I!!

Can someone answer for me and pls excuse my ignorance but wasnt XX7 an option for tyres, what if that option wasnt requested, would there still be an XX7, Was the XX7 only that and just an option...not a requirement??

There will be someone gauranteed can answer this one for me!

--- Updated ---

Also what did the original seatbelts in a HQ look like?
Mainly i need to know about the clasps, were they plastic fantastic or the oldskool metal Holden ones with the Insignia of the lion on the button??

In HQ and HJ up to about 10/75 XX7 was the "Sports Option" or Sandman special package available on a few different model utes and vans. It had nothing to do with tyres. Around 10/75 the Sandman special package code changed to XU3. It was from that tim eonwards you could also specify passenger tyres on the Sandman package, and it was then that the code was changed to XX7.

In short, if you have an bonafide Sandman built in Brisbane and it doesn't have XX7 or XU3 on the BODY it then is a factory mistake, like you sometimes see elsewher eon plates like the 1985 plated LH Torana getting around and the odd other such mistakes. There is one on the HQ ID plates on my website where there is a J on the end of the VIN instead of Q.

[Absinth]

Can someone answer for me and pls excuse my ignorance but wasnt XX7 an option for tyres, what if that option wasnt requested, would there still be an XX7, Was the XX7 only that and just an option...not a requirement??

There will be someone gauranteed can answer this one for me!

They are Holden codes for special vehicle packages.

XV4... special vehicle package - GTS


XX7... special vehicle package - Sandman ... up to late HJ when it became
XX7... special vehicle package - Sandman 10 cwt


XU3... special vehicle package - Sandman 14 cwt ... late HJ onwards


XW4... special vehicle package - Vacationer

XX3... New Zealand vehicle package

BO6... Ambulance package

XU1... special vehicle package - GTR Bathurst

A9X... special vehicle package - SL/R, SS Bathurst

They are not always exclusive to one vehicle model and can mean different things on different models. With the XW4 package (Vacationer), XU3 was special feature option of higher load rated tyres.

XX7 was also the special vehicle package - Gypsy ..... in the Gemini

[AN5590]

Also what did the original seatbelts in a HQ look like?

Don't know for sure that the belts in my ute are original but have included a pic below - note I reckon the black plastic part used go all the way around the clasp but has long since broken up - only the bit at the base of the clasp remains... Looks similar to the ones from the Monaro LS brochure pic that Absinth posted but without the stalks and no plastic surounds?



Also had another belt lying around I think also from an HQ based on the pic's that Absinth has put up - have also included a pic.

[will.co]

Team, this is now being rebuilt. Just read through all my 'excited' posting from years back.. ha what a nice thread to have.

Anyway, ill post pics in a few months of the resto.