My Faithful HQ Panel Van

[Rico]

What a story Bruce! Thats some great history there! Good luck with the ressurection! Barbados green is one of my favorite Holden colours also! Look forward to watching it progress.

[HQGTSbrad]

yea keep it original colour
Barbado green is the best HQ colour ever done!

[GNW1974]

My van isn't a Sandman, just a stock standard Sept 74 HQ van, and I've joined your forum to gather more info about the particular model.

Shortened version of my story is:

Van purchased new in 1974.
Traded in on another vehicle in 1984
Set out to track the van down in Nov 2010.
Found it in Dec 2010.
Now own it again after 28 years.

You can find the whole story at:

http://majesticvanners.forumotion.co...self-here#9324
http://majesticvanners.forumotion.co...l-hq-panel-van
http://majesticvanners.forumotion.co...l-hq-panel-van
http://majesticvanners.forumotion.co...ormation#13307

I plan to restore the van (as much as possible) to its original showroom condition, even to the extent of replacing the 202 engine that is in it currently, with a 173 which is how I purchased it.

What is proving difficult is obtaining an original pair of bucket seats for the van - I've seen a couple of one-piece backs (tombstone) which were in the early HQs, but I read somewhere that looming changes to ADRs forced GMH to offer adjustable headrests later on in the HQ production.
These adjustable headrest versions with the painted plywood backs are the ones I'm after.
It doesn't matter what condition the upholstery is in - I've already got a local guy lined up re-upholster them.

Cheers

Bruce

Great story Bruce, what was the final part of the story, the site won't let me on and I don't want to register just to read it as I have no need to be a user of the site going forward

regards Graham

[barbadosGreen]

Graham,

You've read most of the story to date, the Barbados Green Beauty is carefully tucked up in a car cover under the carport until the next half of the story - the Restoration - begins.

A few milestones have to be reached and decisions made before the last half of the story can proceed, viz:

1. Complete the patio that I promised my wife before the van came on the scene.
2. Extend/Enclose the carport to give more layout space, especially when the body comes off the chassis.
3. Decide whether to go for a full bare metal respray, or just a rub-down and respray specific areas with a final cut and polish. (see other posts on this thread
4. Decide how "deep" to go in returning it to its "showroom" condition, as this could mean removal of the replacement 202 engine (installed by the previous owner after the original 173 gave up after approx 300,000km) and re-installation of a 173 motor, which was how I purchased it.
etc.
etc..

One significant goal that has been reached was the securing of the original registration plates. The originals (LYJ 334) were surrendered by the previous owner when he replaced them with a personalized set. The original rego number then "lapsed" in the Vicroads system for 28 years until I came along and requested that they be reactivated (For no less that $295 !!) They are perfect replicas of the original black and white plates.

So that's where I'm up to so, Graham, why not register with the MV forum and you can follow the projects... I registered with mySandman for similar reasons and there's no cost.

Cheers

Bruce

[ambientgoat]

What a fantastic thread.
To see so much of its life as an offroad vechile then a tradies van and still look so fantastic. That really is a credit to you and the second owner.

Personally I would vote to keep the original paint, I think it tells more of a story that way.

[lcgtr1970]

Any updates on this?