Vans on the train

**Blocker** · 15-03-2012, 10:19 AM

Great historical photo, we would love to see more there is definitely no need to ask if people want to see more

As a photograph it is obvious the main subject is the freight carriage in the foreground - interesting how we all see it as a photo of Holden panel vans on a train in the background.

**micks_sandman** · 15-03-2012, 11:42 AM

Very true Blocker so what is the content of the main pics, petroleum,grain or molasses??? easy to be fixed on the background,(possible sandman>>history).

**mauser** · 15-03-2012, 12:35 PM

Another couple of things I thought of. (we are only guessing the date by the picture's name)

1) How did they get the colour match so perfect in painting the front end afterwards. Even faded old 40 year old paint has aged the same when painted in different plants, days etc. I have been told its better to paint the entire car on the same day, in the same conditions. Maybe its the paint they used then. Well done to the Holden QA dudes in this case especially with the Met. Sandy colours.

2) I would of thought the Sandman blackouts and stickers would of been applied after the assembly with the front end in this case. I guess the HZ's would of only needed a squrt on the front guards as the nose spoiler is body colour. With the stickers in HX/Z's being applied in the factory, I could of imagined that was nearly last task especially to line them up. (those ones cant be HQ/J as they were in the box on the front seat). I have a picture of the HQ blackouts done prior to the front guards on HQ SS's but Byron has said this was only at some plants. Is there any evidence of the blackouts done prior on Syd/Mel HQ/J PV Sandman's (think SYD made Ute bodies) when the bodies were shipped to them like this? (or are we just guessing based on their coupe/sedan GTS's production) I can get that the blackouts could be done earlier on a Adl/Bne Sandman because the entire vehicle was made there and possibly the front end painted along with the body and passed to the next plant together to be assembled.

Mauser

**HK1837** · 15-03-2012, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by mauser

Another couple of things I thought of. (we are only guessing the date by the picture's name)

1) How did they get the colour match so perfect in painting the front end afterwards. Even faded old 40 year old paint has aged the same when painted in different plants, days etc. I have been told its better to paint the entire car on the same day, in the same conditions. Maybe its the paint they used then. Well done to the Holden QA dudes in this case especially with the Met. Sandy colours.

2) I would of thought the Sandman blackouts and stickers would of been applied after the assembly with the front end in this case. I guess the HZ's would of only needed a squrt on the front guards as the nose spoiler is body colour. With the stickers in HX/Z's being applied in the factory, I could of imagined that was nearly last task especially to line them up. (those ones cant be HQ/J as they were in the box on the front seat). I have a picture of the HQ blackouts done prior to the front guards on HQ SS's but Byron has said this was only at some plants. Is there any evidence of the blackouts done prior on Syd/Mel HQ/J PV Sandman's (think SYD made Ute bodies) when the bodies were shipped to them like this? (or are we just guessing based on their coupe/sedan GTS's production) I can get that the blackouts could be done earlier on a Adl/Bne Sandman because the entire vehicle was made there and possibly the front end painted along with the body and passed to the next plant together to be assembled.

Mauser

1) They didn't. All Elizabeth vehicles were done the way you see those vans done, they were painted and hard trimmed, then went into the VAP to be assembled. The guards and bonnets were painted at that stage. It didn't matter whether the van was then assembled at Elizabeth, Pagewood or Dandenong they all had to have the front panels painted later. Elizabeth or Acacia Rideg paint matches were never great. Pagewood HQ Sandmans and HJ-HZ Sandman utes will always be the best paint wise as the guards and bonnets were painted with the body in the BAP and then conveyered off to re-join the car later for assembly once the chassis and driveline was installed (there is a little hint in this to the importance of something on a Pagewood car). Dandenong was done similarly, except the front panels were all attached with little wire jigs/frames to the body (except for vans).

2) Common sense tells you HX-HZ Sandmans that weren't DL7 would have had decals applied after the car was finished in painting, but I have no evidence yet to prove this. Paint blackouts, you never know until a photo taken during the assembly process at each plant is found. I reckon the black was applied when the rest of the paint was applied. As above, Elizabeth vehicles had the body painted and hard trimmed as per you see on that train, and assembly was done elsewhere (including locally). So the blackouts on these would be done at two different times. Acacia Ridge were done differently again, but i'm pretty sure these were done similarly to Elizabeth, just the ID plates were attached at a different time (you can tell by the paint on the plates).

**mauser** · 15-03-2012, 05:11 PM

Cool, I guess as I have never had a manufacturing background I find this stuff fascinating. :-)

When designing the processes of the different plants the origional configuration of the amount of availiable floor space and its shape may of influenced some of the ideosyncrasys.

Mauser

**RodneyHZ253** · 15-03-2012, 06:53 PM

Two of the vans look like they may have blackout and therefore could be sandman's

**jennie285** · 15-03-2012, 06:55 PM

Rodney and I have studied that photo for 10minutes, and have decided that at least the 3rd from the front has blackouts and possibly the first one has as well...not the window one...and we also think the third from the front is ours or the Ski Mans yellow van going off to Dandenong...

**HK1837** · 15-03-2012, 08:42 PM

I reckon you are right, and it is how I expected it to be! Yippee, another theory (at least for Elizabeth bodied HZ's) solved.

**playwme** · 15-03-2012, 08:49 PM

Yep, good thing that windowed non-Sandman is between them to rule out those tricks of the light. The difference between the windowed one and the 2 others is very noticeable on the sills.

**mauser** · 15-03-2012, 10:22 PM

ss sill black.jpg

So do you think all Elizabeth, Pagewood or Dandenong Panel vans should look like this?

I thought I examined TwoTees Acacia Ridge HZ XX7 van prior to stripping it and I didnt see this but maybe I'm wrong.

Mauser

PS If the vans were outfitted inside completely then they would of been designated Sandmans early to have the floor mounts, headlining strips, U61 harness and dash and the tunnel hole cut.