V series 'Sandman'

[Innuendo]

Official, because I do care!

224 Total were built from VY Series 2 to the end of VZ. I'm unclear if this number includes the original MAMBO concept build, original FTP VU work Van or the two VY Series I Hot House Green promotion builds for the motor shows in 2003? But regardless it's +/- four. 11 in total were Maloo's of this 11, 3 only were R8's. 2 were VY SII the other a VZ. Of this 11 most were sold to the Australian Defence Force for use as promotion and recruitment vehicles (6 possibly 7 and all were black). Two Maloo's were actually (VY Series I ) originally painted Black but both were later changed to White to promote the Microsoft X-Box.

This 224 are all official SANDMAN conversions and all have the HBD compliance plate on the drivers side radiator support panel.
All of these are special vehicles and all should be noted as such, Be they your cuppa tea or not. They are official HOLDEN offerings regardless of "who or whom" was contracted to make the parts.
HOLDEN outsource thousands of parts. The "conversion" is meant to be a permanent conversion (not slip on and off at will). It's custom fitted and it changes the body shape of the vehicle legally. Changes the official vehicle weight and complies with the relevant Australian Design Rules.

Obviously there is an even bigger breakdown. Like how many were V8 SS, Storm's or Thunder's. Also even a few poverty pack V6 S version or lower versions.
There is a bloke (Rowan) ex-employee who has these stats right down to colours they were all painted.

Since then, a handful of VU to VZ have been done by AMCAT with the revised "original" mould.
AMCAT numbers for aftermarket early VU, VY and VZ and then later VE's are all numbered on the makers tag (fitted inside on the roof area near the Monaro toggle interior light). Mine is number 0062
Last I knew official number were still under 100 total. Remember this includes VU-VY-VZ and VE.

It is extremely obvious that "some" don't care, don't rate and don't give a flying _ about these models or stats.
But they are desirable and collectible in my eyes and appears quite a few others!

As for the arguments about "is it a Sandman" etc. HOLDEN themselves called them that in official promotional material and that's all that matters!
Their car, their design, their name to do as they please.

Regards, Smooth

[Vombil]

My take

Holden will do anything to turn a $$. Its a lot cheaper to contract someone else to make a canopy and fit it and then publish a flashy flyer calling it a sandman, than it is to retool the production line to make an actual van to fill the very small demand for utes with a big lockable canopy.

They should have left the canopy off and put some sandman decals and a few extras on an SS ute. then Id consider it legit... as a sandman ute.

You just cant call a ute with a canopy on the back a Sandman or even a van... its got a window behind the cab! in WA it is illegal to pop it out too.

I fully agree that they may become collectable but only so far as the lid. as it can be transferred (along with its tag) to any other ute in half a day.

Great looking car and im sure they drive much better and to a degree more practical (towing, daily driver etc)

[Alien DNA]

Doesn't have factory Sandman decal/paint scheme....none of them (except Mambo).....end of story. But geez they look cool

[Innuendo]

The modern design decals are available (same styling as the MAMBO prototype).
But your right they were not factory offered.

Just like this:
jon_evans_vy_van_003.jpg

mambo_van_001.jpg

grean_sandman_1.jpg

Of course the VE is an AMCAT build and really shouldn't have Sandman on it at all.
But it shows the design.

Some personal expression:

another_yellow_vz_van.jpg

DSC_0290.jpg

Regards, Smooth

[HK1837]

Remember promontional stuff calls the canopy a Sandman, not the vehicle. A special vehicle package is a vehicle, not an accessory. Plenty of HX and HZ utes and vans were dealer fitetd with Sandman stripes, but they don't magically become Sandmans! Cool that someone kept the numbers, but as I said most of the HBD stuff no-one will ever care about like rear wings on cars etc. It is good someone took enough interest to keep the records for the canopies though. I have always planned to put the Mambo brochure in the book, and a short description of the concept.
I reckon the VU-VZ versions look really good, but i'm not a fan at all of the VE version basically due to the tail-lights. Any of them look better than any other aftermarket canopy on any vehicle i've ever seen. Ben Stewart told me he took both Mambo vehicles around the driver training centre track in Brisbane at high speed, but never took a photo!

[Robbo]

Well put "smooth," I agree with what you have written. It is holden's vehicle to name it as they please, and they look and perform incredibly well. The first new one I saw was a VZ at the holden dealer in maroochydore, there were sandman sign's everywhere so I went in to have a look.

The vehicle was marketed and sold as a sandman, so a sandman it must be. I never heard of anyone taking the company to court over misrepresentation of a motor vehicle, so the purchaser must have been very happy with it as well.

Cheers.

[Innuendo]

The promotional stuff declares: "Sandman Canopy Conversion"

In my eyes and many others this means only one thing. Add the canopy for a conversion into a Sandman. Quite exclusive and expensive at that.
Remember the ONLY way you can have an official VY - VZ "Sandman Conversion" was to order it via Holden and have it built. It is a permanent fitment and changes the body shape and weight.
It's an option package, just like the originals only these models didn't need added sports stuff because it is already fitted.

I personally really admire your thoughts and obtained knowledge on certain things Byron (if sometimes a little pedantic) I'm afraid this is one area we are not likely to ever agree. For some reason you feel the Sandman Canopy Conversion is not worthy of Sandman recognition and wish to interpret the sales material differently. Some say the MAMBO SANDMAN prototype is a Sandman "the only one". Yet all official public release version aren't? Ridiculous! The reason these Vans exist is because the demand/interest shown in the promotional MAMBO SANDMAN. They are the same basic thing without the decals. Come from the same design plans and the very same mold. Most agree if Holden had added the stripe package the argument wouldn't even exist.

Now I don't give a flying _ about the decals, they don't make the difference in my eyes. Would appear it does to others as they need it spelled out in big bold writing in flashy or gordy colours.
You also go on about HBD not being the production line etc. Mate, this also doesn't make a bit of difference. They are all under the same manufactures banner HOLDEN, it is their design and carries their trademark on the promotional material. Either in the single leaf flyer or the official series II sale brochure. The A9X was outsourced for the wheel arch treatment and flares along with many other things. What about the Repco input?

Saying it's the canopy and not the car thats rare! Again, the only way you got the Sandman converted car (not the canopy) was to buy it from Holden. You never could order a canopy only from Holden. Before anyone declares you can buy one from AMCAT still today. There are differences much the same as the little things in '70 Sandman bodies they are things that as different between the FTP/HBD versions and the AMCAT improved versions. But only people in the know who care to learn can pick these differences. You mention Terry and Ben quite often and quite rightly. But just like you, the knowledge has to be obtained over the years. I have sold items to Ben when he was doing his research and held many a conversion with Terry over the years about early Holden's and NASCO accessories where most of my knowledge lays. We learn from each other, in person at shows, swapmeets and various Nationals and then online via telephones and the Internet forums etc. Some write books to help educate, other webpages. But make a mistake and you are sure to be told a million times over .....

Agreed the plastic modern stuff isn't the 1970's Sandman that all love and cherish but the continual bashing on about the new stuff having no place in Sandman history because it's not the same as it was in the seventies is wearing a little thin through ignorance and or prejudice.

Even when it's laid out in official print, promotional advertising and brochures clearly stating what it is, you and others still want to override, rundown and exclude! Amazing...

Regards, Smooth

[HK1837]

You are right, we'll never agree on this point! A Sandman was a special vehicle package, that included various options and feature changes. This is a canopy fitted to a ute to make it into a pseudo-van (in original FJ-WB van terms I mean it is a pseudo-van). Simple. I doubt my opinion will ever change on this one!

[Innuendo]

That's fine Byron, everyone can have an opinion.
This doesn't make your opinion the only one that counts though.
Special vehicle package is exactly how I and others see the Sandman Canopy Conversion. Just in a different time and place on the car industry calender.

Your opinion is really no different to those who choose to exclude the modern Monaro from being "real" what ever that means! (not saying you agree with that).

Regards, Smooth

[HK1837]

That's fine Byron, everyone can have an opinion.
This doesn't make your opinion the only one that counts though.
Special vehicle package is exactly how I and others see the Sandman Canopy Conversion. Just in a different time and place on the car industry calender.

Your opinion is really no different to those who choose to exclude the modern Monaro from being "real" what ever that means! (not saying you agree with that).

Regards, Smooth

Too true, everyone is (in this country anyway) allowed to have an opinion! You are correct that the way Holden (by design) marketed this canopy calls it a Sandman conversion. However they like many others today appear to be inferring all panel vans are Sandmans - the simple fact of adding a canopy to a ute makes it a panel van, and hence a Sandman. I can see what they are saying, and I get what they are saying. But the original HQ XX7 special vehicle package was actually called 'sports option'. Sandman was always the "sports" variety of the commercial vehicle, which is what the SS or SV6 are today. All HQ-HZ Sandmans are different body-wise to non-Sandmans, and the difference(s) is/were part of the vehicle from the time it was entered into the rolling schedule. Many are ID plated differently. The "Sandman" converted utes were not built differently or special, and you cannot pick them apart from any other ute. So while they may have a tenuous lnk to the Sandman name, they have no other claims to being a Sandman. To me this is no different to a dealer fitting Sandman stuff to a Kingswood and calling it a Sandman - it has stuff on it that came from Holden in a box that says "Sandman" but the vehicle it goes on is not a Sandman.

An HBD accessory though is NOT a special vehicle package, this is beyond doubt or opinion. Special vehicle packages are cars like Sandman, HQ GTS sedan, XU-1 Torana, L34 Torana, A9X Torana, Taxi package, Ambulance package, Vacationer etc. Modern examples are a Thunder ute or 60th anniversary ute or sedan.