HX Kingswood Ute

[Taily]

The big stripes on Sandmans must have been a huge turn off for a lot of people.

My grandparents bought the HJ ute that I now own brand new in 1975. It was ordered early in the year and wasn't delivered to them for around 4-5 months. The primary reason two people in their 60's ordered a ute was to accept the slide-on Freeway camper that they ordered at the same time, so they could see out their golden years with a bit of travelling and they wanted to be comfortable doing it. They ordered and optioned-up a 308, TH400, floor shift T-Bar and buckets, A/C, PWR STR, LSD, Heavy duty radiator, carpet, full instrumentation dash, tow bar etc etc... absinth yellow ute. We have the original options order form for the vehicle which clearly shows what they ordered. From talking to my father and my uncle about their recollections of when the ute was ordered (apart from the fact the vehicle was ultimately not purchased from a Holden Dealer in the family - that is a story all by itself, which has more to do with the Hillsdon's salesman telling them the only way they could get what they wanted was to buy a Sandman and that they wouldn't budge on it) they both mentioned that the Sutton's salesman (where the ute was ultimately bought) did say they would have to accept other options on it if they wanted the floor shift... but they could have a "Kingswood" ute in the spec that they wanted if they were prepared for the dealer to build it for them.

Doing some detective work with Byron, my father and my uncle and now uncovering the painted-over blackouts, yellow over spray in the arches and under the rear valance, the side strips that were entirely affixed with rivets in the doors, rear guards and tailgate but the front guards had the lugs on them point to the entire walk-off front being replaced by the dealer, the blackouts painted over and the stripes either removed (or maybe they were never fitted from the factory) before the dealer fitted the side strips. The vehicle always had the front console mount, the T-bar, the GTS dash and wheel, the GTS wheels fitted from new and other Kingswood items were optioned and added, such as bumper strip front bumper with over riders, badges etc.

Looking at the ute in the ebay link above it would appear that my grandparents were not alone wanting a ute with the works, just not with the stripes or guards in the bargain. I'm tipping there were some nice one tonners, Kingswoods and Prems getting around with some GTS guards at the time also....

It still presented well, never had a major accident of any kind (my dear old grandmother occasionally clipped the gatepost at Merrylands though) and has around 155,000km on the odo. I thought it time to clean it up before any major rust got hold of it. I'm going to fit GTS guards back on it but still umming and ahhhing about the sandman stripes etc.

IMG_12411.jpg

(Edit): You'll note the hideous over engineered attach points for the slide on camper on the outside of the well body.... It was time for them to go...

Regards,

Dave.