HQ Holden Belmont Panel Van - eBay - Vic

[HK1837]

Great healthy debating here

After 40yrs of age, I dont believe that theory just refers to the collectable stuff. Any van that stays in one piece after 40yrs(especially through the van craze of the 70s & 80s)..has got to have some collectable value. Any stock standard cars of that age are getting thin on the ground.....even with the 400,000+ HQs sold!!!

Changing the heart of the vehicle is surely more butchering than wheels and some springs and shocks....i'm confused by your logic here. I'm not talking slammed into the weeds, rolling on 22s... just a few inches, keeping the 14s as is with some clean looking whitewalls.

If i was inclined or in a position to buy it, id just make the engine bay pretty, clean stock interior and then let her age gracefully

She's still collectable, but unlike say an XU-1 or a GTS it'd still be collectable and probably worth more with a non original engine it it (in this case a 308, 350 etc) especially if youhad the whole original driveline sitting on a pallet ready to bolt back in.

In my eyes/opinion it is more original fixed up a bit (mat, front car etc) leaving original ride height and wheels (which includes GTS rims) but with say a carbied 308 and V8 trimatic than it would be lowering with mags. I know I originally said EFI 308 which is still what i'd do, and this does take it a fair bit away from any sense of being original, but that to me is for practical reasons and it is all unboltable stuff anyway. I love the look of original, but what is underneath doesn't concern me. I'd even be happy to see a big block, TH400 and 9" in it but have it looking dead stock inside and out!

[Dick61]

She's still collectable, but unlike say an XU-1 or a GTS it'd still be collectable and probably worth more with a non original engine it it (in this case a 308, 350 etc) especially if youhad the whole original driveline sitting on a pallet ready to bolt back in.

In my eyes/opinion it is more original fixed up a bit (mat, front car etc) leaving original ride height and wheels (which includes GTS rims) but with say a carbied 308 and V8 trimatic than it would be lowering with mags. I know I originally said EFI 308 which is still what i'd do, and this does take it a fair bit away from any sense of being original, but that to me is for practical reasons and it is all unboltable stuff anyway. I love the look of original, but what is underneath doesn't concern me. I'd even be happy to see a big block, TH400 and 9" in it but have it looking dead stock inside and out!

All jokes aside(as in my previous post), I agree with Byron. My 72 HQ ute was originally a 202/3spd and when I bought it, it was 253/4spd, dead straight with 3 spots of rust the size of a fingernail. This ute will be getting a 350/TH400 and the 253/4spd will be used in my HX Sandman. Unless the van in question was going to be totally restored and had some historical significance, I think a tasteful resto-mod would be the way to go:-)