HQ Sandman on ebay -QLD

[Wombat7051]

You are probably right rob, Adam and Byron have been great in helping me identify the car as not being a sandman, just a highly optioned car, can you imagine the price this thing would have cost optioned like it was????

There are a couple of strange things that I need help with. The first is that the car is stamped 2/73 on the build plate, however under the dash the heater box says,
IMG_4549.jpg
Was this stamp when the heater box was built or was it when the car was finished?

The second thing is the under coat to the floor in the cab it is bright orange,
IMG_4553.jpg
Is this normal?

Also if this is the wrong place for this discussion or there are already posts about this please let me know.

[HK1837]

That is the manufacturer's date on the heater box.

Undercoat should be red oxide over black body dip. Looks like red oxide on the tunnel. No- one will ever be able to correctly apply the red oxide as per original.

[HK1837]

And found two screw holes, with screws in front of the transmission hole.
Attachment 9186

Normal for a 4spd.

[HK1837]

You got what people were ordering from Holden, that prompted them to build a Sandman.

Vans were being ordered with special "options" or accessories for a long time before the van craze hit.

Back in the late 80's I owned a HT van that had been specially ordered with 253/powerglide/Salisbury. It also had aircon, GTS dash, console, buckets and a Premier front. All this stuff was on the van from new, whether "factory" or "dealer" fitted. When I bought it I thought it was a customised rebuild, but I researched it and eventually found the original owner. He worked for Holden and the van was built on the line for him. Some bits were fitted at the dealer that delivered the van. (Even if you worked for a car company and ordered a car, you still nominated a dealer to pick it up from, and to provide warranty and service.)

Wish I'd never sold it......

My guess is the 10 bolt was dealer fitted? Did it have the hump? I've never heard of a 253 HT-G with a Salisbury, although I think you could option a 3.36 Sals behind a 307 or 308 auto in HT. Sounds like a cool van in any case. 253 examples weren't that uncommon but auto ones were. Not sure why though, as a tow or fully loaded car a manual 253 HT are horrible as the diff is a 3.08, 3spd is a close ratio box and the M21 Saginaw 1st gear is the same as an M21 aussie box. Anyone who has tried driving a fully loaded ute with an M21 and 3.08 diff will attest to it!

[Wombat7051]

That is the manufacturer's date on the heater box.

Undercoat should be red oxide over black body dip. Looks like red oxide on the tunnel. No- one will ever be able to correctly apply the red oxide as per original.

I just checked and the orange is under the red oxide.

[thatotherguy]

You got what people were ordering from Holden, that prompted them to build a Sandman.

Vans were being ordered with special "options" or accessories for a long time before the van craze hit.

Back in the late 80's I owned a HT van that had been specially ordered with 253/powerglide/Salisbury. It also had aircon, GTS dash, console, buckets and a Premier front. All this stuff was on the van from new, whether "factory" or "dealer" fitted. When I bought it I thought it was a customised rebuild, but I researched it and eventually found the original owner. He worked for Holden and the van was built on the line for him. Some bits were fitted at the dealer that delivered the van. (Even if you worked for a car company and ordered a car, you still nominated a dealer to pick it up from, and to provide warranty and service.)

Wish I'd never sold it......

there is a guy over here restoring a factory V8 HT van that came from interstate it was that yellow/beige colour and windowless