HQ Sandy Christman present

**seavan** · 26-12-2013, 10:37 AM

Thanks for the feedback its great to hear! Is there anyway,or anything else that can help me identify this as being a genuine sandman?
The small tag details I put up, I cant seem to follow against info on here, can someone help me there?
Will the chassis numbers reveal anything that may help identify this ute?
Did hq sandmans have the different spare wheel cup on the spare holder like other models?

Thanks again!

**GNW1974** · 26-12-2013, 10:37 AM

Buy, restore and think yourself lucky that you even found one. Just a lovely piece of Australian Heritage worth preserving.

**GNW1974** · 26-12-2013, 10:48 AM

Unless you can find the original books, the original owner with hard evidence such as photos and license papers or the original dealership (if still in existence) has records practically impossible. Trust your gut instinct. Ask the current owners what they know about its history and WRITE IT DOWN. You will be amazed at what you forget if you dont.

I am no expert but I would imagine putting GTS bits into a HQ Ute is a relatively new happening, say the last 10-15 years, before that HQ's were not very popular, hence the use as a shooting ute. You are lucky to find it in a condition even worth considering restoration. I am not saying it didn't happen (putting GTS bits on Utes), it just wouldn't have been common.

**playwme** · 26-12-2013, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by GNW1974

. I am not saying it didn't happen (putting GTS bits on Utes), it just wouldn't have been common.

I reckon you'd be suprised. A mates dad said he ordered his ute from a dealer and had them stick a prem front and GTS guards on before he picked it up. He had mates that did similar things too. They'd buy statesmans and Prems with rear or side damage too and swap bits onto cars that were less than a year old.

**seavan** · 26-12-2013, 06:00 PM

Ok, so without starting the great debate (again) as I know there has been a few on here, is a re-shell transferring all parts that make it a sandman including chassis and tags mount, strips etc with a Dandenong body making it any less a sandman. What percentage of transferable metal has to go with it before you consider it legit? Should this be done or do we let these cars just keep getting toasted and return back to the soil? There must be hundreds of restored cars that only have a poofteenth of the original metal in them but that does not stop people spending thousands and being any less desirable. What are your thoughts?

Wally · 26-12-2013, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by seavan

Ok, so without starting the great debate (again) as I know there has been a few on here, is a re-shell transferring all parts that make it a sandman including chassis and tags mount, strips etc with a Dandenong body making it any less a sandman. What percentage of transferable metal has to go with it before you consider it legit? Should this be done or do we let these cars just keep getting toasted and return back to the soil? There must be hundreds of restored cars that only have a poofteenth of the original metal in them but that does not stop people spending thousands and being any less desirable. What are your thoughts?

This might help - I am a carpenter and so was my dad and I have in my possession a 650 year old hammer that has handed down through the family for all those years as a family heirloom. Here's the thing - it has had 45 new heads and 238 new handles but is 650 years old . We have really kept it in good condition!!! You were saying?

**Absinth** · 26-12-2013, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by Wally

This might help - I am a carpenter and so was my dad and I have in my possession a 650 year old hammer that has handed down through the family for all those years as a family heirloom. Here's the thing - it has had 45 new heads and 238 new handles but is 650 years old . We have really kept it in good condition!!! You were saying?

This is a very poor example for an argument against..... In this case a car would have to have had a body and engine swap... And then later had a chassis swap..... In which case it is no longer an original Sandman.....

the ID of a car is in the tags and chassis.

i sold my HX Monaro before restoring it as the front chassis rail with the chassis number had been replaced with a HQ one after an accident. I considered it to have lost it's identity and not worth the money to restore it as it would never be accepted as an original Monaro. Other have a different opinion on this also.

**HK1837** · 26-12-2013, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by seavan

Ok, so without starting the great debate (again) as I know there has been a few on here, is a re-shell transferring all parts that make it a sandman including chassis and tags mount, strips etc with a Dandenong body making it any less a sandman. What percentage of transferable metal has to go with it before you consider it legit? Should this be done or do we let these cars just keep getting toasted and return back to the soil? There must be hundreds of restored cars that only have a poofteenth of the original metal in them but that does not stop people spending thousands and being any less desirable. What are your thoughts?

I don't have a drama with it if it is done right. Just be honest about it if you ever go to sell it, and don't do an anal resto, just do the best you can for the budget that suits you (ie don't overcapitalise). A car like that is a pefect candidate for a Chev or a 308 or an EFI 5litre if the original 253 is gone.

**HK1837** · 26-12-2013, 11:25 AM

Looking at it, even if it has the original body you might have to find another Dandenong HQ ute body as a donor and just live with it as a reshell as it looks very badly rusted plus has a sunroof. My guess is it'll be rotted past fixing.