6 cylinder sandmans?

[Bigtonkatoy]

I'd take a 6 now over an 8 I love my v8 but the price of rego now and when you got 4 other cars it all ads up

[Dago]

You got me :P

I was on a bit of a rant with that... But I'm not entirely incorrect. And these examples you show are utes. Not my preferred option, though I'd jump at an HQ-HJ ute down the road a little.

[wbute]

They were good buying but.... They are beyond a p plater. Way too dear to run and they need to be maintained. You can't get away with no maintenance like a Japanese p plate $10000 car.
I got my WB registered two years ago thinking I might do some commuting to work in it. 700km every 12 days. I did it once and the fuel bill was going to break me. It needs a dyno tune and a new AC compressor. There's close to $1500 straight off the bat. They are nice to look at but like all classic machines, not very friendly to use.

[thatotherguy]

Even a 202 would be unaffordable for a P plater our SS torrie has a 202 but considering how much fuel it guzzles it might as well have a 308

[HK1837]

I think most people forget how inefficient older cars were for their size. A 173 LC/LJ was lucky to get 22-23mpg normal driving which is about 8km/L or 12.3L/100. My manual VY SS ute used to do that easily (even better if more highway use) and if I take it easy on my 2 tonne V6 auto Hilux it'll go close to that too. Stick pollution equipment onto a 202 as per HX-HZ with a 1:1 top gear and a 3.55:1 diff which sees it revving at 3200-3500rpm at 110km/h and they drink fuel like there is no tomorrow.

If you want economy in an older Holden you can't go past an EFI V6 conversion, even an EFI 304 with overdrive box will be as efficient or better as an old original 202.

[thatotherguy]

i agree, as much as i love the torana the idea of selling it and buying a VZ senator or a CV8Z or even a VF ute with canopy (really love the dark green colour) has crossed my mind

[HK1837]

If you want good value with future value increase you'll be streets ahead with a V2 CV8 over a VZ CV8Z. You can buy a V2 CV8 beauty with low kM for $20k, and these (like HK, HQ) will be the one to have in the future.

[wbute]

Maloo is the sleeper. They are dirt cheap. VS and older are around 7-10k. Fuel injected performance and HSV handling.

[HK1837]

Only problem with HSV stuff is they are almost always ugly, and the bits that make them ugly are the bits most likely to get damaged and cost a mint to replace. On a VG-VS Maloo that means front bar, skirts and tailgate. No matter how careful we were with the CV8 the front bar kept getting damaged, and it is a dead stock car. Front bare were less than $300 new plus paint. HSV bars for a V2 (VG-VS Mall no different) were like $1000 when you could get one. For me if I was to go for one of those utes i'd grab one of the second lot of 300 VSIII SS utes, preferably with a HBD 195i engine. The first 300 were the old VS flat tappet engine. I have a NOS set of seat covers and door trim insert material for one of these if I ever find a really good one

[Wally]

Maloo is the sleeper. They are dirt cheap. VS and older are around 7-10k. Fuel injected performance and HSV handling.

What do you think about, as a sleeper, a good condition HZ / WB Caprice. They go cheap.