Sandman Stories- I'll go first.

[Ricki]

They are the absolute freedom machines, I have had some of the best times of my life in and with my Sandman, so lets hear some stories, and lets not let the truth get in the way of a good one!

Rip Curl Pro 2010:

After a few days spent parked in the carpark of the Bells Beach backpackers searching for surf watching the contest and partying with travellers, some french backpackers were told there was no more space for them to stay. They were great blokes and partied hard but had nowhere to go. I was with a group of mates on this trip and the news was dropped that these fellas had nowhere to go while i was in the toilet.

I get back from the dunny and find two frenchmen thanking me profusely and my mates giggling like hyenas. I had no idea until one of the Frenchmen said "thankyou so much for letting us stay in your car".

At this stage the boys are pissing themselves laughing and i felt pretty bad for these french fellas so i went along with it knowing we were going to the pub that night. (The plan being that i'd find a local girl and stay there)

As the night went on I hadnt parted with my keys and the French fellas were ready to call it quits, I handed over the keys (my killswitch on of course) and they went to bed. Now I was rooted...

It got really late but i found a local girl (with a great personality, but a head like a robbers dog), stayed at her house, nothing further happened there and everyone lived happily ever after.

[HK1837]

Sexless inkeeper? (If you've seen that episonde of How I Met Your Mother you'll understand).

[Big Rob]

1976. I was 16 years old and a pretty good racing cyclist. The Australian Championships were in Melbourne (I was living in Sydney) and my coach was a really cool 24 year old bloke, married with a 4 year old daughter (and a 308/4 speed Jamaica Lime Sandman)

The NSW team flew to Melbourne, but my coach thought it would be cool to drive (so we had the van to get around in). So my 1st big trip without my parents was a (FAST) drive down the old Hume Highway, overnight, riding shotgun in a Sandman. We got pulled over for speeding around the Victorian border sometime after midnight and had a couple of greasy 'burgers at truckstops whenever we stopped to fill the van.

We arrived in Melbourne around dawn.

I saw a tram for the 1st time.

I drank a beer in a pub for the 1st time.

I drove the Sandman around the pub carpark for the 1st time.

I met my 1st Melbourne girl and XXXXXXXXXXXXXX for the 1st time.

I fell in love with Sandman panel vans that weekend and have been in love ever since.

It was almost 40 years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday.

[pj350]

Ok here we go, it was eather 81 -2 i use to work in the shearing sheds up north and down the south east.... anyway this shed was bout 150 kms north of streaky bay, a shearer i was working with i remember had this yellow hj van its always stuck in my mind cause as i remember it ,it was yellow had the sandman stripes black interior gts wheels guards but heres the thing it had a premier dash with a bench seat .

[Big Rob]

Doesn't really matter....

It's the memory that's got you here now that matters.

[Flamenco_not_Flamingo]

17 years old, in my friend Barry hq sandman panel van, cruising upper tailgate open, doing laps in the old home town, Juice Newtown on the wireless lol