south african hq sandman ? any one heard of this ?

[playwme]

Anyone else spot the coupe in the background?
!

Sure did.

Maybe it had a Jag V12 or something fitted to warrant a firewall chop like that.

[Calum]

good on ya Byron for helping with photos and hopefully Mark can find out a bit more about it for the interest bit, but i'm with playwme on the theory of a possible Jag or some other wild custom because it just looks like some one had a vision then lost sight. still makes for good 'chatter'.

[SLR_dave]

In terms of 'chatter'; seeing the firewall is as it is, and the van is 72 HQ, what are thoughts on sticking a V12 back in (apart from petrol costs, and cost of future engine parts) but, a V12 Jag engine from around 85 is getting cheap now.

Might be cheaper to stick a V12 back in than fix the firewall!! Should easy get one under $500. (plus, if you looked hard enough, you might also score yourself the rest of a rusty Jag for under a grand).. use the parts... leather seats man!!!

[george]

i guess you may find some rusty holden panelvans (rare if you did) in south africa , but they are badged differently and its worth way too muchto import them to AUS .
why look for a rusty panelvan in south africa when you can find one in AUS

[Dago]

That firewall would make a great dog kennel...

[Dr Terry]

I'm not so sure that Holden panel vans were ever officially sold in Sth Africa. I do know that the utes & One-tonners were sold there but I've never seen anything on the van.

Byron ??

Dr Terry

[sjc315]

Firewall leaves the field wide open, 400 Cummins, straight 8 Buick, 747 jet maybe.

[mauser]

haha ... a variation on the "Dodge Makes It, Cummins Shakes It".

Perfect conversion.

Mauser

[HK1837]

I'm not so sure that Holden panel vans were ever officially sold in Sth Africa. I do know that the utes & One-tonners were sold there but I've never seen anything on the van.

Byron ??

Dr Terry

I have no record of vans to South Africa. That part is a myth I believe, as is this van being built for South Africa as it has an ADR plate. BUT you never know with 4th hand stories. I know it is a long shot but this van was built around the right time to be a Sandman prototype, was assembled at the right plant, has all the right trappings on it (guards, dash), is an original V8, bucket seat car and is a colour as you'd expect (Royal Purple). The prototype Sandman ute was a 12/72 Kingswood ute, 308 4spd in Salamanca with black trim. Plus the 400 Chev engine used in 350Z and a few other cars was jumping around cars left right and centre in this timeframe so who knows? All very unlikely but I find that it is unwise to totally dismiss stories outright, sometimes there are tidbits that eventually prove to be true, but are only a fraction of the original story which has Chinese whispered beyond imagination. I really need the VIN plate data off the car to have a chance of finding it.

[wbute]

Bit like the Magnum ute. No one believed it became a aggie ute with 5 post bullbar and aerials. But it did so you never know.