Confusing HQ Van

[Rockape]

Hi all.
Have just bought a HQ Van that I did not really want but the price was right and it is all factory, never been pulled apart, and is complete. It has quite a bit of rust but by no means the worst I have seen. I bought it based on the build plates which read as follows -

Model - 80270QR
Body - 793876-S
Trim - 1854-30B
Paint- 563-15345
Eng- L31
Trans- M21
Axle- GV2

Build Date- 11/73 ( CONFUSING )
DHQ XXXXXX
4850 LBS
Seating Cap 2

Vin- 8M70T *D* H7XXXXXQ

Ok, the van is completely stock by the looks of it and is a 5 litre, 4 speed, 3.36 LSD, factory air, GTS instrumentation, factory HQ buckets and centre console. Am told the factory colour is Dulon Mustard, this colour can be seen all over the van under the new paint.

Now, the conundrum. Build date of 11/73 BUT D in the Vin signifies a build date of 1974. Any ideas?

The seller tells me an interesting story. He tells me the guy he bought it off was a painter at GMH and he believes the van was a proto type/demo for the coming HQ Sandman range in '74.

I'm curious to know what you guys think. The D in the vin has me excited, but the build plate clearly identifies 11/73.

Everything else is right except for - It has a twin headlight front and the wiring looks factory. It does not have fluted guards, but this can be easily explained.

Thanks in advance guys.

Edit- Engine No- QT673544

[V8VAN]

The model year changed in sept so pretty sure that's normal. My van is the same I think.

[HK1837]

As above the GMH model year changed on 1st September. It isn't a Sandman unfortunately, just a HQ Belmont van with plenty of boxes ticked on the order form. If you give me the VIN i'll see if it was an internal car, I not the nose will be dealer fitted or fitted after it was new.

[Rockape]

As above the GMH model year changed on 1st September. It isn't a Sandman unfortunately, just a HQ Belmont van with plenty of boxes ticked on the order form. If you give me the VIN i'll see if it was an internal car, I not the nose will be dealer fitted or fitted after it was new.

Thanks HK, and the other guys. Really not that confusing after all.
Shame it's not a 'real' one but I guess it's still a pretty rare and very cool combination, and for the $ I know I can't go wrong.

HK the VIN is - 8M70TDH793876Q

Anything you can tell me will be greatly appreciated. Cheers.

[HK1837]

Thanks HK, and the other guys. Really not that confusing after all.
Shame it's not a 'real' one but I guess it's still a pretty rare and very cool combination, and for the $ I know I can't go wrong.

HK the VIN is - 8M70TDH793876Q

Anything you can tell me will be greatly appreciated. Cheers.

Selling dealer was Sundell Motors in Chatswood, but it appears to be an ordered car as it was completed on 22/11 and sold in December. It is a reasonably heavily optioned van too, they've ticked:

308
LSD
Integrated A/C.

The only major mechanical option boxes they appear to have missed are M40 (trimatic) and N40 (power steering). So i'm not surprised it has U21 instruments, people who spent up on expensive mechanical options often ticked the cheap options like U17 dash and also wheel options. Console cannot be original, nor can the rear bracket as selecting M20 or L31 plus XS6 (buckets) on a HQ van deleted the seat separator that automatically came with XS6 and uses the same bracket as a console in HQ. If the console is original then the van may have been some sort of special thing built for someone inside GMH but still not a Sandman. Being Pagewood built it won't be an prototype or anything like that. Maybe if the owner was a worker there he may have got the nose fitted for him and the console added as well?

The chassis number will be very interesting for this one too, should be getting close to DHQ99999S ie the reset point when numbers went back to DHQ00001S. There will also be a number on the firewall above the heater box under the LH winscreen squirter hose hole, something like 98xxxS

[Rockape]

Selling dealer was Sundell Motors in Chatswood, but it appears to be an ordered car as it was completed on 22/11 and sold in December. It is a reasonably heavily optioned van too, they've ticked:

308
LSD
Integrated A/C.

The only major mechanical option boxes they appear to have missed are M40 (trimatic) and N40 (power steering). So i'm not surprised it has U21 instruments, people who spent up on expensive mechanical options often ticked the cheap options like U17 dash and also wheel options. Console cannot be original, nor can the rear bracket as selecting M20 or L31 plus XS6 (buckets) on a HQ van deleted the seat separator that automatically came with XS6 and uses the same bracket as a console in HQ. If the console is original then the van may have been some sort of special thing built for someone inside GMH but still not a Sandman. Being Pagewood built it won't be an prototype or anything like that. Maybe if the owner was a worker there he may have got the nose fitted for him and the console added as well?

The chassis number will be very interesting for this one too, should be getting close to DHQ99999S ie the reset point when numbers went back to DHQ00001S. There will also be a number on the firewall above the heater box under the LH winscreen squirter hose hole, something like 98xxxS

Hey HK, and others. Sorry for the late reply but I only got the van home as of late last night, it's been sitting at a mates for a few weeks.......and I wish I had never have seen it. It is all that was described to me, but it is also much that wasn't. It is indeed a 11/73 build Factory L31, M21 2 seater with factory air and LSD, 100% complete car and very original, but it is so much worse than how it looked in the photos. It is rooted, beyond repair......absolutely dicked. It is my own fault for buying sight unseen but I am huge on honesty and respect, and the tool I bought it off has shown me none of either. But, like I said, my own fault, lesson learned. I believe in Karma, and in no way am I suggesting that 'he will get his', I am no angel so perhaps I just got a serve of it myself.....funny in it's own way. It's not the end of the world, you win some you lose some, but I am feeling pretty ill at the moment.

Can't read a chassis number, which is why flog head was never able to come up with a photo of one I guess. Regardless i'd hypothesise that the chassis will have rust issues, haven't got under to have a look and am not going to waste my energy doing so. Firewall number is 38425 - S. Interested to know what this suggests, would it be the original body? Again, regardless, it is toast so it matters not I guess.

I am not wasting one minute on this car, and will put it on line for sale and just take what I can get for it, at an obvious loss, but such is life. Anyone on here interested in it be known that it IS a complete car with Factory 'Q specs as mentioned, the buckets, console, GTS dash, air, 5 litre, 4 speed, LSD - it's all still there, and the plates are correct, BUT, it is toast, I can't be anymore honest. It is located in Mackay. PM me through here I guess if anyone is keen. If not, like I said it will go back on line tonight or over the weekend, when I get around to it.

Cheers HK and all at M.S

[HK1837]

Hey HK, and others. Sorry for the late reply but I only got the van home as of late last night, it's been sitting at a mates for a few weeks.......and I wish I had never have seen it. It is all that was described to me, but it is also much that wasn't. It is indeed a 11/73 build Factory L31, M21 2 seater with factory air and LSD, 100% complete car and very original, but it is so much worse than how it looked in the photos. It is rooted, beyond repair......absolutely dicked. It is my own fault for buying sight unseen but I am huge on honesty and respect, and the tool I bought it off has shown me none of either. But, like I said, my own fault, lesson learned. I believe in Karma, and in no way am I suggesting that 'he will get his', I am no angel so perhaps I just got a serve of it myself.....funny in it's own way. It's not the end of the world, you win some you lose some, but I am feeling pretty ill at the moment.

Can't read a chassis number, which is why flog head was never able to come up with a photo of one I guess. Regardless i'd hypothesise that the chassis will have rust issues, haven't got under to have a look and am not going to waste my energy doing so. Firewall number is 38425 - S. Interested to know what this suggests, would it be the original body? Again, regardless, it is toast so it matters not I guess.

I am not wasting one minute on this car, and will put it on line for sale and just take what I can get for it, at an obvious loss, but such is life. Anyone on here interested in it be known that it IS a complete car with Factory 'Q specs as mentioned, the buckets, console, GTS dash, air, 5 litre, 4 speed, LSD - it's all still there, and the plates are correct, BUT, it is toast, I can't be anymore honest. It is located in Mackay. PM me through here I guess if anyone is keen. If not, like I said it will go back on line tonight or over the weekend, when I get around to it.

Cheers HK and all at M.S

Can you read the chassis number on the ADR tag?
Could the firewall number be 98425S?

[adam perth]

engine number probably around sept 1975...or thereabouts

[Innuendo]

Isn't that the HQ Van spoken about only a few days back? Rough to look at but claimed matching numbers etc.

This one! http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/thorn...tor/1059933578

[Vombil]

Isn't that the HQ Van spoken about only a few days back? Rough to look at but claimed matching numbers etc.

This one! http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/thorn...tor/1059933578

thats the one. the guy sent me pics and I ran for the hills. I haven't seen many worse than it but horses for courses.
When i spoke to him he told me it was a matching numbers Sandman. So by the looks of it it's not matching numbers and it's not a Sandman. Seems his story has morphed into 'prototype'. Please don't read into this as a negative post but I hate being lied to, especially when he knew I was so far away.

It is what it is. As is, where is. Why sell the the story? It makes no difference to the tangible vehicle.

I hope you bring her back from the brink and what a great combo! 308 HQ PV, so sick!