U.S. Sandman

**don3527** · 12-02-2017, 10:48 AM

Well guys, after 4 years, the 77 HX is finally finished!! The last thing I needed was the decals and I just got them from Sticky a couple of weeks ago. I ended up going with a 383 Chevrolet stroker motor coupled with a Tremec transmission. The guy that I bought this car from tore the motor out of it and lost a lot of the motor parts. My original plan was to just put the original factory transmission behind a Chevy motor but after I already purchased the adapter from Dellow, I was warned that the transmission wouldn't hold up. Consequently, I have a transmission adapter if anyone is looking for one. It was a tight squeeze but we made it fit without doing any cutting or hacking. Shouldn't say any, did have to cut a little bit for the shift tower but that was it. The car didn't have the factory wheels when I bought it so the wheels I ended up using were a pretty close compromise. We lowered the car with shorter springs in the front and the 2" blocks in the rear end to give it a little nicer stance. I had bought a new black headliner and carpet for the car but the upholstery shop wanted to do something a little more custom as the pictures will show so if anyone's looking for a headliner and carpet, I have that available too! Anyway, a big thanks to everyone for their help when I posted questions, it was much appreciated. Its a little hard to find any info on a Sandman here in the states!! When you tell someone you're working on a Sandman, they look at you like you're an idiot!

**wbute** · 12-02-2017, 11:29 AM

That's absolutely unreal! Top van! I bet it turns some heads over there!!
The interior looks terrific. I bet it's nice to drive with that engine/gearbox combo.

**Valencia** · 12-02-2017, 11:38 AM

Well done Don you will get some strange looks driving that around in the states
van looks fantastic
enjoy driving it

**XX7SANDMN** · 12-02-2017, 12:30 PM

Well done Top effort! So whats the plan now? keep her sell her? How do you find driving a rhd van in the states especially with no side windows? If you ever want to send her home to Australia PM me lol again Top Job

**don3527** · 13-02-2017, 06:15 AM

Definitely keeping it, I'm a car hoarder, never like to get rid of anything. RHD isn't too bad, I actually got a little experience in Australia the last couple of years. In 2015 I was with a crew that drove a model A Ford from Steep Point to Byron Bay going across all 5 deserts. I drove a Fuso RHD support vehicle on that trip. Last year we drove from Cockle Creek in Tasmania to the furthest point north via the Telegraph Track so there was a lot more highway and city driving on this trip. Got the vehicle driving down, just have to keep it on the right side of the road!

**maxsandman** · 12-02-2017, 01:00 PM

Great looking van, top effort. Now you can enjoy all your hard work driving it around. Any ambitions to get another aussie car?

cheers
Max

**don3527** · 13-02-2017, 06:07 AM

Noooooo, this one about did me in! Going back to the old stuff! Just getting started on a 1932 Ford 3-window coupe hi-boy. Taking a little different route, putting a 4 cyl Cummins diesel in it. Trying to get it done for the next SEMA show in Vegas but we may have to wait one more year at the rate I'm going.

**Innuendo** · 12-02-2017, 03:32 PM

Great work Don. It is a credit to you. You have bought it a long way since you purchased it.
The trim does look nice. Couple of small things. External door handles should be black. Headlight trim should have black inners (blackouts).
Not all much but it will make it pop against the Orange paint. Shifter looks a little tall in the console also.

Love the effort and would love to see some photos of it in typical American scenes amongst other cars or US landmarks like Walmart or a burger joint etc.

Thanks for posting the photos and update.