Nice HQ Sandman - Car Sales 15 March 2018 - Monterey Green White Stripes

[Innuendo]

Thought I'd list it as there has been some talk in the shout box.

car_sales_hq_sandman_15032018.jpg

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https://www.carsales.com.au/private/...SSE-AD-5314257

Beautiful neat looking HQ with a pricey tag.
Lots to debate on this one as quite a few things are very different from factory.

You pick what is incorrect (if your dare!!!!)

[Valencia]

Ok me go first 1 Non HQ doors
next

[maxsandman]

It says "just like the day it was picked up from the dealer"....

Anyway, far too nice for me to pick at, and most of the alterations could be classed as improvement over something that otherwise might look plain. Definitely a lot of money for something that's not "as original" but it would be great to own one of the 100 made

[Absinth]

Definitely a lot of money for something that's not "as original" but it would be great to own one of the 100 made

Where the hell do people get the idea that only 100 HQ Sandmans were ever made????? January 1974 to start of November 1974 = 10 months..... so 4 factories are only producing 10 Sandmans per month???? that's 2.5 Sandmans per month per factory right in the middle of the "van craze".....

[maxsandman]

Where the hell do people get the idea that only 100 HQ Sandmans were ever made????? January 1974 to start of November 1974 = 10 months..... so 4 factories are only producing 10 Sandmans per month???? that's 2.5 Sandmans per month per factory right in the middle of the "van craze".....

Sorry Absinth, if my sarcasm was too subtle. I, myself believe the number would be north of 500, but don't have anything to base that on. And, personally I know of 2 HQ sandman vans stripped to build utes and the bodies cut up, in the late 90s.

My questions regarding what may be incorrect on this great looking green van are as follows:
steering column, is black correct for Belmont?
should this have trim bands on the Rally wheels? or an option?
should there be a PCV hose on the rocker cover?
3 row radiator would be option at least"
the air cleaner shouldn't have the heat valve thing on the snorkel (later model)
the heater/blower fan and housing is from a later model, as HQ wiring is direct to the resister on the plastic housing, not fan motor

Can I also say I would love to own this car

cheers
Max

[Innuendo]

My questions regarding what may be incorrect on this great looking green van are as follows:
steering column, is black correct for Belmont?
should this have trim bands on the Rally wheels? or an option?
should there be a PCV hose on the rocker cover?
3 row radiator would be option at least"
the air cleaner shouldn't have the heat valve thing on the snorkel (later model)
the heater/blower fan and housing is from a later model, as HQ wiring is direct to the resister on the plastic housing, not fan motor

With Chestnut interior the column should be Chestnut not black.
Dress/Trim Rings were an option.
Air Cleaner looks correct.
Radiator is oversized to that from factory.

Can I also say I would love to own this car

Oh yeah! Me Too....

- - - Updated - - -

Im just wondering where they plucked that price from

If you just pay others to build it, that would likely be what it costs!

[SLR_dave]

If you just pay others to build it, that would likely be what it costs!

Yep, have to agree, its pretty easy to imagine. Also if Shannons agreed to insure it at that value, its reasonable to imagine they would want some explanation of how the value was derived.

I'm gonna add a tentative question on originality - the loop pile carpet with inserts.. on HQ? (I am totally ready to be corrected on that - lol, I dont actually know, more of a question out of interest.)

But I also wonder, if a person purchased an HQ Sandman to restore, (say within the last decade) and when they got it, it already had additions, (like the wheel arch trims for instance), then isn't that part of the vehicles heritage too?

So replacing them with new or rebuilt ones might seem completely faithful. Perhaps even wrong not to keep? (Although the ad could maybe have been worded differently).

Anyway, it's obviously an awesome restore, so sweet. I wouldn't want to pick at it either, too good!

(Just also acknowledging HQ Freeks comment above, I was typing at the time, missed your comment)

[Robbo_NZ]

Wouldn't this be an opportune moment to ascertain the approximate production count?
I'm sure there would be forum members with the pertaining knowledge to make an educated guess.
After all, isn't this what the forum is all about? - To share information, especially since it all started with the HQ.
Even at a conservative 50% attrition rate, surely the numbers are still fairly lean.
If this knowledge was made public surely this would reflect the asking price more fairly.

Yes - a beautiful van all the same.

[Innuendo]

Here are a few:

Kingswood Door Trims.
Carpet.
Radiator Grille should be all black.
Wheel Arch Moulds.
Door Moulds.
Seats should have hard board backs (Sedan).
Full Length Roof Lining (Din't happen in HQ).
Chrome Step Moulds/Scuff Plates (Premier/Statesman).
Door Handle Scratch Plates (option).
Chrome Tail Light Surrounds (option).
WB Windscreen.
Radiator Cowling (Air Conditioned Only).
Rear Venetian (aftermarket).

Sure it can be debated that some (or most) of these are improvements and I'm not bagging the changes, just pointing out they are not factory spec.

Nobody knows the numbers on HQ Sandman's produced (not even Holden) so everything is speculation or a plain guess.
Logic would suggest the number was quite a bit higher than 100 units for sure. I'm with Absinth on that one. But '74 wasn't the hight of Vanning it was around the enthusiastic start.
The peak of the Van craze would have been '76-'78 with the highest standards happening in the '80's.

The numbers on the HQ SS were what? 1600 and than 1200 or similar. It will be under that count for sure. They made around 250 VF Sandman's in Ute's and Wagon's so I think that would be closer to the mark and quite possibly more!

[Absinth]

But '74 wasn't the hight of Vanning it was around the enthusiastic start.
The peak of the Van craze would have been '76-'78 with the highest standards happening in the '80's.

The peak of the van craze for customizing... yes 76 to 78...... young people started buying vans for cheap transport in the early 70's and by 74 panelvans were big sellers, hence Holden, Ford and Chrysler cashing in on the demand with optioned up vans like the Sandman. I don't know about other States but in Qld in the 70's panelvans being a commercial vehicle were cheaper to buy and much cheaper to register and insure even in V8 guise and there were heaps in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast.

In Jan 1974 a new HQ 308 4sp Sandman panelvan was $4195 MRRP. In Nov 1978 a new HZ 308 4sp Sandman panelvan was $8768 MRRP. The Sandman panelvan had more than doubled in price in less than 4 years, wages certainly hadn't doubled in that period, falling sales ended the reign of the Sandman.

If Holden could pump out 2800 HQ SS in a couple of months (and how many of these do we see in circulation today) I'd put money on HQ Sandmans numbering in the 1000's. I'd also wager that HJ would rate the highest number of Sandmans produced.