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

**Innuendo** · 26-03-2018, 01:37 AM

Originally Posted by Absinth

Would be interesting to know how many HQ SS are recorded as existing today, at least we know build numbers for them.

That would be a good pointer for sure and very interesting. I would suggest more SS sedans would have survived though. Commercials normally hard a much harder life.

**Absinth** · 26-03-2018, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by HQ Restoration Supplies

The first production run of SS's began around the 3rd week of August 1972, and ran until the end of September, totalling 1600 units. The second run, or series, began around the 3rd week in November 1972 and continued until just before Christmas, with a further 1200 cars leaving the line. This total of 2800 cars was an instant sales success, thus paving the way for the GTS 4-door, a model which continued through the years to end in 1978 with the HZ.
Of the 2800 cars built, it is estimated (with the help of this register) that there is possibly less than 500 examples surviving today. Being based on a Belmont, and not a 'true' Monaro, they were often disregarded or sacrificed for their GTS options to furnish a ute project, or upgrade a base model Monaro coupe.

Above from HQ Restoration supplies SS register.

In approx. 10 weeks Holden built 2800 SS sedans. There would have to be at least that many HQ Sandmans built over a 10 month period. HQ SS is easy to identify from the ID plates where HQ Sandman unless Brisbane built is very difficult to Identify and even Brisbane built are hard if the XX7 got forgotten to be stamped.

Add to that Sandman stripes were dealer fitted so a lot of HQ Sandmans would have gone stripeless so not easily recognised as a Sandman unlike HQ SS. A lot more HQ Sandman panelvans would also have been butchered for parts.