HK/T/G panos

[Vombil]

why did they want to make a holden look like a ford... crazy kids

[Taily]

why did they want to make a holden look like a ford... crazy kids

It wasn't so much that they wanted them to look like Fords, more that Holden had pretty well designed everything previous with round headlights. The square/rectangular lights were more a European influence that started in the mid 70's.

[Innuendo]

why did they want to make a holden look like a ford... crazy kids

Lets remember "why" the Sandman exists.
Individuals were customizing Panel Vans and to a much lesser extend Utes in the early '70s. You customised to personalise your ride, so you didn't look like all the other sheep out on the road.
There were those who could, and those who needed to purchase off the shelf. The Sandman, Drifter, Sundowner etc were for those who needed off the shelf. These models came about from manufacturers cashing in on the Vanning craze.

In the day the Sandman was looked down upon from those who could. Many purchased a Sandman and quickly went about modifying it so it wasn't obvious you had purchased an off the peg tart up.
Because of this, the rarity of the unmolested Sandman exists. That and the fact that Panel Vans in general were hated like most things '70's during the late '80's and '90's (think fashion, music, orange furniture and curtains etc) This was also the reason why so many show vans were stripped and sold in pieces (nobody wanted to pay for a Van) or the Van was cut down or rebodied into a Ute to be sold.

Individualising your Van was the rage of the '70's and early '80's and set the standard of Street Machines and Hot Rods as we know them today. Sure looking back there were some horrid examples. In fact you didn't even need hindsight, in their day you knew what did and didn't work.

People can laugh at some of these custom builds of the Van craze days today, but let me assure you they were laughing just as hard at those who purchased Sandman's at that time.

As much as I appreciate an unmolested Sandman. I'm of an older breed of those who could/and can.