Just Another Sandman Question.

[Absinth]

GOOD Question!
most of the HQ sandman interior brochures in my "30 years of holden book" have armrests..

was the 1972 HQ ss door trim the same as 1974 Sandman belmont door trim?

Armrests were about the only optional extra you could get on the HQ SS which didn't come standard with them.

All the HQ Sandman brochures I have seen show the Kingswood version (Kingswood trim).... Belmont versions came with Belmont door trims but I believe armrests were standard on all Sandman... (Belmont and Kingswood).

I would like to see a HQ brochure pic showing a Sandman with Belmont trim if anyone has one they can post up.....

[HK1837]

If HQ XX7 got armrests standard it is not a direct Sandman component. Unless it was standard with XS6 (buckets), which gave B code trim. Then it makes sense. To be honest i've never really taken all that much interest, but it is an interesting point. Not a Sandman identifier as such, any more than B code trim is anyway. I'll look further later. Brochures will always show the higher level interior, and be careful of trusting them too much as a reference.

[ozbox]

my hq sandman van had the belmont door trims and no armrests..

[Absinth]

my hq sandman van had the belmont door trims and no armrests..

That's strange Greg... The Barbados Green HQ 202 Sandman van I had back in 82 had armrests and the two pics I have of original HQ Belmont Sandmans also have armrests.

HQ Sandman Belmont van


HQ Sandman Belmont ute

[HK1837]

My best guess is they were an option on HQ Belmont. I don't have the full options listing for 1974 HQ Belmont as yet to look. I'll look at the HQ XX7 production broadcast sheet I have too to see what it has on the armrest box.

[Absinth]

Byron, do you know if HJ were the same?? ie: Holden door trims on Holden Sandman van and ute and Kingswood trims on Kingswood ute. When Kingswood Sandman was dropped were the trims upgraded to Kingswood on all Sandman???

I ask because I have seen pics of what appear to be genuine HJ Sandman vans with Holden (base model) door trims but they do have armrests.

Another query is did HQ Belmont and early HJ Holden Sandmans have chrome door scuff plates?? I remember buying some chrome scuff plates from the wreckers for my van but can't recall whether it was for the HJ Holden van I had or for my early HJ Sandman van.

[HK1837]

Byron, do you know if HJ were the same?? ie: Holden door trims on Holden Sandman van and ute and Kingswood trims on Kingswood ute. When Kingswood Sandman was dropped were the trims upgraded to Kingswood on all Sandman???

I ask because I have seen pics of what appear to be genuine HJ Sandman vans with Holden (base model) door trims but they do have armrests.

Another query is did HQ Belmont and early HJ Holden Sandmans have chrome door scuff plates?? I remember buying some chrome scuff plates from the wreckers for my van but can't recall whether it was for the HJ Holden van I had or for my early HJ Sandman van.

I'll check it out when I get a chance. But from memory HJ all had armrests, there is no mention of it in HJ as optional. Remember HJ had 3 x major trim and trim code changes, so it is hard to generalise.

Kingswood Sandman wasn't dropped until the end of HJ, so yes when it was dropped all Sandman got Kingswood trim (at the start of HX).

As far as I can tell, as I put in an above post HQ and HJ were as per the base vehicles. It wasn't until HX that Sandman got Kingswood features like chrome scuff plates, tail-light surrounds etc. So in essence, HQ and HJ Sandman at the Belmont level were proper "sports utilities". Basically SS utes and panel vans. Kingswood ute is like a GTS ute. And HX-HZ Sandman are a different type of package altogether. Maybe "Sports Kingswood" is a good term - maybe aimed at a softer, less aggressive audience. Maybe we'll call them the "Metrosexual" version, and the HQ-HJ the "Manly version". This is just reflecting US trends of the time I suppose. HQ and HJ are like the GTO's of their day, and the HX and HZ are more like a Transam of the late 70's (all shiny and bright colours, but no balls anymore!).

[ozbox]

That's strange Greg... The Barbados Green HQ 202 Sandman van I had back in 82 had armrests and the two pics I have of original HQ Belmont Sandmans also have armrests.

its just another part of the mystery of life...

[wbute]

Imagine armrests being an option.

I suppose that was what the top of the door was for when you had your arm out the window.