My HQ Sandman allmost finished

[Sandman]

Great looking Q, looks just like my first Sandman except mine was a 202 engined powerhouse... LOL

As you used an earlier body as a replacement one thing I would have done was cut out the side vents and filled them in while doing the windows but other than that I reckon she's a corker... Well done. A pity I won't be at the AHD to see it this year.... oh well, always next year I suppose..

[b-rock-05]

The replacement shell is actually a 7/74 adelaide built and the old shell is a 6/74 who knows what was going on back then, maybe hk will shed some light.

[QUP]

Yes we are keen to learn a bit more around dates on the shark gill vents as well.

[HK1837]

6th and 7th month 1974 are normally non vented. Maybe the 7/74 car had already been rebodied?

I don't think there is a debate to be had, vents and current legality of ADR plate removal aside. If you replaced a 6/74 Elizabeth shell with a 7/74 shell from the same plant (or Dandenong in this case for a HQ van) then they are identical. Yes the Sandman shell would have had a console bracket and the donor probably didn't (unless it was a bucket seat van), but the original could just have easily had a buggered floor and you had to replace the whole floor and cut a new floor shift hole and weld on the console/separator bracket. If it was a Pagewood HQ van then that is a whole different ball game as each shell is unique to the ID plates and chassis number.

[QUP]

So they had another two months after that of vents before the new model.. HJ?

[b-rock-05]

So the mystery continues.

[HK1837]

Change occurred around 5-6/74, but 3 x body plants were assembling HQ vans so they may have used up the vented side panels at different times. The change would simply be a cost cutting exercise.

[b-rock-05]

Well i say lets leave it at that, and i would like to thank hk for his wealth of knowledge, it has been much appreciated.

[mauser]

Mine is Adelaide 5/74 and not vented.

Mauser

[b-rock-05]

Mine is Adelaide 5/74 and not vented.

Mauser

Ah it would have been great to be a young man on the assembly line back in 74, maybe we can make a time machine from a HQ sandman and go back with a digital camera and take some snaps!!!!