Could this be a HX Sandman ute?? See pics of tags attached!

[Doubz]

Howdy

Ive owned my HX ute for 3 years now which I bought from an older fella and my mechanic checked out the tags and said this looks like a sandman!

When I bought it she had 308 from a HZ Statesman and a T400 (Not your original motor/box)

Now it has a VN Injected 304 with T700 VN disc drake diff

It has GTS wheel dash power steering and the factory paint colour was green!

I've searched the internet and other forums and I would like the opinion of people who know these sorts of cars

Cheers

[hx-sandman]

Don't think so. 19V is the base model black trim. You'd be looking for 18V for a Sandman

[RodneyHZ253]

I agree with above it is a base model, v8 ,4speed ,2seat ,but to be a sandman I think you would need 18v slate black interior and not 19 v black

[HK1837]

Definitely not a Sandman.

[playwme]

Pretty cool non-sandman though. Factory v8 2 seat ute in mint julep with a black interior.

[wbute]

Ok, why would some one order a base model ute which is exactly the same in every aspect to a Sandman ute? Why not buy the Kingswood or the Sandman?

[Doubz]

Hey have a look at this

Check out http://www.monaroparts.com/sandman.htm

Look under HX

HX Trim codes.

The HX parts manual lists the HX HOLDEN except Sandman trim codes as:

19V, 19W, 45W, 60A, 67V and 67W

However the trim codes listed for the Sandman and Kingswood are:

18V, 18Y, 60A, 60B, 65A, 65B, 67V and 67X

What does this mean? If you have a HX HOLDEN (ie base model) ute or van with 18V, 18Y, 60B, 65A, 65B, 67X trim code, then you most likely have a Sandman. Unfortunately for those in New Zealand, all base model commercials had the Kingswood trim codes (according to the parts manual). If you have a Kingswood commercial, well the trim code means nothing. If you have a base model commercial with 60A or 67V trim codes, then these are common to the Sandman and non-Sandman HOLDEN so the trim code doesn't help. Note that I have found a 4/76 HX Sandman ute (chassis number AHX00014A) that was built prior to the end of HJ production. It had 19V trim which is not normal for a HX Sandman. The reason is it was built during the HJ model run where HJ base models had 19V trim, whether they were a Sandman or not.

I also called up GMH for the build history and the letter they sent said it was a 1976 holden HX Belmont coupe utility, which a sandman is pretty much a Belmont/HOLDEN with GTS bits, 4-speed and stripes??

[HK1837]

Ok, why would some one order a base model ute which is exactly the same in every aspect to a Sandman ute? Why not buy the Kingswood or the Sandman?

They are very different. Here is some extract text from my book on HX Sandman (i've sent this to Doubz as he emailed me on it). Basically a HX Sandman is a Kingswood with side rub strips deleted plus some extra component options and feature changes.

This is what constitutes an HX Sandman (XU3):

Component Options:

· B30 – Floor covering – carpet;
· C57 Ventilator – Forced Air;
· M11 – Console Floor shift;
· D14 – Front Door Armrest;
· M20 – Manual Transmission – 4 speed Floor shift;
· XS6 – Front Bucket Seats;
· U17 – Cluster Assembly Instrument;
· N66 – Wheel - Rally Type.

Option M20 would be replaced by:
M21 if option L31 was selected.
M41 if auto transmission selected with L31 engine.
M40 if auto transmission selected with L20 or L32 engines.

With option XU3 feature changes to the base vehicle included:

· GTS Headlamp Bezels;
· GTS Steering Wheel;
· Cigar Lighter;
· Kingswood Door Trim & Hardware Complete;
· Front Door Jam Switch Package;
· Bright Front Door Sill Plates;
· Headlining Trim – full length (8WM70 only);
· Delete Endgate “HOLDEN” Nameplate;
· Delete Endgate Engine Badge (optional);
· Delete HOLDEN Grille and Badge (base model HX continued with HJ grille);
· Kingswood Lion Grille Badge;
· GTS Black Painted Grille;
· Black paintout on Door Frames and Door Openings;
· Black painted Door Handles;
· Black painted Windscreen Surround Mouldings;
· Black painted Lukey “Slim Line” Left and Right Hand Door Mirrors;
· Black paintout on upper Endgate – 8WM70;
· Mylar Insert – Rear Window Seal – 8WM80;
· Bright Tail Lamp surrounds;
· Decal Package (paint dependant) DX5, DY1, DY2, DY3, DY4 or DL7.

HX Sandman with passenger tyres (option code XX7) was identical except for:

· QEV tyre – ER70H14 Radial Ply Blackwall (XU3 was fitted with normal commercial load rated tyres as per late HJ XU3 with different tyres for 6cyl and V8 vehicles).




As easily seen, most of the feature changes is just inserting Kingswood stuff onto a base model ute or van.

This ute isn't Robinson Crusoe in the scheme of things. There are heaps of them built just like this, plenty with L31, M21, LSD, steer etc too that aren't Sandmans. In HX plenty of people wanted a base model in V8 4spd, didn't want the Kingswood and certainly didn't want the Sandman stripes. In HX you couldn't order DL7 - GMH introduced this in HZ probably because the buyers kept asking for a Sandman with no stripes. Check out this HZ, white roof over Super Mint. L31, M41, LSD, air and steer - obviously they really wanted a white roof or possibly wanted the bench seat.

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[Alien DNA]

Just curious, was the GVM changed from lbs to kgs when the speedo went from miles to km/h...ie at the same time? Not just referring to sandmans, but across the range as a whole.

[HK1837]

At HQ to HJ transition. Same time as engine capacities on Holden and Statesman. Torana changed earlier.