Hj sandman

[garry fielding]

Hi all , I am new here , I bought a HJ Papaya Sandman in 1975 , I was at the time an apprentice mechanic , working for Motors Pty Ltd in Tasmania , the sole Holden dealer ship , I have been trying to find her for years with no luck , I still have the original invoice for her and it states :-
Make ....... HJ Belmont panel van .
base options ....... Bp.
as8
cd4
gu4
L34
xx7

Code .......H8wm70 ... HJ R
Colour ..... Papaya 1916 19v
Body ....... AO191496 vap=s sap=A
Tag no. ....... H383912
Engine ......... QR742449
Chassis ........BHJ 57628S

Now this van had a couple of features I never ordered but it came with them regardless , one of them being intermittent wipers , dash controlled of cause , at that time only the statesman caprice had such a thing , yet my Sandman had it , anyway I am wondering if any one can help . Thanks Garry .

[Blocker]

Welcome to the site and thanks for sharing!

AS8 is front lap and shoulder belts
CD4 is windshield wiper dwell control

Do you have any other history to your car, maybe some old photos you could scan and share?

[HK1837]

If XX7 is listed as an option then it is a Sandman.

There are a couple of errors with the data you posted:

L34, can't be. Has to be L32.

H383912. Can't be correct as the BODY line says vap=S (Sydney), plus it has a Pagewood (Sydney) chassis number. It is actually H888912, completed on 20/5/76. Sold by dealer 129 (Motors Pty Ltd) in June 1976. Which means the car's VIN is 8M70RFH888912J.

AS8 is retractable front seat belts, became a mandatory option from Jan '75.
CD4 became mandatory with V8 (except 4.2L 3spd manual) from 3/76. Yours is a 5/76 build.

The only mechanical option on the car was the 4.2L V8. Rest either came standard with the engine (3.08:1 salsbury and front discs) or as part of XX7 (4spd).

Funny how GMH were still using the wrong terminology for a Holden van in 1976, using Belmont.

[Blocker]

A quick search on the forums for the chassis or body number showed nothing, so nobody has put that info on the forums.

It can be easier to find a needle in a haystack of haystacks than an old Sandman you once had, but you can only ask.. right?!?

HK1837 may have those details on record, but he does not keep a record of the location of any cars, your best bet is to do what some have done and buy one for the memories


If you are happy to share the information would you mind emailing the paperwork (I would blank out personal info) so I can share it on the website?

[garry fielding]

Hi All , and thank you for the kind welcomes , HK you are right my eye sight tis not what it was , it was L32 and the Tag no . is H 888912 and there appears to be an astrix or some thing after the last digit , the paper tis getting old and is only the yellow copy of the original but I know that back some where at my mothers house the rest is still there , I was at the time at Burnie Tasmania , I ordered the car , when it was delivered , I did my own predelivery on it , nothing on it was dealership fitted , my father was the foreman of the paint shop and he applied the side and tailgate stripes and the small Sandman decal behind both doors , it also had chrome like Caprice scuff plates inside the doors again never ordered or asked for like the dwell wipers . Blocker I do not mind sharing any thing and am not hiding but at the moment I wouldn't have the foggiest as to how to give you pictures that I have and am happy to share all the documentation with all you guys . Yes Hk they called it a Belmont ... the base van in truth it had more than any other sandman that I ever worked on ... funny that . Blocker you say look for another one , well ive done that as well and I want an HJ pre ADR27 , everyone I have seen is so so obviously fake , I worked on them and I know what they were and are , ie HJ did not have a silver facia dash , they didn't have headlight controls on the coloum , excuse my spelling I am a mechanic not a poet , but you get my drift , young fellows seem to call any Holden van a Sandman and we both know that's not true , now I don't mind the word replica if indeed it is replicating exactly what it is meant to be a replica of .
Sorry to be a pain , and I will try to get both my old vans info and paper work to you , Cheers Garry .

[Gunna Do]

I think you are wrong about about the silver dash facia,mine is a genuine original hj and has the silver facia.

[garry fielding]

Sorry Gunna do , but the only GTS and HJ sandans That ever came to motors in Burnie all had the black facia , till Hx was introduced , but I expect there may have been an over lap , I am not an expert I only worked on them , and only know what I know , didn't mean to upset anyone . Cheers Garry .

[Gunna Do]

All good Garry, no ones upset .i have had the same discussion a few times about the facia on mine.welcome aboard and good luck finding your van.Cheers Brian.

[garry fielding]

Thank you Brian , can I ask you a question about your dash , if it has the silver facia does the instrumentation have plain white needles or the yellow HX ones , am just interested , that's all , as I said I personally have seen an HJ with that dash , but like my old lady she had things she shouldn't of had , Cheers Garry

[Gunna Do]

Its got the white needles on it and also a five digit speedo.its a 2/75 build date.