Rookies Chamois HJ Van

**Rookiepilot** · 08-11-2010, 09:38 PM

Picked up my van on the weekend

http://www.mysandman.com.au/forums/s...ble-HJ-Sandman

Spent five hours cleaning the inside. Got my daughter (slave labour) to help me and told her she could keep any money she found. Only six dollars in coins but she was rapped.

Very happy with the body. Looks like it was well cared for once in its life. Back was covered in black loop pile and brown shag pile carpet. Pulling it back revealed a perfect floor area. Passenger side is like this as well. Drivers floor is rusted as are rear quarters, and rear panel, probably from sitting in dirt the last nine years without a diff. Top & bottom tailgates are stuffed. Original Vic number plates are a bonus as well. Those with good eyesight may have spotted the 4.2 badge on the rear. The van was bought with a 4.2 engine fitted nine years ago by the previous owner, but she is a genuine L31.

Removed a mile of wiring from the engine bay. Had aftermaket electronic ignition, multiple kill switches, LPG, driving lights and antenna wiring even speker wire in the bay.
Might give the body a polish and see what it comes up like. Unfortunately it will be stored out side for sometime as I have a couple of other projects to finish first, although I keep sneaking out to do little bits. I'm pulling out the LPG tank tomorrow night.

Hows this for milage. Have no reason to believe its not genuine. 466,167km

My plan is to return it to original colour (I think its been resprayed in its life), back will be decked out, possibly a 5 speed, power steer and A/C

Cheers Steve

**agr071** · 08-11-2010, 09:51 PM

Looks like a good project.
I like slave labour as well.
http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...t=100_0943.jpg

**HK1837** · 09-11-2010, 07:33 AM

Good on you. One of the rarer Sandman colours.

**hxbunny** · 09-11-2010, 07:52 AM

Good to see another saved, will be a nice van when done

**Rolla** · 09-11-2010, 06:39 PM

The joys of restoring a classic from the ground up. Alot of fun times ahead. Keep us posted...

**Rookiepilot** · 10-11-2010, 06:14 PM

Thanks all for the encouragement.

I found a photo of my original Sandman which I sold in the early 90's as a roller. Its the only photo I have. 308 4 speed. I used it as a tow car for my race car, and often slept in the back with the spares. I was pretty pissed off when he cut the roof off and turned it into a ute. VicRoads says the rego is still current so if you see the ute around Gippsland way (Warragul area), it was a Sandman. The engine, which I kept, will be going into my new project.

**Kiwivan** · 10-11-2010, 06:37 PM

Good to see it saved!

**Rico** · 25-05-2011, 02:26 PM

Nice project there! I knew a bloke in Geelong years ago, took a GENUINE Sandman Panno and cut it down into a ute! Fool, I nearly Cried when I saw it, badly botched aye

**jennie285** · 25-05-2011, 03:34 PM

I hate to admit it but we almost did that to our original van when we couldnt sell it, and Rodney needed a work ute, if we had it would probably still be alive today, instead of written off by the guy who purchased it 3 months later, too powerful for him...:( Plus it was a Brissie built XX7
It would be easy to put a new shell on it, and we prob would have kept the top out at the farm...

**Rookiepilot** · 26-05-2011, 01:24 PM

I haven't done much since I last posted.

Van is still outside while I sell off a few cars to make room in the shed.

I've bought a couple of M20 transmissions that need rebuilding and I've purchased a WB ute to use as a parts cars. Wb was originally a 253 manual. It must die so my Sandman can live.

My original Sandman (the blue one) was originally a Geelong car. It had bright red shag pile carpet on the roof and bright blue shag pile on the front floor. Very nice.