is a sporting variation of GM Holden's
Panel Van and
Ute commercial vehicles, produced by
Holden in
Australia between
1974 and
1979 .
The Sandman was designed to incorporate many of the features of the sedans and coupes, such as sports instrumentation, sports steering wheel and
Bucket Seat s, and 'rally' road wheels. The first model of the Sandman was based on the '''
HQ Belmont ''' ute and van or '''
HQ Kingswood ''' ute, and retailed for around AU$4,000, with a choice of two six cylinder and two
V8 engines. Other available options included
Automatic Transmission ,
Power Steering , and
Air-conditioning .
The Sandman vehicles were visually identified by stick-on vinyl
Decal s on the exterior, with the 1976 HX version introducing a large 'Sandman' logo on the tailgate and stripes down the sides. The final HZ version, introduced in late 1977, featured a choice of V8 engines only, along with a four-headlight grille and under bumper front spoiler. According to a GMH Price List dated 25th January 1979, a basic HZ Holden panel van was priced at AU$6,076, with the Sandman option package an additional AU$1,700. The further optional components also included 5.0 litre V8 engine and a limited slip differential. If a buyer selected every Sandman extra, the price would be more than 150% of the cost of the basic HZ model.
Although manufactured in conjunction with the utility models, the panel van is externally similar to a
Station Wagon , save for the lack of side windows and side rear doors and seats, and a noticeably higher roofline. It gained notoriety during the latter half of the
1970s as a mobile venue for
Sexual Intercourse . Vans earned nicknames as ''shaggin' wagons'' and ''sinbins''. To the young men who drove the vans, the Sandman represented a lifestyle of freedom, sun, sand and
Surfing .
The
Ford Sundowner and the
Chrysler Drifter competed with the Sandman in the panel van arena. The Drifter was axed in 1978, and Ford dropped ''Sundowner'' from its nameplate for panel vans in the early 1980s. While Ford continued successfully manufacturing and marketing panel vans after Holden's last model, they never achieved the cultural icon status of the Sandman.
By the end of 1979, the Sandman had largely lost its place in the contemporary Australian youth culture - order figures were down and many of the vehicles were now being sold with the stripes and tailgate logos deleted. The Sandman ute was phased out of production prior to the van, the last of which was manufactured in October 1979. With the introduction of the WB Holden range in 1980, it marketed as either a Holden van or ute or the slightly smarter-looking Kingswood ute, but the 5.0 litre V8 engine was no longer offered as an available performance option.
Holden displayed a concept Sandman van, based on the VU ute, in conjunction with the surfwear company
Mambo , for the first time at the Sydney International Motor Show in November 2000. It did not generate enough interest to justify a generally available production vehicle. However, in late 2003, the Mambo Sandman style roof canopy unit became available as a Holden by Design option called the 'Sandman Canopy Conversion'. It could be fit at time of factory build to any nominated VY series Holden utility.
