1976 Holden HX Sandman Panelvan

If any Australian vehicle symbolised the sensational Seventies, it was Holden's Sandman, a sporting package available to customers of the commercial range of utes and panel vans from 1974 until 1980. The Sandman will forever be associated with the thriving surf culture of the day and has since become an Aussie icon. The Sandman offered here was based on the HX series Holden, an update of the HJ model introduced in July 1976, with a range of new engines designed to meet strict new ADR anti-pollution laws. The Sandman package consisted of bold graphics, including the 'Sandman' script emblazoned across the tail-gate on the HX, plus a host of features designed to appeal to a younger crowd, including the sports instrumentation, sports steering wheel, bucket seats and Rally road wheels sourced from the Monaro. Options included automatic transmission, power steering and air conditioning and as a marketing tool, the Sandman proved very successful for GM-H, lifting the price well beyond what would normally be spent on a basic panel van. For additional grunt, the Sandman could be ordered with the 5.0 V8 and equipped with a limited-slip diff. Holden's panel vans proved remarkably popular with customisers, who came up with some amazing paint jobs, body modifications and fully decked-out interiors, but these days finding an original Sandman is the dream of many enthusiasts and values have soared in recent years.