Westside story
To some, a Sandman is a pagan god who sprinkles sand on you to help you get a good sleep. Others will think of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman”. But to Holden fans, and classic car fans in general, a Sandman is first and foremost one of the coolest Holdens ever. To young Australian and New Zealand men of the day, the Sandman’s cocktail of sun, beach, camping, surfing, late-night yahooing and all the dusky promise of judiciously applied shag-pile carpeting, was too good to resist.
When the original HQ Sandman was launched in 1974, Holden’s marketing team went all out to boost this image. Every Sandman that left the factory till 1980 sported a bright paint scheme, stripy decals, and a huge Sandman emblem in a psychedelic font blasted across the tailgate. You could never accuse a Sandman of being subtle.
The Sandman came to be after Holden execs noticed panel vans being modified and customised with loud paint jobs and customised interior decor. They decided to get in on the act and their instinct was sound as Holden couldn’t churn them out fast enough. Available with a variety of engines ranging from baby sixes to the 308ci V8, every Sandman was unique. Plus, with plenty of
