SANDMAN MARKET REVIEW
BUYING A Sandman without panel-van bodywork does kind of defeat the purpose of having one. If enjoying sun, sand and sexual freedom are (or were) your intentions, then nestling down for the night in a tray that was open to the elements or under a claustrophobic tonneau cover didn’t hold a lot of appeal. It is therefore accepted that far fewer Sandman utes were sold new than were vans, however finding accurate production numbers is not possible. What we can say with some certainty is, despite being less common, the ute is going to cost you less than a van of similar quality. Buying a correct Sandman utility can still be costly. Not long ago it would have been near-impossible to pay more than $50,000 for a utility. Today that price is now a starting point and $70,000 is looking viable for one in exceptional condition. Authenticity remains a big issue. General belief is that all Sandman vans and utes were based on Belmont models but some owners insist they have a Kingswood-based utility. Numbers on the body plate can be a help but five minutes with a drill and rivet gun can move plates from a rusted or damaged genuine Sandman to an entirely different vehicle.