1974 Holden HQ Ute – Today’s Tempter

By: Alex Affat, Unique Cars magazine

Date: 17.08.2020

Sandman lookalike: Rebuilt 253, T-bar auto, GTS wheels, new interior

While HQs were produced in huge numbers (over 485,000), its increasingly difficult to find good and reasonably priced examples given their immense popularity.

Utilities especially seem to be hard to come by, with many having lived a full life of work on the tools before they were left at the tip or simply rusted away in a paddock. With a seemingly growing disparity between costly completed restos and more neglected decaying examples on the market – what’s left in between for the weekend enthusiast?

This 1974 HQ ute-turned-Sandman lookalike might be worth investigating.

The HQ ute’s original specification is not stated however, it now presents in Chrome Yellow with ubiquitous Sandman stripes; with a rebuilt 253 with four-barrel manifold and carburettor under the bonnet backed by a fresh Trimatic T-bar auto.

Finishing touches include the ever-popular GTS wheels and an all-new black Sandman interior.

The HQ’s brakes are said to have been overhauled and the seller describes the vehicle to be "mechanically great".

While it might not be the real McCoy, it’s a handsome jigger that looks more than presentable in the ad’s attached photos.

You can find the car in New South Wales, listed for $37,000.

Check out the full listing here!

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