Introduce yourself Here!

Hey everybody, just an idea, but how about old members and new members introduce themselves here so everyone knows who they're talking to. Just some basic info will do or as detailed as you want.

Hey my names Teesh and I'm married to Rob and we own Checkmate.(And a heap of other old bombs!) My favourite van we've owned was our Mandarin Red HX Sandman, but I liked driving our Blue Gemini van more!

Gday peoples my names Rob, I bought my first van in 1993 ( a Gemini) and have had a heap since! Rangeing from Gemini's to HQ-WB Holdens, we've had around 15 or so vans but we've also built Toranas and other Holden's too! I'm to young to have been around in vanning's heyday but would've loved to have been. We're currently building a HZ Sandman ute and also own Checkmate and a few other toys(rusty crap the wife says!)

Hey All, Andrew is my name, Work for Vicroads, Have had a thing for vans since I bought a 1977 HX Sandman when I was 15 in the navy and had plenty of cash and no licence, Kept it untill I was 28 and sold because it just sat in the shed, I am lucky enough to have a brother who lives in Los-Angelos USA and have had many Muscle cars and I am trying to buy a 1970-1973 Z28 Camaro at the moment but cant find a good one under $20.000 yet. I have had heaps of Big Block Holdens and a couple of Monaros and several SS Toranas heaps of utes and Commodores but never really gotten over my Sandman so built my current van and now it is finished have just bought a Gemini van to do up with my son, Married with two boys and 1 Dog, Cheers.

Ok, I can play this... My name is Perry, I live down Geelong way and work in IT. Married to Bernadette (ran away in 2007 and did the deed at Palm Cove, that's a whole other story).

We have a 1981 WB in yellow, with a simple 253 and Aussie 4 speed, and there are plenty of photos around so I won't put any in here.

Over the years I've had mostly Holdens - LJ Torana, LX Torana, various Commodores (VL,VN, VX, VE) and bikes (Yamaha, Ducati). Went the ricer way for a couple of years and bought a new 98 Subaru Impreza WRX, which was loads of fun. Always wanted a van, and when the opportunity came up to buy this one for the right price about 3 years ago, we grabbed it. When I say "always wanted a van", I can remember going to van shows in the 80s, and even did a trip away with the "Garden State Vanners" (what ever happened to them?). Most memorable van from those days would have been Steve's "Van Rat".

The van isn't a daily driver, and gets used to take the surfboard to the beach, or pick up building materials from Bunnings. Once we start work on it, I'll have to find another workhorse to do the dirty stuff!

Other highlights? I have 4 kids from a previous marriage.

Cheers

So, only 4 people? Poor effort folks! :-)

Hey all my names Brian but everyone calls me Rhino ( long story I may tell you one day ) I own "Icepick" and have done for about 5 years. I've loved Vans since I was about 15 but this is the first one I've owned, mainly Monaros and Premiers in the past and I live on the Central Coast.

Names Allan
Probably the only South West Mexican online nowadays....

Crazy Holden Panelvan man owned plenty of holdens purchase close to 6-7 vehicles every year.
Owned (bought & sold close to 10) vans.
Usually do probably two utes/ tonners/ vans up threw the year, keeps the dollars ticking in.

Currently have 3 panelvans, in the middle of a hz 355 sandman build, as most of you know just finished the hz sandman ute Moka. About time i buillt another van for myself.
My favourite van would be the "Pink Pig" that was never really pink but 'Magenta' don't get me strarted!!!
I miss getting around in it & this years the year for a registered van for myself.
Building this one for me..... so stay tuned.

Cheers Al.

I would like to say hello to everyone, and thank Rob for telling me about this forum.
My Name is Tony,and I am from Kingswood nsw just near penrith I used to be a part of the van scene in the 80s and was also a member of the sundowners and I still have a sundowners van plate around here somewhere.

My wife and I was married in 87 and we used vans for the wedding,the main wedding van was dark crystal owned by Keith Pennay I was supposed to use my own but a day before the wedding I took mine out for fuel and it was involved in an accident.

Still to this day Keith and I are still good friends,and driving his van on our day meant a lot as well.

My van was a HZ sandman but it was painted jade green flares on all guards simular to checkmates WB tailights, at first centerlines then later 14x10 and 14x8 strikers with M50x14 Mickey Thompsons and 265 T/As on the front.

It's name was desire and I know that Dennis Anderson now has that name on his van.
I sold it in late 87 and have been out of the scene since then,it ended up in a car yard and the last I seen it after that was going down the great western highway at wentworthville that was in 88 and still looked good.

I would buy it back if it still existed but like others it has pobally met the crusher or waisting away somewhere.

But as I am building a monaro for drag racing I am thinking of a tow car I do have a HQ ute as my daily driver,but the more I think about it a van would be better as I can sleep in it as well when I do a couple of interstate meetings.

Regards Tony.

Great to have you on here Tony. Welcome aboard.

Dark Crystal now that was a nice Van suppose to be out Central West some were, Dubbo I heard ??

Thanks for the welcome Rob it's good to be here mate.
Rhino,at one stage Keith also heard it was around wellington as well and another story we heard was that it hit a sheep and done some damge to it.

Regards Tony.

Dont forget to add some photos up of your old van in the Van Register Tony if you have some. On a different note I picked up a factory sealed 1/20 MPC SLAMMER Van Kit! Theres also pics of my van kits in the general section under vanning collectables.

Rob, I still have a couple of pics when it was in its first show with the sundowners un finished I will have a look for them when I have time mate.
Good score on the 1/20th van,I will check it out and I am still looking for that 1/16th van big bad van and I know you still have that kit

Regards Tony.

Im still on the look out for a Big Bad Van for you mate, but their hasnt been one of ebay in ages and ages, and the last one we got out bid on.

That's right Rob,I can wait one will come along

Regards Tony.

And when it does mate we'll nab it! I'd like a better box top than Ive got, I bought mine to build but I collect the box tops. Early model box art was great especially the vans and early AMT truck kits.

Hi my name is Sean. I live with my partner, John, and we have been together for 18 years. We have 4 dogs and 3 cats and I live in Liverpool ( I prefer the St George/Sutherland Shire but sometimes you cant pick where you live).

I have three panelvans. An original EH windowless van that took 8 years to restore (yes Rob a chequebook vanner). There are 5 EH's in my van - various bodyparts and stuff. I am currently restoring a HG van but it wont take 8 years to do like the EH. I also own a VY Sandman ( I know Andrew and Freestyler its not a van but a ute with a canopy but I dont care) and I use that as a daily driver.

I currently work at Tyco Safety Products where we make the green traffic signal boxes you see at traffic lights and re-make safety goggles and safety helmets.

I have been a vanner, on and off for the past 20 years. When I left school, I joined Sin Bin Vanners and we used to meet at Kingsgrove RSL. In the club, we had Jason Dodd, Neil & Cherone Marshall, and Michael Martin, to name a few. I can remember going to the last Pacific Van Club Show at Bass Hill Plaza in 1989. I still have the photos.

I used to go to the Van Nats but lost interest years ago - the judges dont appreciate original vans like Sandmans.

I hope to see you on the road and keep on vanning.

gday guys,i know a few of you here...im greg and i work in newcastle and live down the central coast..i currently have just a few vans...just built myself a daily driver and vehicle to signwrite..heres a couple of pics of some of my vans..

this one i have bought to resell but if i dont get what i want then i just keep it as its a great toy..

this one we just built as a daily driver and it needs to be painted and signwritten...it was built from a very damaged wb and a rusty wb ute with chev running gear..



this one is a chopped hj van with hq coupe doors and pillars and screen..its just sitting dry and waiting for something to happen with it...

this is an hq i bought last year which is next on the list to put on the road..it was painted in 1999 and never finished...


there is also a hq sandman but i believe i will be selling that to someone that would like to do an anal resto...as im over anal..

Gday Greg good to hear from you again mate, gees you've got quite a collection of vans there be good to catch up again one day soon. Cheers Rob

ay rob,when are you up this way next as i never seem to get out n about...r u goin to all holden day in august as i am taking one van but dunno which it will be...catch ya soon..

G'day all, my names Mark, i live in the Southern Highlands of NSW and i recently bought one of Robs 'rust buckets'. Just starting to dismantle van and will try to post some pics. The corrugated iron has been removed and it looks more like a car now Rob lol.

Great to have you here Mark, we need to talk numbers to! Give us a ring whenever mate and really looking forward to seeing some update pics as the old girl progresses.

G’day all, My name’s George and I found this site via a model car forum some months ago. I’ve never owned a Panel Van but have had several Wagons my first being a 1977 HZ Premier (253, 4 speed manual, GTS instruments). When I bought this car as a 19 year old a 308 was only another $50~$60 but insurance was more than I could really afford back then.
I ended up spending a small fortune on the motor, cam, 4 barrel carby, electronic dizzy ete, etc which only made the car as quick as a good 308. I probably should have bought the 308
Reading some of the stories here have brought back some fond memories, I was a member of Wagons United for about 4 years (late 70’s ~ early 80’s) which was a great club to be in at the time.
Ended up selling the car to help finance my first home and have always hoped to buy another HZ at some stage, all I’ve got to do is get my kids to leave home and this may happen one day (3 adult daughters & 1 grandson).
Cheers, George


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Mate Im in love with that wagon!