Peter is a photographic observer living in Australia. Today’s collection of photographs from him is an especially interesting mix, pulled from moments he’s captured in Australia and the US. He also has a repertoire of coincidences. I appreciate the way Peter shares his perspective on the hobby in both places — it adds a unique and thoughtful dimension to his work.
Today’s collection starts with a photograph of Peter proudly wearing his Frank’s Cars in the Hood (FCITH) merch, noting, “Your FCITH shirt still serves me well. 😎” Peter takes many photos near his home in Toorbul, along the Esplanade. Toorbul is about 40 miles north of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia. It’s a fishing area and home to the Toorbul Shorebird Sanctuary. The setting draws tourists and car clubs alike, all out for a scenic drive and a beautiful spot to enjoy—and to end up in his photographs.
On June 1st, my 2017 Corvette was stolen from my driveway, and I sent out a notice to all the Frank’s Cars in the Hood recipients.
Peter followed with an email titled APB Out. He said he couldn’t do much from Australia, but he shared my notice with people he knows in Southern California.
Peter had been a Manhattan Beach Police and Fire dispatcher in 1979, and was reminded that there was an area in North Redondo notorious for car thieves, and he’s sure it hasn’t improved much over the years.
He also shared a memory from 1962, when a new teacher at Mira Costa High School came to dinner in her little Sunbeam. It was an adorable car, and she had just moved into an apartment in Hermosa Beach. Two weeks later, her car was stolen and never recovered.
Fortunately, my story had a much better ending. My Corvette was recovered ten days later with minimal damage.
A coincidence — the day Peter received my feature on the 1940 Ford, Australian locals were getting ready for a morning run in their classic ’30s hot rods, and Peter managed to grab a few hurried shots of them.
Peter says we do like coincidences, and while these particular photos aren’t necessarily worth posting but the the story behind them absolutely is. I thought the story was deserving of a little more attention, so I added a few photos to round out the article and give it some visual context.
The Sandmans were built from 1974 to 1979 in two body styles — a panel van and a ute (coupe-utility), by Holden, Australia’s homegrown automaker. Holden positioned the Sandman as a recreational, lifestyle-focused vehicle, tapping straight into Australia’s surf, beach, and youth-culture vibe of the 1970s. It quickly became a symbol of fun, freedom, and adventure, earning nicknames like the “Shaggin’ Wagon” and “Sin Bin,” thanks to its reputation among young drivers and couples.
Each Sandman came with sporty touches: bucket seats, a GTS-style gauge cluster, rally wheels, guard flares, bold vinyl stripes, and those unmistakable “Sandman” logos.
Because of its popularity, surf-van legacy, and growing collectible value, many vehicles claiming to be Sandmans today are actually standard vans or Utes that have been re-badged or styled to look the part. Holden revisited the idea in 2000 with a Sandman concept car created in collaboration with Australian surf and streetwear brand Mambo, a modern tribute to the iconic ’70s panel van. A more official revival followed in 2015 and 2016, when Holden released roughly 500 units of the modern Sandman package across all variants (Ute and Sportwagon combined), making these later models quite up todate and collectible in their own right.
There was no production of a 2010 Holden Sandman. The original Sandman ended in 1979, and the name wasn’t brought back until that limited 2015-2016 Sandman Edition run. However, a 2010 Holden Ute could be fitted with a “Sandman canopy” or other styling cues to mimic the look of the original Sandman (photo1).
Peter grabbed a quick, incomplete shot, as these things often happen (photo 2). The older van with the graphics added is the one Peter photographed that day as it drove by.
The ads he has included show the graphics from the proper periods.
On April 1st, All Fools Day, Peter was already on alert when one of the members walked into the Gallery and told him there was a nice American car parked outside. He figured it was probably a setup and thought, “Yeah, sure… I’m not falling for that.”
A little later, another member came in and asked if the car outside was his. At that point, he decided he had to take a look, prank or not.
At the far end of the lot sat a beautiful 1966 Corvette, and it wasn’t a joke at all. It belongs to the Guild’s newest member — no fooling.
She had purchased the Corvette in Maryland, had it trucked to San Pedro, CA, and it arrived in Australia about six months ago. Even with rain threatening, she decided to drop the top and enjoy the drive home. No plans for a conversion to right-hand drive — the spoked wheels and Vette knockoffs were upgrades she added to the package. The billboard in the background was purely incidental, but it definitely added to the spirit of the moment.
The car is finished in Ermine White, with a black interior and a white top. Chevrolet built 27,720 Corvettes for 1966, of which 15,376 were convertibles, and only 2,216 were finished in white. The original MSRP was $4,106.
Frank, as you would say, “Thanks for riding along.”
Peter’s friend brought over his 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 for a test run. If you look closely, the dash cover is off, and that red wire you see in the engine bay is just a test lead he was using while troubleshooting a gauges. And if you look even closer at the photos, you can see the grass lifting as he gives it a bit of a squirt on the way out.
A nice older rig that’s been around awhile — and, more importantly, driven often, just as it should be.
Peter and I want to thank you for coming along for the ride.and hope that you enjoyed this latest collection of Bits and Pieces from Peter in Australia.
Frank