howdy.hi. HELP! with a HJ ute model code 8WM80JR i am unable to determine what "R" denotes when decoding. any assistance would be appreciated thanks

Hi Dr Terry thanks for your speedy reply. Much appreciated. Was my '76 HJ 8WM80JR ute in question an export model? After spending months forensically analyzing chassis numbers model codes - I am obviously attempting identify this vehicle and am curious at the same time fascinated at the decoding jigsaw puzzle. I have only a couple of times seen that model code on body id plate in that form ie including "R" proceeding "J" after "8WM80" ("8WM80JR") i would like to know why the way the model code changes between assembly plants? or between belmont / kingswood ? The majority of the time i have seen it in "HJ8WM80" form. I am new to F/L forum mate can i post pic of body id plate for deciphering or can i email direct to yourself ? Thanks again. Cheers. Ta. Thank you

thank you very much i will purchase book you suggested. so would that model # being a Brisbane built Pagewood assembled suggest "R" indicates 4.2l v8 off the top of your head? or is that strictly vin reference code? cheers. ta. thank you

It is the BODY plants that different on the model code, not the ASSEMBLY plants. Pagewood PAP continued in their traditional manner at the start of HQ with the MODEL code followed by the SERIES code then R or L for right or left drive, which was exactly how they'd done HK-HG (which incidentally is silly when you think about it as there were no LHD HQ!).

So when you look at the origins say in HK (they were all different prior to this but this is where Pagewood started their own form):

Acacia Ridge example: HK337M-12074B. Acacia Ridge were economical, no point putting the 8 and the 0 as they are really not needed, 8 means GMH and the 0 is a space filler. The M means manual and the B at the end means Brisbane. The 12074 is the 12074th HK body out of Acacia Ridge BAP.
Pagewood example: 80369KR-02765-H5. Pagewood didn't see the need for the HK, it is there after the 80369 model code, R means RHD, 2765 is the 2765th HK Kingswood sedan body out of Pagewood BAP. H5 means Pagewood.
Dandenong example: HK80180-29650M. Dandenong and Elizabeth used the same format for the SERIES-MODEL code up front. The M means Melbourne 29650 is the 29650th body out of Dandenong BAP
Elizabeth example: HK81469-473-A. A means Adelaide (or alternatively Woodville). Elizabeth numbered their models at this time like Pagewood. This is the 473rd Brougham body out of Elizabeth (or Woodville) BAP.

So as you move into HQ they look like:

Acacia Ridge: HQ81169A with 00178B on the next line. Basically the same format as HK but they've added the first two model code digits.
Pagewood: 80837QR with 7279S on the next line. Still the same basic format but since moved to a cumulative BAP total for the number and S replaced H5.
Dandenong: HQ80837 with 000598M on the next line. Nothing really changed.
Elizabeth: HQ81469 with 604-A on the next line. Nothing changed.

They did all change along the way during and after HQ too, like Acacia Ridge dropped the M or A during HQ, Elizabeth moved to a cumulative body total during HQ, Acacia Ridge changed to the PSN numerical portion as the BODY number during HQ and Elizabeth did the same right at the end of HX, just to name a few.

S96403P is a Police number. Issued by South Australian Police in 1996.

Edited by user Monday, 19 April 2021 2:54:11 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Yes S means Sydney. Nothing from the Police number other than what I put in the last line. QR is 253/4.2 high compression in a Holden or Statesman from the start of HQ through to late 1978 HZ when 999999 was reached and they rolled over to ZR prefixed numbers (although Statesman will have a leading 11!in front of the QR).

Yes. Zero.

Not that I know of.

No, no data on how many made. Lots is my best guess. GMH never kept or published records, to them it was simply an option package no different to Vacationer.

Hardest Sandman to identify. Sandman were option packages on Holden and Kingswood utility in HJ. There were no HJ Belmont commercials, only sedan and wagon.

Kingswood has nothing to do with it. Whether it had a reduced GVW depends on when it was made and later on what type of Sandman it was if it is one. GMH made normal Sandmans with load rated tyres and Sandmans with passenger vehicle tyres. They also built both Holden and Kingswood utilities with both load rated tyres and also with passenger tyres, so it isn’t Sandman specific. As I said you really have to know what you are looking for to pick a HJ Sandman for certain. It almost always has to be physically inspected, you cannot do it with words or even by photos. The exception is some Acacia Ridge examples.