Panel van

[crisis]

Sandman reincarnated. Not for me. Holden are pulling out all stops for sales supremecy. It makes a good study of how to make as many versions as you can from one platform.

[SHAKER]

this concept was released a few years ago, and i thibk weve had threads about it not long ago?

[fpv_gtho]

i dont know the price of a conventional fibreglass canopy, but with this at over $6000 and still not making the ute a true panel van it a sense i must ask "why bother?"

[Falcon500]

FPVs right they arnt even proper pannel vans just being a ute with a more intergrated rear canopy...i would actuallyquite like it if it was atrue pannel van...And on a lighter note i just gota job in the parts room of commonwelth motors (drive the dream) HOLDEN ;) what a introduction knocking one of holdens products :D

[fpv_gtho]

ive seen some canopies that go over the cabin, but theyre still somewhat of a bubble, at least the HDB options intergrated. still dont see why theyre asking over $6000 for it

[Falcon500]

Well unlike a ture pannel van the models we have at commonwelth (which have pannel van written on them) are just utes no hopping between the seats to frolick around hte back you have to get out and go around the back and open it up! not even a pannel van if you ask me!

[fpv_gtho]

well these HBD panel vans holden now have you even have to hop into the back to close the side windows. alot of people are dissapointed the rear tailgate window doesnt slide down and the rear cabin window, well, is there!

[crisis]

Its not my kind of car but its the only game in town of its type. It will probably do alright. At least this way you dont have to suck down exhaust fumes from having the back window up.

[fpv_gtho]

well i think any prospective buyers that shop around at some fibreglass canopy suppliers should be able to fins something cheaper for their needs. holden claims that it allows you to lock it, but i'm sure theres canopies out on the market that are lockable.

because of this also i dont believe ford will retalliate. not only would it be a waste of time but trying to sell a pickup-utility as a panel van would be harder than doing the same on a coupe-utility

[Falcon500]

Well if ford do im expecting them to make a real pannelvan and it would be easy to put it on the same chassis as the ute. And ive seen stock applications on 94 nissan nivaras that are lockable...somthing doesnt quite stack up here.

[fpv_gtho]

well what would you call a real panel van? a one piece body structure based off a coupe utility? or simply a fully enclosed utility, regardless if its a pickup or coupe utility. ford would have a harder time than holden at coming up with a proper panel van as their falcon ute is a seperate tub pickup utility. maybe in 2007 they'll redesign the utes so that the normal utes are back as a coupe utility and can easily support panel van bodywork and have the one tonner built like the current ute as a hybrid chassis. its not as cost effective as the current setup, but then again, with the tried and tested leaf spring/live axle, the pursuit is australias fastest stock ute (motor magazine, 0-100 6.07) and apparently handles alright, the only complaint i think would be the exclusion of traction control and the XR speed limiter (230km/h instead of 250km/h on the GT and GT-P). with that i think ive just promoted going to 2 different ute bodies at once and said why theres no need lol

[Falcon500]

Well the WB ute had a seperate tub chassis too and it worked very well as a pannel van not to mention that it rquires less though meking a car with a chassis vs monocouque. It woudl be fairly straigt forward for them to actually make a body thats all im saying.

[fpv_gtho]

well the falcon utes and the holden one tonner use the monocoque chassis cabin and intergrate a ladder frame chassis to hold the weight, with the holden ute running full monocoque chassis which allows it to have IRS. ford seem pretty keen on keeping the leaf springs under the ute and wagon for a good couple of years more now so it would be interesting to see any attempt of theirs to try a proper, 70's style panel van with the drop down rear glass, matress in the back and no rear cabin window. as for straight forward, its easier than say turnign the falcon into the fairmont but not as easy as it was 20-30 years ago as the dual chassis construction would complicate things around the b pillar