What is the 1931 Ford custom bodied hearse,flower car,commercial delivery etc? See photos

[George Albright]

Hi everyone. Well heres my latest purchase of an obscure vehicle. I purchased this 1931 Ford Model A with some custom factory built body,to save it from being rodded,at somewhat great expense. I have been a car guy for 40 plus years,and I have seldon seen a custom bodied Ford Model A. Notice the craftsmanship on the extension of the body,the body molding,custom back fenders,etc. I believe it started out as an original Tudor sedan,then the body was removed right behind the front doors,and the balance added. It used to have a material covered roof to hide all the body work. Don't know if the frame has been extended,as the Ford is stored in Ohio,and I am in Florida. I had the prior owner look for a makers plate on the cowl,doors and floor board,and none was found. Looks like it could be a hearse,flower car,commercial or delivery vehicle. Windows in back used to have pull down shades. Looks like pulleys and cables enable the drive to pull open the rear doors. Could be by Henney,Meteor,S and S etc. Who knows-not me! OK guys get your books out and let's ID the beast. I might consider selling for $6,900. However I am more interested in IDing it right now. Can you imagine pulling up to a national Model A meet in this restored??? George Albright,Ocala,Fla. cell 352 843 1624 10 AM to 4 PM EST. Email: gnalbright@gmail.com

[Hudsy Wudsy]

Nice save! This is one unique Model A. I have to say, though, what a humble vehicle in which to take one's last ride. Still, it was probably better than bouncing around on the back of a buckboard.

[Layden B]

Probably used by the morgue at some large city. No customers or families to impress.

[Hudsy Wudsy]

Probably used by the morgue at some large city. No customers or families to impress.

That makes perfect sense. I know that it was commmon for simple, less ornate commercial cars to do dual-duty as hearses and ambulances in rural areas. My brother once had a '37 Ford hearse. I recall , however, once seeing an ad or an article about a simple Pontiac or Olds hearse that described it as being for "First Call Service". How we love our euphemisms.

[barry22]

The radiator shell is 1931. The fenders are 1930/31. The raised boss that runs down the length of the door and body where the door handles are mounted point it to being a 1928/29. The vehicle is definitely unique.

[Hudsy Wudsy]

The '37 Ford hearse that I mentioned had '36 rear fenders and bumper. I suppose that the very essence of custom building is, in a sense, improvising.

[Guest Bob Call]

Appears to me to be a 2 door sedan with rear portion of another 2 door grafted on. The very back is cut off straight and doesn't appear to have ever had barn doors of a delivery. The rear doors appear to have the same beltline revel as the body. So I would guess the doors were made from the doors and rear window of the donor and original car. Rear door hinges look like they are from an icebox. The rear bumper is definitly from a later model maybe even as late a 60's foreign make.

Edited April 18, 2012 by Bob Call (see edit history)

[StillOutThere]

A "first call" vehicle is one that picks up the deceased from the house, or nursing home or hospital etc. It is not anything that will draw attention in any way as it is merely transporting to the embalming facility. In the '30s this Model A would be suitable. In the '50s a station wagon with painted or sandblasted rear side glass. Today a suburban with a landau bar. The fancy hearses are from the funeral service to the interment site.

[Restorer32]

I see nothing to lead me to believe this was ever a hearse. There is just as much evidence that a farmer sold turnips out of it.

[MCHinson]

As I have said in the other discussion in the General Forum, I think it is neat. I also do not think it has ever been used as a hearse. There is no floor mounted hardware that you would typically find in a hearse.

I would really like to see some better photos, but the back end does not look like anything that Ford would have authorized. I would guess it was some local shop's creation or modification. The tail lamp protruding above the top of the tailgate and the loose tail lamp wiring flopping around makes this vehicle quite impractible as a hearse or similar vehicle.

[Guest jeremylund]

I would be curious to find out the history of that particular car. It looks to me like a hearse that was possibly built overseas. It has a lot of the same characteristics that an English hearse of the same period would have. Unfortunately, a lot of the hearses from that era are repurposed after their service and a lot have the rear portion of the interior gutted by their new owners. I have seen that more times than I can count. I bought a 1936 LaSalle hearse that had the rear interior gutted so the new owner could sell his huckleberrys out of the back. Regardless of what it is, it is an interesting car that would be very neat if brought back to life.

Jeremy

[jpage]

I had asked the former owner if he had found out what it was and he confirmed that it was a '30-'31 chassis and cowl married to two 2 '28 or '29 tudor bodies that was probably built in a body shop. He apparently never did find the purpose for the modification. He eventually sold it to an ambulance collector.

[28 Chrysler]

The rear bumper and marker lights on the back appear to be 1940's/50's. The hinges look like they are from a refrigerator.