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Vintage Hearses, Funeral Coaches and Flower Cars On Main Street Anywhere: A Pictorial


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Guest Ray RI

This is a 1978 Miller-Meteor Olympian end loading Cadillac that I purchased a few years back not long after it was retired from service.

<a  href=%7Boption%7Dhttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v484/cryptwagon/Miscellaneous%20Stuff/Morgue%20Anna/100_0431.jpg' alt='100_0431.jpg'>

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Guest Ray RI

My first hearse... 1971 Superior Cadillac Soverign Limousine Style end loader.

This coach was formerly the drunk wagon for a local Irish pub.... Hence the nasty green paint job!!!

<a  href=%7Boption%7Dhttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v484/cryptwagon/Miscellaneous%20Stuff/Slimer/9b35.jpg' alt='9b35.jpg'>

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A few more French hearses:

A '68 Bel Air (maybe an Impala or a Caprice would have been too ostentatious?):

8370429699_b55b69ce4d_z.jpg

A Chevelle:

album-chevrolet-chevelle-corbillard-img.jpg

An Olds:

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQUUNLwxGoyfmUCXy9MLjy1bYzTfH6y1eoPGTklPEMP5rcPu3gr

A '60 Plymouth Fury:

7212032770_0df0898322_z.jpg

A '40 Merc?:

corbillard.jpg

Brochure image of '47 Pontiac:

8482112295_4d66375983_z.jpg

A '55 or '56 Dodge (sorry it's so small):

corbillard_funerailles_bouvy_ancetre2.jpg

A '48 Dodge:

7513284132_a19120c669_z.jpg

One should probably humble oneself in the face of Death, but I don't think I could rest in peace if my last ride was in a crummy old stovebolt:

lijkwagen-albert-haerens-uit-de-oude-doos.jpg

A Plymouth:

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR35Z_sUORhqL19CBn4FtwCd7w1ODI1rZHuzyWO5CiCViEicmC3

Here's a different angle on a '63 Chev I posted earlier:

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTkwlB1gA4w-DZQaBtvslQcl5_VbYzgxDs2FJEKA16lW5MflmuvjA

A '67 Chrysler Newport:

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7668467154_e2f1bd9155_m.jpg7668467422_62143960c0.jpg

A '57 Imperial hearse:

8371491334_e2f5f9cf88_z.jpg

A couple of Fords:

Corbillard1.jpg8371544044_f7cd9d50f4_z.jpg

An interesting Cadillac:

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ9BUz-cYgznEhesKBNyf2h84wJo8R3xY-A-n2xB4e_VTxQSQM6

You may have noticed that quite a few of the French hearses have these roof adornments at each of the corners:

145722918-pieces-corbillard.jpg

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Maybe some of you will find these two old tired and weathered rigs interesting. I had forgotten that they used to build bodies this way in the forties and fifties. Instead of raising the roof line by increasing the height of the glass area, they spliced in metal all around the vehicle below the belt line. It's especially clear when you recall the height of a stock hood or a door. It's just the opposite of "sectioning" a car (like a '50s full custom) to lower the over all height of the body. Can you imagine the work involved in stretching just one door frame and skin?

48%20Buick%20Roadmaster%20Hearse%20001.jpg57164d7_27.jpeg

Edited by Hudsy Wudsy (see edit history)
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Maybe some of you will find these two old tired and weathered rigs interesting. I had forgotten that they used to build bodies this way in the forties and fifties. Instead of raising the roof line by increasing the height of the glass area, they spliced in metal all around the vehicle below the belt line. It's especially clear when you recall the height of a stock hood or a door. It's just the opposite of "sectioning" a car (like a '50s full custom) to lower the over all height of the body. Can you imagine the work involved in stretching just one door frame and skin?

48%20Buick%20Roadmaster%20Hearse%20001.jpg57164d7_27.jpeg

I just realized that they would even have to rework the firewall. Geez, wouldn't you think that for all of the work involved they could have started with a Chevy panel truck, dropped a V8 in it and just reworked the front sheet metal to disguise it's origin?

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Still out there, those are all great Chrysler products -- the '59 is gorgeous! I'd give anything to watch the pros make a roof like that.

188966d1366314658-vintage-hearses-funeral-coaches-flower-cars-3202165639_3e44ec44fe_z.jpg

Also, the '48 Windsor ambulance! Did you all notice that the body builder turned the stock tail lights on their sides? it would be wonderful to see that one restored.

188967d1366314917-vintage-hearses-funeral-coaches-flower-cars-48chryslerwindsorprocar2.jpg

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I read a quote once about the French that I'll share with you: "When it comes to autos, the French imitate no one, and no one imitates the French." It may sound a little odd at first, but when you think about Citroens, Peugeots, Simcas and Renaults you'll see the point. Here are a few more French hearses:

corbillard.jpg

A Renault:

i229247.jpg5786927340_c381e7cc45.jpg

An electric corbillard:

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQSTlSyG7fawDSYkRI6uOl9SOF_gLW2AH9iYOHVEd9u4WXYOxol2g

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR9CqDKnyfKzSdgMJrkpCZfScFH46kkuUW2Q3QcasU5ugUq3H5MVwcorbillard.jpg

A '47 Pontiac:

8482112275_e8d32d1ed7_z.jpg

A '52 Citroen:

nouvel10.jpg

Another Renault:

m3l5exsp.jpg

These few are modern ones, but I include them as examples of a type of design that includes a rear seat for passengers:

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTNRGgcsZQ5a2ADDpNf7FGg2fv5IR3YzakQ0u1_a3czQwDWAWkOMAi195803.jpg

dsc5111.jpg2bruno-3-20101010-155358.jpg

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