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IT'S A GM VEHICLE - BUT WHICH ONE?


Terry Wiegand

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Alright, all you sharp guys out there tell us just what this is.  It has a flathead straight eight engine.  That rules out Cadillac because they had a V-8 flathead engine.  We can rule out a Buick because they were an OHV engine.  We can rule out a Chevrolet because they never had an inline eight cylinder engine.  This leaves Pontiac and Oldsmobile, which both had L-Head engines in the 1930's time frame.  I am thinking this could be a Pontiac, but, what year is it from the front clip?   Henney produced professional vehicles in several areas.  I have seen Henney ambulances and Henney hearses before,  but never one quite like this.  We took these photos this afternoon and the guy at the shop building where this is parked had absolutely no idea why the wheels were missing.

 

Terry Wiegand

South Hutchinson, Kansas

P4140428.JPG

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Keiser,

 

I think you nailed it as to which make it started out as.  I was talking with a friend last night about this vehicle and he thought it could be a Pontiac.  There is absolutely nothing in or on this vehicle that identifies it as anything but Henney.  One just does not see anything like this very often at all.

 

Terry Wiegand

South Hutchinson, Kansas

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It actually was possible to order a Cadillac with a flathead inline Continental engine from Henney. This isn't one of them, and just a few were made. It's interesting how similar Packard, Cadillac, Oldsmobile, and Henney Hearses/Ambulances looked at this time.

Edited by jeff_a (see edit history)
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Maybe we can lay this subject to rest now says a 44 year licensed Funeral Director/Embalmer.  I could even make you guys look good.😀

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Its a '36 Oldsmobile Eight Model L Henney Progress Model 764 by the Oldsmobile Crestline history.  The Oldsmobile commercial chassis were also used by Sayers & Scoville for ambulance and hearse production, they were a less costly line.

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10 hours ago, Bloo said:

As mentioned earlier in the thread, that is a 36 Oldsmobile nose. Pontiac never made anything that looked like that. Neither did LaSalle. Buick had a similar grille in 1936, but it's not Buick.

Yes, Pontiac did supply some chassis for hearses....

1936 Pontiac hearse.jpg

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2 hours ago, keiser31 said:

Yes, Pontiac did supply some chassis for hearses....

 

I meant the grille and hood. The only other thing that really comes close to the look of the car in the original post is the 1936 Buick, but it's not a match.

 

1936-buick-4-door-sedan-1.jpg

 

Here's another 1936 Olds hearse:

1936Oldsmobile_700.jpg

 

More:

1936_Oldsmobile_Hearse_by_Henney_5.jpg

 

159850569_1936-oldsmobile-hot-rat-rod-vi

 

i652415.jpg

Edited by Bloo (see edit history)
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20 hours ago, keiser31 said:

Yep....casket rollers on the rear floor.

 

 

Yup, and fringed window shade also says hearse.  But there's what appears to be a gurney.  Some hearses did double duty as ambulances.

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  • 1 year later...
On 4/14/2019 at 8:54 PM, Paul Dobbin said:

Two threads is a row with Hearse identification questions.  Forum is getting a little morbid today..

 

Halloween is two weeks from tomorrow; therefore, I'd consider this thread to be highly appropriate and timely, not to mention in good taste.

 

Cheers,

Grog

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