Snag it... DeadHeads would give you a fortune for it, even in parts. There's a thriving and growing hearse sub-culture out there. Besides - scaring the crap out of local old women/children = priceless
I have had a few over the years.... things to check for include: Make sure the glass is good. IMPOSSIBLE to find, and if you do find it HUGE $$$ to buy it.... Check beneath the rockers and inside the wheel wells for rust.... alot of times it looks good from up top but is totally rotten inside/beneath it.... Planning on what you are going to do with it, check the trim, again, impossible to find, usually trim was all hand/custom made back then..... Ball joints are usually the first thing that needs to be replaced in these cars when you buy an old used one...... The price is right if the glass is good and it isn't a basket case/bondo bucket..... They are alot of fun to cruise around in, and it's pretty easy to wake the 500 mill up..... I get more looks driving mine around than I have in most hot rods I've owned..... Hope this helps. GO FOR IT lol
I had a good line on one when I was in high school and my dad (who has always been the mentor of my car hobby and never had said no about a car I wanted to buy before that as long as I had the money) told me that only a sick f*%k would buy one of them and if I did I couldnt park in the driveway or anywhere near the house. I didnt but MAN I still want one!!! Now I'm old and I still want one! BUY IT!!
I had a '67 fleetwood series 75 limo - same chassis; came from a funeral parlor. Other things to check: Driveshaft is a two piece affair; if it's mucked up it's a bugger to replace. Timing chains have a tendency to stretch on these motors - if the muff is ballooned out, the motor has been backfiring which is an indication the timing chain may be shot. If iit checks out - get it. They can be cool as hell. Just keep in mind the misc caddy bits (like vent window motors) are hellaciously expensive.
If it checks out as previously suggested, I'd go for it! I had a '69 several years ago. Actually drove real nice and would haul anything. I pulled into a yard once and parted out a whole car: engine, trans, whole interior, wheels, bumpers, trim, etc., and it swollowed it whole! You get a lot of looks, too when you are loading lumber at Lowe's! One additional downside to consider: besides the mileage being terrible, the tanks are usually pretty small. Mine was only about 12 or 15 gallons. So, pretty much your travel distance is, at best, about 120 miles before you are on fumes.
if all the above mentioned checks out, go for it. i have a 1962 fleetwood limo that i have owned since i got out of high school, that car is so fun to drive and i have yet to ride in a car that matches the comfort of it, we used to pack 12 people in it and cruise to parties. great car but i think im going to have let it go soon, i just dont drive it anymore andits going to start rotting away, that and the fact that its over 20ft long and takes up so much space. on a side note i heard the original ambulance from ghostbusters is for sale at a cadillac dealership in hollywood, needs alittle work but its all there except the hood, i think they wanted 6k for it. now that would be an attention getter!
I don't think the 500 was availible in 67. Think it started in 68 with the 472. Also thinking 67 would be a 429? and a whole different animal from the 472,500,425,368.
I have a '66 Caddy Hearse and I love it. I don't think I'll ever sell it. As mentioned before, trim and glass can be impossible to find. The gas mileage issue that someone mentioned isn't a factor unless it's your daily driver. And even then, it's not that big of a deal. The 429 motor is purring and I keep her in tip top shape. Better on gas than my Tacoma. It's definitely an attention getter. I say snag it. You could probably part it out for twice that.
This was my tailgating car for a while. Its a '68 Meteor & Miller Ambulance. It gave a new meaning to the words land yacht the way it "floated" down the road. Had a 472 in it and pretty good acceleration given its 6200 lb weight. There's nothing like 22 feet of body work!
I've always wanted to back half one,, lots o room for my tinwork,, get it!!! A friend of mine had a packard hearse sittin in his yard for years, not worth fixin but it was fun to dream about!
Depending on the body builder the windsheild might be the extra tall custom piece which can be expensive to replace. Usually these have low milage so mechanicly aren't worn out. If they aren't maintained or garaged they can rot. They seem to be found in one of two states: 1. "Pristine" 2. "Roached" S&S arguably made the best Hearses of that era. What is this one?
You're right on, on the windshield. My ambulance had a custom peice that had a huge crack in it that I had to live with.
I had a 76 Caddy ambulance hearse. It was a crazy ride with lots of wild looks by others. It said the last ride on the back glass. I have a wild Hearse I have saved in my photos. I'll post it later. Hg
A friend in high school had a hearse with a 500. Painted it flat purple. Got about 12 mpg. Was funny to see people reactions when we drove around. Was friggin huge. Accelerated good, handled like shit. Was a lot of fun. It needed to be slammed.
There's also potential to make a few bucks by owning a hearse. I was approached by a guy who has a halloween rental business. Costumes, props, high end stuff, etc. He said he was always looking for funeral cars to rent out for various occasions. I made $500 in 4 days just parking my hearse in front of a local haunted house that was open to the public for 2 weekends before halloween. I plan to do it every year.
My first car was a '56 caddy S&S hearse. Man, I loved that car! You'll have a ball in yours if you can get it. If you want it, go for it! Mine had all kinds of neat options like fold-out seats, shades, velvet curtains, tons of storage options, sliding glass divider between the front and back. When I'd head home late at night the light would be reflecting off the divider which would shake a little and the hair on my neck would stand on end. The dual spotlights made it great for backing into those deserted fields and wooded pull-offs to "park". If it's in decent shape...do it! Flattop
Very Cool! Surf the web for Hearse Culture websites - some are pretty funny and all have really sharp meat-wagon pictures! A lot of them also feature pix of some of those "Goth chicks" somebody metioned. Some of them are way weird! Check-out this ad I saw for a model hearse awhile back!
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