Thread: Anyone Here Drive A Hearse?

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I've had a 67, 68 caddy end loaders and a 72 cadi three way. My insurance wasn't any more then any other vehicle I've ever owned. I've also had a 36 Packard 3-way and a 54 Packard end loader Air Force Rescue Vehicle. Looks just like the hearses. Presently I do not own a hearse. I personally like the older styles before they added the add on to the roof. Kind of looks like a camper to me now. No appeal. The 3 ways makes it really nice for hauling stuff especially with the rollers that swiveled in all direction. If you are going to buy one try to find one where the interior hasn't been hacked by some teenage band. They are hard to come by. Good luck with finding one. They are really nice rides, supper smooth but, gas gusslers.

Thank you everyone for the great info. There is a broker in Long Beach, CA that I will be going to see in the weeks ahead. Glad to know the bigger engine is something to look for. Glass Eye thanks for the video, too funny! Hope she got to pee.

Hi Hallo and Kymmm,

thanks for your kind words.

best wishes,
Caddy

Originally Posted by zacharybinx

Thank you everyone for the great info. There is a broker in Long Beach, CA that I will be going to see in the weeks ahead. Glad to know the bigger engine is something to look for. Glass Eye thanks for the video, too funny! Hope she got to pee.

No problem, she would be so embarassed to know I posted this and good luck in the hearse endeavor!

welcome to the world of finding a hearse... #1 the consume gas badly #2 they are basically a cadillac station wagon with a bad smell, #3engine parts are not hard to come by but replacement body parts are as most are limited numbers thats why they are rare, and finding one in a good reliable condition for the same price as a van or truck is slim to none. however the look on peoples faces as you roll up to the hardware store in your herse is totally priceless

The thing to remember about buying a hearse is that it was used for long periods at slow speeds. It's not uncommon to find hearses that average less than 2k miles a year. But, those 2k miles are the same number of hours of run time as your family car with 10k or 15k miles. A 3 way with an electric table is an 8000 pound vehicle. Many are what normal drivers consider to be underpowered, because they don't have great accelleration (because they're supposed to be driven slow, the manufacturers don't put in big engines). If you want normal (for a car) accelleration, you need to find one that has a 454 in it., not the 368.

Find a hearse that has all the trim on it. Obtaining some pieces of specialty trim is frustrating, expensive, and sometimes impossible.

Explore "classic car"/"antique car" insurance. Some of the largest underwriters (Grundy, Taylor) will write very inexpensive policies on hearses that are older (>20 years old) and aren't driven often (2500 miles a year max). They require you to own another car in order to get this type of insurance.

Consider "combination" vehicles. These were made for both hearse and ambulance service. They generally have a vinyl floor in the back, which wears better if you're going to haul lumber yard items home. They also have windows all around, with curtains, more like a big station wagon. Unfortunately, most combinations were delivered in white paint, so a paint job might be in order to get more of a hearse look.

Join the Professional Car Society: http://www.professionalcar.org/

Good luck,

Craig