Thread: To All Hearse Owners and/or "car guys"

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I'm looking to purchase a hearse and I would really like to talk to other hearse owners. I've never restored a vehicle before, but I've been working on motorcycles for years. I'm hoping to have a fun Halloween ride, as well as an attention-grabbing classic car. I'm not afraid to put in time and labor, but I want to be realistic at the same time.

I've been chronicalling my search on another thread (someone moved it from "General Halloween" to "Want to Buy")

So please read up and give me your opinions.

Looking for an old hearse, seriously!

Right now, I'm looking at a 1941 Cadillac Hearse in Oklahoma.

Doesn't look too bad. Definitely is gonna need some work on the lower door skins. But they shouldn't be too bad. I'd probably hire that out. Bumpers and door handles need rechromed. All the trim appears to be there. Taillight lenses and turn signals lenses might take a little while to come up with. Dash appears complete. Upholstery appears to be pretty simple to recover, ie. nothing complicated. Wiring harness shouldn't be that bad to replace. Doesn't have a motor, transmission? Looks like a 3 speed manual. I'd really love for you to save this old girl. She looks pretty solid for a '41.

Oh my gosh!! Are those fold down jump seats in the back!!!! That is one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Do a lot of hearses have that?

It has an engine, but it's not running. Also has original 3 trans on the post.

I'm wondering if I can take the engine apart, clean everything, and put it back together with a master engine rebuild kit for a 346. Won't really know until I take everything apart -- what a great winter project that will be.


This is the current state of the engine.


This is the current state of the engine.


This is the Master Engine Rebuild Kit 1937-1941 Cadillac 346 V8 available on eBay.

That is a very nice project! But you must be willing to invest some major $$$ when starting from ground up like this. I would probably buy this one using it as is and place(glue) a bunch of moss and vines to it. Maybe use it in a swamp themed haunt or similar. Just be ready to push that heavy beast around.. Cool find none the less!

I'm no expert, but from what I've seen and researched, ti depends on the hearse. There are three types of "professional" vehicles: Hearse, Ambulance, and Combo.

Most combo vehicles have a split rear that has space for a coffin or gurney and some fold down pocket seats.

Most of the later hearses have a full flat back areas with rollers and no area to sit. Ambulances have folding seats and wheel pockets for a medical gurney.

There is a guy that has been selling his for months now that lives 8 miles from me. Here is his CL ad. It is a combo as well but a late 60's model in complete running condition. Here is another local hearse. Wish I had the cash to get this but must wait again this year...

If you go to check it out, bring a set of large SAE sockets and a breaker bar and try to turn the crank pulley. If the motor isn't locked up, you should be able to rebuild it. The lower radiator hose has been off the water pump for some time, so maybe the the engine hasn't froze and busted the water jackets.

Thank you! That's good to know.

Those are the kinds of questions I need to ask. The hearse is in Oklahoma and I'm in Washington state, so I have to do a lot of stuff over the phone or via email. I will talk to the seller again on Monday and ask if he can turn the crank pully.

Oh, and if you do buy it, the valve seats in a engine that old aren't hardened like in the ones designed to run on on unleaded gas. So you'll have to have a machine shop press in hardened ones or run a lead substitute in in the gas to prevent damaging the valve seats. From what my dad tells me, these older engines required the valves to be ground every 50,000 miles or so. But the hardened valve seats will let you run at least 150,000 miles before a valve job is required. The radiator would also have to be rebuilt or a good one found. The radiator shop reuses the tanks and replaces the core. Pretty common practice for old cars, trucks, and industrial equipment.