This 1959 Cadillac hearse is a really cool car and would make a unique project for someone. It can be found here on eBay with a current bid over $28,000, but the reserve hasn’t been met yet. There is no buy-it-now price, so I’m not sure what the seller expects for a reasonable sale price? Located in Newport Beach, California, the car is said to have been “recently taken out of long term dry California storage.” There were several coachbuilders for Cadillac and this one is apparently from Superior which only made 300 total. Let’s take a look at this cool Caddy.
There are no specifics in the ad regarding the engine. It does say that it ran when parked and that is isn’t locked up. Hopefully, with a bit of fresh gas and ignition work, it will fire up. It is most likely a 390 cubic inch V8 with an automatic transmission. As with almost all Cadillacs, you can see it has power steering and brakes.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many photos of the interior. You can see it looks like it’s been stored for quite a while. The coolest part of this car may be the suicide doors. As expected for a hearse, the car was originally black. The ad doesn’t say when it was painted red, but it looks like it may be lacquer paint, so it was probably done quite a while ago.
They’ve been done quite a bit over the years, but this car could be made into a Ghostbusters replica car. While the ECTO-1 from the movie was ambulance coachwork done by Miller-Meteor, this car could be converted to look like the famous movie car. According to the ad, the only missing trim is the door molding pieces, which is a plus. This car would be very costly to restore if more of the trim was missing. Overall, what do you think of this car? Fix or pass?
Please do not ghostbusters this one.
There was a lovely article in Car and Driver magazine in either the late 70s or early 80s (dating based on the subscription my parents bought and maintained for my birthday until I went to college) about a 1959 Eureka Cadillac hearse.
The article talks about the writer’s desire for a hearse in lieu of a station wagon, then details the 59, and the backstory of a motorcycle racer who drove his bike around to events in the hearse. It’s a beautiful classic from the days of automotive journalism.
Personally, I had a 64 Cadillac hearse for a couple weeks in 1984. I bought it while in high school, and mom disapproved. Dad said it goes, and so it went.
That article was done by John C (Jack) Knarr my father, sadly he passed 2 years ago. He loved his 1960 hearse. We lived in chesterfield nj at the time, he worked at the trentionian at the. Thanks for the kind words. John Knarr his son.
Suicide doors are called a sideloader if this is the case it’s a 3 way… the Ark (casket) can be off loaded by those side doors and carried to the grave… if those doors were regular then it would be called an endloader certain 59 Superiors are highly sought after
Suicide doors don’t always mean 3 way or sideloader.
Be a great ghost 👻 tours limo.
Paint ghouls on side….. put a casket in the back and cruise it during wedding season and crash receptions 😜😂😆…
Personally to Each their own but if you would rather spend money on a big @ss lead sled versus a cool Muscle car then buy this heap . Don’t think your gonna meet non goth chicks though 👀😆
So do you have to change your wardrobe to black threads? Does one need black lipstick and finger polish? Just curious?
“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. J.K. Rowling” or be sure to buy your wheels for the final ride 😇
The car rolls up in a ghostly cloud of CO2 vapor…Dale Earnhardt steps out from behind the wheel, and Amy Winehouse steps out of the passenger side.
What do you say?
Been there done that but it was JFK and Marilyn and it was a 1960 Superior, not a 1959.
Please Please please, not another inaccurate Ghostbusters Ecto 1 car
Who knew someone would pay this amount for an old Hearse ?
And not even at reserve yet 💀☠👻
Where’s Miguel? He’s the hearse aficionado here.
And what is with that trailer hitch?
Apparently whoever had this one didn’t get the memo about not being able to take it with you!
Angel I am shocked at the prices these are commanding for a beat up car.
Unfortunately because a new movie is coming out, I would bet this will be a version of the Ecto even though it is a side service landau.
I do wonder who owns it though right now, or did when they parked it. I might have known him.
The car has a blue 6 digit California, 062 CHG or close to that, plate which means this car was taken out of professional service in 1971.
Hearses are issued commercial plates in California when they are working so that is how I know it was taken out of service at that time.
It looks like it has been off the grid for a long time.
Could be a fun toy during Halloween.
A hearse with no A/C in California? Unless the driver was in shorts and an Aloha shirt it was hot in there.
Maybe SF bay area but elsewhere, oofah!
Almost no hearse had A/C in these years and even if it did it would never cool down the interior of this car. there is no divider in this one.
One of 300 made? Doesn’t apply to a vintage hearse. In the 50’s there were many custom coach builders. 300 is a fairly high number. The 59 Cadillac is the most coveted. Yes please NO ecto. It is like every 1958 Plymouth must be painted red (Christine)
I see values going higher. In an era when bodies changed yearly. The old models fell out of favor quickly. Many have been rescued out of yards out west who parked them and used them for storage. May have been this cars fate. Nonetheless. It’s here and safe and people are bidding frantic to own it. Good find.
I think the guy means Superior got 300 chassis to make their cars.
The source I just found says there were 2,184 Cadillac Commercial Chassis cars produced in 1959.
That number was split between many companies.
I can’t find my book right now that has those numbers in it.
What I said. GM sold the cars to custom body builders to make not only coaches but limo’s as well. 300 is a low number yes. A high number for Superior.
I had a 54 Henny. I believe Packard sold 250 commercial chassis 1954. Doesn’t mean all were coaches.
AMC, I don’t think I have ever seen a coach built limo from those years. Cadillac was making the 75 series at that time.
Already sold!
Damn and here i was ready go to the graveyard and start digging up some gold rings and jewelry to pay for this cheap casket hauler 😜👻😂😏😂☺️😜🤪🤨😨😰🤤👁🧛🏾♂️🧟♀️
Kidding folks but this price seem way high to me…,
I’d go Munster’s direction instead, no?
Is anybody getting notifications when you are subscribed to a post? I am not getting any at all.
Miguel,
As with everything, it hits a popularity stride and commands a lot. Eventually, it will fall out of favor and become reasonable again. I remember when you could pick up an old hearse for a couple of hundred dollars. I’m talking a shine still on the paint. No rust. They got popular prices rose. They will drop eventually.
As for the rest of you, back in the day, even though they were Cadillacs, none had a/c. Or power windows, seats, hell, they didn’t even have AM radios. They were your basic strip model with no frills or creature comforts. Most of the frills were in the back, for the passengers family. Silk or Satin curtains, rosewood floor, coach lights, etc.
Angel, a few of the combinations did have air, but not many hearses.
The funeral director didn’t want any more things on the car that could go wrong, and he was right. It was a work vehicle.
As a semi-afficianado of old hearses, I am stunned at the price someone is paying for this hulk. I mean its really nuts. It needs a complete restoration.
You really have to want a ’59 Superior :)
’59 Caddy versions are the most sought after of all professional cars and has been ever since the first Ghostbusters movie, then followed by any winged hearses/ambulances. Still, until only 4-5 years back 60s hearses seemingly just retired from service could be had dirt cheap.
I’m happy these low production, factory customs finally are appreciated, but I can’t help but to wonder who it is that actually have the means to restore such a whale – I mean; a 59 Caddy would be expensive on its own…?
Our old Buddy ?
Mr. Shill Bidding
tempting to sell my 59 Caddy Superior