If you’ve been dying to get your hands on a hearse by Halloween, unfortunately, it may be too late to make that happen this year. However, this 1956 Cadillac is likely at a strong enough starting point to cruise around next October, or sooner, if you have something else in mind for this coach-built rarity. Superior Coach Company pioneered vehicles for the funeral industry, and although it officially went out of business decades ago, the name continued on through other manufacturers. They created this 1956 Cadillac Hearse here on eBay, and also built ambulances and the occasional school bus, so the company had you covered from birth to death, and even during unexpected in-between life mishaps. This creepy but cool coach is in Yucaipa, California, and can be yours today for $32,500.
The seller doesn’t provide much background information here, but this one’s obviously spent much of its time in a favorable climate. It’s reported to have NO RUST (in all caps) and no previous body repairs either. The sheet metal shows some patina, but for those who enjoy an aged finish, the exterior certainly excels. There aren’t many dings or dents, so it likely wouldn’t need much prep to get this one ready for a respray, should the buyer prefer a fresh coat of black paint. The solid nature continues underneath, as the rails also appear strong. However, the gas tank is bent, so I wonder if this hearse may have carried an exceptionally cadaver at some point?
The front section of the interior is in very nice shape, and the seats show no obvious tears in the upholstery and have very little wear. The dash and instruments also look good, so you probably won’t need to do much up front. There are a few more bruises in the back, including some on the sides and bottom, but it’s a plus that the casket rollers are still in place, unless you have something different in mind than how this hearse has previously functioned. The headliner looks excellent throughout, and it’s a good sign that the dome lights are still working.
Superior used a Cadillac commercial chassis in ’56 as a platform, with a 163-inch wheelbase and a 365 cubic inch V8. The owner says the engine just got a full tune-up, and the transmission is getting ready for the same treatment soon, so there may be little or no mechanical work needed for a while. If the buy-it-now price feels a bit high, there’s also a make-offer button, so I’d at least try to negotiate a bit here. Would you take this 1956 Cadillac Hearse up a level or two, or is it best to keep that time-worn texture outside?
So nice, this one got written up twice.
That’s what I first thought,until I took a closer look
at the two ads.Two different vehicles from the same seller.
Buy both, put vanity plates on “HIS” & “HEARSE”
Maybe, given the current trend (fad) of those 47-foot-tall skeletons in front yards (well, it seems like they are 47 feet tall), perhaps you could start a new trend: parking an old hearse in your front yard. Think of the fun you could have with trick-or-treaters as they walk by.
I did, neighbors called the cops on me.
It’s the daily double ( cue silly siren and cheesy game show music) No, it’s not the same vehicle as previous post, this one is clearly a driver. Not sure about who “CaddyGirl” might be an Angel wannabe perhaps, I suppose it is a Caddy. For the LIFE of me, I can’t see the attraction in a vehicle like this. Not so much for its grim nature, it’s the epitome of excess, so unusual in todays world.
And no post of mine would be complete at this hour, to say something about the price,,I know, folks may be knackered(tired) about hearing that, but really now, is there really a market for old hearses, the bane of the living, for this amount? Got 142 viewers, so I may be topsy turvy on this, but I don’t think so.
In closing, something my mom always said, “Sonny, it’s not the cough that carries you off, it’s the coffin they carry you off in”.
To quote the great James Taylor, “now when I die I don’t want no coffin, I thought about it all to often, just strap me in behind the wheel, and bury me in my autoMObile”. I asked the cemetery director if I could be buried in my Jeep, she said, an odd request, but no.
Warriors come out to play..