Cadillac Hearse Conversions?

[Harry Face]

Does anybody know if the conversion company that turned a Cadillac into
a hearse would use the original Cadillac door panels for the two front
doors?

In 2003 A friend in Ohio bought a 70 Cadillac Hearse and is restoring it
little by little.

When I sat in it, it brought back memories of learning to drive. My
parents had a 70 Sedan DeVille with the 472 cu in V8. 472 & a 17 year
old are a bad mix. Boy did that car move out !

Anyway, when I saw RD's hearse the first thing I noticed was the door
panels on the front doors were not Cadillac door panels. Although the
driver door did have the windshield wiper switch assembly in the upper
corner of the door as Caddy had at that time, the rest of the door panel
was a generic looking flat vinyl panel with a bolt on armrest.

We are wondering if he found actual ( 69 or ) 70 Caddy door panels would
they fit on the door. Were thinking the inner door that abuts the back
of the door panel may not be the same as a standard issue DeVille.

Anybody with hearse knowledge?

Remember If you never had the privilege of sitting up proud & driving a
Cadillac, your gonna go out of this world laying down in one.

LOL

=========
Harryface
=========

1991 Pontiac Bonneville LE
3800 V6 ( C ), Black/Slate Grey
_~_~_~298,430 miles_~_~_

~_~_~_~_U.S.A._~_~_~_~_~_

~~~The Former Fleet ~~~
89 Cavalier Z 24 convertible
78 Holiday 88 coupe
68 LeSabre convertible
73 Impala sedan

[Repairman]

They are all custom conversions, back then the probably remade everything,
today I think they try to use all the stock stuff possible so the car can
meet the tougher govt. standards.
In '70 the vehicle standards where minimal, DOT on the glass, lights and a
set of seatbelts. Factory smog stuff on the motor and brakes that where
rated for the GVW of the car and away you went. Caddys are heavy so the OEM
brakes are up to par for the conversion. That's one of the reasons Cadoo's
and Lincolns where used for hearse and ambulance conversions, they had the
heavy frame and brakes from the factory.
That would bring back memories for me too. Worked in a gas station back in
'70 at 16 that had a lot of Dr. customers so I wheeled a lot of Cadoo's,
225's, Lincolns, etc. around the lot and on to the rack for service.
I don't miss prying off snowy fender skirts to swap on snow tires on snow
days.
Your friends hearse may have been built by one of the major converters,
Superior comes to mind on the ones I had worked on back then. If he knows
who built it and they are still around they may have the info he's looking
for.
--
John
"anything you say can & will be misquoted & used against you"
'01 FLHR ''Red"
'04 MXZ 600ho
'99 XC700
BRC mem

Post by Harry Face
Does anybody know if the conversion company that turned a Cadillac into
a hearse would use the original Cadillac door panels for the two front
doors?
In 2003 A friend in Ohio bought a 70 Cadillac Hearse and is restoring it
little by little.
When I sat in it, it brought back memories of learning to drive. My
parents had a 70 Sedan DeVille with the 472 cu in V8. 472 & a 17 year
old are a bad mix. Boy did that car move out !
Anyway, when I saw RD's hearse the first thing I noticed was the door
panels on the front doors were not Cadillac door panels. Although the
driver door did have the windshield wiper switch assembly in the upper
corner of the door as Caddy had at that time, the rest of the door panel
was a generic looking flat vinyl panel with a bolt on armrest.
We are wondering if he found actual ( 69 or ) 70 Caddy door panels would
they fit on the door. Were thinking the inner door that abuts the back
of the door panel may not be the same as a standard issue DeVille.
Anybody with hearse knowledge?
Remember If you never had the privilege of sitting up proud & driving a
Cadillac, your gonna go out of this world laying down in one.
LOL
=========
Harryface
=========
1991 Pontiac Bonneville LE
3800 V6 ( C ), Black/Slate Grey
_~_~_~298,430 miles_~_~_
~_~_~_~_U.S.A._~_~_~_~_~_
~~~The Former Fleet ~~~
89 Cavalier Z 24 convertible
78 Holiday 88 coupe
68 LeSabre convertible
73 Impala sedan

[Harry Face]

Thanks for the replies, possibly there is a tag somewhere on the car
with the conversion companies name.

Its possible some other owner switched door panels to replace the worn
out originals?

If only the stiffs could talk.

=========
Harryface
=========

1991 Pontiac Bonneville LE
3800 V6 ( C ), Black/Slate Grey
_~_~_~298,516 miles_~_~_

~_~_~_~_U.S.A._~_~_~_~_~_

~~~The Former Fleet ~~~
89 Cavalier Z 24 convertible
78 Holiday 88 coupe
68 LeSabre convertible
73 Impala sedan

[Roy Bragg]

Superior Coachworks used to place a metal plate on the rear of the vehicle
with their name. I remember a local funeral home had them on the back of
their hearses.
Roy

Post by Harry Face
Thanks for the replies, possibly there is a tag somewhere on the car
with the conversion companies name.
Its possible some other owner switched door panels to replace the worn
out originals?
If only the stiffs could talk.
=========
Harryface
=========
1991 Pontiac Bonneville LE
3800 V6 ( C ), Black/Slate Grey
_~_~_~298,516 miles_~_~_
~_~_~_~_U.S.A._~_~_~_~_~_
~~~The Former Fleet ~~~
89 Cavalier Z 24 convertible
78 Holiday 88 coupe
68 LeSabre convertible
73 Impala sedan

[Steve W.]

The 72 that I had in school had the same type of panels. Mine was a
Superior built unit with a DEEEEP Purple paint job. I even carries an
empty coffin in the back (made a great keg UHH SODA yeah SODA cooler). I
used factory interior panels to redo mine BUT they had to be trimmed at
the back because of the partition.
--
Steve Williams

Post by Harry Face
Does anybody know if the conversion company that turned a Cadillac into
a hearse would use the original Cadillac door panels for the two front
doors?
In 2003 A friend in Ohio bought a 70 Cadillac Hearse and is restoring it
little by little.
When I sat in it, it brought back memories of learning to drive. My
parents had a 70 Sedan DeVille with the 472 cu in V8. 472 & a 17 year
old are a bad mix. Boy did that car move out !
Anyway, when I saw RD's hearse the first thing I noticed was the door
panels on the front doors were not Cadillac door panels. Although the
driver door did have the windshield wiper switch assembly in the upper
corner of the door as Caddy had at that time, the rest of the door panel
was a generic looking flat vinyl panel with a bolt on armrest.
We are wondering if he found actual ( 69 or ) 70 Caddy door panels would
they fit on the door. Were thinking the inner door that abuts the back
of the door panel may not be the same as a standard issue DeVille.
Anybody with hearse knowledge?
Remember If you never had the privilege of sitting up proud & driving a
Cadillac, your gonna go out of this world laying down in one.
LOL
=========
Harryface
=========
1991 Pontiac Bonneville LE
3800 V6 ( C ), Black/Slate Grey
_~_~_~298,430 miles_~_~_
~_~_~_~_U.S.A._~_~_~_~_~_
~~~The Former Fleet ~~~
89 Cavalier Z 24 convertible
78 Holiday 88 coupe
68 LeSabre convertible
73 Impala sedan

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