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Cadillac Hearse Conversions?

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
Reply to
Harry Face
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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.
Reply to
Repairman

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.

Reply to
Steve W.

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
Reply to
Harry Face

Reply to
Roy Bragg

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