I may not be hearseless much longer!

[Stretch]

I just found 2 hearses that I'm planning to go look at. One is a 92 Federal Cadillac with 57k on it and from the pics I just got, it looks to be in real good shape. The coach is fresh out of service.

The second is a late 60's Caddy, not sure on the coach builder or other details as of yet. I'm awaiting pics of it.

Both coaches have the same price so we'll se what happens. Wish me luck!

Stretch

[hotroddwayne]

Good luck man, hope you're able to buy one soon...

[Highbars]

[/QUOTE]Both coaches have the same price so we'll se what happens. Wish me luck![/QUOTE]

Hmmm.....'92 or Late 60's.... same money....decisions, decisions..... assess mechanical skills....investigate pocket depth to level of cash ratio....Good luck....

[Stretch]

Both coaches have the same price so we'll se what happens. Wish me luck![/QUOTE]

Hmmm.....'92 or Late 60's.... same money....decisions, decisions..... assess mechanical skills....investigate pocket depth to level of cash ratio....Good luck....[/QUOTE]

Exactly. All this on top of trying to sell my current two cars and also having just bought a truck which I really needed. Ugh! My brain is beginning to get fried again!

Here's a pic I got last night of the 92:

[hotroddwayne]

Well since it's a '92 it'll have alot of electronic controls. Also Federal coach is a lesser known coach builder which is both a pro & a con... they didn't use commercial glass so that's a huge plus... if you ever need a windshield or any other glass it's all standard Cadillac passenger car glass. I've noticed with some of these lesser known coachbuilders that the quality isn't very good on the conversion. Looked at an '84 Eureka & the coachbuilder's work was so poor where they grafted on the roof it was pathetic. Look this Federal over good before you buy but it is a sharp coach. If it has the throttle-body 350 Chevy engine thats another plus.
Now if you're looking at an older coach too... take the time to see how rusted it is. Take into consideration where the car served when in a funeral fleet. Was it in an area that experienced all 4 seasons & was driven in the snow (salted roads) if so look it over good underneath. Frame, body mounts, front floorboards, bottom of doors, and rust under the vynl top & along the all the seams. Has it been cared for & garaged or just sat outside... neglected and abused over the years? Alot of things to consider!
Just follow your heart man, these coaches quickly become more than just a car to you. Newer vs. older coach... they both have their pros & cons. The '92 probably needs far less work & you can always buy an older coach later to fix up. It's all up to you!

[Beast Lee]

Good luck with your purchase & decision...

[missghoulina]

I think I might need a muzzle. Dwayne, you need to confirm this for me, please.

But as boyfriend said, the '92 is a better choice for a first time coach owner who isn't sure.

My only issue -- and you can take this to heart, or at face value -- is that if you're deciding between a '68 and a '92, you don't really know what era appeals to you yet.

And in saying that, you may not be fully aware of what buying a '68 is getting you into. I'm all for vintage coach owners; what I'm not all about is people who buy vintage hearses for their so-called appeal, and then have to sell them two years later because they can no longer afford to restore them, or the car has been improperly cared for and is now nothing more than parts.

Take into consideration the fact that hearses are hell bitches -- especially older ones. They will know when you're not putting all your time, love, and money into them. They will have mechanical issues at least every month, if it's not one thing, it's another. You need to make sure the engine and brakes and all the main structure items are sound -- and if not, do you have the cash to fix them? The body and interior are also money pits, if you don't know what you're doing.

I read a lot of things, various opinions and thoughts, before I even attempted looking for a hearse.

I would suggest, if you're still torn, to go with the '92. If you don't have a lot of mechanical skills, a hearse is not the car to train on. The '92 has parts that will be relatively easy to find, things are standard. The '68, however, has parts that are not easily found, and the money to replace a windshield can be astronomical.

It's tempting, trust me, I know, to buy a '68 right off the bat. But my baby's brakes were $600 to fix. It's the little things that you notice after you buy a hearse that start to add up.

So don't start a project car that I'm going to have to rescue from you in a year; buy the '92, and once you're more comfortable, seek out a 1960s era hearse.

Good luck.

[jlprigmore]

Good luck on the decision making. I love my '90 as my daily driver, but I definetely want an old one for a resto toy!

[Stretch]

I know what I'm in for.....

If this works out, this will be my third coach. My first was a 71 Superior Limo Style and the second was a 78 M-M Landau.

The 71 I pulled out of the woods behind a guy's house where it had sat for a couple years and the 78 I got a couple years after it was retired from service. Both coaches had their share of quirks but nothing that I wasn't able to deal with. In fact, the 71 had to be towed home when I got it because the brakes were totally gone as well as the power steering and exhaust. It took me a few months to get that one going to the point where I could drive it safely around town.

As for the rust issues, I'm no stranger to that either when it comes to finding it on older cars. Can't avoid it up here in the northeast. I was lucky enough a couple weeks ago to find a rust free 84 Ford F-150 which I bought. Just about every car I've owned has had it's share of rust/rot and that really doesn't bother me as long as the frame is solid. Holes in the body can be patched but rusty frames I refuse to deal with!

As for the 92, I really like the style of it and especially the fact that it has the standard glass. My last two were commercial glass and I always feared having the windshield busted out of it by one of the little brats running around my neighborhood if I left the coach outside of the garage. Fortunately neither was ever damaged nor was the 88 Lincoln limo that I had.

Mechanical repairs are no big deal for me. I like to work on cars anyway. Whatever I need help with, I have a mechanic friend who comes to my house to do.

I'll be making my final decision once I see both coaches in person and talk with the sellers. I'm not jumping into anything quickly.

For those of you who haven't seen my previous coaches, here's a couple pics:

Slimer - 71 Superior Limo Style


Morgue-Anna - 78 Miller-Meteor Landau