"So you like hearses?"

[msc0nduct]

You doing OK? Good to seeya.

-d

Yeah I am hanging in there, thanks for asking.

[60Crown]

I've yet to speak with the owner. His father gave permission to untarp.



Passenger door glass missing, which was the only one. No damage to those remaining.



While it appears all original, upon close scrutinizing, at least a couple portions have been repainted.



This coach was originally black. Kept going back and forth trying to figure out if this is original paint. The patina matches, so if it is was repainted, it was long ago. The roof I'm almost certain is original paint but I found a couple runs in different areas on the body; no overspray anywhere; no clearly defined lines of being repainted. Can't imagine any runs would have left the factory. After washing it would probably be more prevalent which.

[60Crown]

Regardless, it is super solid. Sills, rockers, wheelwell lips - no rust. Couldn't get decent underbody pics with the crapola on either side, which stunk from stagnant water in the bottom edges of the tarp.




All 5 doors open properly, shut solidly, with no sag.



Keys still in the ignition. Gotta' love it. Hey - what's that in the glovebox..?

[60Crown]

Smile. Taken off for safekeeping or perhaps for that repaint..?



Front seat shows the most amount of wear on the entire coach. Air filter and passenger arm rest are on it.




Not shocking if 37,970 is the accurate mileage given the overall condition.

[60Crown]

Even the rubber mats are molded 'Flxible'. Nice detail. Lower compartment holds original jack.



No WD40 needed for the attendant seats' hinges. How easily they pivoted raised my eyebrows. Driver's side skirt located behind seat.



5 pieces of wood above windows (including partition in rear compartment); 1 piece is split. Most still had pull down shades in place - although I didn't attempt pulling any down.

The more I go over this, the more I want it to end up in capable hands... Further updates as they come in. Hope you've enjoyed seeing what's under the unsightly blue tarp.

[rum_runner69]

[msc0nduct]

damn....

[SarahtheSweet]

Somehow I still feel imcomplete.
with no undercarriage pics, and engine compartment is still a mystery...
LOL
kidding Atti

slobering...drooling...panting...

the old gurl looks wonderful!

[spastic_chicken]

Any idea of a cost yet?

[Hearse_Guy]

PURTY just beautiful : ]

[60Crown]

No price or even a confirmation that it can be for sale.

The 5th time I stopped last week brought marginal success. Although nobody was home, a neighbor happened to be leaving and stopped over. Turns out his son lives next door - the door I've been trying! I learned that the '49 has not moved in at least 5 years; it was running until that point; it is original & unrestored; it actually belongs to another son that has since moved 7 hours away and left the coach where it sits.

The gentleman was kind enough to pass along his son's number. Then followed up by stating what their plans for the '49 are (were?):

Start a themed catering business - marketed to provide meals to grieving families, complete with a casket that would turn into a grill.

Yeahyeahyeah. I cringed inside too. All the more validity to keep pushing and land into someone's capable hands. Far too sweet a survivor for that fate~

Keep your fingers crossed.

[casketmaker]

I don't deserve a coach that nice but I hope who ever gets it will post progress pictures...

[60Crown]

Finally met with John and had a great time hanging out. The short? He'll think about selling the Buick but didn't set a price.

The long version? Read on.

John is the oldest of 3 sons. His middle brother, Robert, purchased this '49 from Ardeen Vaughn in '97, who had acquired it in CA. It sat at Robert's funeral home for 3-4 years, actually seeing service a couple times in that period.

Robert sold the funeral home, which did not include the Flxible, then moved to Amarillo, TX.

The coach went to a local storage/mechanic's place for a couple years after that. That place kept it roadworthy and actually rented it for a couple movies shot in Austin. (No, I don't know which. Film industry is pretty big here. The entire old airport has been converted to a studio.) When room was needed, the Flxible was dropped off in John's driveway where it hasn't budged since.

John's father, Sonny (the one I'd spoken too a couple times previously who lives next door), is quite famous in his own right. Known as the Fajita King for inventing the fajita, he now enjoys tailgating in his senior years - whether it is the college world series of baseball or UT games. He loves passing out free fajitas. This is where the catering idea stems from, although between a multitude of funeral/restaurant/catering stories, they blended together somehow. Whoops.

Sonny likes the Flxible and the idea of using it for tailgating. John would have a tough time selling the Flxible while Sonny is still alive, even though his idea hasn't gotten off the ground in several years of talking about it. Smart enough to understand the rarity and condition, John wouldn't compromise the body if Sonny ever did start using it. (Then again, there isn't a surefire way of removing the original interior without risking damage for reuse at a later date.) Of course I inquired about swapping vehicles with another vintage limo-style coach, which is a possibility.

Ardeen has never provided the title according to John. Otherwise the Flxible would not have been sitting as long as it has.

[msc0nduct]

Well hell, I will go buy them a $3000 limo and trade it to them.