Church Truck Help...

[SmoothNlow]

So I'm cruisin around hitting some local antique stores, and I get talking to the owner of one antique store. He asked what I was looking for and I told him diecast cars. We chatted and I was like well it might sound kinda weird but I'm looking for hearse diecasts. He says well I know a diecast collecter who just happens to be an undertaker and he has an antique store about 40 minutes from here....

I told that story to tell you this one. He had no hearse diecast for sale. He also wasn't in the store. He was out of town. But as I walked around I noticed 4 or 5 of these stands. I asked the price and he said do you know what these are? (I said no of course) with a grim voice he said they were coffin trucks. Long story short, I know pretty much zero about church trucks, bit I felt comfortable paying his price for them. Can any one tell me anything about these pieces and posibly their age and value?!?





He the proceded to tell me he had an old casket. My interest was highly peaked as I'm actively seeking a casket. He showed it to me but something just wasn't right. All he could say was its a casket, but it certainly doesn't appear to be. It is the size of a casket, but made of VERY thin metal, I want to say its tin. It was very light, very poor quality. The thing that stumpes me was the fact that it had 6 clawed feet on it, very similar to a claw foot tub. I tried to get the best pics I could, scoffed at the 390 dollar price tag, and skipped merily on my way with a couple of church trucks. Any info on this metal coffin? I'm venturing to say it is merely a prop of some sort.











Thanks for any input and info guys!

[hotroddwayne]

I don't know if those are considered church trucks since at least one of them is stationary. Does the other have wheels? These look more like simple, much more modern, collapsable casket display tables. Old church trucks opened like an accordian. Collapsed very small to be stowed under the floor of a hearse or in a closet at the funeral home. Maybe someone else with more knowledge will chime in on this one. I do know (and saw 2 for sale this weekend) that in the early days the family would hold a wake at home & the funeral home would provide a "cooling table" to display the deceased in their living rooms. They were a primitive folding table that was adjustable. Here's a couple photos of the church truck I scored this weekend... enjoy!





That casket looks like an old bronze casket. They were often soldered and/or nailed to a wooden framework.

[SmoothNlow]

Ahh ok...yea I haven't seen anything like em. Again, I know nothing about this stuff. Yes, the black one has provisions for wheels but they are missing. I see now thougg that they aren't the type of church truck I'm after but ill find something to do with them I guess.

[hotroddwayne]

Don't be disappointed bud... once you have a casket you'll need at least one of those for a place to stash your casket at times!

[SmoothNlow]

Lol thanks for the encouragment. That's a good idea. It can atleast serve as a display for when the casket isn't in the car. Maybe ill scuff it down shoot it flat black hit it with some pinstriping and put white wall casters on it lol...or get a piece of glass and make it a coffe table haha! Where might I come across a usable real church truck, and what can I expect to pay?

[hotroddwayne]

Lol thanks for the encouragment. That's a good idea. It can atleast serve as a display for when the casket isn't in the car. Maybe ill scuff it down shoot it flat black hit it with some pinstriping and put white wall casters on it lol...or get a piece of glass and make it a coffe table haha! Where might I come across a usable real church truck, and what can I expect to pay?

It all depends on cost. If you can hit a big hearse/ambulance show there's often stuff to be had cheap. At an antique store or Ebay... MUCH higher priced especially if they know what it is! I typically find them for $100 - $300 apiece from members on the hearse websites. That one I just bought is 1930's from a Henney Packard hearse. Post a "wanted" ad & see what happens, only thing that'll kill you is shipping.

[Abnorml]

Here's a cooling table. 021810_embalming_table.jpg. You might get lucky and find a church truck at an antique shop. You can get one off ebay, but they are almost always a couple $100. The ones you have would make great coffee tables. The black one has the rubber bumper for a casket to set on. Church trucks are suppose to have them, but a lot of the older one are missing.

[Scary Guy]

You can modify them too, I had two midgrade quality church trucks and I tore them both apart to make one lower quality and one badass church truck (the collapsing kind.)

Are there any markings on those stands? Also it might not be hard to stick some padding on them and possibly get some casters to make makeshift church trucks.

The casket you have looks like a cremation casket. Just something to display and then burn, unless it's some sort of prop.

[ukdoa]

That is simply superb - I've been after an old one like this for mine, and can't get one at a sensible price... well done.

[SmoothNlow]

I paid ten $13.50 apiece for them. I figured, hell ill do something with em for that kind of money lol

[Tweek's Turbos]

Next time an antique funeral director is in I will see what I can find out. If I had to guess, maybe something for home visitations.

[SmoothNlow]

The casket you have looks like a cremation casket. Just something to display and then burn, unless it's some sort of prop.

That's what I thought to,maybe just some kind of display, but its made of metal. Very thin metal, like one of those shitty tin shed kits from lowes, just like that material, so I don't think it would burn well, or support mych weight for that matter. All I can guess is some kind of home made halloween prop.

[Abnorml]

Funeral home us a "viewing casket" for cremations. It's a casket that is rented for the viewing. After the viewing the body is put into a cremation casket.

[SmoothNlow]

So you think that may be what this is? That seems possible. Just still strange that its so flimsy, and has feet. Although if it was just for viewing I guess it wouldn't need to be transported, or moved much at all really. This thing must have some age on it. I can't imagine anything like this in use now. Still don't know that it justifies a 390 dollar price tag tho...yikes

[Abnorml]

It might have been used as a prop. I doubt the legs are original. Never seen a casket with legs.