Black Hearse Project II

1964 Cadillac MILLER & METEOR (M&M) 'LANDAU TRADITIONAL' End loader HEARSE

Cadillac MOTOR CAR CO. ONLY CONSTRUCTED 2.527 ACTUAL COMMERCIAL CHASSIS FOR ALL FOUR OF THE COACH BUILDERS IN 1964.

SINCE IT IS PUBLISHED TO A CERTAINTY THAT SUPERIOR COACH CO., AS THE INDUSTRY LEADER BUILT THE MAJORITY OF 1,495 COACHES THAT YEAR,THAT WOULD LEAVE 856 FOR THE OTHER THREE CUSTOM BUILDERS COMBINED, MAKING THIS COACH EVEN MORE RARE.

THOUGH IT WAS NOT UNUSUAL FOR SMALL TOWNS TO USE AMBULANCES TO ALSO SERVE AS FUNERAL COACHES, IT IS UNUSUAL FOR A CLOSED FUNERAL STYLE LANDAU COACH TO BE BUILT AS A 'COMBINATION' (DUPLEX) WITH JUMP SEATS THAT POP-OUT OF THE FLOOR, AND WITHOUT THE TRADITIONAL AMBULANCE/ COACH LIMOUSINE-STYLE SIDE WINDOWS.

IT WAS ALSO ORIGINALLY CONFIGURED WITH A Crinkle FINISH ROOF OFTEN SEEN ON THE LANDAU VERSION IN THIS PERIOD, BUT AT SOME POINT IN TIME IT WAS POORLY REFINISHED AND THE LOOK WAS DESTROYED.

THIS CAR SPENT IT'S ENTIRE LIFE IN THE Memphis, TN. AREA AND WAS ACTUALLY SERVICED BY THE SAME MECHANIC WHO SERVICED THE Graceland CARS FOR ELVIS (DON'T GET EXCITED...ELVIS DIED IN 1977 SO, THIS CAR WAS NEVER CONSIDERED FOR HIS SERVICE (THOUGH HE WAS TRANSPORTED IN AN M & M , MILLER-METEOR COACH).

THE HEARSE IS EQUIPPED WITH ULTRA-RARE FACTORY 4-SEASON AIR CONDITIONING, A 429/370 HP V8 ENGINE WITH 4-SPEED HYDRAMATIC AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, POWER STEERING & BRAKES AND MANUAL WINDOWS. IT WAS A BASIC RADIO DELETE CAR. IT ALSO CAME EQUIPPED WITH A REFRIGERATION UNIT IN THE REAR SECTION, SOMETIMES SEEN WITH 'DUPLEX' COACHES.

AT THIS POINT IN MILLER-METEOR COACH BUILDER CO.'S LIFE, THE COMPANY WAS OWNED BY THE WAYNE CORPORATION WHICH PURCHASED MILLER AS WELL AS METEOR CORP IN 1955. THEY CARRIED THE M&M NAMEPLATE UNTIL 1979 WHEN IT WAS ABSORBED BY ACCUBILT.

THIS COACH IS FINISHED IN FADED Cadillac "MASONS BLACK" WITH TWO-TONE PERIOD CORRECT GRAY APPOINTMENTS INSIDE. IT HAS A LIGHT GRAY LINOLEUM FLOOR AND BLACK AFTER MARKET DRAPERIES. THE INTERIOR IS QUITE GOOD,THOUGH NOT, MINT ORIGINAL.

AFTER EXCLUSIVE OWNERSHIP BY THE FUNERAL HOME IT WAS PURCHASED BY A TOPLESS "EXOTIC" DANCER WHOSE MAIN CLAIM TO FAME WAS THAT HER DANCING PARTNER WAS A LARGE BOA CONSTRICTOR.

WE WERE TOLD: SHE DIED BY MYSTERIOUS MEANS AND THEN THE CAR PASSED ON TO, YET ANOTHER, EXOTIC DANCER WHO ALSO OWNED A Tattoo PARLOR. WHEN WE FOUND IT IN AN INTERNET NEWSPAPER AD IT WAS Un restored EXCEPT FOR A CHANGE OF FRONT SEAT UPHOLSTERY TO VELOUR. WE WOULD SUPPOSE THE CASKET THAT CAME IN THE REAR COMPARTMENT WITH THE CAR, MADE THE PERFECT 'CAGE' FOR SHIPMENT OF "THE ACT" TO VARIOUS CLUBS (AT LEAST SHE WAS CREATIVE). WE DECIDED TO RESTORE THE CAR IN "GOTHIC BLACk". IT NEEDS COMPLETE RESTORATION YET, IS PERFECT FOR THE 'GOTHIC " FUNERAL HAUNT AS A PROP OR FOR FURTHER RESTORATION BOTH MECHANICAL AND PAINT & BODY.

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