The Spirit of 1960
Two years ago, I decided it was time for me to get the car I had wanted since I was a teenager. I purchased this car on Ebay after two years of looking at various types of coaches. It was a bargain, and I knew it was going to be a ground-up restoral, but would be worth it in the end.........
This is an ongoing project and updates will be added as the restoration progresses.
The Purchase
My first look at the car was the picture on Ebay!
This beautiful coach is a
1960 Cadillac Superior Hearse/ambulance combo.
I have heard that this is the "Crown Royale" model from Superior, but I have not yet been able to confirm that. If anyone can direct me to a reliable resource to clarify this, I would appreciate it! Just send me an email.
The car has suicide doors on both sides and the hinges and doors were so well constructed that the doors are not warped at all! There is a divider behind the front seat that can be closed off or opened at will. It is presently plexiglas--but will be changed out to a fancier etched divider later on.
There are two jump seats in the back that fold flat---they were intended for use by ambulance attendants. The rear interior is covered in 'scrubbable' materials and is in amazing shape considering the age of the vehicle. It will be replaced with something less harsh in the future. The bed is a formica like material with fold-away rollers. The bier pins are missing, and I am looking to replace them --they come in very handy to stabilize cargo.
The previous owner had it painted purple, and intended to put it on display in his store on the showroom floor. The car is 21 feet long, and it didn't fit. It was stored for at least a year in a friends garage before being offered on Ebay.
Shipping the Caddy
The car was shipped to me from Northern California to Austin, Texas. It arrived in good condition and I actually drove the car around the parking lot of the local repair shop. It was apparent that the steering box and universal joint were not in good shape at all...not to mention the brakes ! The mechanics at this shop were unwilling to take on a huge project like this, and I started searching for someone who would work with me on the restoration.
Original Restoration or Restoration to Driving Condition?
The goal for me was to get this car in reliable driving condition...to actually be able to drive and enjoy it! I didn't want a museum piece to polish and keep locked in a garage. I needed to find a mechanic who not only had space for such a large vehicle, but was experienced in old cars and conversions.
The Mechanic
It was a year before I found the right person to do the conversion and restoration on the car. Larry Sanders in Ft. Worth, Texas agreed to take on the restoral project. He is knowledgeable about classic cars and is savvy about conversions of many types. His work is excellent and he has kept me abreast of changes and modifications. He gets the work done in a timely manner and I highly recommend him!
Contact Larry at:
LnJ Street Rods - Larry's Automotive
3401 S. Jones, Ft. Worth, TX 76110
(817) 207-0707
Larry specializes in Jaguar, V-8 Chevrolet and conversions
He can be reached on the web at:
The Engine
I had already been informed of the bad news by the local mechanic in Austin...... the original 390 engine in the coach suffered from serious blowback, and nearly everything else under the hood was just old and worn out.
I would have preferred to find an NOS 390 engine, but they don't exist any longer and the bigger combustion engines available are great gas hogs!
My next plan was to go with a more modern engine. I found another terrific contact for salvaged engines. I bought a 1998 LT1 fuel injection engine with transmission, AC, harness, computer and a lot of other goodies for what I consider to be a great price. The engine fluids were clean and clear and only 29,000 miles !!
The LT1 engine came out of a rolled over TransAm. It was a good choice since I really needed the horsepower that type of engine delivers to move the coach. I also will get better gas mileage with the fuel injected engine...perhaps as much as 20 miles per gallon. AND......mechanics everywhere will be able to work on the engine!! That was a big thing for me, because the constant changes in heat and humidity here in Texas wreaks havoc with the carburetors---you can't seem to keep engines tuned up properly. Also, the new diagnostic machines are for newer engines and there are fewer and fewer mechanics or garages with the skills to work on classic cars.
The LT1 engine was delivered to Larry Sanders and the work was begun!! Larry was really cool about sending pictures of each stage of the restoral project. He shared information that allowed me to make the right decisions on the various mechanical aspects of the conversion that would fit my budget and get the job done right!
Stay tuned........the story isn't over yet.......more updates as the job progresses!
Questions or comments about the car? Email me at:
All images and artwork on this page are copyrighted by the Artist, Lyrae Perry, 2003. Reproduction by any means or use of these images will NOT be allowed without prior written permission by the Artist. Written permission will be only sent by regular mail via the US Postal Service and not by email. Violators will be prosecuted.