2 Die 4: 1956 Cadillac Miller-Meteor Hearse
We all have regrets in life, and one of mine is that I didn’t manage to write this article in time for Halloween. Can you imagine the possibilities! But, better late than never. Here on eBay we have a 1956 Cadillac Miller-Meteor hearse/ambulance combination car, looking for a new owner willing to pay $13,000 or use the “make offer” option. Bring a trailer to Roscoe, New York to pick her up. Meteor was the genius behind the combination hearse/ambulance “professional car”, offering these vehicles starting in 1915. The A. J. Miller Body Company supplied the bodies, while Meteor built the chassis and equipped the interior. Early cars ran a twelve-cylinder Weidely engine with over 70 hp. In 1956, a convoluted combination of a school bus maker, Miller, and Meteor formed Miller-Meteor, which coalesced around the professional car business. By now, the company was building on Cadillac’s commercial chassis, and appointments had become ever more elaborate, including velvet curtains, running water, hydraulic flower platforms, sirens in a myriad of configurations, even fancy leaded windows. Yet the cars were priced reasonably thanks to the company’s direct-to-customer sales method, which eliminated the dealer ecosystem.
We aren’t told much of the history of this example, but it doesn’t run. The original drivetrain is still installed, likely Cadillac’s 365 CID V8 with an automatic transmission. Research shows that the first Miller-Meteor was made in 1957, while this car is billed as a ’56. It’s difficult to see the badging in the listing’s photos, but it may in fact be a Meteor, not a Miller-Meteor. That quirk should be investigated by prospective buyers.
These cars were important capital investments for businesses and consequently luxurious inside, meaning materials will be expensive to replace. Too, the slightly humorous irony of an ambulance configuration that can convert to a hearse if the patient expires en route to the hospital is offset by the prospect of an intricate restoration, requiring attention to both facets of this Jekyll and Hyde vehicle. Cubbyholes, multiple seats, flooring that can be moved…. none of this will be easy. Fortunately, there’s help in the form of the Professional Car Society.
The rear fins are another reminder of its Cadillac roots, but most striking are those curved glass corner windows. Here’s a restored 1956 Cadillac Meteor with the same rear windows; please ignore the price as the ad is outdated. Meanwhile, if you love the idea of a combination car but aren’t sure what to do with it, here’s a build using an LS Silverado engine. Or, there’s the rat rod route – a cheaper alternative to a stock restoration. If this were your car, what would you do with it?
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Comments
Better bring a BIG trailer as these weigh in excess of 8,000 pounds. For a short time, music writers had an infatuation with death and all the wannabes that had a death wish, had to drive an old hearse. I couldn’t imagine driving a more foolish vehicle for a more foolish price, and I’ll ride in a hearse soon enough. Let’s see, 8,000x $300/ton,,,,,,
That car Weighs about 5700lbs
This model hearse was also the star car for a gang in the 1979 cult film “The Warriors” IIRC. “Warriors, come out to pla-aay!” :-)
A true Camp Dilligaf Special
I actually love it ! ….I wouldn’t keep it a hearse. …Not sure what I’d do with it. …$13 k is way too much ! ..It’s going to cost a fortune to restore. I still think this looks cool ! … Any ideas what you would do to it ? …Be nice !
Wedding limousine
Install a pool so i could do laps every morn
Hike it up on new suspension and make it a food truck
Move into it so I don’t have to pay proprty taxes any more
Near Thomasville NC a salvage yard has something similar to this final ride on top of a pole facing US 29.
Their marketing department painted “Body Parts Available” on it’s side.
One man’s trash, etc.
I had this exact unit about a decade ago. Mine was just as ugly but ran extremely well with just 47,000 miles. I wanted 1,500.00 and there were NO takers. I ultimately sold the driveline for a convertible for what I wanted for the unit. I cut 4 feet off the back and made a cabinet, sold a few other items and scrapped the rest. This unit is a load. Restoring a hearse can be more difficult than an Eldorado. This unit will lay there at 13k. I know stuff is nuts now but junk is junk. A not running, rusted, rough, nothing really good is parts car junk. If it were a solid western unit ok. The bumpers alone will send you into cardiac arrest and there are darn few nice parts pickers any longer even in the west. Good luck, for the dreamer that dives into this. Just hauling it will cost a pile, cause’ it is not going on any raggy car trailer. It a good thing I cut 4 feet off of mine because it didn’t hang off my rollback when I hauled the remains to the shred.
Use this as a garage for your Goggomobile…
It’s had a fairly hefty dunt at the front left corner, too. I suspect you’d need a hoist to get the bumper assembly off.
Hmm funny, I saw this car a few days ago on a different sale website before it came up on Barnfinds, and the price was alot cheaper.
Btw, I live about eight minutes from this car, if any interested buyers would like an unbiased pre-purchase inspection.
Also in my area is a super-cool 1956 Cadillac Fleetwood limousine I just looked at last week. It’s a mess, but also an exciting find for a classic Cadillac enthusiast.
TomP …..Could you please reply with the roads that these
are on. ….Both this one and the limousine. …Thank you
Any other old classics that you’d know of and location ?
I love to going for rides and seeing old cars. Thanks Again
I was looking for one of these 20 years ago. I wanted to put “I W8 4U” plates on it, and park it next to my house to drive the crazy old lady next door (she was certifiably crazy, constantly called PD, FD, Health Dept. on everyone in the neighborhood, screamed at kids for NO reason (we had 6 at home) even more crazy, if possible. She finally died 6 years ago, don’t need it now.
BUT, I’d still like to have one, if I could still drive.
These old ones were selling for $30-60K back in the ’80’s, in SoCal.
MrBobbbb,
I bought an old Henney-Packard hearse about 40 years ago, it had license plates “URNEXT”.
Halloween comes every year!
I always wanted an old hearse to use as a camper but my wife immediately squashed that plan, wouldn’t allow it in the driveway let alone ride in it, sleeping in it was no where in her realm of reality. I still want one but I know it’s never happening.
I almost bought a 1956 Caddy Flower Car. Same body style as this only in Ute/ElCamino/Ranchero body style. It had very low miles and had a stainless steel bed. (no tailgate however) This was 53 years ago (while I was driving a 1955 Chev convert.) and my then girlfriend stated that she would not ride in it. (even though there had not been any dead people in it, only flowers!) I should have got the car and dumped her right on the spot. (But her dad had a 1967 SS Chevelle with a 427, 4 speed that I got to drive once in awhile!)
Wayne,
Your girlfriend was likely correct because many flower cars doubled as a vehicle to pick up bodies from the building where the death occurred, and transport them to the funeral home.
This is why many flower cars have a lid over the cargo section that could have the front section of the lid hydraulically lowered to hold flowers, and raised back up for transporting bodies or picking up a special order casket from the supplier. The reasons for only the front being lowered was because the flowers could be laid out on a gentle slope [not flat where they would be crushed, and not standing up as they would fall over during transport to the grave site].
HAD a 60 Cadillac Superior Coach combination car from 1980 -87 traded it in onan 85 Pick up truck, Lots of fun but I paid $650 for mine and it was WAY TO EXPENSIVE to FIX , had to have a special Lift at a garage to get under neath , when Mine was Less beat up than this I got rid of it . GOOD LUCK trying to find parts for a car where there was only about 2100 ever made 60+ years ago I had a hard time when mine was only 20 -27 years old.