And, although not noted...the dark green ‘60 hearse had factory air conditioning!! Somewhat rare in 1960 for regular Caddy’s, *extremely* rare in a hearse or ambulance! Very, very nice funeral car...Thanks James... John
The first memory I had of a funeral car was a 1953 navy blue Packard Hearse from a local funeral home. When I was about five or six, I loved seeing and riding in this car. The owner of the funeral home was a family friend and always allowed me to sit in the front seat and ride along in a funeral procession. I worked in a funeral home from 1963 until 1973. This brought back a lot of memories as I was an eighteen year old when I started. We had Cadillac Superior coaches which were combination hearse/ambulances. We also had a 1962 Pontiac Bonneville straight ambulance with a 389 CI engine and three two barrel carbs. This car would literally fly. The Superior Coach Company rep's name was Jack Knouse. Every time something new would come out, Jack would bring it to show us. We usually bought it. The one that stands out most was a 1968 Cadillac ambulance painted red and white and custom built for the NYFD. They decided not to take it after ordering it. Jack brought it to show us and of course, we bought it. Every time we took it on a run, everyone would see and hear us coming and would stand along the streets and wave, here in our small town. This car had a Federal Class Q Coaster Siren which could be heard for miles. It had a built in electric brake to silence it when we stopped. Great memories!!! Thanks for sharing!!!! Looking forward to your next video! P.S. I love the Cadillac cars so much, I now drive a crystal red SRX. It is a 2013 and I have only driven it for less than 8000 miles. I am a retired state trooper. lol
I'm so glad the video brought back so many memories. And I loved hearing about them! Thank you so much for watching the video and for leaving the wonderful comment 😁 Also, very impressive that you have such a low mile SRX! Those are typically high mileage cars, it's great that yours must be so nice. And thank you for your service as a State Trooper!!
Thank you, Frank! I agree, foul language is something I like to stay away from. I like making the channel family friendly and available to anyone 😁 Thank you so much for watching the video!
Being a native of Niagara Falls, I vividly remember the hundreds of Cadillac limousines that toured the area in the 1960s and 1970s....i remember the 1955, 1957, 1959, 1964, 1965-6, early 1970s Fleetwoods, all painted black. Some with 4 doors, some with 6. There were also 1957-60 Chrysler and DeSotos with 8 doors and giant lighage racks on their roofs. This is an awesome video, thanks for sharing.
My early years were also in Niagara Falls, N.Y (grew up on 73rd St @ Buffalo Ave/Stevenson Ave) I recall the black limos too. I remember some Imperials being used in this service as well Paul Mezhir.
That is awesome! I didn't know that these cars were used so extensively there. Was it tourists that got rides in these cars? You're very welcome, thank you for watching the video, Paul!
@@JW_Reviews yes, they were all over the place. They were "tour limousines" and could handle more people than regular sedans and station wagons. They faded out in the early seventies when passenger vans became a more suitable form of tour vehicle. The vans could hold up to 15 persons and they were much taller, affording a more panoramic view of the many local tourist sights.
@@JW_Reviews Yep, like original cars , that are not all hacked up or any of that nasty rusty clear coated bomb barn find hog wash as they didn't come for the factory that way.
I have seen many of these coaches and Limo's come and go during the past 60 years from the eight Funeral Homes we now own. We have four coaches, 1 Navy blue 1 White, and 2 black. We no longer own Limo"s as people are getting away from using them. If we do need a Limo(s) we use a Livery company in our area that runs newer limo's. Back in the day, we did own limo's but it is cheaper for us to use a livery service. I enjoy your channel and cute demeanor!
@@SpockvsMcCoy It all depends on the size of the Funeral Home and the volume you do. I can only speak for our business and we trade every four years. We just traded our 2017 Lincoln coach for a 2021 Lincoln Nautilus Coach in dark blue. Hope this simple reply answered your question.
@@jrw5831 Yes, thank you. You have eight funeral homes but only four coaches...anything to do with the popularity of cremations? Also, can you speak to the dramatic upheaval of the coach building industry when Cadillac downsized their professional chassis in 1977?
Wow, that's amazing that you have so many funeral homes! That's so interesting that people are going away from using limousines. Do you know why that is? And thank you so much for watching the videos!
Love this James, the Fleetwoods and the Limos are BEAUTIFUL... !! Great that you took us with you to the show. :) LOVE all these BEAUTIFUL Cadillacs. !!!! Thanks...
Really great episode, James! I remember so many of those Caddy ambulances and hearses! I always geeked out over all the super plush stuff, the fancy Cadillac interiors. Especially the footrests. Fun to see the oddball rigs too, and survivors from 60-70 years ago. Well done, my friend.
I just noticed on the 69 hearse and that 70 ambulance 🚑 they both have side vent windows! 1968 was the last year for the side vent windows on Cadillacs!
Yes, I believe that's right! I'm thinking that they maybe added those back in so that the drivers could smoke while sitting in the car?? I'm not sure though...
Wow, SUPER interesting show - wish I could have seen it, so thanks for letting us be there through this video James! These vehicles are very costly to restore. So historic. All time fav is the '59 black Caddy hearse - min 3:32, the most iconic styling, gorgeous roof line and rear window, they must be worth a fortune! Forest Lawn Cemetery here in LA has a restored silver '65 Caddy hearse you can request for an added charge if you'd like to go out in classic style. It was used for the George Barris funeral, the famous Hollywood custom car designer, maker. People find hearses creepy, but just think of all the people who have died en-route to the hospital in ambulances! It always amazes me how many small towns had ambulances that were owned by funeral homes...seems like a conflict of interest to me, best the city took over emergency vehicles, lol.
You're very welcome! Yes, that is definitely a beautiful Cadillac. And that's true, parts to restore these cars must be extremely rare which would make it very difficult/expensive. Wow, I would definitely pay the extra cost to have a '65 hearse for my funeral! I always thought that classic hearses would be a great addition to funeral homes. That's funny you bring that up about funeral homes running ambulance services. My dad lived in a funeral home during college and got to drive their ambulance. It was always a competition between funeral homes to reach crash scenes, emergencies, etc. Definitely a very different time!
@@JW_Reviews I think it's because they "ban" caskets/coffins from being displayed at their shows, same goes for anything "ghoulish", "Halloween" or "spooky". But I can understand that a little bit, as not every country celebrates the spooky holiday
Thanks for showing all the awesome limos,hearse and ambulances. I had never seen a limo hearse ever and the suburban body bucket was cool, i had a 70 suburban panel truck body bucket .
You're very welcome!! It's really neat the unique vehicles that were at this show. I'm hoping to go to another one someday soon. Thanks again for watching the videos!
@@rscamarolover They occasionally have shows on the west and east coast, but usually not to this extent. I’m glad you’ll watch more videos! I really appreciate it
What a cool collection of cars on display! That green hearse was stunning, inside and out...words I never thought I'd say about a hearse. Also, when it comes to identifying the 65 vs 66 Cadillacs, the trick is to look at the front fenders- the 66 has side turn indicators, while the 65 had a wrap around metal piece that looked like the grill.
@@connieschmitt714 …actually the 65 had the oval/square open tail lights and the 66 had the vertical center bar from top to bottom. Also the 65 did have a wrap around bumper with turn signal/side lights whereas the 66 had the cornering lights built into the side of the car.
Yes, they were incredible! And I agree, the green hearse was one of my favorites as well 😁 Thank you for the tip on how to distinguish between those model years! I have little experience among cars of this era so it's always helpful to see how each year is different. Thank you for watching the video!
Awesome video! I would have loved to be at that show. I have 1995 Fleetwood Brougham I’m bringing back to life. It belonged to the former mayor of Durham North Carolina. He was 99 years old when I bought it from him. Keep up the great content!
Thank you!! Ooh, that's awesome you have a '95 Brougham, those are great cars. And very neat history too! I'd love to hear more about it as you fix it up 😁
@@JW_Reviews I'm in Australia. Chrysler sold various models and marques here in the 50's and early 60's but not sure where they were assembled. It was that classic yellow cream colour.
Really awesome seeing that diverse array of Caddy's along with other makes as Buicks, Oldsmobile, Studebaker, Packard. It reminded of when I was a kid. We had a '56 Sedan De Ville. I've driven a '78 Seville and a '95 De Ville.
Thank you! Yes, it's always great seeing the diversity of cars. Very nice! Those 50's Cadillacs are very special, and I like that era of Seville. Thank you again for watching the video!
The 1966 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham is not a professional car per se ....but it is considered the most desirable year for a Fleetwood Brougham of that era. The 1966 model year had the only combination of 133 inch long wheelbase, real walnut veneers, table trays, rear vent windows, and foot rests. Wood was replaced with vinyl for 1967 and table trays were replaced with map pockets for 1968. Rear vent windows were phased out in 1969 and the footrests were phased out in mid-1977 on the shorter wheelbase downsized car. A less expensive 60 Special model was offered without the walnut veneer, table trays, and foot rests but was much less popular. The 1965 - 1968 Fleetwood Broughams were all especially elegant.
Good point! I Forgot to mention that it wasn't a part of the show. It was actually driven there by who I believe was the president of the Northeast Ohio Cadillac Lasalle Club. Wow, that's great to know! I was actually wondering what year they phased out the table trays, I'm glad you gave us the answer!
The PCS is an awesome club. I was a member for a few years as a hearse owner. There was a time I had a 1964 Pontiac Superior LWB Landaulet and a 1948 Packard Henney 3-Way. Wonderful cars, but people should not own them if they cannot afford the repairs or are unable to properly store them in a protected/sheltered area.
It is a great club and a fantastic group of people. Very nice cars! Good point, some cars aren't cared for as they should. Thank you for watching the video!
It is definitely worth the trip if you like these kind of cars. I agree, these cars are history on wheels. It's great that people are preserving them. Thank you for watching the video!
Incredible! I believe one of the hearse owners mentioned that the Victoria was the most expensive. It must have been a beautiful car! Thank you for watching the video, Tom 😁
James, you do a really superb job with your videos. The 1966 Fleetwood Brougham was the best vehicle there, in my opinion. I love that it was so heavily optioned, as well. Thanks, man.
Thank you so much, Mike! The '66 Fleetwood was so special I just HAD to put it in the video. The real wood, writing tables, and footrests were simply incredible
@@JW_Reviews You are so welcome. I have seen other videos of yours, and you really do a superb job! You have an awesome screen presence and you know your stuff about these cars. I look forward to may more of your vids. Mike
@@kensunden6428 Yes, the professional car society is having their international show this year. It looks like it's in Massachusetts this year starting on June 27th. Here's a link to their website which should have all the details you need. www.theprofessionalcarsociety.org/2022-international-meet.html
Great video! The presentation and editing were really on point in this one, it was an absolute joy to watch from start to finish. What a fascinating assortment of unique vehicles at the show, I did not know that the Cadillac professional car range was so diverse back in the day apart from limousines. It would almost be inconceivable for a luxury car manufacturer/coachbuilder to make ambulances like that nowadays, those were certainly different times. It is also great to see that there is such a passionate, knowledgeable community restoring and preserving these types of vehicles that are so historically significant. Keep up the good work!
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it so much, it was a joy to film. I was even surprised to find such diversity at this show alone. It is incredible the sorts of cars that were made back then and cars like these probably won't ever be built again... Thank you so much for watching the videos, your feedback/comments are always fantastic to read!
Came upon your channel recently and have seen several of the videos. Really liked this one, these old professional cars are so interesting. Hope you will be able to create other videos with hearses and ambulances.
I'm glad you liked the professional cars! It would be great to do more videos on them in the future, but they unfortunately don't come around too often... Thank you for watching the video, Ross!
Nice coverage of a truly unique segment of the "car collecting" world. as a member of the PCS I feel that for future coverages of these events you should be aware that in these types of collections the manufacturer - Buick, Cadillac, Packard etc. - is of secondary concern. The primary and often more important to the collectors is the coach builder. Superior, S&S, Flixable and Eureka are what most owners are most proud of. To this end, I am very disappointed that you failed to mention the coach builder of the only - and rarest of all professional cars - flower car that was included in the video. As the owner of a McClain Flower Car I can attest that these cars are far and few between at the shows, and when there is more than one in attendance it is a rare occurrence indeed.
I was in the club 30 years ago. I had a 1960 Buick flexible combo. FYI the Buick’s, Oldsmobiles and suburbans were usually bought by funeral directors in economically challenged communities. I’ll leave it at that. You showed up in a Oldsmobile hearse in NYC, you might end up inside one. Also, white hearses were mostly used for women and children. And Elvis ......
That's awesome you were in the club at that time. Did you know Paul Cichon at the time? I believe he joined the club in the early 80's. And that makes a lot of sense, not everyone can afford the more expensive models. Very interesting facts. Thank you for watching the video, Jerry!
WOW, I've never saw a show like this before, this is right up my alley for taste in cars. I watched this entire video , it grabbed my attention and held it. I would love to see more content and car shows like this in the future. I don't know why , but I really love the look of some of the old hearses. and maybe it's a bit crazy , but I've always dreamed of one as a daily driver. I just subscribed , and already checked out a Cadillac review. You do great filming , editing, and make great videos.. I encourage you to keep it up !
I'm glad you like these cars shown in the video so much 😁 They are all very special! And I really appreciate you watching the whole video and subscribing. It really means a lot to me and I'll be sure to take videos of more cars like these when I get the chance 😁 And I'll be sure to keep up the work too!
My cousin owned a funeral home with an ambulance service - which was pretty much standard back in the old days. In small-town Texas, there was only a driver. No one was an EMT. If you were too large to be loaded onto a stretcher, they tried to get you to sit down on a seat in the coach for the ride to the hospital. This went on until the mid-1970s when the large (square) ambulances we see today began to be operated by the county. Be thankful that ambulances and EMTs are now available for us! It used to be a lot more tricky to stay alive... 🚑 🚑 🚑
My father died when I was three months old (1954). I've often wondered what the hearse looked like that took him to the cemetery. So many things don't matter until we get older.
I'm sorry to hear that your father passed away when you were so young, I can't imagine what that would be like. Maybe a car just like one of these hearses drove him, who knows! Thank you again for watching the video
James what a fantastic video! Of course me being 66 I saw many of these vehicles when they were new and in use by various companies here in my hometown of Bloomington Indiana which is south of Indianapolis. But you know that because you are in our neighbor bestie state Ohio. Of course there's also Michigan Illinois Kentucky haha. You did a really really good job on this video and it was extremely entertaining and informative. You're doing a great job!
Thank you so much, Bob!! That's awesome you saw so many of these in your youth. I would have loved to have been around during that time to see these when they were new! Thank you again, I'm really glad you liked the video 😁
I'm not sure if the rules and laws were the same for each state, but I recall that in Kentucky funeral homes provided the ambulance services in the 60's and 70's. I don't think there was a charge and was a courtesy to the public. Things certainly have changed.
I think that funeral homes were like that throughout the country. My dad worked for a funeral home in Michigan while he was in college and he got to drive the ambulance. And you're very right, things have really changed haha. Thank you for watching the video, Robert!
18:02… I love those “chandelier taillights“ found on ‘69 Cadillacs. That is the quickest way to recognize a ‘69 Cadillac. In 1985, I briefly owned a 1969 Fleetwood Brougham that had 93,000 miles on it when I bought it. I only put 3000 miles on it before I sold it to a new owner who knew how to take care of it.
@@JW_Reviews No worries James. Thanks for your efforts and research into these very rare & exclusive vehicles. I know what they are and how rare they are. To have an actual car show display of these vehicles is amazing!!!! Wish we had something like that over here in Australia. Cheers Kim ( yes I'm a guy !) Melbourne,Australia
im sure you know alot of Hearses doubled as Ambulances at the time because alot were family owned in rural communities and ran out of the operators out of their homes who alot of the time ran funeral parlors and furniture stores
That's correct! Many of these looked like the lights could be easily removed and turned into a funeral car. My dad actually worked for a funeral home in Michigan while he was in college and he got to drive the ambulance to crashed which he thought was fun. Thank you for watching the video, Darren!
Hey James! Loved this video! The cars are truly spectacular and you documented it very well. Love your presentation style. I’ve also watched your other videos in the past and you are doing a great job! Keep up the good work and enjoy these magnificent cars! It’s heartwarming seeing younger people interested in old Cadillac’s. Makes me realise how lucky i am to own a few CADILLAC’s too.
I had a 1970 Coupe de Ville convertible. Same car as on Under Cover Brother. Always wanted a 1970 hearse to drive to and from my boat. Great for hauling all the sail boat stuff
The funeral home in my town had old 70s caddy stretched I thought he said it was from factory like that but I could be wrong. They sold it a few years ago tho
Ah okay! It very likely could have been factory (as long as it was a four-door model). The Fleetwood Series 75's were made in the factory and is likely what that car was. Thank you for watching the video!
Wow mate it is so nice to see cars like this and the Limo,s are Fantastic. over here in the UK we do not see anything like this mate. Keep the good work up.
Hi, that was a very cool show, I've never seen anything like that before, there's something about hearses, ambulances, & limos that are so intriguing, when I was in high school, I knew of a guy that owned a 59 Pontiac hearse , it was rare but cool, the variety of different makes of cars that were used in the industry is just mind blowing, I've never seen a Packard hearse, so it's very cool, anyway, KUTGW, I hope you find more shows like that because I will find it fascinating!!
Thank you, James!! I'm glad you liked the show. This was my first time ever going to a show like this, I never knew they existed either haha. And that's a great point, the variety is very interesting to see! I'll be sure to record more shows like these if I get the chance 😁
The load-leveling suspension to help the casket in the '59 Caddy at 4:46 reminds me of GM's active suspension that never happened for the '90 'Vette ZR-1, and also for the '98 Lincoln Town Car.
Thank you! I'm afraid that they rarely occur on the east or west coasts. I was told that they try to place the national show near the middle of the country so that it would be easiest for people to get there no matter where they're from. Thank you for watching the video!
I don’t know why people freak out about hearses and think they’re haunted or something. No one dies in a hearse, if any car is going to be haunted it’s an ambulance.
Good point, they aren't scary like most people would think! The ambulances should definitely freak people out, yet we see them much more often. Thank you for watching the video!
Why even have the newer later model hearses or limos there? Absolute junk and nobody cares. Only 1970's and under are the ones anyone wants to see. Especially the Cadillac ambulance's
Coach builders once used all steel bodies. Now the vehicles are part steel and the rear shell is fiberglass. Does anyone know when they stop the all steel bodies and went to fiberglass? Cadillacs in particular? I’ve always admired the craftsmanship it took to make these vehicles!
Very interesting, I never knew they switched from steel to fiberglass. I definitely appreciate the craftsmanship as well! Thank you for watching the video 😁
Thank you, Devonne! I'm glad you like the videos so much, I really appreciate you leaving these comments and watching the videos. It means so much to me! 😁
Nice show -- too bad some of the owners did not go the extra mile. Unloading the junk would help. I live in Blytheville Arkansas - Cotner Bevington had a factory here in the 70's - manufacturing ambulances and hearses. Oldsmobile chassis was used.
Haha, good point. Wow! Do you know what the name of the coach builder was? That's neat that there was one so close to you. It is a shame how many coach builders went out of business though... Thank you for watching the video!
