Tuesday: Macabre?

I like hearses  -  there I've said it. I'm not really thrilled about their cargo nor do I want to be that cargo for some years to come, but I really think they are quite neat. Why? The main reason is that they are one of the few remaining examples of coach built cars. Take this Chrysler 300 for example..........

Not your typical Cadillac or Lincoln, but an interesting interpretation of custom work using a different style of car. Or what about...........

This is a Dodge Grand Caravan made over into a rather different and quite inexpensive van hearse. A funeral home a few blocks from where I live has a Chevy Uplander van hearse along with the more common Cadillac.

Hearses are usually quite fancy, but not nearly as ostentatious as they one were. Look at this example.......

In the 20's, 30's and occasionally in the 40's, hearses wore hand carved side panels  -  yes, hand carved. This was very expensive to do, so it gradually fell out of favor, but that doesn't mean that it has disappeared completely as you can see from this contemporary Japanese hearse......

Looks like a small temple built onto the back of a luxury car. Interestingly, the Japanese also use a variation of the more common North American hearse complete with a Lincoln or Cadillac body. Usually big enough to seat the closest loved ones along with the casket.

When I think of hearses, what usually comes to mind are the slightly(?) over the top cars of the '50's like these two........

Nothing subtle about these two Cadillacs from the early fifties and 1959. We must naturally be more flamboyant, since look what you see when you compare these or even more modern examples to a current European version......

 Plain, but functional. Well that concludes my thoughts for today.



This will be my last blog until the week of the 22nd, since I'll be in Europe. Hope to get some good pics of some different cars.

Until next time.........