walk around 1939 packard hearse super eight

1939 PACKARD HEARSE SUPER EIGHT
Coachwork by Henney Motor Co.
Unique Packard Hearse by Henney co. of Freeport Illinois.
Commissioned in March of 1938 by an upscale funeral home in Virgina, this Super Eight is unlike any other of the period in that it utilizes a V12 Frame, wheels, brakes, and front suspension but relies on an eight-cylinder motor for propulsion. Just one other car was ordered by the same home in similar specification, but it is known to have been dismantled. Due to its early date, the hearse contains a number of production oddities including a dashboard with 15 unique differences including gauges fitted from behind. Further the Henny body differs greatly from a standard Packard of the era with unique fenders, hood, and doors. Interestingly, little Packard badging can be found throughout the car, most instances of which had been replaced by custom Henney badges. Known for their masterful woodworking, the interior contains wonderful details of Madagascar ebony and Honduran mahogany. The rear suspension features a unique hydraulic leveling set up as to maintain a consistent ride height with the casket laid in a rear compartment.
All in, the vehicle cost roughly $10,000 when new. This was an astronomical figure in the period and was double what a fully loaded off-the-shelf model would’ve cost in the same year.
Serving its original funeral home until the 1960’s, the hearse would go on to be utilized by a rock band for touring. Eventually it ended up in a wrecking yard in the 1970’s when it was purchased and brought to Pennsylvania. There it sat again for 23 years until 1998, when a Hemmings ad drew the attention of the restorer. A purchased price of $900 was agreed on, with the further stipulation that the amount would be returned if the car was ever restored. Eventually that was realized upon the commencement of an amazingly thorough restoration. Thousands of hours were pored into returning the car to its former glory and thousands more hours of research were conducted in order to ensure every correct detail. All in, the project took roughly a decade to complete, and today shows its spectacular fashion with nary a flaw to be found.
No other build from the period was produced with the unique combination of Twelve and Super 8 parts. car is part of Ron Sturgeon's collection