Why would someone buy a hearse?!? CAR WIZARD shows a modded '74 Cadillac Miller-Meteor

[@joeschmitz2790]

Wizard. This is your best video in my humble opinion. Love seeing you giving us life advice…

[@johnkempf1808]

Could have done without the shmaltzy music.

[@scott8919]

@@johnkempf1808 meh, it's tasteful and unobtrusive.

[@joeschmitz2790]

@@johnkempf1808 I understand where you are coming from. I feel it went along with the topic they were discussing.

[@joeschmitz2790]

@@2dfx I believe his family member destroyed the prelude, and those transmissions are hit and miss. I was not the person that engineered those products. Just wanted to compliment him on this video. I won’t comment in the future. Thank you.

[@johnkempf1808]

@@scott8919 I disagree. I was distracting me from the conversation.

[@docgiggles130]

My old job I was a copy machine repairman. We serviced the copiers in a lot of the local funeral homes. They normally kept their machines in the back near the storage and I lost count of the times I was there when someone arrived. I was always as respectful as I could be. I would always stop what I was doing, stand and bow my head as a casket was being moved by where I was. I found out that my simple act of respect was seen by a family member once when director came in as I was finishing up, put his arm around me and thanked me. The family was moved that a total stranger showed such respect for their loved one when it was clear that I had no reason to believe anyone was watching me. You never know when a simple act on your part will give comfort to someone hurting in a dark place.

[@thomasryan8218]

I was expecting Hoovie to pop out of the casket yelling hello Wizard.

[@calvincooley1074]

It's Weeezard

[@henrikbragge]

That would’ve been something

[@DanielIliev]

Wait, Tyler would have said “Hello Wizzy” LOL and not Wizard.

[@gypsonny2]

Weeeezard

[@davidbogard229]

HAHAHAHA! That would have been FULL SEND!

[@forbeshutton5487]

A couple of us pooled our money in high school to buy a hearse. If you line a casket with foam and waterproof plastic it makes for a HUGE beer cooler. Cops never, ever wanted to look inside... If you are wearing a shirt and tie (or a shirt with a funeral home name on it) the cops might pull you over, but in winter you claim you're running late because the battery died, and you get sent on your way. I summer drive with the windows down and if pull over, tell the cop the A/C is broken and point towards the back, again, sent on your way without extra paper. We pulled some stuff worthy of the Cannonballs Run movies.

[@fantomtuba]

I'd love to see a hearse do a cannonball run.

[@wronggg]

@@fantomtuba Could fit a huge fuel tank in the back!

[@epiccowboymemes2042]

Please do a Vinwiki video.

[@caleblastname6969]

@@epiccowboymemes2042 I agree. This dude seems like a good guy to tell some stories.

[@tl1024]

Having known a local director, they love life & just wanna have fun, like the rest of us! They sometimes have the best parties. Have a good Halloween party with a director, itll be fun.

[@dmorga1]

Love this. Funeral services professionals are totally overlooked until a loved one dies. My couple of experiences with them was always just amazing: so caring, so careful. They deal with families who are just so fragile and the funeral home might be the first outside person they see at an unattended death. Pat and all his colleagues do an incredibly valuable service to their communities.

[@donreid6399]

I hear you, dmorga. When I was in high school, we were allowed to take a course called 'Death and Dying' where a local funeral director came in and gave a talk to the class. He handled all the sorts of questions you can imagine 11th grade kids asking. A couple years later, I found myself at my Godfather's funeral, which was being handled by that same gentleman. He and I had a frank talk about he prepared my Godfather's body, and some of the difficulties he encountered. To me, it was very satisfying to hear how much care he put into the preparation. I can't say enough about those folks.

[@GlowInTheDarkPanties]

As a Funeral Professional, I just want to thank you for doing this. For saying that we want Death Positivity and awareness of our industry is so important, and needed. It is really positive and meaningful to hear how kind you are, how humbled you are, and how you take this profession seriously, and still can have fun with it. Thank you for doing this and giving awareness to what we do and how we are killing ourselves right now for people.

[@danielparrish5336]

As a funeral director myself, i can honestly say it does mess with you mentally. Been in the business 11 years now. Seen many things i wish i had never seen and will never be able to forget no matter how much i try. That being said i love those old professional vehicles.

[@wurly164]

Thank you for your service either way.

[@AaronSmith-kr5yf]

That's one of the most brutal jobs IMO, not everybody lives to a ripe old age with 4 children, 10 grandchildren and 2 great grandkids. I can't even imagine having to bury kids or even young adults. Or in my family's case a cousin who passed at 44 with 3 teenage kids.

[@jasontengan1233]

Come on, their dead!

[@Man_in_a_Gucci_Suit]

Do you believe in god or an afterlife? I thought about being a mortician but I don’t want to lose my faith having it be tested everyday by what you people see

[@EtonieE25]

@@Man_in_a_Gucci_Suit Perhaps have a think about giving the profession a go coz as an obvious God believer you gotta be thinking it’s an honour to be serving that deceased human at the end of its journey in life 🤔

[@Xeonerable]

I respect him for saying that you SHOULD feel the emotion of the job, keeps you invested in helping others in that final stage of life. It is also very sad that he says he's had many unattended funerals. To be put to rest with nobody to show up for you is beyond sad, all souls deserve to be parted off by those still alive, just as a respect to the whole cycle in itself.

[@frankhage1734]

"One of the worst things about growing old is watching so many friends and our children die. There's so many incidents of tragic death in a long life, it wears on the soul." - My Grandmother at 99.

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

My grandfather said the same. He stayed with us for 3 years...and when he went back home he found that his circle of friends had diminished markedly. He refused to return for any further stays as he said he felt that he should be there for his friend's funerals... it was easier for him to accept closure that way....

[@boggy7665]

My gt-gt grandfather was A.J. Miller. They started in the 1800s with ornately-carved funeral carriages. Really enjoyed the in-depth look at this professional car!

[@mexicanspec]

A friend of mine back in the '80s had a 1955 Miller Cadillac. It was a nice car.

[@roberthoffhines5419]

You guys are the greatest therapists on the planet. You help people get through what can be the most emotionally agonizing experiences imaginable. I've been helped through by your profession a few times. Amazing how you guys do it.

[@jeffrobodine8579]

They have unique custom suspension systems that are very pricey.

[@todtalk3912]

They really are. They are def their to profit for sure like any business, but i know many freinds that have had loved ones pass n these people have helped them tremendously, most of which had to make payments, have had crappy credit at the time and still only paid the balance by the last payment n not a crap load of extra fees or interest just because they couldn't afford it. N regardless of the package selected, they usually go above and beyond that. They accommodate all kinds of services, military, police, ff, corrections officer, whatever and allow those parties to basically take over the place for the service. Very crappy thing to go through obv, but these people make it so you can move past it, lower the guilt you might have for whatever kind of service ur able to provide ur loved one. I think we need to change up our funeral services in the u.s. tho. I think it needs to be more of a celebration of the life they lived rather than a depressed, negative event for the death.

[@cesariojpn]

Saw a Reel on Instagram about a Goth Girl with a Hearse, and she listed a few issues about owning and driving a Hearse. 1. Insurance rates can be different depending on provider a/or state.. 2. Major MAJOR blindspots. 3. Drivers License Endorsement Changes depending on State or Jurisdictions. 4. She had to change a red globe on her hearse roof cause private car owners are not allowed to have such lighting unless authorized by a Emergency or Local Government Jurisdiction. 5. Parking.

[@gabrielcaramet3238]

Question is it the one with the hears on a Lincoln base?

[@lenny108]

This business needs a good profit margin in order to maintain such vehicles

[@GoonieLord]

She forgot poor mileage

[@d33b33]

On the other hand, hearses are kept clean and are well maintained: an undertaker can't afford the scandal of a breakdown.

[@laurat1129]

Also... gas prices!

[@12namleht]

Our Auto shop class in High School maintained/repaired the mechanicals on the Hearses for the funeral home in our town...All the owner had to do was pay for the parts....worked on a lot of 472's

[@ppeters480]

I owned a 73 Superior hearse back in the 80s, what a fun car to have. Lots of looks for sure. It looked just like his almost, but it didn't have the divider between the front and back. It was kinda like a boat the 2 best days in owning it was the day I bought it and then the day I sold it. Quite unique car to own but hard to find a parking spot even near your house, I was around 20 or 21 when I owned mine and lived at home with my parents, Momma bear refused to allow it to be parked in the street in front of their house, had to work out alternate location. Thanks for sharing the video today, brought back memories of those days !

[@Chris_Troxler]

Lucky! I've always wanted hearse. The closest I got was a 72 Fleetwood, triple black, back in my early 20's. It always amused me when people mistook me for a funeral director.

[@mexicanspec]

So yours was a side service car, if it didn't have the divider. Did it still have the table in the back when you had it?

[@ppeters480]

@@mexicanspec yes it was a three way the slab which was still in there and similar looking like this one would slide out either slide or the back. The doors opened like suicide doors.

[@mexicanspec]

@@ppeters480 I had a '63 Eureka side service car. It was a blast.

[@lutomson3496]

great video brought back memories of my twin brothers dying young my dad and my little brother being killed by a drunk driver, riding in a hearse for me wasnt a fun time one of the best videos and info you have done, thank you

[@johnshaft5613]

I don't know what it is, but there is something cool about these old hearses. I saw a Cadillac ambulance from the same era that a guy had meticulously restored, and it was a really fascinating vehicle. It brought back memories from when I was a kid, when if you called an ambulance typically a Cadillac (basically a hearse with lights and siren) would show up. There's just something cool about them compared to the ubiquitous ambulance made from a converted van.

[@federicofrosini7344]

Damn, I got glued to the screen for the whole episode. Kinda wish this guy had a YT channel to connect to and follow all his mortuary shenanigans. Love the hearse and Pat (Hope I got the name right) chill attitude and very deep knowledge of such unique vehicles. I love this gimmicky kind of stuff, would love to know more about. This makes me kinda wish we had those US landyackt type of vehicles down here too; average hearse here is Mercedes-Based; Cool, NGL, usually E-Class (W211) with costum rear end and SL (W230) rear lights. But generally Mercedes; so much so that getting a station wagon/estate Mercedes kinda grant you that someone is gonna call it an hearse. But I digress, lol. Watever the case, much love and salutation from the land of Pizza! 🇮🇹

[@PixieLives]

He has a tiktok

[@ghw7192]

Watch Ask a Mortician. Caitlin is fantastic!

[@CR7659]

The biggest issue with hearses is they were often driven in service, then put away wet, leading to premature rot particularly in the salt belt. Otherwise they are often low mileage cars which are reasonably well kept, if you don't mind that they hauled the deceased or the fuel economy they can be good vehicles.

[@mexicanspec]

That has not been my experience. The funeral director take meticulous care of their cars so they are not embarrassed during a service. The second buyer usually abuse them which is where the rot comes from.

[@davidjacobs8558]

@@mexicanspec I heard that because funeral is a very special occassion, these hearses don't have long service life, becauce the clients don't want to see old vehicles caring their loved ones. So they buy brand new hearse, and use it less than 10 years and sell them, even though they have plenty of life remaining due to low mileage. I heard East Asian countries are buying these to use in their countries, because it became fashionable to have American Style funerals from watching Hollywood movies and dramas.

[@mexicanspec]

@@davidjacobs8558 It depends on the finances of the funeral home but 10 years sounds right because the car companies don't change the style of their car very much. I can tel you in Mexico there is a shop that will take a Grand Marquis and make a Rolls Royce hearse, or a Mercedes hearse. It is Ford underneath but it looks like the other car.

[@thoughtengine]

@@davidjacobs8558 I don't know, I've seen a magnificently kept one locally that couldn't have been younger than 1920...

[@PixieLives]

@@davidjacobs8558 I have a '93 that was used in at least 1 service last year

[@irdmoose]

I love it when a mechanic invites a customer under their own car to look at things instead of using the BS excuse of "The insurance won't allow it." Just one of the myriad things that makes you THE Car Wizard.

[@rolandthethompsongunner64]

I don’t know. I would have been terrified to get under that car. 😂

[@ianmontgomery7534]

the thing that has annoyed me here in Australia during the COVID pandemic is that although the front line medical staff (ambos, nurses doctors aged care personnel) have been lauded and appreciated (and rightly so) there has been scant mention of the funeral industry that has played an equally important role.

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

They've been absolutely buried in work mate...

[@VintageTexas59]

Funerals homes has made a killing during the pandemic financially.

[@paulsz6194]

@@VintageTexas59 Death is a business!

[@baird55aus]

@@paulsz6194 yes it is but they had to treat every body as possibly Covid positive - they must have spent heaps on PPE.

[@thoughtengine]

@@VintageTexas59 Caitlin Doughty has a video or two on the pandemic. It's not really that good for them.

[@michaelnotigan7796]

Great presentation, Wizard. Pat has a wonderful sense of humor. But most importantly, he has a great perspective on living life.

[@adaeverleigh9584]

"Death positive", I'm loving it. As the proud mom of an 89 Buick LeSabre coach I appreciate how gorgeous thus model is!

[@josephmayotte8879]

All the utility of a van, all the luxury of a Cadillac.

[@frederickbehn5610]

A perfect multipurpose vehicle, will last one’s lifetime. 😉

[@turboturtle9083]

I'll never need one of these, plan to be cremated. My last chance at a smoking hot body.

[@frederickbehn5610]

Same here

[@rolandthethompsongunner64]

Except no air conditioning on this one.

[@boomerguy9935]

In 1969, my buddy bought a retired 1956 Cadillac hearse that had been converted to an ambulance later in life, so it had been painted red and white. The small town that owned it sold it to him cheap and he used it for our rock & roll band. We were college kids who had a positive outlook on life and we didn't care about what people thought. Wow! This video brings back memories. Car Wizard rules!

[@dodgeguyz]

Never thought I would be so interested in old hearses! Interesting video!

[@noneed4me2n7]

Lost my father during Covid and all my surviving grandparents just prior. It really put me through the ringer, especially loosing my dad as we were reconciling after a bunch of BS. I appreciate the words from you guys and it was a comfort.

[@ksparks9]

Five thousand thumbs up for doing this video, Wizard. As a hospice social worker, people need to hear the answers to questions they aren't comfortable asking. Death will almost always be sad, but it doesn't have to be as scary as it often is.

[@DTND]

Very cool video! I’m a retired undertaker myself and owned a funeral home for 11 years. My last hearse was a 96 Buick Roadmaster that was bought new in 96, with a matching Roadmaster Estate Wagon. It had 25,000 miles on it when I sold. Wish I still had the wagon!

[@talon262]

Ecto-1 was also originally built out by Miller-Meteor: '"The Ectomobile, or Ecto-1 is a 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor Sentinel[1] limo-style endloader combination car (ambulance conversion) used in the 1984 film Ghostbusters and other Ghostbusters fiction.[2][3] The original vehicle design was the creation of Steven Dane, credited as a Hardware Consultant in the credits."

[@mexicanspec]

Where did you get the idea Miller-Meteor built the Ecto? That is not true. They built the car back in 1959 but the studio added all the extras.

[@talon262]

@@mexicanspec I wrote exactly what I meant and what was true, but just to clarify for the literal-minded: using the Cadillac chassis from GM, *Miller-Meteor originally built the car out for its first owner in 1959* and that car would be modded into Ecto-1 twenty-five or so years later. The info in quotes in my OP is from Wiki (and I've heard the same info from other sources as well, such as the episode of Jay Leno's Garage featuring it, IIRC, for example), but, since YT nukes from orbit (just to be sure) any comments with external links, I didn't put the link to the article.

[@mexicanspec]

@@talon262 When you say the Ecto "built out", that implies the all the add ons that made it the Ecto. The 1959 MM never went to MM to get any work done. I know for a fact for the second movie my buddy was tasked with finding the car for that movie and he did. He arranged for the car to be picked up from the seller and delivered to the studio where they made the Ecto II.

[@aussiefurbymogwaifan6621]

@@mexicanspec holey crap! Really?? I have always wondered what colour it was (before it was the 1a)and what it's mm vin would read, since the og 84 ecto's is available to the public online. We know the 84 ecto is sentinel (who else gets annoyed whenever they call ecto a "futura duplex"??), but what is the 1a, is a futura limousine??

[@yommish]

If there were a way to know in advance about a funeral with no attendees, I would want to attend so they’d have at least one more person to see them off. Pat helped develop my feelings about death and funerals, for the better I think. Good guy.

[@Tully3674]

Here in Los Angeles, there is an annual event of car collectors who specifically own hearses - and they get quite creative with them. Some are 100% original going back to the 30s/40s, other look like they could have been featured on the TV show The Munsters. On a side note, a very honorable profession (and lucrative), and quite difficult (being a funeral director).

[@Kewrock]

The profession is only as honorable as the individuals that do it. If you don't know or don't find the right director, you'll probably get ripped off.

[@DrinkWhiskeyRaiseHell]

Got a friend in the industry as a funeral director, does not appear to be nearly as lucrative as people would think.

[@Kewrock]

@@DrinkWhiskeyRaiseHell My Mom died unexpectedly Memorial Day morning 2017 on a Sunday. I called a half dozen funeral homes, just to transport her body to the crematory. No wake, no funeral, no embalming needed. They know you're in a bind. It's sudden, and in NY, only a funeral home can transport. I was getting numbers of 7-10 thousand dollars. Thank god one of my mother's health aids was Jewish. She gave me the number of an Orthodox or Hasidic funeral home that specializes in direct to the cemetery transport, as those Jews need to be in the ground in 24hrs with no frills. They sent a hearse and two people, took the body to the crematory, burned the body, filed all the paperwork for the state and gave me 6 certified death certificates. $1500. If they can do it for 1500, and everyone else wants 7-10. There's PLENTY of money in it.

[@Kewrock]

Sorry. the exact amount was $1865 there was a filing fee and a viewing fee because we wanted to go and wait for the ashes, which included a final viewing in case you wanted to bring a priest.

[@PixieLives]

We have one in Denver called hearsecon :)

[@DolleHengst]

My favorite Car Wizard episode ever. Love the awareness this man brings to the subject, and the "two decent men talking profession and life" conversation.

[@eddstarr2185]

I have to tell everyone, in 1970 the Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham offered one of the most beautiful demitasse seat upholstery patterns I've ever seen - available with, or without, combination leather accented lower cushions. It all harkened back to the era of fine coach-built custom interiors of the early 20th century.

[@TheBattleMaster100]

This is a truly powerful video you guys made. Sitting in the back of a hearse and asking life and death questions give anyone pause. Excellent work.

[@ic1815]

While I certainly like the Miller-Meteor conversions with the funky bubbled roof and large proportions - I’m partial to the clean smooth lines of an S&S, specifically a Victoria or Park Row.

[@mattfarahsmillionmilelexus]

I Like the '60s - '70s Superior Crown Sovereign Landau.

[@mexicanspec]

Yes the S&S was the top manufacturer, after Eureka closed their doors. Miller-Meteor was not a well put together car.

[@aussiefurbymogwaifan6621]

@@mexicanspec I saw a comment saying that most vintage mms should be avoided and that 1963 was the worst model year for them. I wonder how many customers actually returned their coaches to the dealership or how they were able to get away with selling "faulty" vehicles??

[@mexicanspec]

@@aussiefurbymogwaifan6621 The reason I say the M&M was not a well put together car is because they molded the Cadillac body to their coach body with fiberglass. Other companies used lead or metal making them stronger. I doubt any cars were returned. Funeral directors couldn't be without their cars so whatever repairs needed to be made were made onsite.

[@aussiefurbymogwaifan6621]

@@mexicanspec so has anyone who has restored a mm (yes, even ecto owners), has used steal/lead in place of the fiber glass?? Also what is "lead"??

[@everyhome9936]

Awesome '74 Cadillac! No mention of the huge rust hole in the right rear inner wheelhousing or the rust bubbles in the lower right rear quarter panel....no big deal, weld in patch panels and keep on moving! I'm real happy people are interested in preserving these service vehicles and not just robbing the drivetrain and junking the bodies. Rock on!!

[@despiracy9151]

Moral of the story: Drive what you like and can afford.

[@ralphl7643]

I had a high-mileage '74 Fleetwood in the 80s. The exhaust gas recirculation made it run so rough when cold that it broke the exhaust manifold bolts on one cylinder. Before that, you couldn't hear the warm engine inside at idle. It broke down a lot, but I still miss that car.

[@hotpuppy1]

Flower cars are the rarest. Think Cadillac pickup like El Camino. One early 60's flower car sat in a gravel lot near my house growing up for a couple years back in the 70's with a for sale sign on it. $1200! Wish I had the money, but I was 13. It needed a lot but was pretty solid.

[@naradaian]

This really is almost a public service Wizard. Well done. Tastily done. Brave too

[@cyrildrewery6654]

This was more of a "life wizard" video. You did it so well, thank you very much.

[@miketeeveedub5779]

Overheard at car show: Pat: "I got a early 70s black big block hot rod!" Car show fan: "What is it? A Camaro? Chevelle? Mustang?" Pat: "Nope - that Cadillac Hearse over there." Car show fan: "Uh, nice meeting you..." - runs away 💀

[@born_again_torinos]

I loved my dad so much. He suffered with Parkensons for 25 years and it was horrible for him. For someone who was so full of life to be reduced to a nursing home for the last 8 years of his live with eyes rolled back, drool, shaking and dementia. It was horrific for him. When I got the call that he had changed address' and gone to heaven, I was elated. I had asked him on the phone what he wanted me praying for, to go home to Jesus or get better. He wanted to go home. So death of the body can be a joyous ocation. And Yes, I know he is in heaven because I know he accepted Jesus as his savior. So I will see him and my mother again one day and spend eternity with them.

[@jamespn]

Sorry for you dad’s passing, you’re lucky to have a nice and loving family, thanks for sharing.

[@patrickfullan9509]

AMEN.

[@EtonieE25]

@@patrickfullan9509 Double AMEN 🙏🏻

[@tnickknight]

A trick to keeping on many hub caps is putting on a couple of clear tie downs. Just clip off the unnecessary extra length to make them almost invisible

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

Modern way....lots of neo magnets....

[@mexicanspec]

Those idiotic bullets in the middle of the caps probably throw off the balance. They aren't original to that car anyway so he should go find 1974 caps for it.

[@lawrencesiskind3554]

Cool. I had a friend growing up in New York City who had a '73 Caddy ambulance, and it was fun to tear around Manhattan in it. For these custom extended Caddy's I prefer the years '59 through '65, just as I prefer those years for the cars.

[@mrsmith1339]

In 1965 my college room mate was undraftable because of a physical situation. He would go to school 6 months, thenwork as a railroad brakeman for 6 months. He paid 1/2 of the rent every month. He left me a 1953 Cadillac hearse with low miles. He also left a gas card and specified premium. I was to exercise the hearse.I did so. The Hydromatic plant burned and the hearse had Dynaflow. Yes, it was slow; but free! He bought from a tobacco pipe store which had used it to haul mail orders to the Post Office.

[@rodswish9832]

Really one of the best videos you have done. I love hearses and you asked a lot of good questions and Pat was awesome about answering.

[@yoranw4608]

One the most odd, yet amazing videos of this channel. I loved the conversation, the deep shades of various subjects and - of course - the car itself. Thank you so much, Wizard, for offering us such awesome videos!

[@roberthoffhines5419]

I flipped the air cleaner lid on out '72 Fleetwood...she moaned like a badass. The 472 was a great mill. the last truly great engine that division produced. I imagine the bare commercial chassis from Cadillac came with the taillights, rear bumper...maybe the doors?

[@carsonholtorf8233]

472 is a monster. Beautiful engine! Especially the earlier, higher compression ones from 68-70

[@mexicanspec]

No the coach company had to get the tail lights. They are from a 1974 Malibu wagon in this case. When they used the stock Cadillac lights, then yes they camew with the chassis.

[@EdwardTilley]

Good video and idea too really. There are people who are sick and in pain for a long time - where their final ride is a blessing albeit a sad one. Important service - thanks Wiz!

[@Slip633]

This was beautiful. Pat is a wonderful character and definitely should start his own KZbin channel. Who would've known hearses can be so unique! Thank you for the dedication Mr. and Mrs. Wizard!

[@jkk244]

Purple lights? Im old enough to remember when the only way you could tell a funeral procession from regular vehicle traffic was all the headlights were turned on for cars in the funeral procession in THE DAYTIME which, in the days before DRLs (daytime running lights) was never, ever done by regular drivers. (Why would they?).

[@throttlewatch4614]

I like that the funeral guy is a car guy . When I’m 💀 I wanna have my last ride a vintage one .

[@laptopdragon]

like something from the movie "the godfather"?

[@whammond511]

Come to Detroit then. We have almost any kind of Hearse imaginable. We even have Horse Drawn Hearses up on Mackinac Island where motorized vehicles are not allowed!!

[@joe_hutnak]

Wizard, you're doing an important public service by discussing death and the process that happens afterward. You're a real treasure of a human being.

[@Slyder42]

The hubcap "decided to live its best live on the side of the road... " LOL

[@VDPEFi]

When my father died the funeral cars were all jaguars, we are in the UK, but the respect and deference they command on the road is amazing and the respect I have for funeral directors etc for their caring and kindness is boundless

[@Reggaejames]

Wizard, I have been following you from the beginning and would like to say how much I enjoy your channel. You have really improved your presentation skills over the years. I agree with a previous commenter, this video was one of your best. By the way, when you pointed out how long the shaft was to Mrs. Wizard, it was the perfect set up for a double entendre. Something like, "I am always excited to see a long shaft. " :)

[@patrickholt4134]

Have you noticed wizard is a little more funny and dirty on Hoovies videos when Mrs Wizard is not around? Wish he would lighten up a little more around the wife.

[@46miles]

Laughing my you-know-what off!! I caught that right away myself!

[@sejembalm]

Back in the mid-1980s, I had a 1974 Cadillac ambulance. Ultimate station wagon. Gigantic Cadillac front end. Huge humped roof that you can stand up in the back (48" headroom, 157.5" length). Bought it for an RV. Took the paramedic chair out and made a bedroom in the back. Used it to move furniture and boxes for friends moving into places. Could haul tons of stuff with that cavernous rear compartment. I measured a first-gen 1991 Mazda Miata and it could fit in the back of that meat wagon with room to spare. Engine was a 7.7 litre 472 CID 16-valve OHV V8 that produced 205 hp @ 3,600 rpm with 495 Nm of peak torque @ 2,000 rpm. Horsepower had begun to subside with the 1973 Oil Embargo. The same 472 CID V8 when introduced for the 1968 model year produced a whopping 375 hp @ 4,400 rpm packing a prolific punch with 712 Nm of peak torque @ 3,000 rpm. Performance for the 1974 Coupe deVille was rated as 0-60 mph in 11.2 seconds, 0-100 mph in 36.1 seconds with a top speed of 117 mph (In 1968 the top speed without governor was 128 mph). The 1974 472 CID V8 did the ¼ mile @ 78 mph in 18.2 seconds. The engine was mated to GM’s Turbo Hydra-Matic THM-400 3-speed automatic transmission.

[@richardg8651]

Perfect for a good friend because , " A Friend Will Help You Move, but a Good Friend Will Help You Move a Body".

[@Grantidge69]

Actually surprised that there isn't some kind of special gearbox on these vehicles to yield better fuel economy at low speeds. Also: as soon as I saw the thumbnail for this video, I thought: "Harold and Maud"... The Jaguar E-Type plot element in that film is off the chart for nutty plot twists :-) Always enjoy the Wizard's videos; this one was different in a good and very interesting way. What with the boats and tanks and exotics and all the other things in between, I think Team Wizard is doing a fine job of featuring an engaging variety of content on this channel. Thank you, and big respect for all you do and who y'all are :-)

[@gelfyd1]

Very strange obsession. You really opened my eyes to an outsiders look into what really goes on. Thanks for an awesome episode!!

[@ozarkliving7263]

Very strange

[@edkalsbeek1765]

Shrunken head is pouring taste

[@edkalsbeek1765]

Poor

[@mexicanspec]

@@edkalsbeek1765 I am a hearse fanatic, but I don't go in for the skull and all that crap. None of that has anything to do with a hearse.

[@thoughtengine]

@@mexicanspec It does if you just treat the hearse as a car, in which case your customisations could go anywhere. That said, it would probably go better on a panel van...

[@michaelparks3106]

I had a '76 Miller Meteor combo I bought used in the '80s. It looked similar to the one in this video, but a combo had rear windows (like a station wagon) that could be covered with metal panels with landau bars if you wanted to use it as a funeral car. It had folding jump seats in the rear with IV hooks in the ceiling so it could double as an ambulance if necessary. It was built on the Cadillac Fleetwood 75 limo chassis so it rode just like a limo, and had a glass window divider behind the driver's seat, and separate heating and air conditioning front and rear. For $700 it was cheaper than a pickup and could haul 9' long boards in the back. It had a 500cu in engine so gas milage was terrible, but gas was cheap back then.

[@toecutterjenkins]

I used to work at a shop that repaired hearses for a funeralhome. I hid in the back of one and grabbed another mechanics shoulder while he was pulling one in. Scared the heck out of him. Now I own an exterminating business I've thought about using a hearse as a work vehicle lol.

[@bearmotel]

We kill 'em dead!

[@mikerowland1701]

Your lucky you didn’t catch a screwdriver to the peeper…..

[@Man_in_a_Gucci_Suit]

There’s a guy in Houston called “bug reaper” he drives a hearse but he’s an idiot with a picture of him road raging and flipping the bird at people on his Yelp lol I’m also an exterminator where are you at? What state?

[@toecutterjenkins]

@@Man_in_a_Gucci_Suit ny

[@NeedtoSpeak]

Funeral cars and ambulances were built on Cadillac, Oldsmobile, Pontiac and even Ford car frames. Cadillac was the best, as it was on the commercial frame for limos. There were 3 top conversion companies…Superior, M&M, Cotner/Bevington, etc. each had their signature styles. The non Cadillac versions were mechanically problematic, as they were unable to withstand the added weight and strain. Good video.

[@mexicanspec]

You left out S&S and Cotner/Bevington was owned by M&M, just that they used Oldsmobiles in place of the Cadillac.

[@fantomtuba]

This has to be your best video so far. I'd love to see more interviews with drivers/owners of more commercial vehicles that come in. Also do a part 2 with questions from the comments.

[@kylehansen2122]

Oh dang that's a good idea, like EMS drivers, race car drivers, dump trucks, etc.

[@taylorhelm7146]

really loved this one, thanks to Pat for educating and providing a good example of what a hearse can look like with standard upkeep.

[@goranyordanoff2472]

I witnessed the most depressing thing I had ever seen in my life the other day: a Town&Countey minivan hearse. I mean… HOW much must you hate your “loved one” to make their last Earthly journey in a Chrysler product? Seeing that has made me be a LOT nicer to my younger family members who will probably handle my burial arrangements in the future.

[@patrickholt4134]

This was a good video. I have always been interested in this topic but you can't just ask a funeral professional questions at a funeral or a viewing. Would love to see Pat more on the channel. Maybe answering questions from us viewers. Much respect to those in his profession. It takes a special person to do the job.

[@Danzilly]

These are very rare and custom ordered when new! Glad to see it saved from a demolition derby!

[@bactanite]

In the mid 70s a high school student and Blue Oyster Cult fan who lived near me drove around with a similar Cadillac Hearse that had "Blue Oyster Cult" along with that band's logo stenciled on the car on both sides.

[@RaytheonNublinski]

Fun fact: Brandon Lee, star of The Crow, owned and drove a hearse.

[@tdhooper3886]

I was a young boy in the 70's, born in 1967, those hearses and ambulances back them had a mystique to them, the sirens, the looks, and so on, in a way a dark & scary draw, but so cool. Thanks to you both for sharing.

[@laurat1129]

This reminds me of "Six Feet Under" and Claire's chartreuse 1971 Cadillac S&S Victoria, very cool. It was like a another character in itself and helped define the show. (Then there's "The Blues Brothers" and "Ghostbusters"...) Back in the 80s, when most of us drove beaters in HS, a friend's older brother had a black hearse like this, perfect for his rock band. It seemed creepy then, but now I'm okay w/it. (After all, the only sure thing in life is death.😎) ETA: I love the Q&A at the end! It's about more than just cars, so thanks for that.

[@mixturescrew]

Nice! I can watch this video all day long, Brings back memories of bringing mine home for the first time. I had a '73 Caddy Superior. She became my restored summer evening cruiser and head turner. The 472 powerplant was rebuilt and modded along with the TH400 transmission. That old coach would haul ass if you asked it to LOL. I had it for about 20 years! I only sold it two years ago due to no longer being able to get it in and out of the garage. Why wouldn't anyone want a Cadillac "station wagon"

[@StuntGuitarist]

I know I wasn’t the only one expecting Hoovie to pop out of the casket and say, “Welcome to Hoovie’s Garage!” Missed opportunity.

[@sloppysamari]

I appreciate what Pat had to say about Death positivity. I work in life insurance and am around death all the time. It is so important to see it as another part of life just like birth vs a scary black hole. B

[@josephmayotte8879]

Get some whitewhalls and wheel covers. It will change it from a junker to a jewel.

[@whathappened2230]

Mine is a 91' Cad S&S in Silver. Near perfect intact. Beautiful car!

[@TheHearseAroundJimThorpe]

Wow that definitely very different then my 1983 Cadillac Century Hearse. It probably even has good build quality unlike mine. Lol but I still absolutely love it and the wrap it’s covered in from the tv show that had it before me.

[@aussiefurbymogwaifan6621]

What tv show was it??

[@TheHearseAroundJimThorpe]

@@aussiefurbymogwaifan6621 it’s called paranormal after party. It’s on KZbin. It’s a white hearse not the black one you see a lot in the show

[@Sedan57Chevy]

Aside from reusing the rental casket ad a trunk, your guest seems like a great guy! I'd love to see more of his and his other hearses.

[@michaelreynolds1904]

I have always found Funeral Directors to have good sense of humor.

[@timmcm9538]

I ended up golfing with a mortician in my foursome about 30 years ago. He loved golfing and drinking beers. He just said it was a different kind of job and chuckled. And he made good money.

[@VintageTexas59]

Some are very creepy...known two locally and very strange personality's....I can tell a few stories but not for the public, very morbid....

[@jeanderamee488]

Hi Wizard, I was overwhelmed on how much I enjoyed your video on this hearse! I was an A/C - Plumbing tech for 29yrs and then went into the funeral business. I was in funeral service for 13yrs. I would have loved working for your friend Pat. From this video I got the feeling that I had the same philosophy that he has when I worked in the funeral home. I worked for”strange”funeral people!! I would still be in the business if I worked for someone like Pat! Anyway, I thoroughly enjoy your videos and will continue being a fan! Keep the videos going!! Thank Miss Wizard too! Oh, one day I will get a hearse ! Thanks again!

[@12yearssober]

When I was a teenager a guy in our neighborhood had one a little older than this one and we would cruise around in it smoking weed and creeping people out. He had a hookah set up with multiple hoses throughout the car we would all smoke weed out of. Cops never even messed with us lol!!!!

[@vw5056]

Lmao. Was he a goth?

[@Big_Ben1988]

@VW He grew up to be the singer of "My Chemical Romance."

[@ericfleetwood6744]

Great video! And an excellent reminder for all of us that the warranty has expired. There is no guarantee that we will wake up tomorrow, and we should be grateful for each day that we get.

[@2.Panzerdivision]

I always wondered what the chrome ornament on the back of hearses meant. Turns out it was the mechanism for foldable top vehicles in the 1930s and 1940s.

[@badopinionsrighthere]

Landau bars. Yeah they used to be an ornament to convey luxury, but nowadays you'll only see them on hearses (the 67-71 Thunderbird had them too, that's how I ended up looking into what they were for)

[@uzivatel56]

They go way before that. Originally they were installed on horse-drawn carriages and got carried over.

[@2.Panzerdivision]

@@uzivatel56 You're quite right. I had forgotten about that! They started on carriages and buggies.

[@ralphl7643]

@@uzivatel56 Back then, not all coaches had a fixed roof for the folding part to latch onto, so the landau bars had to hold it up in the air.

[@sdavidb5620]

Superior builds a beautiful hearse. In high school I Worked part time for a local funeral home. Often washed and waxed a fantastic1972.

[@OnTourWithPattiSmith]

They drifted corners in Harold & Maude! 🔰

[@whammond511]

What a movie!! Love that film!!

[@mexicanspec]

I am not sure any drifting actually occurred. The front wheels were sliding but I don't think the backs were.

[@Johnhrop]

“Don’t let your first ride be your last!” I think that just sums up the point of this video. You have one crack at life, give it a go! Don’t be afraid to try new things! Great video Wizard it was a different experience.

[@wu3j]

Has he ever had a request to do a funeral with a vintage hearse (I.e. to go in line with a vintage car collector). I think it could add value to funeral services offered. Vintage hearses could be sought out by movie makers looking to fit a specific time period.

[@Shauma_llama]

Where I work we have a few older hearses, as well as a horse-drawn hearse.

[@1963TOMB]

Here in the UK you can hire a converted Morris 1000 Traveler for your final journey.

[@itsnotme07]

These rides are just as cool as any other collectable ride! While their purpose is different....nice to see the little details (and there are LOTS of them) that go into keeping something like this running. Mrs. Wizard wasn't fazed by the shrunken head...nice! Haha.

[@limeyosu2000]

Great content as always I would love to see pats other hearses come into the shop! Also would love to see the wizard get this one running tip top.

[@randyedwards3244]

My younger brother Mark, had one that was almost identical. His was a "Double side loader" as in both rear side doors were suicide doors. Unfortunately, Mark passed away in 2021 and his wife hadn't the same love for it. Interestingly it was the most bare bones Caddy I have ever seen. It was even a radio delete model, along with it's crank windows. Actually the only power option was the seat - only forward and back, no tilt. Interestingly, we had a cousin who had a rather interesting job in a cemetery. As he lived next to it and was also one of the diggers, he had an extra responsibility. Each morning he was to walk the grounds looking for "Drops". These are depressions over graves that were made about 6 - 8 months previous. Apparently during his time some caskets deteriorate to the point of collapsing. His job was to fill and clean up the depression so as not to upset the family.

[@damienlee1165]

I'm ngl, I'm into wagons and a hearse is kind of just an elongated wagon. Very cool.

[@NAFIGGAMING]

Love it!!! Rode to work in the back of a 66 caddie that looked very close to that one for 6 months doing construction. It handled the weight of 6 people and all their tools better than any work van i ever rode in. I even tried to buy it from the owner but he refused to sell it

[@can-cruiser]

Saw one of those driving around Halloween time with license plates that read "HAUL-U" 😁😁

[@palmermccall7309]

My first car, at age 15 in the summer of 1985, was a Miller Meteor Combination on a 1972 Cadillac commercial chassis. It had the 472, and the wheelbase was 166", at least a foot longer than the total length of my several sisters' VW Rabbits. The car had been in my grandfather's (1886-1981) funeral home fleet, and had been relegated to first-call duty by this time. The funeral home was switching to cargo vans for this service, so it was my job to polish up the hearse and sell it before boarding school that autumn, where we weren't allowed to keep a car. As a combination, it was equipped for ambulance duty. Modern EMS services had not yet been established when the car was ordered, and the funeral homes here in western North Carolina provided ambulance service. The landau panels could be removed by loosening two thumb screws. Two facing jump seats could be raised from the flat floor just inside the passenger side rear door. There were four panels flush with the rear floor that were flat on one side, so that a wheeled stretcher could be put in, and there were heavy rollers on the other side, to allow a coffin to roll toward the bulkhead. The divider window included sliding panes so that the driver could communicate with the seated attendants in the rear, when the coach was in use for ambulance duty. The car was marvelous to drive, even here in the mountains. My brother and I took it to a golf club, where it looked strangely at ease among all the other Cadillacs and Lincolns, but it earned us a few askance looks. My dad, a locally well-known physician, would lie down in the back with his eyes shut when we went around town. Four high school friends and I sat comfortably abreast in the front seat at the local drive-in movie, with room to spare, and other patrons were plenty interested. The car was nick-named Patty Hearse, a reference to the bizarre Hearst kidnapping of the early 1970s. There was not much market for a hearse in those days, and not many people were collecting them yet. $800 plus a truckload of firewood was accepted, and the car was sold. For two decades afterward, I had a pattern of buying a 4-8 year-old Cadillacs, and driving them from about 70k miles to about 150k miles, which was an economical way to travel very comfortably with minimal repairs. The best was a 1980 Sedan DeVille with the 368 (year before the V8-6-4 debacle), but the '72 hearse was a strong second!

[@Zephyrdaze1819]

If your wife plays the concert harp, they're great for moving the instrument. Just be ready to explain when you show up to play a wedding.

[@chrismanuel2471]

I worked in the funeral service for a year during Covid as my day job was (musician) kaput while restrictions existed. I was a transfer team member, one of the fine folks who are often the ones to take a loved one into the care of a larger funeral home. We rarely drove hearse unless the Funeral Directors needed extra hands to help. We drove a pedantic, non-descript Dodge Caravan and would attend peoples homes, care facilities, and the morgue for transport to the funeral home. One of the most fulfilling jobs I've ever had, but also one of the strangest.

[@johnwitte387]

a carpet layer in our town had an old hearse so he could carry the rolls of carpet easierl

[@jcollins1305]

My partner (I’m a cop) was a funeral Director for years in NYC. Got tired of the on call, late night phone calls, and getting bodies out of 5 story walk-ups. Interesting stories though. Btw, hearses are very cool! Thanks for sharing.