I know, there are already so many hearse pages out there, you're wondering, do we really need another? Of course we do! The reason-there aren't nearly enough pictures of older hearses! I absolutely love hearses from the 40's, especially the post-war ones, and I'm frustrated when every hearse page I go to is jam-packed with 60's and 70's hearses! I've collected all the 40's Cadillac hearse pictures I could find on the Internet and put them in one place! Why only Caddies? The most obvious reason is they're my favorites! In my quest for pictures I did come across the occasional Buick or Packard from the 40's! If these interest you, I invite you to search for them yourself, but if Caddies interest you, wait for these pictures to load!
It's a sad fact that most of these cars aren't in the best condition. I'd like to believe they're all being restored at this very moment! However, if you use your imagination, you can see how glorious they once were and how impressive they'll be again some day!
So now, without further ado, on with the pictures!!
This specific hearse holds a special place in my heart! I came across pictures of
her for sale at W.R. Bennett Funeral Coaches and it was
love at first sight. She's a 48 S&S Victoria. She's not in the best condition, but I could picture how she'd look
all fixed up. Unfortunately, she cost more than I could afford and after 3 months of drooling
over her nightly, I found out she had been sold! 
I don't know who bought her but I sincerely
hope they're restoring her and not parting her out. If anyone knows more about the fate of this
hearse, please let me know.
Check out the burgundy interior! It's a shame that she's so
deteriorated, but she has potential and with a little love and a lot of money she is going to be one stunning
automobile!
Continuing with the unrestored coaches, this is Dean Newman's 47 Superior limo style.
He also has a 48 Meteor ambulance. The page I took these pictures from is no longer up, but the last I
heard about these cars, they were still for sale. If you'd like to contact Dean for more information
on these cars, you can try the Professional Car Society Message Board. 
Here's another 47! This one iss a Eureka. It was owned by John Long
and located in Maine. John had been advertising this car as for sale on a now-defunct classified site and on Hemmings. I don't know its current
status. This car is in need of restoration. It's mostly complete, unfortunately one of the missing parts is
the table. Also, I wonder about that missing rear wheel (and do you see an axle in there anywhere?) On the other hand, I adore that
coachlamp. She looks like she's had a bit of a tough life, but she definitely has potential! Hopefully we'll see her fixed up soon.
I'm not too sure what I think of the area surrounding the windows. Is that white paint
or shining chrome? Either way, I think it
would look better in black like the hearses higher up the page! And, of course, suicide doors rule!
Enjoying the unrestored 47s? Good, because here's another
one! This one was for sale at a site called Classic Original Parts Source, Inc.
It's no longer on their website, so I'm assuming it was sold. Yippee! I did get a very nice email from the owners of COPS, Inc. informing me
that the asking price was $950 and it is in fact a Miller. I'm so proud of myself for the correct deduction. Check out my thought process!
It doesn't quite match up with the Superior above and
although it's hard to compare it to the Eureka because of the different body styles and the cut off picture, they don't look to be the same
either. It definitely doesn't have the same rear door as the 48 S&S. The rear window does look similar to the 48 Miller below, but
there's no picture of the back door to compare. So, I'm going to guess Miller, but don't take my word for it.
The next two pictures come from the archives of Cary Livingston. They were posted on the PCS message board. The
pictures were taken in junkyards in Georgia a few years back, so it's not too likely that these cars are still around. The one on the left
is a 42 S&S and the one on the right is a 48 S&S. The triangles on the hood are called date marks. Sorry I screwed up the "Cary's Archives" copyright.
Now for something a little different. This is a restored 48 Miller owned and operated by the Tufts Schildmeyer Funeral Homes in Ohio.
The pictures came from Rance Bennett's photo album.
Now check out these pictures and you'll get a better idea of what the unrestored coaches could look like! Look at
the stunning chrome grill on here! Another nice feature of this car is the color! Rather than being the usual black, it was done in a
gorgeous dark blue to match the Schildmeyer's fleet! 
What I don't like about this vehicle is the rear interior! It's just a bit too
plush for my tastes! It reminds me of the inside of a marshmallow. And please don't ask me why I was inside a marshmallow!
The next batch of pictures is for those of you wishing you could restore some of these cars, but thinking it's hopeless!
Now for the shocking side of this story, these are the
pictures of this car before the restoration! 
Notice the missing side panels, the broken windshields, the overwhelming decrepitude of this poor car! It's really
amazing how this coach was turned around! It definitely makes the ones above seem much more restorable!
Wherever possibly, I've tried to include the coachbuilder, owner and where I found the picture! If you have more information on any of these coaches, let me know! If you have pictures of other 40's Caddy hearses, let me know! If you know of any 40's Caddy hearses (not combos) for sale in the Southeast (preferably SC) for a low price let me know! And finally, if these cars or pictures are yours and you want them taken down, let me know!
Virtual Last Rides -
Just as cool as the real thing, minus the need for garage space and parts!