> EYE CANDY 1948 CADILLAC-SAYERS & SCOVILL HEARSE
> WHEN IT’S TIME, GO IN STYLE
The car: A 1948 Cadillac-Sayers & Scovill limousine-style funeral coach. The owner: Hendren Funeral Home, Lakefield, Norwood and Bobcaygeon. The story: I am not an old car buff, but I’ve come to love this car. It’s so related to what we do here, and that creates a closeness.
It is working car and some families ask for it. We used it four times in the last week.
We know it is number 200 of 300 built that year. The vehicle was found in Bowmanville, Ont., where we believe it belonged to a Mr. Parson Elliott and was last licensed for the road in 1972.
In the late 1980s, the barn it was stored in collapsed, damaging the roof. Someone came to the rescue and the Cadillac was sold to the Tubman Funeral Home in Ottawa, who began restoration.
I don’t think they finished it; they sold it to a funeral home in Barry’s Bay, which sent it off to the Guild of Automotive Restorers who did what is called a frame-off restoration. We got it when we purchased the Monk funeral home in Bobcaygeon in 2014.
We use it as often as we can, though we don’t like going long distances. It’s the nature of old cars; we always have a back-up ready. Today we had it at a cemetery about 25 kilometres away. We had an enclosed trailer custom-built in Georgia to shuttle it between our three chapels.
The ’48 floats down the road. There’s a ton of power — it’s got a 90-degree V-8 — but it’s big and bulky and a bit of a tank at times, with three on the tree and no power steering. I had the son of the deceased driving with me recently, and he said that for an old car there’s very little wind noise. You don’t really hear the engine, which has a beautiful purr when it’s idling.
The appraiser reported it is “a rarely seen vehicle,” with just a handful left, though it is not uncommon for hearses to be used a long time. It depends on the mileage.
We had one that we used for 20 years. This one has been appraised at approximately $125,000. You can easily spend that on a new Cadillac hearse.
I’m still getting used to the attention this vehicle gets. Even on funeral days, we’ll park it out front and it draws a lot of interest: something to look at and consider.
I’m 42, and it’s way older than me. I didn’t grow up in a family that was interested in old cars. But it’s become a thing for me. I’m sure learning to love this guy.
Show us your candy: Got a cool custom or vintage car? Send us a picture of you and your family with your beauty, and tell us your story. And we like photos — the more the better — of the interior, trim, wheels, emblems, what you admire. Email wheels@thestar.ca and be sure to use “Eye Candy” in the subject line.