Do you realize that the car is located in New Bedford Massachusetts?
1966-68 Cadillac Hearse
- Thread starter Blake Sherwin
- Start date
Yes, I do realize that. Its way farther than I want to look, so distance is the only problem for me. I'm still hoping for something nice to pop up closer.
I will admit though, patience is not my strong suit
I will admit though, patience is not my strong suit
Over the weekend I found a 1975 Miller-Meteor local in Oklahoma City. Going to drive down and look at it on Dec 9th and see if everything checks out. But so far its sounding very nice.
Im told there is no rust on the body or under and it drives great. Only problems are that there are a few dents (easily fixed) and the gas gauge doesnt work (also easily fixed). Interestingly the funeral home that owned it before had the Vinyl top removed and had it replaced with a rhino liner (like truck bed spray) but it was done professionally and actually looks like vinyl.
I would expect that would possibly help preserve the top against rust or damage so as long as it doesnt LOOK weird or ghetto I think thats a plus.
Looking forward to heading out there, its a nice looking car. I will be sure to post pictures.
This is being sold by the founder of a local hearse club, so the guy has some credibility.
Im told there is no rust on the body or under and it drives great. Only problems are that there are a few dents (easily fixed) and the gas gauge doesnt work (also easily fixed). Interestingly the funeral home that owned it before had the Vinyl top removed and had it replaced with a rhino liner (like truck bed spray) but it was done professionally and actually looks like vinyl.
I would expect that would possibly help preserve the top against rust or damage so as long as it doesnt LOOK weird or ghetto I think thats a plus.
Looking forward to heading out there, its a nice looking car. I will be sure to post pictures.
This is being sold by the founder of a local hearse club, so the guy has some credibility.
Kurt Arends
PCS Elected Director 2021-2024
The Rhino Liner roof is unfortunate. I would NEVER do that to a coach. They should have just sanded and painted the roof.
Surprisingly the top does look nice, when I have time to upload them i will post them
Here is what I am going to look at next Saturday:
https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/cto/d/75-cadillac-hearse/6400805670.html
I asked him about the top and he told me it was a rhino guard thing. For a spray bed liner it looks very nice. I am looking forward to seeing it close up. I've seen a few hearses out there with bedliner on the top and the ones I have seen looked absolutely horrible, so I was surprised when he said it was rhino
https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/cto/d/75-cadillac-hearse/6400805670.html
I asked him about the top and he told me it was a rhino guard thing. For a spray bed liner it looks very nice. I am looking forward to seeing it close up. I've seen a few hearses out there with bedliner on the top and the ones I have seen looked absolutely horrible, so I was surprised when he said it was rhino
Kurt Arends
PCS Elected Director 2021-2024
Did he happen to mention why he is selling it "bill of sale only"? Isn't Oklahoma a title state?
Yeah, said he does not have a title for it. He told me that I will need to file a Title 42 and that they are not hard to do, they just take effort and time. He works two jobs and just doesnt have time to pursue the title.
I've been researching Title 42 and I dont think there will be any problem. I'm actually going to try to have a title service take care of this for me instead. It takes 10-12 weeks to get the new clean title but you are able to drive the car legally 30 days from the date of your bill of sale. So after that 30 days I will drive it around the block every weekend to keep its blood flowing until I get that title.
From what I understand Title 42 is more or less like filing for a divorce without the other party. You post a newspaper ad for x amount of time asking for the owner to come forward. Then when no one comes forward with the title then the court assigned a new clean title.
Daniel Scully
PCS Member
75
I would give him deposit to hold and when HE gets the title give him the rest.
I would give him deposit to hold and when HE gets the title give him the rest.
Kurt Arends
PCS Elected Director 2021-2024
I totally agree with Dan. Something not right here. This isn't exactly a ratty old car that was pulled out of a field or barn. This isn't the '65-'68 that you were looking for anyway.
I would give him deposit to hold and when HE gets the title give him the rest.
True, I feel this one may be perfect for my needs though since im looking for something with very little restoration needing to be done. Of course this all depends on whether I still feel this way after seeing it in person.
I would walk away. It it's so easy he would have done it by now. Find out what it takes to get a abandoned title at home. If that is simple, you might get a bill of sale from him just to protect your self and go that route. But to deal with a out of state government is never easy peasy.
Agreed, out of state would be hairy. This is in my state though and he is going to provide me a bill of sale. I have provided the VIN to the service I plan on using for the Title 42. The lady I talked to about the title 42 said that as long as the car was registered in oklahoma and it wasnt stolen previously then there is absolutely no reason that we wont be able to get a new title.
And while I do love the 68s, I realize they will be harder to maintain and find parts for. So I decided to make it a little easier on myself and go with a slightly newer model, but 76 was my limit as I dont want the smaller ones.
Back in my younger years I was in love with the 76's because of their size. Apparently the 75 is the same size anyway from what I understand.
The lady I talked to today though eased my mind on the title since she pretty much told me its not impossible and we can definitely get the title in 10 weeks. And I've waited 13 years so 10 more weeks I can handle.
After I give it a look over on Dec 9 I will see if I still feel strongly about it.
Sounds like. Worth taking a chance on. The parts thing would be the same on either car. Each modal has there own set of problems. To me the older they are the simpler that are. Good luck if you decide to pop for the 75. Me I would run the vin threw the local PD before I handed over any money. Because if it is hot you might not get It back. Or if a deeper look from the DMV turns up something like a lean agents it you could still have trouble but at least you could prove you checked as will as you could before you bought it.
Thanks for the advice, I hadnt actually thought of that. I will call about that
Alright so I drove down to Edmond Saturday and took a look at this 1975 Cadillac M&M. Everything looked pretty good, all the common rust spots were clean, underside was only light surface rust, paint chipping in a few spots but I would repaint anyway. Didnt see any paint bubbling from rust, all trim was there, the bolt for the rear door lock was bent, but he said it can easily be bent back fine. Door shut fine, just cant be locked at the moment.
Engine started right up with no hesitation. Next step was to drive to a local shop I had scheduled an inspection at. I let him drive, got in the passenger side and we backed out of his driveway.
He put it in drive and it hesitated to move forward. He had to rev it a bit to get it to start moving, said it hadnt been driven in 1 month. We got about 400 feet down the road and it gradually slowed down until it would not move in drive anymore. Reverse works great, but wouldnt go forward.
So he drove it backwards back to his house and checked the trans. Fluid was empty. He put 7 bottles of fluid into it and didnt see any leaks. Eventually it started dumping fluid from a hose that had dryrotted and broken (possibly broke when we tried to drive it).
He was apologetic and said it was his fault for letting it sit and they he promises before today he has never had a problem with it. His reaction was legit surprised.
I told him if he can get it back to a state where it drives and can drive to the shop by his house I will pay for inspection over the phone, and if all checks out I can make another trip (still holding onto a cashiers check if so).
I am hopeful that he can get it fixed, because aside from that issue the hearse seemed pretty solid. I am concerned though that it may be more than a fluid issue. Did some googling and sounds like besides fluid it could need a rebuild or it could be a clutch.
Engine started right up with no hesitation. Next step was to drive to a local shop I had scheduled an inspection at. I let him drive, got in the passenger side and we backed out of his driveway.
He put it in drive and it hesitated to move forward. He had to rev it a bit to get it to start moving, said it hadnt been driven in 1 month. We got about 400 feet down the road and it gradually slowed down until it would not move in drive anymore. Reverse works great, but wouldnt go forward.
So he drove it backwards back to his house and checked the trans. Fluid was empty. He put 7 bottles of fluid into it and didnt see any leaks. Eventually it started dumping fluid from a hose that had dryrotted and broken (possibly broke when we tried to drive it).
He was apologetic and said it was his fault for letting it sit and they he promises before today he has never had a problem with it. His reaction was legit surprised.
I told him if he can get it back to a state where it drives and can drive to the shop by his house I will pay for inspection over the phone, and if all checks out I can make another trip (still holding onto a cashiers check if so).
I am hopeful that he can get it fixed, because aside from that issue the hearse seemed pretty solid. I am concerned though that it may be more than a fluid issue. Did some googling and sounds like besides fluid it could need a rebuild or it could be a clutch.
Also as an addendum to my last post I asked WHY it doesnt have a title. He told me the story:
It was originally owned by a local funeral home, and the title was in the name of the funeral home, not a person. That funeral home went out of business and another funeral home bought that home and changed the name. That home was in the process of getting a new title when they sold the hearse to an employee.
Said employee started college in texas and had to sell the hearse to afford to move to texas. Thats when this guy got it, so thats why there no title.
As I said though I am hoping he gets the transmission issue sorted out, as long as it doesnt turn out to be a bigger issue. I will have to wait and see.
It was originally owned by a local funeral home, and the title was in the name of the funeral home, not a person. That funeral home went out of business and another funeral home bought that home and changed the name. That home was in the process of getting a new title when they sold the hearse to an employee.
Said employee started college in texas and had to sell the hearse to afford to move to texas. Thats when this guy got it, so thats why there no title.
As I said though I am hoping he gets the transmission issue sorted out, as long as it doesnt turn out to be a bigger issue. I will have to wait and see.
If you let a car sit for months, the fluid will drain back from the torque converter, and leak out the overflow in the transmission pan. There shouldn't be any rubber lines in the transmission. There are steel lines from the transmission to the radiator bottom, and back to the transmission. If someone were lazy, they might have cut the lines to remove the radiator for a repair. Putting a rubber line in to replace the cut section isn't a proper repair.
Another thing, is that if the vehicle hasn't had good maintenance, then you might be in for a rebuilding of the braking system. You don't say how much you are paying for the car, not what the mileage of the car is. Both are relevant to determine if you are getting a good deal or not. Plan on spending $1000 - 1500 to do any necessary repairs over the next year, since almost every old car is going to need some repairs from mileage, age, or neglect. If you can do the work yourself, great, but I am guessing that you can't, since you are taking it to a mechanic to have it checked out. Also, how much is the mechanic going to charge, is determined on how extensively he is going to be checking. Pulling the wheels (all 4) is important to check the condition of the braking system. Removing the master cylinder cap will tell you a lot. If you dip your finger into the brake fluid, and put a few drops on a white paper towel, will tell you over all condition. If it is clear or with a very slight yellow ting, it is good. If it is murky, or dark brown, then expect to be doing a lot of brake cylinder work. Brakes and steering are the two most important systems of any car, no matter what. Your life and the lives of others depend on those systems being in top working condition. When you purchase a car from an individual, you are buying it in "as is" condition, so repairs are on your expense. A great deal isn't a great deal, if you have to bring the car up to safe driving condition at great expense. Something as simple as a tune up can cost you $200 - 300 dollars, and if you need a carburetor rebuild, that can cost $300 to have it done correctly by a professional. I am not trying to discourage you from buying a car, but to enlighten you to the pitfalls of owning an older car that hasn't been maintained. If it were me, I would be looking for a car that has recently come out of funeral service where the home did proper maintenance on the vehicle. Even if you pay more for the car, you will be much better off, than taking a car that hasn't been maintained.
Another thing, is that if the vehicle hasn't had good maintenance, then you might be in for a rebuilding of the braking system. You don't say how much you are paying for the car, not what the mileage of the car is. Both are relevant to determine if you are getting a good deal or not. Plan on spending $1000 - 1500 to do any necessary repairs over the next year, since almost every old car is going to need some repairs from mileage, age, or neglect. If you can do the work yourself, great, but I am guessing that you can't, since you are taking it to a mechanic to have it checked out. Also, how much is the mechanic going to charge, is determined on how extensively he is going to be checking. Pulling the wheels (all 4) is important to check the condition of the braking system. Removing the master cylinder cap will tell you a lot. If you dip your finger into the brake fluid, and put a few drops on a white paper towel, will tell you over all condition. If it is clear or with a very slight yellow ting, it is good. If it is murky, or dark brown, then expect to be doing a lot of brake cylinder work. Brakes and steering are the two most important systems of any car, no matter what. Your life and the lives of others depend on those systems being in top working condition. When you purchase a car from an individual, you are buying it in "as is" condition, so repairs are on your expense. A great deal isn't a great deal, if you have to bring the car up to safe driving condition at great expense. Something as simple as a tune up can cost you $200 - 300 dollars, and if you need a carburetor rebuild, that can cost $300 to have it done correctly by a professional. I am not trying to discourage you from buying a car, but to enlighten you to the pitfalls of owning an older car that hasn't been maintained. If it were me, I would be looking for a car that has recently come out of funeral service where the home did proper maintenance on the vehicle. Even if you pay more for the car, you will be much better off, than taking a car that hasn't been maintained.
If I go for this car, I will be paying $4000. The inspection was going to be $50, mileage is 79,000
the th-400 will be fine most likely the pan gasket and one drip a day will lose a lot in a year. nice story on the title and most likely accurate but still if he has had it this long why not get it done. you can find a agent of the original funeral home in the parking lot. as long as they is not a lean or report of stolen car attached to the Vin no one pays any attention to a random exchange of a old car. sitting will cause a lot more problems the one thinks especially sitting out side. but if it what you want the price is right it will cost you a grand to transport the one out of Colorado and you can expect the same from it.