First Call Car Thread

[Josh Horton]

A 2006 Pontiac Montana Mini Van Service Van with Landau bar Decals

First time I seen a landau bar stickers on the wrong side. I would think a funeral home would know better.

 

[Dwayne Brooks]

The purpose-built "service cars" or "first call cars" were built in VERY low numbers. The main reason was because we all know the costs involved in ordering a coachbuilt vehicle for a funeral home fleet. That being said it was very hard to justify yet another coachbuilt car in the fleet, especially a service car to be used for flowers, chairs, casket fetching from warehouses, and removals.

If you open your Superior book you'll see that flower cars were extremely low production... and service cars even lower than that. Production numbers for service cars were often less than 10 a year even through leading companies such as Superior. Only the most successful funeral homes could justify the cost.

Yes Mike I still have the Pinner. My 1964 Chevy - Pinner service car was ordered by Fred Herbst & Sons funeral home in Brooklyn, New York. Being in that huge city is saw work mainly as casket fetching from various warehouses and removals. It was Pinner's first order ever for a "service car" and in my opinion it's an epic failure for being "user friendly" but considering where it served it was the best choice for the job.

It served it's purpose well, so well that Herbst ordered another in 1965 and a final one in 1966 from Pinner Coachworks. The whereabouts of the other two are unknown and not a single photo of them exists to this day. These were the only 3 Pinner ever produced. I can imagine what they looked like, being based on new Biscayne wagons each was unique... as Chevy wagons design was drastically different each production year.

Here's a couple photos, one at my old shop and another from Hudson 2011 when I brought the Pinner in her sad state for all to see.

Persons in this pic are Jack & Tom Pinner, the sons of Jack Pinner Sr. and both helped build this coach... Jack Jr. drove it to Brooklyn for delivery. This was the first time either had seen the car since 1964.

They sure look proud of their handiwork!!!

A good shot of Len's service car...

 

[John ED Renstrom]

correct me if I'm wrong but did not most funeral homes use the second line hearse for first call operations. the service car was used to haul the long stuff need. not to say that it could not have been used for removals if necessary. my 1972 Seville was first used as a Coroners Car and I would imagine removals associated with those duties. then it was sold to become a second line car assigned for removal duty. all that before it became a play toy for me.. to Haul my Grandmother around. but decanted service cars are a rare find. really hated to pass on John's Flxable

 

[Peter Grave - Deceased - 1938 - 2022]

I have a 96 Roadmaster wagon all black (no woodgrain) from a Conn. FH. Only way you know a first call car is the snap in place cover for the rear compartment done to match GM carpet in rest of wagon

 

[John Royark JR]

Service cars are very cool, and rare. As mentioned already the production numbers were very low, and most of them were well used. Usually they were the workhorse of the fleet, to haul roughboxes, chairs, casket lowering equipment and any thing else you can imagine. The introduction of vans and station wagons signed the death warrant for the coachbuilt service cars. If you have not read it yet, I would recommend getting a copy of "Funeral Service & Flower Cars" by Walt McCall, it has lots of beautiful coachbuilt service car pictures.
Here is a 1977 AG Solar Chrysler service car that was for sale in my area about early 2000s. I still regret to this day not buying it. On the back window it had a sticker to re elect the coroner!



A 1976 ACC Oldsmobile service car (or whats left of it) that is sitting about 12 miles from me.

 

[Mitch Fiandt]

first call car thread

Every funeral home I have worked at always used off the lot station wagons, vans or suburban's. Currently we are using an 2005 all wheel drive suburban and an 2012 Chrysler Town & Country

 

[Mike Boyer]

here is a 2013 Chrysler Service Van

 

[Wayne Krakowski]

We ran as part of our ambulance service a removal car/first call, several smaller funeral homes in our area would call, we would go and pickup the director and proceed to the house, also did most coroner calls and long distance removals. we had off the lot grey station wagons, and had drapes made and customized the rear. This is where I really learned professionalism from these directors, suit and tie and nothing less. And talking in a soft voice. Len in Chatham did the same thing,and he has told me his back and leg problems were a direct result of one man removals.

 

[Mike Boyer]

First time I seen a landau bar stickers on the wrong side. I would think a funeral home would know better.

OMG I never noticed that before ! lol I was at a friends Funeral last winter and it was parked outside.

I guess we can add this to Walt McCall's "pet Peeve" list ( #150 TPC )

 

[Mike Boyer]

Here is a interior shot of a 2012 Eagle Dodge Service Van. Now does that rear floor come out so you could use the van for something else ? I have never seen the rear interior of a service Car or Van, so I'm not sure what equipment in used.
What would it take to transform an ordinary Station Wagon or Van into a Funeral Service car/van ?

 

[Paul Steinberg]

It is probably bolted down to the seat attachments. What I find strange is the fact that the rollers are off center, for some reason that doesn't jump out at me. I would have to believe that with a little effort, the complete floor is removable, and the seats could be put back in. The bigger question is how many homes actually kept the seats for the duration of service, and would put them back at the end of its useful service life. I would be inclined to believe that the vehicle would be traded in for another of similar design, and if the body configuration hadn't changed, the floor could also be transfered to the new vehicle.

 

[Wayne Krakowski]

Could possibly be with more families and churches wanting the service to start at the church this vehicle could take the casket and flowers for off site set up thus freeing the front line coach, seems more and more are getting away from coaches and processions, just a thought.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

here is a 2013 Chrysler Service Van

lets be honest here is that a service car or a front line hearse?? 2013 if could be a hearse

 

[Martin Harvey]

It is probably bolted down to the seat attachments. What I find strange is the fact that the rollers are off center, for some reason that doesn't jump out at me. I would have to believe that with a little effort, the complete floor is removable, and the seats could be put back in. The bigger question is how many homes actually kept the seats for the duration of service, and would put them back at the end of its useful service life. I would be inclined to believe that the vehicle would be traded in for another of similar design, and if the body configuration hadn't changed, the floor could also be transfered to the new vehicle.

All true, but the reason to me, who works every day with a similar van but with centered rollers in our removable floor jump in my face !!. It's to carry more stuff when you bring a casket! If the casket is in the middle you dont have enough space on each side.. but if you put the casket on one side you can carry something more like a Tv for an everlasting video, a complete rack of flowers, or a church truck, anything else !

 

[Peter Grave - Deceased - 1938 - 2022]

The offset on the rollers is strange. Why? If you look the table is raised above the floor of the van. I see nothing Pins in a hole etc. to hold the table in place but it sure looks removable. Makes sense for it to remove cause then the seats go back and you have a people hauler. RE the offset rollers perhaps for a church cart to sit next to box no place under floor for one. I have a friend doing wheelchair conversions on the same type vans. Rear load, the floor is hinged and lowers in the rear by power you back the chair on or front the chair in. Second seat is split and hinges out of way for wheelchair but locks back in place to be used when no chair same idea retains people hauler ability. He is selling many in cities where handicap vehicles are being required for Taxi use.

 

[Mike Boyer]

All true, but the reason to me, who works every day with a similar van but with centered rollers in our removable floor jump in my face !!. It's to carry more stuff when you bring a casket! If the casket is in the middle you dont have enough space on each side.. but if you put the casket on one side you can carry something more like a Tv for an everlasting video, a complete rack of flowers, or a church truck, anything else !

Thats what I was thinking because there is no flower cars anymore the flowers could be put on the side. but if your doing removels how does that work with the rollers in the back ? when my dad died I remember them using a mini van, strecher and no rollers in the back

But would a FH use this type as Hearse ?

what did the older type First Call / Service cars have ?

 

[Steve Lichtman]

Here's a service car a friend owns locally to me. It's a '64 (?) Chevy panel van, with a wreath, no body work. I don't know what funeral home owned it, but it was local to my area.

 

[Martin Harvey]

Thats what I was thinking because there is no flower cars anymore the flowers could be put on the side. but if your doing removels how does that work with the rollers in the back ? when my dad died I remember them using a mini van, strecher and no rollers in the back

But would a FH use this type as Hearse ?

what did the older type First Call / Service cars have ?

Good question on this one, I dont see the usual "cup" that olds the one-man stretcher.. This table is probably easier to remove than ours. Outs have the center rollers and 2 cups for 2 stretchers. No matter of the rollers we just slide the stretcher on them.

Back in the 50's my boss used to have a kinda removal car/first call, a Meteor kinda like a Ford Courrier.. also used as a child's hearse, to carry stuff like chairs when the visitations were in private houses, etc. They used to take the other Chrysler as ambulance and only take the Meteor as an ambulance service when the chrysler was used as a hearse.

 

[John Royark JR]

Thats what I was thinking because there is no flower cars anymore the flowers could be put on the side. but if your doing removels how does that work with the rollers in the back ? when my dad died I remember them using a mini van, strecher and no rollers in the back

But would a FH use this type as Hearse?

Yes, most of the tables are removable, and yes, there are many smaller funeral homes that use the vans for front line service. There have been mini van hearses (advertised as hearses) since the introduction of the mini van. Personally I don't like the offset rollers, but they make more room for removals, slide the tray in on the rollers, and have room for another passenger and anything else you may need. Here are some pix I took at the 2013 NFDA convention in Ames Iowa of a 2013 Federal Chrysler.

 

[John Royark JR]

what did the older type First Call / Service cars have ?

Most older service cars interior had a floor like any hearse or combo, with post cups or cot bar (sometimes flat floor with removable casket rack when needed) but the interiors were usually plain, with heavy duty fabric or vinyl.
Here are some more.

Interior of the 1960 Fisher Chevy posted earlier.




1953 Ford Service car




1955 Superior Pontiac service car


1942 Flxible Buick service car


1955 National Chevy service car


1962 Abbott & Hast Dodge service car