Flower cars still working ??

[Josh Gentry]

I have ben told there is a black firm in Clarcksville TN that stil uses a flower car. I also know of another Funeral Home that has a old one, but can't say what or where.

Until recently, Dovin Funeral Home in Lorain, Ohio was using a '67 flower car. They sold it to Tim Fantin a couple of months ago. Also, Stewart and Calhoun Funeral Home in Akron (PCS members) have flower cars in their fleet and I believe that Hummel in Akron does too.

Here are some pics of tim's beautiful 67 Superior Flower-Car.

Josh

 

[Chris Elzie]

I have ben told there is a black firm in Clarcksville TN that stil uses a flower car. I also know of another Funeral Home that has a old one, but can't say what or where.

Here are some pics of tim's beautiful 67 Superior Flower-Car.

Josh

Wow Stunning Car. After looking at this one and remembering the 67 that has disapeared in Memphis was a Miller and not a Superior like I was thinking it was.

Heres a picture of the one that has disappeard.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gatesofmemphis/2370179090/

 

[Attila Bethlenfalvy]

Chris, I happen to have heard the story on the 'missing' '67 MM just last month. After seeing your pic, I'm sure it is the same flower car now. You're correct - it is no longer at funeral home.

 

[Kevin M. Parkinson]

Heres a picture of the one that has disappeard.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gatesofmemphis/2370179090/

The picture of the car in this link is a 1968.

 

[Mike Stevens]

flower cars

There is one firm here in town that still uses a flower car. I think it is a mid
90s. Their fleet is all white. Next time I see it out I will try to get a few pictures. Or maybe just go ask if I can get some pictures. Maybe we will get some new members too.
Mike

 

[Chris Elzie]

Chris, I happen to have heard the story on the 'missing' '67 MM just last month. After seeing your pic, I'm sure it is the same flower car now. You're correct - it is no longer at funeral home.

the actual owner of the funeral home died about 2 weeks ago but the flower car was long gone before that, I dont know what happend to it as everytime I asked I was told that it would never be for sale. They also have a 75-76 75 Series limo with the little landaus on it. I have been trying find out whats going to happen to it but I cant get any reponse from anyone.

 

[Tim A. Fantin]

When a funeral home uses a flower car, do they also use a hearse? Or, do they place the casket into the back of the flower car during the funeral procession?

When I purchased the '67 from Dovin's I was told they always used their car as a hearse and would put the flowers on top. My '75 on the other hand was only used as a flower car and hardly ever carried a casket except for out of town long road trips.
There are still a number of firms that use flower cars in the Chicago area as well as here in Northern Indiana. Most are in the mid-90's or newer. I do know of two seperate firms still running early 80's Superiors. One of them has an updated front clip and trim to look like a 1992.

 

[Dan Herrick]

Albany Flower Cars

If you were at the International Meet last year in Albany you could have seen five (5) flower cars that were either in service or just taken out of service. I can't believe that I only have one picture of any of them.

 

[Steve Loftin]

There are none left in service in Oklahoma. There were only three sold new here:

1969 M-M - Dyer, Tulsa
1972 Superior - Merritt, Bethany
1975 Superior - Dyer, Tulsa (seen at '86 meet in Tulsa)

To my knowledge there were no others used in this state.

 

[Shawn Blyler]

If you were at the International Meet last year in Albany you could have seen five (5) flower cars that were either in service or just taken out of service. I can't believe that I only have one picture of any of them.

Here are a few more from Albany

'68 Cadillac (and Kim McDonald on the left...)
'66? Cadillac
'78-'80? Lincoln

 

[Jim Jordan]

There are none left in service in Oklahoma. There were only three sold new here:

1969 M-M - Dyer, Tulsa
1972 Superior - Merritt, Bethany
1975 Superior - Dyer, Tulsa (seen at '86 meet in Tulsa)

To my knowledge there were no others used in this state.

At least we know the 75 has made its way to a loving PCS home.

 

[Josh Horton]

This one was brand new when I took the pictures at a PCS meet in 2008. I believe he said it was only $99,000. I open the rear door, that was all I could afford. Here is the link to my photobucket album.

 

[Kenn Evans II]

Here in Winslow both of our funeral homes use a new version,( pickups and vans) and some times the extra coach comes out just to haul floral arrangements. Many families leave the flowers at the church or have us take thme to the nursing homes to share their beauty with others and only the plants and casket spray go to the cemetery.

 

[Dan Brintlinger]

We will use it

We have used our restored 1970 Superior flower car 2 times. Each time, there were not enough flowers to completely cover the flower deck, but both families were very pleased.........one was a personal friend who was almost the first person to see it after the restoration..........and yes, we will use it in good weather if requested.........

 

[Ken Novak]

2008 Eagle Coupe De Fleur in Chicago

Spotted recently in Chicago, Illinois on duty.

 

[Kyle Martin]

flower cars were never used here as you drive many miles to a cemetery at highway speeds. my dad always lusted after one but never had one. he just liked em. he did transform a toronado airport car into a combo hearse/ palbearor car and god it was ugly. big black and took a mile to turn it around. my brother u shaped it and it was strpped and scrapped except for the 455 and turbo 400 which we made work in a 69 1-ton chevy pickup. pulled a horsetrailer with it for years.

 

[Tony Karsnia - Deceased - 1971-2020]

Flower Car in Minnesota

I don't think there has EVER been one used in Minnesota.

Surprisingly, there was a flower car used in Minnesota, albeit briefly. The accompanying clip from the Mid-Continent Mortician magazine shows Jim and Joan Honsa taking delivery of a new 1966 Superior for Mueller Mortuary in St. Paul.

I spoke with Al Mueller's son, Scott, at length one day about this car. He said his dad just wanted "something unique" in the way of a hearse. They understood that flowers wouldn't be carried on the deck during the winter months, but thought it would look nice during warmer months.

Scott explained that, practicality aside, nobody around here knew what the car was supposed to be and often mislabeled it as a pickup. It was not overly well accepted, so Al didn't keep it for very long.

Naturally, I asked Scott if he'd seen any other photos of the car and he said he had not.

I've also heard a rumor that Werness Brothers in Minneapolis had a flower car in the 1960s, but I'm thinking that was confused for the Mueller car, since the Werness fleet color was also dark blue and I've never come across anything to substantiate that Werness actually had a flower car.

 

[Tony Karsnia - Deceased - 1971-2020]

As seen on the freeway

I managed to get a couple grab shots of this Eagle Cadillac while en-route to the 2011 PCS International Meet in Hudson, OH. I don't remember the exact location; somewhere around Columbus, I think.

(Karsnia photos)

 

[John Royark JR]

flower cars were never used here as you drive many miles to a cemetery at highway speeds. my dad always lusted after one but never had one. he just liked em. he did transform a toronado airport car into a combo hearse/ palbearor car and god it was ugly. big black and took a mile to turn it around. my brother u shaped it and it was strpped and scrapped except for the 455 and turbo 400 which we made work in a 69 1-ton chevy pickup. pulled a horsetrailer with it for years.

Any chance there is a pic of that? I have always wanted to make a landau hearse out of one of those airport limos!! I have a pic of one on a Chrysler chassis that was on Ebay years ago that they filled in the rear quarter glass, I loved it.

 

[Paul Newman]

There is a firm in Holyoke Ma that still uses a 61 or 62 cad flower car.