This should provide some interesting discussion :)

Interesting find Cary.

So, my question would be... Was it coach built at all as an actual flower car?

According to the description, the roof is 1962 Chevy. Something someone converted later in the car's life?
 
there were a lot of cars converted in independent body shops for people other then the funeral crowd. I would say this was one of them. the description of parts use suggest junk yard shopping to find what was need for a one of conversion. shriners did a lot of them. then things were passed on as the group changed. I remember working with one man that had pictures of one he had done for a sales man. he wanted it because he had the odd occasion to have to haul back a appliance for repair or deliver a new one. not often enough to run a truck and he wanted the ride of the caddy.
 
'57 Superior Coupe de Fleur

It appears to have started life as a Superior Flower Car... A few telltales are the "dimple" in the rear door above the blister molding, the lower quarter side trim, and the low window frame on the front door. Obviously the rear portion of the top has been modified, and the flower deck removed for the "clowns".
 
Did it start life as a flower car, or perhaps as a regular hearse? I think the reason the Chevy roof was added is that it wasn't a flower car, it was a hearse, and had the whole roof cut off. Probably the only way they could find to "end" the cab of the car, without a roof, was to use parts of something else (a Chevy).

I see the lower trim, used by Superior, but I also think I see a M-M nameplate at the very top of the tailfin.

How much do they want for it? :eek: Did their finger get stuck on the zero key?
 
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I'm thinking (after looking at the photos on the Hemmings ad) it was a Superior Flower Car also.....the roof was altered to allow the organ in the back.
The lower rear quarter trim almost looked painted white. Upon looking at the other images you can see the fluting on the trim. What a shame....but to each their own....

1zxt5wm.jpg
 
Steve Lichtman said:
Did it start life as a flower car, or perhaps as a regular hearse? I think the reason the Chevy roof was added is that it wasn't a flower car, it was a hearse, and had the whole roof cut off. Probably the only way they could find to "end" the cab of the car, without a roof, was to use parts of something else (a Chevy).

I see the lower trim, used by Superior, but I also think I see a M-M nameplate at the very top of the tailfin.

How much do they want for it? :eek: Did their finger get stuck on the zero key?
Click to expand...

Steve,

The tailfin emblem you see is the standard crest applied to all '57 Series 62 Cadillacs, and some '57 CC Cadillacs. In fact, I think M-M was the only coachbuilder to use their own emblem on the fin that year.

On this car, the faux vent at the leading edge of the lower quarter trim is another item unique to Superior. What convinces me that this car was originally a Flower Car and not a Hearse is the front door vent windows and the low frame around the side windows. The top portion of the vent windows and side windows on a Hearse or Ambulance would angle upward to the center of the body. I'm sure you have a Superior book lying around somewhere... Check out the '57 - '58 coaches and you'll see what I mean.:)

Besides the lack of a flower deck, the missing quarter windows and roof overhang throw the look of the car off a little... But it still screams Superior Coupe de Fleur to me.

Great find Cary, Thanks for posting.:)
 
I agree that it does appear to have been a flowercar, don't really care for the change as I really liked the roof line it would have had. Wonder what impact the change had on the rear side doors?? Notice that the rear door handle looks to be missing??

Dana Bennett
 
it would be impossible to say. but the trim is only partly there the leading edge of the rear lower trim is different . the rear doors most likely are not a working door. with the back window treatment. it's a entirely different back window not just a roof line change. Chopin the top overhang on a flower car would not make it necessary to change the whole back window. if it was a CC car and the wheel base looks like it I bet is was a hearse. that back glass looked to me like a 2 door chevy and they used the shelf in front of the deck lid and pieces of the quarters going down the side. no reason to do that if you all ready have a finished box as a flower car would be.
 
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