1963 Cadillac Superior Crown Royale Combination

Greetings all! As my user name implies, my name is Matt. Back in June, i acquired my latest, biggest project I've ever tackled: this lovely 1963 Cadillac Superior Crown Royale Combination. Considering how rare this car is and this also being my first professional car I have ever owned, I wanted to share my restoration progress with others that may appreciate the effort as well as be able to supply advice and/or provide from their great depths of knowledge if I have any questions while on my journey.

(I'm gonna apologize ahead of time, because I'm gonna share a decent amount of photos in this thread)



The car is originally from St. Charles, Missouri and was owned by the Dallmeyer Funeral Home. She hasn't been inspected since 1984, has 47988 original miles on her and by my guestimation, still about 95% complete. The only things I can see that are missing is one emblem on the back and the stainless steel molding that went on the bottoms of the rear quarters. The whole interior is there as well as everything else on the exterior. The car was originally GM's "Silver Blue" color, but at some point, someone decided to do a bad job taping off the chrome and spray painted her black.

My plans for her are to keep her as original as possible, restoring her back to an ambulance. Like I stated in my introduction thread, the only thing that will make her more an ambulance than a hearse will be trading a casket for a gurney and I also plan to give her a 2 tone paint job of white and diplomat blue. Other than that, she's staying the same.

Now, I know they didn't make a lot of commercial chassises in general in 1963, and the Crown Royales were the top trim line of Superior and they didn't make a lot of combos, let alone combos with suicide doors. My question is, are there production numbers some where or does someone have any way of knowing how many were made like this? Heck, it still has the factory A/C in it! I know there weren't many, but I was curious if anyone had any insight into just how many there were?

Okay, that's enough of me rambling on about it, here are some photos I have of her original state she showed up to me in.



(of course it started to rain on me while trying to push this beast into the garage when she first showed up)












And here she is currently, jacked up and awaiting new tires so I can at least roll her if I need to.

It will look great in Ambulance mode !!

good luck

The Superior production numbers are not broke down into each model, but they built 582 combination coaches on the Cadillac chassis that year.

John Royark JR said:

The Superior production numbers are not broke down into each model, but they built 582 combination coaches on the Cadillac chassis that year.

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You mean that out of the 2527 commercial chassis produced that year by Cadillac, there were a total of 582 combination coaches produced across all couch houses, or just Superior? I'm just looking for clarification. Thanks for chiming in though to give me a better idea about the production of my car!

Also, I'm not even sure how accurate the 2527 number is, but I got it from Here.

Great lines and appears like a wonderful starting point. Fantastic that you have history already as well. As another Crown owner, looking forward to your progress. Buy the Superior book for more detailed info...and inspiration.

Matthew Burkit said:

Now, I know they didn't make a lot of commercial chassises in general in 1963, and the Crown Royales were the top trim line of Superior and they didn't make a lot of combos, let alone combos with suicide doors. My question is, are there production numbers some where or does someone have any way of knowing how many were made like this? Heck, it still has the factory A/C in it! I know there weren't many, but I was curious if anyone had any insight into just how many there were?

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Of 84 total '63-'64 Superiors (all body styles) I have personally photo documented or have archived - only 18 have regularly hinged doors. Suicide door were more so the norm for Superior in this vintage.

has one of these apart a couple years back. superiors construction is fairly simple but a bit sloppy. the key points to it are the same as any car the fender skirt mounts especially the front are a problem point and the inner fenders prone to rust. here are some pictures you may find useful.
http://www.dropshots.com/jer57747/albums/297290

feel free to right click any you need. the car belongs to Brendon Marten he checks in on the site every few days.

the hood, front fenders on the car are 63 comerichal chassis only. as are the moldings on top of the fenders. so be careful with them

Wow, and you've got the "Dallmeyer" plaque on the divider. Keep that safe! While parts for your car may be hard to find, that's simply irreplaceable.

Matthew Burkit said:

You mean that out of the 2527 commercial chassis produced that year by Cadillac, there were a total of 582 combination coaches produced across all couch houses, or just Superior? I'm just looking for clarification. Thanks for chiming in though to give me a better idea about the production of my car!

Also, I'm not even sure how accurate the 2527 number is, but I got it from Here.

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Yes, the 582 number is just the combination coaches built by Superior. Superior built a total of 1174 units of all types based on the Cadillac chassis that year. Superior really cranked them out.
Also, the number of Cadillac commercial chassis you have is correct, and they were split between Superior, S&S, Eureka, and Miller-Meteor.

I used to own a 1963 Eureka combination. Regarding 1963 engine parts, be very cautious that you buy the correct parts. 1963 engines are rated as 390's, but are actually the first year of the 429 design. You will see that the alternator and power steering pump are reversed from a 1962 Cadillac, as in the 1964 model year. Just trying to help. Nice car! Good luck!

Tom Hoczyk said:

I used to own a 1963 Eureka combination. Regarding 1963 engine parts, be very cautious that you buy the correct parts. 1963 engines are rated as 390's, but are actually the first year of the 429 design. You will see that the alternator and power steering pump are reversed from a 1962 Cadillac, as in the 1964 model year. Just trying to help. Nice car! Good luck!

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Thanks for the advice! The only stuff I've really bought mechanically for the car so far was a disc brakes conversion kit with a duel reservoir and new master cylinder. I still need my relatives to take a look at it and see what the first step will be with engine bay.

Matt, welcome. Looks like a great car, and it will look very good in combo-ambulance mode! Ask anything you like, we'll be glad to help.

Love the 63

Welcome to the PCS Matt. As Ed mentioned I have a restored 1963 Superior Cadillac Hightop Ambulance. It is the model 616 Rescuer. Ed restored mine a few years back and did a phenomenal job. He can really help you with the ins and outs of these cars. You are lucky to have found this group; it will make your restoration easier. Whether you are having it done or doing it yourself, this group will help in any way. Ed and I had to track down some hard to find items and without the support here it would not have been possible. I had lots of tech support from Paul Steinberg. Steve Lichtman and Atilla formed a team effort to get a medical cabinet to me. Steve Loftin pointed me in the direction of a rear heater control knob that was driving me nuts. Kurt Arrends found my fender molding. I know I've missed a few, and for that I'm sorry. If you have any questions send me a message. I do have a small cache of parts if you need them. maybe even some emblems, I will check. Good luck, its going to be great.

if you convert it to disk brakes you will not be able to run the factory wheels and caps on it. I'm not sure that the disk wheels will go under the rear with the skirts on so one might end up with running two sets of wheels. as long as you're not road racing the drum brakes will stop it just fine. besides with drum brakes you can roll it around the shop by your self. you car do what you like just letting you know the trouble others have had.

John ED Renstrom said:

if you convert it to disk brakes you will not be able to run the factory wheels and caps on it. I'm not sure that the disk wheels will go under the rear with the skirts on so one might end up with running two sets of wheels. as long as you're not road racing the drum brakes will stop it just fine. besides with drum brakes you can roll it around the shop by your self. you car do what you like just letting you know the trouble others have had.

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That's what everyone told my buddy that put disc brakes on his 1960 MM and he's running factory wheels and caps on it. Supposedly Commercial Chassis wheels are exactly the same as the other stock wheels that came on other caddys of the same year, they are just made of a heavier metal and are riveted together. Dimensionally they are the same. And if they are dimensionally the same, then I don't see why a disc brake conversion kit for a 1963 cadillac won't work or fit on the car.

Saying all of that, I also have not tried to install any of it yet so I could also be completely wrong and eventually eat my words, haha. Thank you for the input though; I've heard conflicting statements about the brakes so we'll have to wait and see!

most people find that the factory wheel will not clear the calipers. now if he has hit on a smaller set? find out what he is using and let us know. what amuses me is the number of people that spend a vast amounts of money on suspension, brakes, engine swap ect only to trailer their car to meets. it just ain't cool if you don't drive it.

but as expensive as these cars are to restore to me it's bang for the buck. why dump thousands into a car making modifications that mean little, to a car you drive seldom and then only short distances.

but that just runs around the stock vers modified mulberry bush. we all change our car some.

be sure to post a lot of pictures as you get into this one we all love to see them.

My question is WHY spend money on disc brakes when the Cadillac Commercial Chassis had great drum brakes? The car chassis stretches are another story they in most cases are underbraked and would greatly benifit from the disc conversion. I used many of the drum braked units in the 70s and never had a fade issue the main thing was good brake linings that were fade resistant the cheap junk faded quick. My wifes aunt drove for the Lansdale Pa. Medical core she loved to tell the tale of bringing in "the Roadmaster rig" using the gears and double clutching to first gear to get stopped at the hospital because "the brakes were gone in smoke".

John ED Renstrom said:

but as expensive as these cars are to restore to me it's bang for the buck. why dump thousands into a car making modifications that mean little, to a car you drive seldom and then only short distances.

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Yeah, mine will be driven, don't worry. What's the point of making it driveable if I'm not gonna drive it?

Peter Grave said:

My question is WHY spend money on disc brakes when the Cadillac Commercial Chassis had great drum brakes? The car chassis stretches are another story they in most cases are underbraked and would greatly benifit from the disc conversion. I used many of the drum braked units in the 70s and never had a fade issue the main thing was good brake linings that were fade resistant the cheap junk faded quick.

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I'm only putting discs on the front. I just want to be able to stop a little easier. My brother and I inherited our father's 1965 Impala Super Sport and that sucker is rocking drums all the way around and after driving that boat for a while, I figured I'd feel better if the Caddy had discs up front.

You ought to warm up a set for the 65 SS the drum brakes on them were the pits. Push and Pray type specially if a big block.

Matthew: I have a 63 MM and the old drums stop her just fine. Just my 2 cents (does that buy else anything anymore??).

all of this is not to knock you or your intentions for the car. as I said it's your car and you do what you want. my suggestion would be to start as I do when I get a new car. get it cleaned up good and running first and drive it around some to get the feel of what it needs. just cleaning it out lets you find a number of things you never knew about the car. what goes where and how it works. then get it running. nothing worse then a dead horse in the shop for me. then drive it around sum. that for me is the fun part that first run around the block and tweaking it back into reliable mechanical shape. once you there you will have a clear idea of what the car needs and whether or not you like it enough to put the money into it. mean time you can be locating and gathering parts. forming your plan of attack.

now me I lover the looks of that 63 the superior was a striking body once back together. I just hated driving it. I could not get in or out without striking either my head or knee on something in the door opening. but man I loved working on it. once you got your head around superiors construction techniques and accepted the car for what it was knowing you could do a little better in reassembling it, it was a joy to work on.

so what i'm encouraging you to do is get to know and trust your car first then take it apart.