Kennedy hearse at Barrett-Jackson 2012

Unlike the last time one of these "Kennedy-associated" vehicles surfaced, this one is the real thing and can be documented as such. McPherson told me that he even wrote the detailed story of this car and included some excellent then and now photos of it for the PCS magazine last year. There's absolutely no doubt regarding this vehicle's originality. It'll be interesting to see how much this bone fide car brings at the auction.
 
It has no reserve this time I noticed, and in previous auctions it has (maybe with another owner though). One thing I've thought of, if I were the seller, is that I would take the money and run now. One of the non-monetary values of this coach today is it's historic significance. But, when my generate, and those that follow, get older and we're further removed from the generation that witnessed the tragedy, will we care? Okay, yes we will of course, but definitely not like some of you who remember that day, where you were, and how you heard it. And over time, that will have an impact on the value of something like this. I just hope wherever it ends up, it's on display to the public. Would be a shame not to be...
 
"It not only carried away the president for the last time, it signified the end of the age of innocence, the end of Camelot and the end of so many hopes and dreams for one of the most beloved presidents of all time."


Speaking from an automotive standpoint, I believe it carried away the President for the SECOND to last time.

Or is B-J now denying the existence of last years headline car?
 
Reason the drapes are closed.

Kent,
The reason they have the drapes closed is that the Secret Service closed the drapes when they hijacked the car from Parkland. Understandably, they didn't want Mrs. Kennedy to be visible from outside the car. They have closed the drapes now, so that the car looks as it did in the photos taken that day.
 
Ok two questions I have never been in a 63 or 64 MM hearse. but I'm think when they did the drapes on this one some one has them cut short. a lot of opening showing on the sides there all around.

then correct me if I'm wrong but the home had two of them just the one when Kennedy was shot but acquitted another new one later.painted the same color with the same interior. both were use a number of years then sold to other people repainted different colors and sold again. before the current owner acquired "the" car and restored it back. so the serial number would be the only way to tell you had the first car. which if I remember the story was a demo brought of the floor at the funeral directors show.

here is three shots of the car one just before it was hijacked one arriving at love field and one standing on the tarmac waiting for the plain to be modified to load the casket.

still say to me it been used for years redone 3 times we know of its not the same car any more then any other 64 MM.
 

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Isn't thie the car that has been for sale for a couple of years now? Or did it sell and the new owner is selling it at auction?
 
then correct me if I'm wrong but the home had two of them just the one when Kennedy was shot but acquitted another new one later.painted the same color with the same interior. both were use a number of years then sold to other people repainted different colors and sold again. before the current owner acquired "the" car and restored it back. so the serial number would be the only way to tell you had the first car. which if I remember the story was a demo brought of the floor at the funeral directors show.

Vernon "Peg" O'Neal had three similar M-Ms; the car used to carry JFK was the only one with swag drapes. It had been on display at the Dallas NFDA convention in October of 1963.

The others, another '64 and a '63, had standard airline drapes and ended up in Oklahoma. The '64 went to Case-Hill in Alva and then Huckleberry's in Wetumka. According to a reliable friend, the Case-Hill car still had O'Neal paperwork in the glove box when purchased by Gerald Huckleberry in 1974. The '63 ended up on a car lot in Cushing about 20 years ago.

(SL photo, 1975)
 

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No doubt they have gotten it right and now have the real thing this time! Not surprised that it is now going to BJ as we all mostly though it would! This car was on display at the 1963 NFDA Convention in Dallas Texas and was M-M Body number 64001 and was bought by O'Neal on the spot off the convention floor from Miller-Meteor! I too will be glued to the television set when this baby crosses the block!
 
I wonder if Barrett Jackson will show a picture of the Miller Meteor data plate to prove that this is the real thing. It should also have a very low General Motors Cadillac Division serial number, if the original is still attached. Back then, I believe that Cadillac was still using the plastic body tags in the door jam, and the metal data plate riveted under the hood. If they were proactive, they would do the same type of forensic examination of the engine, transmission, differential, etc., serial numbers to see if they match the rest of the body.
I also wonder if they are following this thread.........
 
I believe this car is well documented and it's place in history is secure. I believe the value of this particular professional car will be strong for years to come, although I have always thought the asking price was high. It will be very interesting to see what the "hammer price" will be at B-J. Always remember that this was a very special President on many levels and that alone will guarantee future generations should be interested, not just those of us who lived through it.
 
If I recall Dan B got close enough to the car to view it and he was less then impressed on the condition of it. my point is if you going to attempt to restore a car with HX significance don't you pay attention to detail. or do you just re write Hx because no one really cares anyway. no one working at MM would have turned out a set like this and they were not trying to get a million dollars for there car. if you miss something this obvious what else did you gloss over.

just noticed the rocker molding is missing to. Diamondback would have cut them the correct white walls to. it not like there are any pictures of the car in service. guess if you got a million to spend on a car whats a few thousand to get it back right.
 

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Wonder when Miller-Meteor will send BJ the documentation that this IS the Kennedy hearse!?!?!?:drama: Maybe I can provide them with the CORRECT M-M letter head at least!!!!:boo::thumbsup::yum:
 
I have a Sotheby's catalog from the auction of Jacqueline Onassis' estate after she passed, and someone paid $450,000+ for one of his rocking chairs. Seems like $1 Mil is an accurate target for this at a circus like B-J. Maybe more.
 

As usual, B-J doesn't seem to care about the facts. From the auction description:

"This hearse has only changed hands two times. The first titled owner was O'Neal Funeral Home, the second owner was Arrdeen Vaughan and he has owned the car for over 40 years, where it was kept in a private collection."

"It was sold a few year later to another funeral home, Vaughan, to be kept in a private collection where it has been for over 40 years. Aubrey Rike worked for the O'Neal Funeral Home and was the driver of this car that fateful day in 1963. The O'Neal Funeral Home had the contract with Parkland Memorial Hospital for both the hearse and ambulance service."

1. This car was traded in by O'Neal's to Summers, sold by Summers to another firm (the one that repainted it), traded back in to Summers (where I photographed it), and then bought by Ardeen in the mid/late 1980s. Mr. Vaughan was the car's third owner and has owned it for around 35 years.

2. Aubrey (A.L., or "Al") Rike was driving an ambulance that day - Car 606 - and just happened to be at the ER dropping off a patient when JFK was brought in. Peg O'Neal drove the casket-carrying '64 to Parkland by himself. After the body and the '64 were stolen by Secret Service agents, Peg got in 606 with the ambulance crew, followed the procession to the airport, and drove the '64 back to the funeral home himself after it was (finally) released to him. Mr. Rike did not drive the coach at any time that day.

3. The O'Neal firm had no contract with Parkland or the City of Dallas.

As a matter of trivia, the car was sold new to O'Neal's by Stan McCampbell of McCampbell M-M Sales in Ft. Worth. He was the area M-M dealer for a short period (1962-67?) following Randall Noe and previous to Joe Summers having the franchise.
 

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if I'm think right again. did not the current owner turn down a mill offered for the car last year? about the time the ambulance was up for sale.
 
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