What are the smaller hearses?

Sorry for being a newbie and starting two threads back to back, but there's some info I can't find online....

I was looking at buying a flower car and one of the reasons is that it's not so huge that my wife will get mad at me being parked on the side of my house. It looks like the flower car is overpriced for the condition, so I'm expanding my options. I've seen some of the early 70s hearses that are gigantic. I know...I know they have to haul coffins and aren't small cars...but I was wondering what the smaller ones are that are attainable. The crown vics? Olds 88s?

And I know that you'll be tempted to post pictures of toys, motorcycle hearses and other funny pics...so feel free....
 
You may wish to look at a mid-to-late 1980s front-wheel-drive model. Therse were smaller and more economical to operate. There are quite a few of these out there - Superiors, S&S, and Eureka models and...at reasonable prices. Introduced in 1985, these were landmark vehicles for the profession...like them or not. Some of these are now approaching thirty years so...they are becoming collectable as well.
 
There are short-wheelbase hearse conversions of 70s and 80s station wagons, from companies like Thacker or Abbott and Hast, or earlier from ACC. These could be built from any brand station wagon the customer requested.

Just a photo from Google of an '80 Thacker Mercury:
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If you are planning on parking it outside long-term, you may want to re-think your idea of buying any professional car. None of them hold up well when exposed to the elements and they all will start to deteriorate quickly, if not stored in a somewhat dry structure.
 
Thanks for the reply. Besides coach builders which car brands would I be looking at for those years?

On the front-wheel-drive platform, Superior, Eureka and S&S all offered Cadillac-based coaches. Eureka also offed completely professional, commercial glass coaches on Buick and Oldsmobile front-wheel-drive platforms. As has already been mentioned, there are also station wagon conversions that were made on the GM, Ford and some Chrysler station wagons. These were usually employed as removal/service cars so...they ran up the miles, were driven by a wide assortment of people and weren't, as a rule, given a great deal of tender loving care. But, there are some good ones out there. There are also quite a few of the 1985-1990 front-wheel-drive hearses available at reasonable prices.
 
This FWD '86 MM sold just yesterday for $950. Straight from a FH trade in on a newer coach and has only traveled 33k miles since new. Deals are out there. Helps knowing where/how to look and who to ask.

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Not many of these very rare MM Collins conversions were produced. Ron Collins told me in a phone conversation back in 1989 that they only built a dozen of these. FWB Buicks were offered as well, and sold poorly.
 
Brett, I think we all appreciate your interest in professional cars. As for your questions, you are in the right place! I think that you will learn lots, if you are interested enough.

A thought about leaving a procar outside. As previously stated, they survive better when garaged. Also, there are neighbors who will make your life miserable if they don't like hearses and the like. And most collector car insurance policies require the car be stored in a garage.

I noticed in the current issue of The Professional Car, there is a 1993 Grand Caravan hearse in black for $3,500. Okay, it is not a Caddy, Packard, or Olds, but it is a good place to start. Otherwise, from the sixties and seventies, there are short wheelbase Consort Pontiacs by Superior, Cotner Bevington made a short wheelbase Olds, Flxible made BuickFlxettes, etc. If you go back to the fifties, a Henney Junior Packard is real nice too!You will find the right car, just keep looking.
 
As keith said Superior, S&S and Eureka were the ones in the 1980's and they can be had for a good price and in some cases, in very nice shape. But as Kurt siad you need to store them inside or at least in a covered structure like a car port.

As everyone on here knows I'm the Biggest fan of the Canadian built Eureka's.
They had style and were well built

here is my 1987 Cadillac
 

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On the front-wheel-drive platform, Superior, Eureka and S&S all offered Cadillac-based coaches. Eureka also offed completely professional, commercial glass coaches on Buick and Oldsmobile front-wheel-drive platforms. As has already been mentioned, there are also station wagon conversions that were made on the GM, Ford and some Chrysler station wagons. These were usually employed as removal/service cars so...they ran up the miles, were driven by a wide assortment of people and weren't, as a rule, given a great deal of tender loving care. But, there are some good ones out there. There are also quite a few of the 1985-1990 front-wheel-drive hearses available at reasonable prices.

The Superior and S&S small FWD coaches also had commercial glass. It is still available for them, but not for the Eureka's. M-M used standard glass on theirs. Im not sure about the Eureka's, but the S&S and Superiors were available from 1985-1993. I think the Miller-Meteor was only one or two years.
S&S and Superior coaches were also offered in low and high roofs.
Some people do not like these small coaches (and they ARE small), but my 85 Superior is the favorite in my collection.
 
Just figured I'd add my .02 worth.
As others have said, if kept outside, exposed to the elements, they WILL go down hill, quick, fast and in a hurry.
As far a maneuverability and parkability. Its hard to beat the mid 80's FWD models.
I had a very nice conversion hearse that did very well at Daytona in 04. An 86 Eagle Pontiac Americana. I found it on eBay too. I sold it to another PCSer with the proviso that I get first dibs on it when he tires of it. My wife is still fuming over this one.
Keep looking around and check all your leads, you never know.
 
Great Country Motors in Mason City, IA will sell you choice of their '93 and older FWD hearses for $1500! They probably have a dozen to choose from.
 
With the discussion of the short wheelbase cars here, we should ask what the original poster is referring to and wanting as a "small coach", is it a big one with just a shorter wheelbase, or a truly small coach (85-93 FWDs)?
This picture of my 85 Superior FWD really shows how small these really are.
misc shows 34.jpg
 
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