Kennedy hearse at Barrett-Jackson 2012

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SCOTTSDALE, AZ--(Marketwire - Dec 16, 2011) - Barrett-Jackson Auction Company, host of "The World's Greatest Collector Car Auctions™," will sell another piece of John F. Kennedy history at its 41st Annual Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction, Jan. 15-22, at WestWorld of Scottsdale.
On Saturday, Jan. 21, Barrett-Jackson will sell the 1964 Cadillac Hearse (Lot #1293) used to transport President John F. Kennedy's body to Air Force One following his assassination in Dallas. The sale of this piece of history from that fateful day follows the 2011 sale of an ambulance used to transport John F. Kennedy's body from Air Force One to the Bethesda Naval Hospital. The ambulance sold amid worldwide attention, despite unproven claims that the ambulance was another naval ambulance.
"It's an honor to be able to offer a vehicle of this stature," said Chairman and CEO Craig Jackson. "While its duty was solemn, it was also extremely important and played a crucial role in transporting the president so he could be laid to rest."
The hearse is chassis 64Z000050, which was mated to body #64001. It was built by the Miller-Meteor Company in time for display at the National Funeral Home Directors Association Convention that took place in Dallas in October, 1963. At the close of the trade show, the hearse was purchased by the O'Neal Funeral Home in Dallas. A few weeks later on Nov. 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was mortally wounded and taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The O'Neal Funeral Home was summoned to supply the finest casket it had available, as well as an appropriate conveyance.
The hearse then made the historic trip carrying the President's body as well as the First Lady from Parkland Memorial Hospital to Love Field, where Air Force One was waiting to transport the casket to Washington, D.C.
"The eyes of the world were on this car on that unforgettable day in American history," said Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. "It's one of the most significant and historical vehicles ever offered for sale."
While the controversy surrounding the assassination of President Kennedy and the handling of the investigation has persisted since those dark days of late 1963, the O'Neal Funeral Home retained the hearse until the late 1960s when it was purchased by Arrdeen Vaughan, who is believed to have been an employee of O'Neal Funeral Home. Vaughan owned the car for more than four decades until it was sold privately to its current, third owner. As a hearse distributor and early collector, Vaughan is responsible for the preservation of this incredible piece of history.
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About that '63 Superior/Pontiac USN ambulance...

Another B-J fact finding failure:

"The sale of this piece of history from that fateful day follows the 2011 sale of an ambulance used to transport John F. Kennedy's body from Air Force One to the Bethesda Naval Hospital. The ambulance sold amid worldwide attention, despite unproven claims that the ambulance was another naval ambulance."

These guys never give up.
 
"It's an honor to be able to offer a vehicle of this stature," said Chairman and CEO Craig Jackson. "While its duty was solemn, it was also extremely important and played a crucial role in transporting the president so he could be laid to rest."

Wonder if he was wearing his sunglasses and twirling the M-M data plate in his fingers when he was saying this!:blahblah::yum:

While the controversy surrounding the assassination of President Kennedy and the handling of the investigation has persisted since those dark days of late 1963, the O'Neal Funeral Home retained the hearse until the late 1960s when it was purchased by Arrdeen Vaughan, who is believed to have been an employee of O'Neal Funeral Home. Vaughan owned the car for more than four decades until it was sold privately to its current, third owner. As a hearse distributor and early collector, Vaughan is responsible for the preservation of this incredible piece of history.

I yie yie!!!:confused::fart1::loser::bsflag2:

We all know what this is about though, THA BENJAMIN'S BABY!!!!!!!!:boo:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll3uipTO-4A[/ame]

Now it's back to the basement to blog further about the Kennedy pro-cars and figure out my next move in defeating the Wathonians in the East Woods of Aquathitia in World of Warcraft!
 
Ironically, there really was no reason for them to bring up the ambulance at all. I think it's actually an honor that they mentioned the questionable history of the ambulance. They know we know. The only ones for whom it was unproven were Steve Davis and Tammy Allan (the lady who ultimately bought the car). The rest of us know the truth.

Question, though: was Arrdeen Vaughan really an employee of O'Neal's???
 
it would have been a lot better had they just ran this car by it's self. they knew they messed up on the last one . why bring it up again. but us basment blogers with blog away. can someone tell me what's a blog. sounds like a swamp in Irland
 
Question, though: was Arrdeen Vaughan really an employee of O'Neal's???

NO....He Wasn't. Never was. he's a professional dar and a car dealer down in Texas.
 
Ever since reading "Death Of A President", by the late William Manchester, I've been interested in this story.

He wrote a very detailed chronological account of the events surrounding 11/22/1963, and spent a lot of time describing Vernon O'Neal, his funeral home, and Aubrey Rike. Later on, which is at least as interesting, he goes on to describe Bethesda Naval Hospital, the autopsy room and morgue, and Gawler's Funeral Home in Washington D.C. who embalmed and "prepared" president Kennedy for viewing right there in the autopsy room (even though the casket was closed, they didn't decide until Jackie and Bobby Kennedy viewed JFK in his casket and decided he looked awful and couldn't be viewed).

But according to "Death Of A President", Vernon O'Neal did have the ambulance service contract for metro Dallas. And, the hearse was described as a pure white 1964 M+M combination car (not a hearse), with mint green curtains and trim.

The book also described at great length the outrageously expensive Brittania casket that carried JFK from Dallas to D.C., for which Vernon O'Neal wasn't paid until some time later...at a substantially reduced amount than he had billed them.

But I've always wondered, what became of O'Neal's funeral home? Is it still in business? I've looked it up on Google different times, and can find nothing on it.
 
The Dudley M. Hughes F.H. had the city ambulance contract at that time, but used other firms - such as O'Neal's - to cover calls when necessary.

The '64 M-M had (and has) white curtains with a green and white interior.

Here's the story about the casket payment, taken from one of many related articles:

The history of Vernon O’Neal’s casket did not end that night at Bethesda when President Kennedy was transferred to a different coffin. Gawler’s Funeral Home took possession of JFK’s original casket after they placed him in the undamaged casket that their mortuary team had brought to Bethesda Naval Hospital following Kennedy’s autopsy. Whether it was as a morbid souvenir or simply due to confusion about what to do with it, Gawler’s stored JFK’s original coffin in a warehouse in Washington, D.C. In January 1964, less than two months after JFK’s burial, Vernon O’Neal submitted a bill to the federal government for $3,995 for the casket that Secret Service Agent Clint Hill ordered in Dallas and JFK was transported to Washington in.

The government felt that O’Neal’s bill was "excessive", particularly since he had merely delivered the casket to Parkland Hospital in Dallas and had not performed any other funeral services such as embalming, chapel services or transportation of mourners. O’Neal lowered the price by $500, but the government still had an issue with the $3,495 price tag. What Vernon O’Neal actually wanted was the casket itself. O’Neal had received offers of $100,000 by parties interested in collecting and displaying the casket as a unique relic of the slain President. For the Kennedy Family – still reeling from the assassination and its aftermath – the last thing they wanted was a spectacle surrounding a bloodstained coffin that JFK had spent just a few hours in. At the family’s urging, the federal government paid O’Neal (he received $3,160 for his services on November 22, 1963) and the General Services Administration took possession of the object in 1965.

The original casket was later buried at sea.

O'Neal's is no longer in business, and the building has been torn down.
 
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But are you sure the original casket was buried at sea? The "original" Pontiac ambulance was "supposed" to be crushed but obviously it wasnt as it surfaced last year & was sold at Barrett-Jackson. Maybe the original casket will show up in the near future?
 
Jalopnik covered the story in January 2011 when it was for sale on eBay.. Click here for story I am wondering if they are going to be carrying the story now that Barrett Jackson has put it in the catalog for sale? I sent them an email directing them to these forums again "for the rest of the story". Time will tell...
Paul
 
Were the 63 and 64 fins significantly different? This 63 that showed up at an Ohio meet is almost a twin, but just looks different in back. Unfortunately I didn't get a rear shot (or I can't find it):

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JFK Car:

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1964 had a finer grille with body colored divider plus larger turn lamps behind clear lenses... compare Herb's 1963 to Ron's 1964 sitting side by side and the differences are obvious, not sure about the rear fin differences though

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Lens

1964 had a finer grille with body colored divider plus larger turn lamps behind clear lenses... compare Herb's 1963 to Ron's 1964 sitting side by side and the differences are obvious, not sure about the rear fin differences though
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The 63 lens is taller than a regular 63 Caddy . I belive 64 is the same height as a regular 64 Caddy. Here is a pic of the 63 CC lens and regular Caddy.
 

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That's what it looked like to me, the 63's fin looks just slightly taller, and possibly has a slightly different profile?

In the side shots of the 64 you can clearly see the lower window chrome go all the way back, but on the 63 is is just slightly obscured by the fin. Thought maybe it was just the angle of the pics, but it appears there is a slight difference. Probably more noticeable if the two were side by side. Maybe somebody got a rear shot of Herb and Rons cars together?

Anyway, back to our regularly scheduled programming....
 
TALK ABOUT GLUTTONS FOR PUNISHMENT! Though the provenance of this 1964 Miller-Meteor Cadillac is far more certain than the 1963 Superior Pontiac Navy Ambulance we indisputably proved to be a replica prior to last year's Scottsdale auction, you would think Barrett-Jackson would want to give JFK "connected" pro-cars a pass after last year's dung-storm! The consignor obviously ran out of faith that his ambitious, seven-figure asking price would be achieved anywhere but Westworld, though I personally remain doubtful it will be achieved even here. Aside from the issues that have been raised about the quality of the restoration and the fact it's gone through at least two repaints since it was new, its role in the events of November 22nd, 1963 may not be all that well remembered by the public at large. The Hess & Eisenhardt X-100 Lincoln parade car in which JFK was riding at the time of the shooting (on permanent display at the Henry Ford Museum) and the now-destroyed 1963 Superior Pontiac Navy ambulance that met Air Force One at Andrews may be more deeply-seared into our nation's collective consciousness. Someone with more time than I have this week ought to head to YouTube, take a look at the 11/22/1963 CBS coverage archived there, and report back to this thread on how much camera time O'Neals' 1964 Miller-Meteor actually got on its trip from Parkland to Love Field.
 
1963 vs. 1964

The fins on a '63 are slightly more pronounced - and higher - than on the '64 models. Think of it as they were shrinking a bit more each year following the 1959 climax.

Two easy ways to tell a '63 and '64 apart from the rear:

The license plate is mounted in the center of the rear door on a '63 and was relocated to the rear bumper in '64.

The chrome taillight bezel on a '63 is "flat", while a '64 has a slight "point" to it.
 
no

Ardeen didn't work for Oneal and he bought the car from another dealer, Sommers I think. He hung out with us in the parking lot in denver till about 3 am telling us the whole story in detail.
 
not that Barrett-Jackson would care to hear it. they all ready have there own version to spin. No Joe Fridays there, Just MY facts mam..
 
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