Nota: The compiler is grateful to Phantom Coaches ™
for allowing him to borrow images from original factory literature displayed on their Web
site and issued by the four main manufacturers of commercial vehicles on Cadillac chassis,
that is Eureka, Hess& Eisenhardt, Miller- Meteor and Superior, all located in Ohio.
1960
This is the standard Cadillac
Series 67 (ex-Series 75) Sedan and Limousine
Eureka Coach Corporation (USA) As every year, they
built a number of special vehicles for the hospital and funeral trades. Here are a
few of them:
 
This survivor was photographed at a CLC Grand
National, circa 2005-06
My friend Sarah, from Cleveland, OH, identified this
survivor car as a Eureka limousine
combination coach owned by Nick, a member of the Professional Car Society (PCS)
from Chicago, IL.
 
These photos from the Eureka product catalog
for 1960, courtesy Jean-Michel Roux
I believe this sad-looking survivor
was built by Eureka
[ Photo: Internet ]
I believe this is another Eureka-bodied
commercial car
[ Photo: Internet, 2014 ]
Hess & Eisenhardt (USA) Various commercial cars such as
ambulances, hearses, flower cars in the S&S series. Some typical body styles
are shown below:
S&S Victoria
Front fender nameplate
The regal and timeless Victoria hearse
  
(Left) Horizontal "character line" (crease) across the rear door; this
was a distinctive mark of all the 1960 S&S models;
(center) forward-tilting front seat on all models; (right) full width , 90º
opening side door with S&S designed nameplate
 
(Left) 3-way manual/electric casket table; (center) exclusive S&S
rear-servicing
extension casket table; (right) spare tire compartment (all models)
  
 
This beautiful survivor came up for sale on the
inventory of Hyman, Ltd. in April, 2009
[ Photos: © 2008 and courtesy Hyman, Ltd ]
S&S Parkway
The versatile Parkway ambulance
 
  
S&S Park Row
 
The majestic Superline Park Row combination
hearse and ambulance
 
A survivor, brought to my attention in 2003
 
(Left): dark image masks large, rear quarter window
(Right): Step-in height at both side and rear doors is 12¾ inches
 
(Left): Duo-floor combination (roller casket
table - here - or flush ambulance deck)
(Right): in the ambulance configuration, with full-length floor
Manufacturer's dimensional drawings
.
Köng, Walter, Basel (Switzerland) ambulance conversion on
stretched chassis; non-Cadillac from the cowl back. Köng built similar ambulance bodies
on stretched Cadillac chassis in 1959 and 1963 [see above and below].
 
Photos: © 1989, Yann Saunders [Kruse auction,
Luxembourg]
Miller Meteor (USA) Various commercial cars such
as ambulances, hearses, flower cars. Some typical body styles are shown below:
Combination hearse-ambulance
[ Cropped photo (left): © and courtesy
Professional Car Society; photo (right): Internet ]
I do not recognize this particular
funeral car style; it is possibly a
"Landau Traditional coach"
with the M&M badge on the rear fender
Futura Landau hearse
[ This photo: Book, Cadillac by Stephen Salmieri (cropped image) ]
 
 
Above two rows: this sad-looking hearse was offered
for sale on eBay in 2004
Right: view of interior of rear-loading coach
The MM Volunteer ambulance, with 48" of
headroom
The MM Sentinel ambulance, with 42" of
headroom
Landau Traditional coach in
formal black
Landau Traditional coach in
less formal aquamarine
 
Interior detail and front seat of Miller-Meteor
funeral coach
  
Miller-Meteor patented electric Tri-Matic table
Miller Meteor flower car; cars
like this one were usually at the head of any distinguished funeral cortege
Superior (USA) I'm not sure about the numbers built but these
splendid Royale and Crown Royale funeral limousines by Superior
are rare enough, in my opinion, to warrant being shown in these pages
Superior Royale limousine combination coach
Royale Landaulet, end-loading hearse
Royale Landaulet (above 2 rows) ranged in
price from $10,367 to $11,847; Crown Royale Landaulet,
de-luxe model DL-604 (right) was more ostentatious; its price ranged from $10,781 to
$12,427
Superior Royale ambulance
This customized survivor was owned previously by
a member of the Grim Rides club [thanks for the info, Sarah]
[Unknown, USA???] Series 75 formal Limousine with
padded top over rear portion of roof (story
in V8, #4, pp.40-43)
 
 
  
[Unknown, USA???] What could be worse than adding a
continental kit to a sixties Cadillac model? Have a look at the car below, and you
have the answer!
Photo: Internet, 6/2000
[Unknown, USA???] Another (?) Series 75
Formal Limousine with padded top over rear portion of roof and rear quarters
 
[Unknown, USA???] Custom flower car on Cadillac
chassis. My friend Sarah from Cleveland, OH, tells me this car was converted
from a Cadillac coupe (not a commercial chassis); she says it has been offered on eBay a
couple of times in the past few years (2000-2004).
 
 
[Unknown, USA???] Custom flower car
 
[Unknown, USA???] Custom funeral coach with
Eldorado "sweep" side trim
1961
Eureka (USA) Various commercial vehicles on the stretched
Cadillac chassis, including ambulances, hearses and flower cars similar to those below.
The 1961 commercial cars had to be equipped with modified tail-light housings to
accommodate a full width rear door; the latter make interesting collectors items on
account of their obvious rarity.
 
 
 
 
 
No comment...
 
Another survivor
Miller Meteor (USA) Various commercial cars such
as ambulances, hearses, flower cars. A typical body style is shown below:
The Flower Car
Volunteer ambulance
  
Hearse Ambulance combination
[ Photos courtesy Bob Vega ]
Photo: Internet, 2012
S&S [Hess & Eisenhardt] (USA) Various commercial vehicles
on the stretched Cadillac chassis, including ambulances, hearses and flower cars similar
to the one below. The 1961 commercial cars had to be equipped with modified
tail-light housings to accommodate a full width rear door; the latter make interesting
collectors items on account of their obvious rarity [see photo under "Eureka",
above]
The Park Row combination limousine
  
Above two rows: restored S&S Victoria hearse
photographed at the CLC Grand National in 2002; my friend Sarah from Cleveland,
OH, tells me this one is owned by Stanley, a member (like her) of the Professional Car
Society (PCS)
S&S Victoria hearse [the gas
cap carries the "S&S" logo]
Superior (USA) Various commercial vehicles on the stretched
Cadillac chassis, including ambulances, hearses and flower cars similar to the one below.
The 1961 commercial cars had to be equipped with modified tail-light housings to
accommodate a full width rear door; the latter make interesting collectors items on
account of their obvious rarity.
Superior began expanding its manufacturing facilities
in Lima,
OH, in 1959; this is part of the expanded plant as it was in 1961
Vintage Car Photo '61
Cadillac Royal 48" Beau Monde Ambulance
Superior Coach Corp Sales Presentation Artist Concept
[Left] Superior Crown Sovereign rear-service and
[right] side-service Brougham
[note the unique tail light housings on most 1961 commercial cars to allow
full rear door usage;
these are NOT interchangeable with any regular Cadillac model of the
same year ]
(Left) Crown Royale combination interior
layout; (right) Crown Royale side-servicing landaulet
Superior combination interior
[Left] ambulance layout and [right] hearse layout
(auxiliary seat covering is authentic leather)
Sovereign rear service
limousine
Royale combination limousine [with optional air-conditioning]
Crown Sovereign side-service Brougham
[Unknown, USA] Looking at the
general lines, I would say this "sad" flower car was built on the
Cadillac commercial chassis by Superior or Miller Meteor; in doubt, I
shall call it "unknown".
[Unknown, USA] Looking at the tail-lights one
can tell that this is a conversion from a commercial vehicle (ambulance or funeral
vehicle). However, I don't believe it was a flower car conversion by any of the major
coach-builders of these types of vehicle; the roof over the driving position appears like
a custom job. It has the rare, custom tail-lights of the
professional cars of 1961.
[Unknown, USA] From Bogota in
Colombia comes this custom 4-door Cadillac flower car. Note the wheel
discs from a 1956 model.
[ Cropped photo: Internet, 2014 ]
[Unknown, USA] Designer's proposal for a
"bubble-top" parade car. This proposal resembles closely the 1959
"bubble-top" parade car built for the Royal Visit to Canada of HM Queen
Elizabeth II, in June 1959.
The 1959 "bubble-top" built for Queen
Elizabeth II's Canadian tour
Visser (Netherlands) Various custom
professional cars
[ Photos:
© 2010 and courtesy, Matt Howes Photos
www.matthowes.com
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