This 1932 Ford Hearse has just been put to service, it arrived in New Zealand in 1933, and took 1 year to build the body to Henry Fords specs, went to service in 1934. The Ford arrived from grill to back of doors, and the rest built by New Zealand coach builders. The hearse has been put to service by Grays Furneral Home, Rotorua, New Zealand. These photos taken today before furneral, mileage only 40,800 miles on the clock. Hearse was at auction 5 years ago, and was brought for $55,000. The owner has been offered $160,000 pounds, as old hearses are very sort after, and go for big dollars in Britain. Is this the only 32 Ford hearse in the world?, the owner was told it is, from an expert in hearses
I think you could be right looking at location of badges on bonnet and grill, as these were on 34 models, the owner has given me the wrong dates, I have lost touch with my 32, 33, 34 commericals, anyways it was a year or two before it was registed for the road, I will touch base with him again. Saw the hearse with a customer going to their final destination this arvo, looks a great site.
Here's a couple of Aussie hearses. The 33-4 Ford was coachbuilt in Australia on a passenger car chassis and from what I remember hearing is the only one of its kind in the world, and yes, it's rather obviously been nicely rodded! I believe it once had a giant esky (beer cooler) in the shape of a polished timber coffin with all the handles etc as an essential part of its presence at rod runs. Pic taken at a show in 1983. The late 20's hearse is a Dodge I think, but memory is very vague on this one. I found the pics and stored them, just because it's a cool car. Once again an Australian coachbuilt body on a passenger car chassis. Cheers, Glen.
I saw a '32 hearse sitting on a farm outside Regina, Saskatchewan. It had the opening rear door but it also had dual opening side doors. The cowl was roadster pickup but everything was coachbuilt from there back. The craziest thing I thought was that it looked to be built on a ton and a half chassis and the frame rails had the distinctive deuce reveal line in them.
there was one here in cincinnati ohio . i just was sole and i think it went to texas. the frame had two k members.
We had a 34 (passenger car based, not commercial) Ford Hearse sitting in a storage lot here in the 70's. Wood framed like a lot of coach built stuff, wood was seriously rotted so it was beyong my skill level at the time. Always wished I had tried to get it. I couldn't think of a better ride to my final resting place then an early Ford Hearse!
That "32" Ford hearse is actually a 34 Ford Commercial Cowl and Chassis with custom coachwork from the cowl to the rear. Nice piece anyway but 32...NO.
I think you are right with coach work from the cowl back, as the doors have wooden frames, NZ had 1 ton pickups with colonial cabs built here in NZ. I just went off what the owner told me, but the badging is a giveaway, for the 34 model. I will try and get more info.
I don't think so. There is one just like it being auctioned in Raleigh NC on Dec. 4-5. There is 30k on the odometer. www.raleighclassic.com
I remember seeing a '34 passenger car hearse for sale in a Street Rodder mag in late '86/early '87. I think it was in the back, in one of those sections where you can send in your car and hope to get included in the mag. The guy mentions he has this '34 and wants to sell it. At the time there was no way I would have been able to entertain buying and shipping it here (it was in the US somewhere) but I sure thought about it a lot. It just had that slightly different look that I think appeals to a lot of people. Steve
There is one out in New England that is built on a passenger car(I believe)frame and is a hot rod.It is similar to this one.Don't remember where I got this pic;maybe from the last hearse post.
About 7 to maybe 10 years ago there was a 32 Ford hearse featured in the V8 times magazine. About 5 years ago the same car was offered up on E-Bay. I think the car was in Ohio or Pennsylvania. As I remember it sold for about 35 to 40k.
The black one was owned by an Aussie rodder nicknamed the Reverend from memory and i think surname was Marsh? He was a regular attendee at Valla Park Rod Run and a very funny man. He would hold the Sunday Service but it was not like your regular service.
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