Chris Stoessner started looking for the car of his dreams when he was 16. His vision of the perfect set of wheels differs from the low-riding Hondas and Acuras that other young people like to drive.
He prefers something stretched, luxurious and unusual.
Like a hearse.
It’s not easy to find a hearse, says the Smithfield, Va., resident, now 21.
Funeral homes stash old hearses in extra garages, but owners tend to look at you in a funny way if you just knock on the front door and ask if one’s for sale.
If you want a hearse that’s a cut above the usual–a 1950s-style with tail fins and chrome grill and bumper–you really have to dig to unearth one, he says.
Two years ago, Stoessner found the hearse he could live with–a silver 1981 Buick Electra conversion done by Armbruster/Stageway out of Ft. Smith, Ark. A V-8 engine powers its 20-foot-long body. He purchased it for $750 from a young woman in Virginia Beach who drove it daily.
It puzzles Stoessner why people fail to appreciate hearses as regular transportation. Just think of the practical ways you can use one: hauling tools, gardening supplies and furniture. And there’s nothing like a hearse for the ultimate in luxury transportation.
“The car glides over bumps in the road, and it feels like you’re riding on air,” he says. “No expense is spared when making a hearse. That’s why they cost nearly $60,000 today.”
Comfort and luxury are only two of the reasons Stoessner pined for a hearse. The vehicle’s rollers for moving coffins in and out are perfect for hauling the big furniture pieces he features at his business, a vintage furnishings and home accessories store.
There are times when a hearse is not practical. Dates, for example–he’s yet to drive the hearse to pick up a woman for an evening out.
For sale
Want to buy a hearse? Visit eBay Motors at www.ebay.com or www.funeralcars.com.
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Edited by Cara DiPasquale ([email protected]) and Kris Karnopp ([email protected])