Interior for my 59 hearse?

[dryvr12]

Also, flocking? Never done it before. I cannot find any ref. pics, but I know many interiors of that time were two tone. Any help is appreciated.

[High octane]

Zack,

It would help if we knew what color the hearse is going to be, thanks.

[LDO]

I think it should be the color you like best.

[evilone]

What color will it be also what style are you doing?

[Greg Cullinan]

I like green

[dryvr12]

It will be gloss black, and I am trying to go original. Also evilone, did the hearses at that time have vinyl roofs? I don't think so, but I want to x2 check.

[Guest Johnny]

I have seen three that year. 2 black and one white and all had the burgundy crush velvet interior!

One belonged to a friend and I used it to haul a double axle u-haul trailer way back when we moved from Wi. to IL. in the 70's!

[Art Anderson]

It will be gloss black, and I am trying to go original. Also evilone, did the hearses at that time have vinyl roofs? I don't think so, but I want to x2 check.

Hearses tend to be the most formal of formal cars, frankly. As a result, they have tended to be very conservative in color in most cases, black, dark blue being very prominent choices. Interiors tended to be luxurious, both up front in the driver's compartment, and in the back, to surround a casket.

If one looks inside a hearse, there's not a lot to flock--the flooring in back is usually a linoleum or similar smooth material, with the rollers and safety locks in the floor for securing the casket in chrome plating. Side and front walls more often than not were done in vinyl done to look like fine leather, but on occasion, such fabrics as crushed velvet have been used. In the side, quarter and rear windows, curtains made from velvet, generally having a tassel fringe would be very correct, the fabric bunched and stitched to represent drapery.

As for vinyl tops, yeah and nay. Some funueral directors liked them, others preferred "slick top" hearses, the roof painted the same as the rest of the body.

Art

Edited June 15, 2010 by Art Anderson

[Junkman]

The curtains I have found in most American hearses I came across were made out of some kind of bourette silk. They clearly have the silk 'scroop' when you rub them between thumb and forefinger next to your ear.

A hearse for me is black or dark blue, as Art has mentioned already. If black, I prefer a dark red interior, if dark blue, a blue or grey interior.

Anyway, there is a plethora of hearse websites out there on the web for inspirations.

[dryvr12]

I'm using the polar lights kit, so I don't really care what the back end looks like, just the front seats. Wood grain or not? I am a member on some hearse sites, but I can't find reference pics. If you could show me them or link the site that would be great!

[Junkman]

A 1959 Cadillac has no woodgrain. Reference pics of 59 Caddy interiors are honestly almost as commonplace on the web as nude women.

[Wayne Buck]

Mark Taylor did a great little tutorial on flocking here.

Starts at post #117

Edited June 15, 2010 by NJ-Wayne

[dryvr12]

I found an abundance of 59 interiors, but only one website had hearses. One of the ones I saw was black with burgundy interior, which I think is what I'll do.

[Madd Trucker]

Ihad a 48 Packard Hearse back in the 60s it was black with a maroon interier and vinal roof and black leather seat