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1991
CADILLAC 'MILLER & METEOR' BROUGHAM 3-WAY FUNERAL HEARSE
IN THE 'PROFESSIONAL CAR' COLLECTOR CIRCLES IT IS WRITTEN, AND
GENERALL Y AGREED, THAT "NO FUNERAL CAR BUILDER EVER MADE A "THREE-WAY SIDE-SERVING" COACH
AFTER THE YEARS 1983-1984".
PLEASE BEAR WITNESS TO "THE
HEARSE THAT'S NOT SUPPOSE TO EXIST" . WE HAVE
LOCATED AND PURCHASED THE EXCEPTION TO THE RUMOUR. OUR RESEARCH SHOWS
FIVE OF THESE MULTI-TASK
"SIDELOADER" COACHES WERE PRODUCED. IT SEEMS DURING THE
OWNERSHIP OF MILLER & METEOR IN THE 90'S BY COLLINS CO. / HUTCHINSON, KS.
THIS CAR WAS DESIGNED AS AN EXPENSIVE ANSWER TO THE DEMANDS OF FUNERAL
PROFESSIONAL'S ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ASKING "WHY DON'T YOU
STILL...?".
A LIMITED
RUN OF "3-WAY SIDELOADER" COACHES WERE BUILT AND SOLD THROUGH
M&M DEALERS:
WOLFINGTON
COACH CO. OF EXTON, PA. (NOW EXTINCT) AND
MUSTER COACH CO.
OF CALHOUN, KY.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE VERY RARE MILLER AND METEOR 'SIDE-SERVICE" FUNERAL
COACHES THAT WERE DESDIGNED AS A MARKET TEST TO DETERMINE THE EFFICIENCY OF
OFFERING A 3-WAY MODEL AGAIN. TURNS OUT THEY WERE TOO EXPENSIVE TO PRODUCE SO, ONCE AGAIN,
THE 'SIDELOADER HEARSE' FADED INTO THE SUNSET. RUMOR HAS IT SINCE THE CASKET TABLES
WERE NO LONGER PRODUCED , MILLER & METEOR "BORROWED" & RESTORED
5 OF THEM FROM SOME
71-72 COACHES THEY BOUGHT FOR THE PROJECT.
THIS COACH WAS BUILT ESPECIALLY FOR A FUNERAL HOME ON THE EAST COAST. IT HAS PROVEN, CONFIRMED AND DOCUMENTED MILEAGE OF ONLY 34,600 MILES (THAT'S 1,730 MILES PER YEAR) AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND STORED IN ENCLOSED STORAGE FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS. IT IS FINISHED IN IT'S ORIGINAL COLOR OF "SHEFFIELD GRAY" WITH BLACK LANDAU ROOF AND BLUE INTERIOR / LIGHT BLUE DRAPERY. LIKE MOST 'REGULAR' CADILLAC COACHES BUILT ON THE EXTENDED FRAME, IT COMES WITH A FULL ARRAY OF FEATURES LIKE 5.0 L V8, 4-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION W/ OVERDRIVE, "CLIMATE CONTROLLED" AIR CONDITIONING, POWER 6-WAY SEATS, POWER WINDOWS, TILT WHEEL, DELUXE INTERIOR QUARTER PANELS W/ WOOD TRIM, DOOR EDGE GUARDS, CHROME LANDAU BARS, TWO NAMEPLATE HOLDERS, TINTED GLASS, CRUISE CONTROL, MIRRORS LEFT/RIGHT REMOTE, CORNERING LIGHTS, POWER STEERING & FRONT DISC BRAKES, 6-WAY POWER SEAT, AM/FM/ STEREO, DUAL PADDED SUN VISORS, POWER DOOR LOCKS, ABS BRAKES, RESTRAINT SYSTEM AND FACTORY ALARM. IT IS IN EXCEPTIONAL CONDITION HAVING BEEN CARED AND STORED INSIDE ALL IT'S LIFE. THIS FUNERAL HOME HAD MULTIPLE COACHES SO, THIS CAR WAS USED SPARINGLY PRIMARILY FOR CHURCH CURBSIDE USE. DUE TO IT'S EXTREMELY LIMITED BUILD, IT IS SURE TO NOT ONLY BE USEFUL SERVICE VEHICLE TODAY BUT, BECOME A CHERISHED COLLECTOR'S ITEM IN THE FUTURE. F.D.'s from all over the Country are booking "preemies" and charging $300-1000 for the use of a Classic Coach. Clients love the idea .: FRESH FROM A LIGHT RESTORATION ... SOLD IMMEDIATELY
THE STORY;
FOR THE FUNERAL HOME OWNER- THERE WAS NEVER A BETTER , MORE
FUNCTIONAL COACH DESIGNED AND BUILT
FOR THE FUNERAL INDUSTRY THAN THE 3-WAY 'SIDE SERVICING' FUNERAL COACH. IT, OF COURSE, ALLOWED YOU TO UNLOAD THE CASKET
CURBSIDE FROM EITHER SIDE OF THE CAR OR BY USING THE TRADITIONAL END LOAD
CAPACITY. THE CASKET TABLE GLIDED OUT EITHER SIDE DOOR 33" OR OUT THE BACK MORE
THAN 24". IT WAS ORIGINALLY DISCONTINUED IN 1985
BY ALL FOUR OF THE COACH BUILDER'S BECAUSE OF THE COST
TO, NOT ONLY PRODUCE BUT, WHAT HAD TO BE PASSED ONTO THE END USER.
THIS WAS A "SPECIAL PROJECT'" INITIATED
BY RONALD G. COLLINS
IN THE 30's, 40's, 50's, THERE WERE A HANDFUL OF MANUFACTURERS THAT TRIED
TO 'PUSH THE ENVELOPE' BY OFFERING UNIQUE FEATURES LIKE THE HYDRAULIC SUSPENSION
(TERMED THE "LEVELIZER") WHICH
ALLOWED THE BODY TO 'DIP' DOWN TOWARD THE CURB FOR EASY OFF-LOADING.
HENNEY COACH CO. WAS ONE OF THE FIRST
BUT, THE IDEA QUICKLY DIED ON THE VINE AFTER CONTINUED
PROBLEMS WITH SUSPENSION LEAKS
AND MALFUNCTION. WHEN THE "PULL-OUT CASKET TABLE" WAS INVENTED IT WAS SEEN AS
A USEFUL ADVANTAGE FOR ALL FUNERAL DIRECTORS. TAKING IT ONE STEP FURTHER- THE COACH
BUILDERS LIKE MILLER & METEOR THEN DESIGNED THE -3-WAY SIDELOADER. TODAY, THE BASIC 3-WAY
FUNERAL COACHES ARE SEEN AS NOT ONLY THE ULTIMATE COLLECTOR'S ITEM
FOR THE FUNERAL PROFESSIONAL BUT, A PERFECTLY USEABLE COACH THAT, IF FOUND, CAN
STILL BE PLACED INTO SERVICE.
IN 1991 MILLER AND METEOR OFFERED THE
"LE CLASSIC" MODEL, "TRADITIONAL" (PLUS, "CRESTWOOD" OPTION) AND THIS UNIQUE 'LIMITED BUILD' "ONE-OFF
ORIGINAL" COACH. TIRES WERE
WHITEWALL, ROYAL BRAND 225/75/15. YOU HAD A CHOICE OF TWO DIFFERENT WHEEL COVERS
(WIRE OR DISC), FRONT FLOOR MATS, FULL LENGTH QUICKSILVER HEADLINER, CHROME
LANDAU :SEE-THROUGH: LANDAU BARS (ONLY THIS MODEL CARRIED THE SOLID LANDAU
BARS), CHURCH TRUCK COMPARTMENT, FRONT STATION BEIR PINS, PADDED VINYL TOP IN A
CHOICE OF COLORS, DRAPES SIDES AND REAR DOOR, 130" REAR DOOR OPENING, HEAVY DUTY
SPRINGS, REAR COMPARTEMNT 'DESIGNER' FORMICA FLOOR, FULL-SIZE SPARE, WHEELHOUSE PIN HOLDER, DELUXE INTERIOR 1/4
PANEL ART, SLIDING GLASS PARTITION (EXCEPT IN THIS MODEL), 10 CASKET ROLLERS, 8
CASKET SLIDERS, REAR ADJUSTIBLE BIER PIN, REAR COMPARTMENT LIGHTS, 2 NAMEPLATE
HOLDERS, DOOR EDGE GUARDS AND MORE.