Hearse chassis

[BONVOYAGE]

Hey- new classic car owner. I recently purchased a 1966 bonneville hearse.  She is a beautiful piece but she is showing plenty of rust on the frame. I have had some difficulty finding frame parts to fix that with. What frames are interchangeable (like what year/models were the same)? 

Does anyone have a shop manual pic of chassis measurements?

 

Much appreciated!

[TWO LANE BLACK TOP]

 Interesting find...

Do you know what company did the coach work (body)...??

It is more than likely that it rides on a long wheelbase Pontiac commercial chassis (ambulance/hearse/airport  taxi..etc) which can be substantially different than the standard Pontiac station wagons...

Any detailed pics/specs...?? They would be helpful in determining what chassis/frame you actually have...Then can go from there...

Edited September 3, 2023 by TWO LANE BLACK TOP

[BONVOYAGE]

The body is by superior coach. I have emailed them inquiring information as well. From what I gather I believe it is on the longer wheel base and then extended, potentially at the back. I expect that some fab work will need to be done, but wanting it to be minimal.

The driver side frame rail is not salvageable.

Let me know what info I can give you and I would be happy to do so. 

 

Thank you for your reply!

[Frosty]

Out of curiosity do you know the wheel base of the car? I ask because if it is the standard wheel base for the Bonneville wagon, then a Catalina or Bonneville wagon chassis maybe just the ticket.

Wheel base for wagon: 124 inches

Wagon overall length 224.6 inches

[BONVOYAGE]

The wheel base is 146.

[Frosty]

I would check under your car. I suspect that when Pontiac shipped your vehicle to Superior Coach in Mississippi that it was an original 124" wheel base chassis. GM use to send commercial chassis (CC) cars out with the front clip and windshield installed and the doors, bumpers, and rear quarters were neatly packed onto the chassis since the coach builder would be adding the roof/upper body and detail out the rest of the car..

I think your hearse has had the chassis lengthened by Superior for hearse/ambulance duty. I would look underneath the chassis (front to back) for possible cut/welded extension pieces.

So depending on what you need, I suspect that you need to find a donor 124" chassis, preferable either a convertible or a wagon chassis. Convertibles have added frame stiffeners to support the car with the loss of the roof. A wagon chassis for obvious reason - it is the closest to your car.

[Frosty]

Is there anything specifically you are looking for?

[BONVOYAGE]

Oof. So it sound like either we repair rusty frame or we build/modify an existing frame to suit the custom extension that superior coach did. 

[Frosty]

Pretty much yes!

A clean donor chassis will save a ton of fab work, except the actual extensions themselves.