1970’s, Thomasville North Carolina. A funeral home proudly purchased a 1974 Cadillac Superior Crown Limited Hearse. Little did they know, almost 50 years later, that Josh Carpenter would pick it up along with another, and bag it with spokes and vogues!
Although we hoped for some haunting tales to accompany this car, we were surprised that the nicknamed “Code Blue” Cadillac is clean as a whistle. While some spectators fall in love with the long roofed last ride, others are terrified of its potentially mysterious past.
Two years ago, Josh, was out for a cruise in his ’66 Cadillac “Gold Digger” (previously featured in Cruise Culture Magazine Issue #4) when someone struck up a conversation with him. The gentlemen, seemingly appearing from nowhere, told him that he knew of two old Cadillac hearses. Josh, having seen one when he was kid, 3 wheel on hydraulics, exchanged information and had them both bought that week.
It didn’t take Josh long to start building his interpretation of the ultimate last ride. He got to work installing a full air ride set up, front to back, and side to side, from Slam Specialties. He also installed a custom welded drag plate, 20” 150 Spokes with Vogue white walls. Speaking of bodies in the trunk, Josh happed to be friends with the owner of a funeral home and picked up a scary good deal on a used… casket. He also dressed up a mannequin and placed it in there to scare away the locals.
The car is running its factory 35,000 mile 472 with a Turbo Hydra-Matic THM-400 3 speed. For any other car, that’s stunning low miles, but for this one we are afraid to do the math to see how many trips to the cemetery that would be…
Josh loves to show the car at Hearseamania, and Dirt Nap which are both hearse shows. He also likes to take it on the Lowrider Magazine tour. Josh would like to shout out his car club, Cadillac Kings in Monroe NC. Make sure you give @4drbluedemon a follow on Instagram if you haven’t already.
Article by Brian Holzli
Photos by Danny Stogner Photography
