Sunny Jim's Hearse: The Grim Sleeper - it'll live!

[danthecapriman]

Great progress on this. I was going to say, it’ll be a great practice for your welding if it needs some patches!

Does anyone say anything about it when your out & about? It must be a bit odd just cruising around in a hearse as a normal car?😄

[Westbay]

4 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

Great progress on this. I was going to say, it’ll be a great practice for your welding if it needs some patches!

Does anyone say anything about it when your out & about? It must be a bit odd just cruising around in a hearse as a normal car?😄

Bet you don't get many cadging a lift ! 🤣

[Sunny Jim]

Nice morning for waking the dead.

Nobody's hitched a lift yet. Get quite a few stares while out and about. This morning a woman pulled up along side me at a junction and I saw her double-take as she saw the skeleton on the back deck.

Frustrating day yesterday. I wanted to get on with wiring new speakers in but couldn't get in to the car. The remote fob wasn't doing anything and although the ignition key went into the door lock it wouldn't turn. Once I'd got the fob apart I found it takes two CR2016's so the CR2032's I had wouldn't do. Next door neighbour gave me a lift into town to get new batteries and once fitted I could access the car again.

Strange that the key won't unlock it - not sure if something's broken or if it's had a new ignition barrel or door lock at some stage.

Anyway, sun's out so it's time to tinker.

[Just-another-joe]

On 30/01/2025 at 20:02, Sunny Jim said:

Got the thermostat and coolant level sensor sorted at a local garage today so warm air restored to the vents and no lights on the dash - a couple of wins there! I was concerned the lack of heat might have been a blocked matrix or failed heater pump so glad just the thermostat has sorted it.

It might be a Daimler but it's got a growler on the steering wheel.

When I went to pick it up we put it over their MOT pit (it's too long for their ramps!) to have a look at her underside. Unfortunately she is going to need a few patches before the next MOT but condsidering her age and the bargain price I got her for overall I'm very happy. The only tricky bit is likely to be an area of the o/s sill which is close to the fibre glass body. MOT isn't due until April and I hope to have learnt to weld before then so I can tackle most if not all of it myself.

When I checked the MOT date I discovered the DVLA checker has it as a "Limosuine" - paging @LightBulbFun.

Tomorrow's job is to fit these which I've dug out of my shed.

Converting the Daimler to a hearse removed the rear speakers along with the rest of the back of the car. The standard stereo is only going to the tweeters on the dash and the speakers in the front doors. I'm hoping the rear speaker wiring is still present behind the stereo and it's a relatively easy job to wire them in. If the stereo isn't powerful enough to drive them I might consider an amp as this car needs bass.

I've got a Bose amp and Alpine sub in the garage if you're after BASS Jim 😂

Look forward to the conversation, making me want a project of my own, very envious! 

Hope you recover quickly!

Conversion ready for glasto this year?

[Surface Rust]

On 29/01/2025 at 07:41, Sunny Jim said:

I've also been looking at those boots tents that allow you to keep the rear hatch open.

Those proper boot tents cost a fortune. If you are a tightwad like me you could pick up one of these:

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/6-man-camping-living-area-arpenaz-base-m/_/R-p-157674

They have a large opening and generous flaps. I regularly insert my Citroen in one:

[panhard65]

Using a hearse for a camper is certainly a great idea and I have camped in lots of different ones over the years. Uk hearses are good for the extra height but with the fibreglass rear ends they are virtually impossible to repair the rear sills properly. I now use my Spanish Dodge for the annual trip to Le Mans and it is great except the lack of headroom. Things to remember if you are using gas to cook inside the vehicle you must have at least 50cm above the unit. I use a pull out tray at the back when using gas but also have an induction hob under the deck for when on 240v. The silver window tint is perfect and keeps it pretty cool inside. (Although as the windows are polycarbonate it was not easy to get or fit) and as it is Spanish there are full length blackout roller blinds for the sides and curtains at the front and rear. I also run a proper coolbox / fridge on 12 volt and have a 200 watt solar panel set up to keep it all running for a week at Le Mans

[Sunny Jim]

First up yesterday was fitting Amazon quality* blind spot mirrors.

I've got them angled so I can see down the sides of the car to aid making tight turns without scraping the wheel arches.

Then it was on to fitting some extra speakers to expand the bass quotient. I thought it would be a quick job to pull the stereo out to access the loom - Jaguar had other ideas. Fortunately I have a workshop manual so set about the correct process.

Bit of a ball ache, all this has to come out to access the stereo. Looks like whoever's been in here before wasn't too careful - 4 out of the 6 tabs that hold the unit in place were bust. 

And finally out it came.

I didn't have the tool to re-pin the multi plug so opted for wagos to join the new speaker cables.

I was able to run the cables through the ski slope as I had it all open - they now emerge under the vents at the back of the centre console. Dropped a couple of bass bins in the rear footwell and wired them in.

It's not my first rodeo so I opted to test before putting everything back together. Switched on the stereo to be greeted by silence and 'CODE' flashing on the display. Shit! What's the code? I'd unplugged the multi plug on the back of the stereo while I was working. It wasn't written on the stereo and I have no paperwork with the car - fuck! Thanks Google:

Done the next person a favour:

Finally switched it on to be met with farty, crackling hiss.

That'll be why then - looks like they've not survived spending the last decade in my shed. Fortunately I had another box with two 10"s in that do work so they'll have to do.

I then set about putting it all back together. It was only when I switched the ignition on that I realised I'd forgotten to plug in the unit with the clock, hazards and a bunch of other stuff. I then realised I'd been at it six hours faffing about with codes and testing duff speakers working one handed and hadn't stopped for anything to eat or drink so called it a day.

Got back on it this morning, pulled the centre console apart again, plugged in the clock and then put it all back together again. (I'm getting good at it now). Took the opportunity to run a phone cable behind the wood veneer. I'm using one of those transmitters powered off the cigar lighter to get tunes off my phone. Success!

Then I fitted some new boot struts and a dog guard and introduced Prif to where he'll be spending time while I'm working.

9 hours ago, panhard65 said:

Uk hearses are good for the extra height but with the fibreglass rear ends they are virtually impossible to repair the rear sills properly.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention. The garage mentioned holes in the o/s/f floor pan and boot when I picked it up but it was only when I was putting the invoice away this afternoon that I saw that they'd written both sills as well as the floors will need attention.

Before I go any further improving it or thinking about a conversion I'd better get it on some ramps and see the extent of the rot. Everything from the front doors back is fibre glass so if the rot in the sills extends beyond the doors it might be game over. 😢

 

 

 

 

[juular]

On 01/02/2025 at 10:57, Sunny Jim said:

 

That's February's calendar shot sorted.

[Sunny Jim]

This has been providing fine service as a daily over the last couple of weeks - other drivers are always courteous and I often get let out at junctions.

The boot lock started playing up yesterday however. Bit of a strange one, it was working fine off the button on the dash but the button on the hatch wouldn't depress. Got a chance to have a look at it this afternoon after an early finish at work.

My shoulder is still weak so I couldn't hold the hatch and work on the lock at the same time. In the end I threw a ratchet strap over the boot hatch and held it down with one foot while I used my right hand to wield a socket on the bolts for the lock. Once I had the bolts out I waggled the lock to get it out and a couple of nuts fell out too. I was worried that the nuts for the lock that I'd assumed were captive had come loose but quickly realised they were smaller than the bolts. A closer look revealed they were the same size as the nuts holding the boot handle on. None of those were missing so I can only assume that somebody had dropped them into the hatch cavity previously and not bothered to retrieve them.

Good news is the boot button is now working again! I guess the loose nuts were blocking it from working. I greased it up and undid the plug and sprayed some contact cleaner on it before putting it all back together.

In other news with the MOT looming in April I've realised that me learning to weld and getting it sorted myself in time while I'm still limited in what I can do physically is unrealistic. Been recommended a welder who I spoke to today and he's going to assess it next week.  Fingers crossed it can be sorted and got through the test.

[Sunny Jim]

Finally got a chance to get this up on some ramps and have a look underneath today.

O/S sill 

Flakey but hopefully saveable here but it gets worse further back where it looks like previous patches have gone again and there's a couple of holes in the driver's floorpan.

The boot floor has gone both sides too.

N/S sill is simarly crusty but no holes that I can spot.

Both spring pans aren't looking too clever and neither is the anti roll bar.

The question is whether those sills can be repaired when they're in such close proximity to the fibreglass body? I'll see what the welder says on Thursday.

I'd been wondering who'd done the conversion but hadn't spotted a maker's plate anywhere. It was only when I was prodding at the sills today with my glasses on that I spotted the sill cover.

Eagle Special Vehicles still exist although they've moved site now. I'll fire them off an email and see if they'll give me any info or drawings of the conversion.

My co-pilot is quite at home in it now.

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, Sunny Jim said:

ramps

Pure AS. Many points.

[Marshall2810]

Much love for your dog and wagon sir. 12/10 ramp building skills also 

I hope you're welder is as understanding as mine, where there is a will (no pun intended) there's a way so fingers crossed 

[chaseracer]

Hope so too, otherwise there's a short oval in the Grim Sleeper's near future - and that would be a THING OF SAD...

[Sunny Jim]

Just sent an email to Wilcox Limousines, the funeral vehicles side of Eagle Specialist Vehicles who did the conversion to see if they can send me any info. Perhaps a bit of a long shot after nearly 30 years so I tried to adopt a suitably polite and funereal tone:

Dear Sirs,

I am the present owner of a Daimler 6 Hearse registration P588KFC, chassis no. SAJJFALD3BJ785071 which was converted by Eagle in 1996. It's a lovely vehicle and a testament to your work but will unfortunately require some welding repairs to the sills before its next MOT in April.

I realise it was nearly thirty years ago but I was wondering if you might be able to furnish me with any details of how the vehicle was converted including any photos or drawings so I will better know how to carry out the repairs. I hope to be able to keep this part of our motoring and funeral services heritage in a serviceable condition for many years to come.

Many thanks, Jim 

[chaseracer]

As long as they don't refer you to Incarace or Spedeworth... 😉

[Sunny Jim]

If (and I sincerely hope it's an if) it's the end the glass which is all custom would be of great use to anyone else trying to keep one on the road. Engine and box will have some value too with only 83k on them.

Anyway, enough of this pessimism - keep everything crossed for Thursday. 🤞

[Just-another-joe]

Doesn't look too far gone, reckon you can turn that around Jim 🤞

[Rustybullethole]

Fingers crossed 🤞 

Love the ramps. 

[LightBulbFun]

I really hope the rust is not too bad and can cut out and new metal let in, as I said back when this was coming up for sale, I always feel bad for hearses and other coach-built conversion cars (limousines etc)  because no one seems to give them any love, they get almost shunned compared to the car they are based on, and thus it seems many end up going round the oval where they are saught after for the novility factory, and I do find that quite sad, they are a small bit of automotive history that very few people actually care to preserve it seems so it pleases me very much to see an effort being made to preserve this one at least  

[Sunny Jim]

Dropped the hearse off for Roy the welder to assess today. North Wales doesn't have much in the way of railway arches, his place was a shed on the site of an old quarry. I went to pick it up this afternoon and Roy  greeted me with, "Bad news, I can't do it." Shit I thought as my brain started going into catastrophising mode. Roy paused a couple of beats and then said, "I'd like to do it and it's definitely saveable but it's too long for my lift and I'm too old to roll around on the floor outside doing it."

Ok, down but not out. He'd said he'd phoned a mate at another garage with a long enough lift whose boss would let him do it for cash out of hours. Initially I thought this sounded a bit sketchy but it turned out it's the garage who I get to service and MOT the minibuses at work. I know the owner and the mechanic who'll do the welding - I hadn't even considered them for the work given their usual hourly rate. 

I popped into see them this evening and they put it on their lift. Most of the length of both sills just need the flaking underseal wire brushing to tidy them up but the front of both sills will need rebuilding. Then there's two patches to the driver's footwell and the boot floor sorting.

If I do the removal of carpet and trim and remove the underseal around any areas he had to work on I'm looking at a ball park figure of £350 which doesn't seem too bad. I've seen the guy's work and it's good, not just crudely tacked patches to get something through an MOT.

So it'll live! Once the welding's sorted I can get back to the fun stuff of the camper conversion. Came out of the local Co-op the other day and saw a bloke admiring (oh all right, looking at) the hearse. Turned out to be a fella I used to know years back who's now a cabinet maker. He's happy to saw the veneered wood for me, something I'd be worried about cocking up.

Bringing it to Truckers Rest on Saturday, look forward to seeing some of you there.

[Westbay]

"... it's not what you know but who you know ..."

Well done 🤞