1940 Pontiac Bonneville

1940 Pontiac Deluxe 8 Silver Streak Superior Hearse The earliest funeral processions in America were entirely on foot or involved simple horse drawn wagons. As communities grew and became more mobile, these wagons evolved into more formal carriages specifically designated to carry caskets. These horse drawn hearses, often ornately carved and painted black, featured glass windows to display the casket and were drawn by black horses draped in matching plumes. Rouppfuneralhome.com For consignment, a 1940 Pontiac Deluxe 8 Silver Streak Superior hearse showing 26,571 miles, but the true miles are unknown. While the genre might be considered macabre to some, the enthusiast Professional Car Society looks at these for the true classics they are, and for the critical role they played in important family affairs. Exterior As it was back in the day, this hearse is solid Black and the proportions are like no other Pontiac with a rising roofline over long windows and a tall body, more than 15 hands in equine terms. The rear door cants forward perhaps to allow easier access to the floor and the door has a robust handle under a modest window. The bumper displays an early Pontiac badge and the tail lights are impossibly small for such a big car, but that was the norm in 1940. A spare tire cover is embedded into the front fender, visually interrupting the side stainless trim piece that goes from the nose and all the way to the back where it follows a descending body line. Trim in the front is an elegant, five part strip that extends across the hood, capping stunning emblem, nose piece and grille, with yellow fog lights introducing some color to the exterior. There is some checking in the paint and a rust spot on a door, but otherwise paint and trim are in very good shape. Interior Blue velour covers the door panels, including the rear hatch, sidewalls, and bench seat in front, all presenting with a bit of patina and some tears on the seat, but the color works well with the ivory knobs and bezels of the door hardware. Blue velvet curtains with yellow fringe are held in place with drapery tiebacks of rope. Plenty of patina in front where a 3 spoke steering wheel fronts and simulated woodgrain dash with art deco gauges, name plates, and another Pontiac logo. The floor in front is covered with a rubber mat, but in back its blue carpet is embedded with some of the hardware needed to load the typical cargo. Drivetrain Under the hood is a driver quality 248.9ci L-head inline 8 cylinder with a 2-barrel carburetor and a horsepower rating of 100. It's mated to a 3-speed manual transmission which routes power all the way back to the 4.30 gears. The car runs on a 6 volt system and has no radio, no power steering, and no air conditioning. Undercarriage Driver quality under here with residual oil about, typical road grime, but minimal surface rust and the visible coachwork is in good condition. Drum brakes are supplied to all four wheels and suspension consists of coil springs in front and leaf springs in the back. A single exhaust flows through a stock style muffler and exits under the bumper. Drive-Ability Well, the driver's seat is the place to be in this vehicle, and off we roll onto the tarmac after the inline 8 hums to life. It definitely feels big to the average person but for those who favor professional vehicles, it's par for the course. We note the gas gauge, heater blower, and horn are not working but all remaining functions operate as they should on this hallowed hauler. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase. Instantly recognizable for what it is, that hasn't stopped others from hot rodding these hearses and there's lots of space to work with, both in the engine bay and in the interior where, if you'll excuse the expression, the sky's the limit. Ambulances, flower cars,