Since the Plymouth Prowler first debuted back in 1996, I have always thought that this was a versatile platform perfect for exploration in multiple dimensions.

Around eight years ago I designed a V8, vintage plane themed HEMI Howler, replacing the stock V6 with one of Chryslers HEMI V8 engines. A not unexpected conversion.

The Prowler platform though is thoroughly modern, using a spaceframe construction and unstressed panels, meaning it can be turned into almost anything. That most customers didn't bother was a giant disappointment.

The Lego model here, designed to #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models provided an just such an opportunity. Nearly all the change is via a long tapered rear overhang, suitable for carrying long thin boxes. And, unlike the standard roadster model, the inclusion of a roof smoothes things out.

The rear load door is all glass - a nod to the futuristic hotrod concepts of the late 1960s, and the grille, wheel trims and interior are finished in blood-red.

I tried to think of the most unlikely car to be modified into a hearserod (that nonetheless would be good at the job). My solution - the Mercedes-Benz W100 600 - the supreme Mercedes-Benz model from the 1960s.

The 600 was fitted with the 6.3L M100 V8 engine, producing a conservative 250 hp. An engine more than twice the size of any contemporary Mercedes model.

The 600 was built on two main wheelbase lengths. A standard car with 126 in (3,200 mm), and a Pullman model 153.5 in (3,900mm). Surprisingly, the standard wheelbase is long enough to produce a hearse, in part due to the long rear overhang of the car.

Some hearse models were built from W100 chassis, though much more formal and dignified than today's example.

For this modified hearserod I have lowered and tapered the roof, dumped the suspension, and fitted oversize wheels. Already a clean looking car, this version limits chrome trim to the bumpers, grille, lamps and upper window surround.

This is my last build for #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models, hosted on instagram by @poppalars

I missed the memo for the #mocaroundgang mixing up the year's theme builds, but #mocaround48 is now #ratrod , and hearserod will be delayed until round 57.

Some quick modelling has given me my first build for the theme, a 1933 Ford V8 Coupe called #wildturkey.

The car is essentially a recoloured, and re-shod version of the ZZ-Top 'Whiskey Runner' I modelled a number of years ago. Wild Turkey being a type of whiskey, and the car now wearing a rust-coloured bodywork (kind of like a wild turkey), instead of the polished look of the Whiskey Runner car.

As is the vogue today, the car wears black wheels, small on the front and big (but narrow) on the rear.

Stay tuned for some more ratrod builds up to the July 9th deadline.

Hot rod hearse: Melbourne funeral home unveils one of Australia’s most unusual funeral cars.

You might have spotted a very unusual hearse around Melbourne recently.

Oakdale Funerals embarked on a two-and-a-half year labour of love to create the Model A Ford hot rod hearse.

A Ford 1931 Model AA truck chassis, and a 1931 Model A Tudor Body were used to crease a hearse that’s the only one of its kind in the world.

Co-owner of Oakdale Funerals, Anne Allison, said the idea for the unique funeral car came from a TV show.

“We sat around chatting one night and we were laughing and talking about that old TV show, The Munsters,” she told Dee Dee.

“We said ‘How cool would it be to be able to offer our client families a hot rod hearse?’

“We haven’t been able to find another one like it in Australia, or indeed, actually, the world.”

www.3aw.com.au/hot-rod-hearse-melbourne-funeral-home-unve...

The upcoming #MOCaroundgang challenge number 48 is for #hearserods.

I have a few of these on the way.

The first model, shown here, is based on the Chysler PT Cruiser (2001 - 2010). The base car is a compact tall wagon/hatch type car with retro styling.

The variant here incorporates many changes, commonly seen on traditional hearse conversions:

- Increased wheelbase

- Delete rear side doors

- Extend rear side windows

- Delete rear seats

Additional changes as part of the hotrod conversion is the incorporation of the large 5-spoke 'Mustang' wheels. These are pretty big and extend the track width.

The various changes to enable this car can be rolled back into the Lego PT Cruiser for additinal variants that will be seen in the future.

Oddly enough, I have ended up with two build for #mocaround56 #hearserod named 'Thundertaker'. The car shown previously, the 1960 Cadillac Miller-Meteor, was so named by the creator of the IRL car. This one here, named by me.

Though, a Thunderbird named Thundertaker really is a no-brainer. A pity the name has already been scooped up by a Cadillac.

The car shown here takes a 1961 'Bullet' Thunderbird, and mounts it to the longer wheelbase (but closely related) 1961 Lincoln Continental. The Thunderbird sheetmetal is used for the rear of the car, but for the inclusion of a full-length roof, along with long side-windows creating a shooting brake.

The additional modifications of suicide doors and a wagon-type tailgate, and nice large-diameter wheels and tires add to a more resto-mod feel for the build, while keeping most of the 1961 bullet styling.

As mentioned, I missed the memo on the challenge order rearrange. Built for #mocaroundgang hearse-rod challenge hosted by @poppalars

Since the Plymouth Prowler first debuted back in 1996, I have always thought that this was a versatile platform perfect for exploration in multiple dimensions.

Around eight years ago I designed a V8, vintage plane themed HEMI Howler, replacing the stock V6 with one of Chryslers HEMI V8 engines. A not unexpected conversion.

The Prowler platform though is thoroughly modern, using a spaceframe construction and unstressed panels, meaning it can be turned into almost anything. That most customers didn't bother was a giant disappointment.

The Lego model here, designed to #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models provided an just such an opportunity. Nearly all the change is via a long tapered rear overhang, suitable for carrying long thin boxes. And, unlike the standard roadster model, the inclusion of a roof smoothes things out.

The rear load door is all glass - a nod to the futuristic hotrod concepts of the late 1960s, and the grille, wheel trims and interior are finished in blood-red.

Since the Plymouth Prowler first debuted back in 1996, I have always thought that this was a versatile platform perfect for exploration in multiple dimensions.

Around eight years ago I designed a V8, vintage plane themed HEMI Howler, replacing the stock V6 with one of Chryslers HEMI V8 engines. A not unexpected conversion.

The Prowler platform though is thoroughly modern, using a spaceframe construction and unstressed panels, meaning it can be turned into almost anything. That most customers didn't bother was a giant disappointment.

The Lego model here, designed to #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models provided an just such an opportunity. Nearly all the change is via a long tapered rear overhang, suitable for carrying long thin boxes. And, unlike the standard roadster model, the inclusion of a roof smoothes things out.

The rear load door is all glass - a nod to the futuristic hotrod concepts of the late 1960s, and the grille, wheel trims and interior are finished in blood-red.

I missed the memo for the #mocaroundgang mixing up the year's theme builds, but #mocaround48 is now #ratrod , and hearserod will be delayed until round 57.

Some quick modelling has given me my first build for the theme, a 1933 Ford V8 Coupe called #wildturkey.

The car is essentially a recoloured, and re-shod version of the ZZ-Top 'Whiskey Runner' I modelled a number of years ago. Wild Turkey being a type of whiskey, and the car now wearing a rust-coloured bodywork (kind of like a wild turkey), instead of the polished look of the Whiskey Runner car.

As is the vogue today, the car wears black wheels, small on the front and big (but narrow) on the rear.

Stay tuned for some more ratrod builds up to the July 9th deadline.

I missed the memo for the #mocaroundgang mixing up the year's theme builds, but #mocaround48 is now #ratrod , and hearserod will be delayed until round 57.

Some quick modelling has given me my first build for the theme, a 1933 Ford V8 Coupe called #wildturkey.

The car is essentially a recoloured, and re-shod version of the ZZ-Top 'Whiskey Runner' I modelled a number of years ago. Wild Turkey being a type of whiskey, and the car now wearing a rust-coloured bodywork (kind of like a wild turkey), instead of the polished look of the Whiskey Runner car.

As is the vogue today, the car wears black wheels, small on the front and big (but narrow) on the rear.

Stay tuned for some more ratrod builds up to the July 9th deadline.

Since the Plymouth Prowler first debuted back in 1996, I have always thought that this was a versatile platform perfect for exploration in multiple dimensions.

Around eight years ago I designed a V8, vintage plane themed HEMI Howler, replacing the stock V6 with one of Chryslers HEMI V8 engines. A not unexpected conversion.

The Prowler platform though is thoroughly modern, using a spaceframe construction and unstressed panels, meaning it can be turned into almost anything. That most customers didn't bother was a giant disappointment.

The Lego model here, designed to #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models provided an just such an opportunity. Nearly all the change is via a long tapered rear overhang, suitable for carrying long thin boxes. And, unlike the standard roadster model, the inclusion of a roof smoothes things out.

The rear load door is all glass - a nod to the futuristic hotrod concepts of the late 1960s, and the grille, wheel trims and interior are finished in blood-red.

Hot rod hearse: Melbourne funeral home unveils one of Australia’s most unusual funeral cars.

You might have spotted a very unusual hearse around Melbourne recently.

Oakdale Funerals embarked on a two-and-a-half year labour of love to create the Model A Ford hot rod hearse.

A Ford 1931 Model AA truck chassis, and a 1931 Model A Tudor Body were used to crease a hearse that’s the only one of its kind in the world.

Co-owner of Oakdale Funerals, Anne Allison, said the idea for the unique funeral car came from a TV show.

“We sat around chatting one night and we were laughing and talking about that old TV show, The Munsters,” she told Dee Dee.

“We said ‘How cool would it be to be able to offer our client families a hot rod hearse?’

“We haven’t been able to find another one like it in Australia, or indeed, actually, the world.”

www.3aw.com.au/hot-rod-hearse-melbourne-funeral-home-unve...

Oddly enough, I have ended up with two build for #mocaround56 #hearserod named 'Thundertaker'. The car shown previously, the 1960 Cadillac Miller-Meteor, was so named by the creator of the IRL car. This one here, named by me.

Though, a Thunderbird named Thundertaker really is a no-brainer. A pity the name has already been scooped up by a Cadillac.

The car shown here takes a 1961 'Bullet' Thunderbird, and mounts it to the longer wheelbase (but closely related) 1961 Lincoln Continental. The Thunderbird sheetmetal is used for the rear of the car, but for the inclusion of a full-length roof, along with long side-windows creating a shooting brake.

The additional modifications of suicide doors and a wagon-type tailgate, and nice large-diameter wheels and tires add to a more resto-mod feel for the build, while keeping most of the 1961 bullet styling.

As mentioned, I missed the memo on the challenge order rearrange. Built for #mocaroundgang hearse-rod challenge hosted by @poppalars

As Barrett-Jackson says: “There are custom cars, and then there are those that have earned their own name.” Boyd Coddington’s Cadzzilla; Jerry Pennington's Scorpion; Dave and Joyce Emery’s ‘32 Revolver: Anyone can give a car a name; to be remembered, it’s got to be earned. Bryan Fuller’s Thundertaker is going to be called that for a long, long time.

Fuller, host of Velocity’s Naked Speed, spends more time building bikes than cars. But every now and again, he does something really special on four wheels. See: The Thundertaker, completed in 2013 after a four-year-long, 10,000-hour build. Yes, it’s a 1960 Cadillac Fleetwood hearse, a true “full custom” hotrod. That means that every single inch, inside and out, has been touched by a craftsman. The entire rear half of the car was fabricated; the interior is upholstered in what’s thought to be the world’s last bolts of authentic 1960 Cadillac limousine fabric.

The shell is chopped five inches and channeled, but retains the full-size original glass recessed into the body. The 156-inch wheelbase frame is reportedly one of the longest hotrod frames ever built, helping hit the four-ton mark. (Hot Rod broke a dolly trying to move it). Fortunately, it has a GM ZZ454 crate engine, factory rated at 468 horsepower. And that’s the really crazy party: Fuller says it’s “built for speed.”

“It’s got an Art Morrison chassis, a Strange 9-inch, a big-block…strap a couple turbos to the 454, take that thing to Bonneville, and hammer down,” he told Hot Rod.

Barrett-Jackson has no reserve on it in their April 8-10 auction in Palm Beach, Florida. It’s hard to pin a value on a far-out custom, and you never get your money back. But this one? It’s going to bring the money. And, of course, the thunder.

www.thedrive.com/vintage/2163/meet-the-thundertaker-a-fou...

Built in lego form for #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 to the theme #hearserod

Hosted by @poppalas

I tried to think of the most unlikely car to be modified into a hearserod (that nonetheless would be good at the job). My solution - the Mercedes-Benz W100 600 - the supreme Mercedes-Benz model from the 1960s.

The 600 was fitted with the 6.3L M100 V8 engine, producing a conservative 250 hp. An engine more than twice the size of any contemporary Mercedes model.

The 600 was built on two main wheelbase lengths. A standard car with 126 in (3,200 mm), and a Pullman model 153.5 in (3,900mm). Surprisingly, the standard wheelbase is long enough to produce a hearse, in part due to the long rear overhang of the car.

Some hearse models were built from W100 chassis, though much more formal and dignified than today's example.

For this modified hearserod I have lowered and tapered the roof, dumped the suspension, and fitted oversize wheels. Already a clean looking car, this version limits chrome trim to the bumpers, grille, lamps and upper window surround.

This is my last build for #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models, hosted on instagram by @poppalars

As Barrett-Jackson says: “There are custom cars, and then there are those that have earned their own name.” Boyd Coddington’s Cadzzilla; Jerry Pennington's Scorpion; Dave and Joyce Emery’s ‘32 Revolver: Anyone can give a car a name; to be remembered, it’s got to be earned. Bryan Fuller’s Thundertaker is going to be called that for a long, long time.

Fuller, host of Velocity’s Naked Speed, spends more time building bikes than cars. But every now and again, he does something really special on four wheels. See: The Thundertaker, completed in 2013 after a four-year-long, 10,000-hour build. Yes, it’s a 1960 Cadillac Fleetwood hearse, a true “full custom” hotrod. That means that every single inch, inside and out, has been touched by a craftsman. The entire rear half of the car was fabricated; the interior is upholstered in what’s thought to be the world’s last bolts of authentic 1960 Cadillac limousine fabric.

The shell is chopped five inches and channeled, but retains the full-size original glass recessed into the body. The 156-inch wheelbase frame is reportedly one of the longest hotrod frames ever built, helping hit the four-ton mark. (Hot Rod broke a dolly trying to move it). Fortunately, it has a GM ZZ454 crate engine, factory rated at 468 horsepower. And that’s the really crazy party: Fuller says it’s “built for speed.”

“It’s got an Art Morrison chassis, a Strange 9-inch, a big-block…strap a couple turbos to the 454, take that thing to Bonneville, and hammer down,” he told Hot Rod.

Barrett-Jackson has no reserve on it in their April 8-10 auction in Palm Beach, Florida. It’s hard to pin a value on a far-out custom, and you never get your money back. But this one? It’s going to bring the money. And, of course, the thunder.

www.thedrive.com/vintage/2163/meet-the-thundertaker-a-fou...

Built in lego form for #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 to the theme #hearserod

Hosted by @poppalas

Hot rod hearse: Melbourne funeral home unveils one of Australia’s most unusual funeral cars.

You might have spotted a very unusual hearse around Melbourne recently.

Oakdale Funerals embarked on a two-and-a-half year labour of love to create the Model A Ford hot rod hearse.

A Ford 1931 Model AA truck chassis, and a 1931 Model A Tudor Body were used to crease a hearse that’s the only one of its kind in the world.

Co-owner of Oakdale Funerals, Anne Allison, said the idea for the unique funeral car came from a TV show.

“We sat around chatting one night and we were laughing and talking about that old TV show, The Munsters,” she told Dee Dee.

“We said ‘How cool would it be to be able to offer our client families a hot rod hearse?’

“We haven’t been able to find another one like it in Australia, or indeed, actually, the world.”

www.3aw.com.au/hot-rod-hearse-melbourne-funeral-home-unve...

I missed the memo for the #mocaroundgang mixing up the year's theme builds, but #mocaround48 is now #ratrod , and hearserod will be delayed until round 57.

Some quick modelling has given me my first build for the theme, a 1933 Ford V8 Coupe called #wildturkey.

The car is essentially a recoloured, and re-shod version of the ZZ-Top 'Whiskey Runner' I modelled a number of years ago. Wild Turkey being a type of whiskey, and the car now wearing a rust-coloured bodywork (kind of like a wild turkey), instead of the polished look of the Whiskey Runner car.

As is the vogue today, the car wears black wheels, small on the front and big (but narrow) on the rear.

Stay tuned for some more ratrod builds up to the July 9th deadline.

Hot rod hearse: Melbourne funeral home unveils one of Australia’s most unusual funeral cars.

You might have spotted a very unusual hearse around Melbourne recently.

Oakdale Funerals embarked on a two-and-a-half year labour of love to create the Model A Ford hot rod hearse.

A Ford 1931 Model AA truck chassis, and a 1931 Model A Tudor Body were used to crease a hearse that’s the only one of its kind in the world.

Co-owner of Oakdale Funerals, Anne Allison, said the idea for the unique funeral car came from a TV show.

“We sat around chatting one night and we were laughing and talking about that old TV show, The Munsters,” she told Dee Dee.

“We said ‘How cool would it be to be able to offer our client families a hot rod hearse?’

“We haven’t been able to find another one like it in Australia, or indeed, actually, the world.”

www.3aw.com.au/hot-rod-hearse-melbourne-funeral-home-unve...

I missed the memo for the #mocaroundgang mixing up the year's theme builds, but #mocaround48 is now #ratrod , and hearserod will be delayed until round 57.

Some quick modelling has given me my first build for the theme, a 1933 Ford V8 Coupe called #wildturkey.

The car is essentially a recoloured, and re-shod version of the ZZ-Top 'Whiskey Runner' I modelled a number of years ago. Wild Turkey being a type of whiskey, and the car now wearing a rust-coloured bodywork (kind of like a wild turkey), instead of the polished look of the Whiskey Runner car.

As is the vogue today, the car wears black wheels, small on the front and big (but narrow) on the rear.

Stay tuned for some more ratrod builds up to the July 9th deadline.

Since the Plymouth Prowler first debuted back in 1996, I have always thought that this was a versatile platform perfect for exploration in multiple dimensions.

Around eight years ago I designed a V8, vintage plane themed HEMI Howler, replacing the stock V6 with one of Chryslers HEMI V8 engines. A not unexpected conversion.

The Prowler platform though is thoroughly modern, using a spaceframe construction and unstressed panels, meaning it can be turned into almost anything. That most customers didn't bother was a giant disappointment.

The Lego model here, designed to #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models provided an just such an opportunity. Nearly all the change is via a long tapered rear overhang, suitable for carrying long thin boxes. And, unlike the standard roadster model, the inclusion of a roof smoothes things out.

The rear load door is all glass - a nod to the futuristic hotrod concepts of the late 1960s, and the grille, wheel trims and interior are finished in blood-red.

I tried to think of the most unlikely car to be modified into a hearserod (that nonetheless would be good at the job). My solution - the Mercedes-Benz W100 600 - the supreme Mercedes-Benz model from the 1960s.

The 600 was fitted with the 6.3L M100 V8 engine, producing a conservative 250 hp. An engine more than twice the size of any contemporary Mercedes model.

The 600 was built on two main wheelbase lengths. A standard car with 126 in (3,200 mm), and a Pullman model 153.5 in (3,900mm). Surprisingly, the standard wheelbase is long enough to produce a hearse, in part due to the long rear overhang of the car.

Some hearse models were built from W100 chassis, though much more formal and dignified than today's example.

For this modified hearserod I have lowered and tapered the roof, dumped the suspension, and fitted oversize wheels. Already a clean looking car, this version limits chrome trim to the bumpers, grille, lamps and upper window surround.

This is my last build for #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models, hosted on instagram by @poppalars

I tried to think of the most unlikely car to be modified into a hearserod (that nonetheless would be good at the job). My solution - the Mercedes-Benz W100 600 - the supreme Mercedes-Benz model from the 1960s.

The 600 was fitted with the 6.3L M100 V8 engine, producing a conservative 250 hp. An engine more than twice the size of any contemporary Mercedes model.

The 600 was built on two main wheelbase lengths. A standard car with 126 in (3,200 mm), and a Pullman model 153.5 in (3,900mm). Surprisingly, the standard wheelbase is long enough to produce a hearse, in part due to the long rear overhang of the car.

Some hearse models were built from W100 chassis, though much more formal and dignified than today's example.

For this modified hearserod I have lowered and tapered the roof, dumped the suspension, and fitted oversize wheels. Already a clean looking car, this version limits chrome trim to the bumpers, grille, lamps and upper window surround.

This is my last build for #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models, hosted on instagram by @poppalars

Since the Plymouth Prowler first debuted back in 1996, I have always thought that this was a versatile platform perfect for exploration in multiple dimensions.

Around eight years ago I designed a V8, vintage plane themed HEMI Howler, replacing the stock V6 with one of Chryslers HEMI V8 engines. A not unexpected conversion.

The Prowler platform though is thoroughly modern, using a spaceframe construction and unstressed panels, meaning it can be turned into almost anything. That most customers didn't bother was a giant disappointment.

The Lego model here, designed to #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models provided an just such an opportunity. Nearly all the change is via a long tapered rear overhang, suitable for carrying long thin boxes. And, unlike the standard roadster model, the inclusion of a roof smoothes things out.

The rear load door is all glass - a nod to the futuristic hotrod concepts of the late 1960s, and the grille, wheel trims and interior are finished in blood-red.

Oddly enough, I have ended up with two build for #mocaround56 #hearserod named 'Thundertaker'. The car shown previously, the 1960 Cadillac Miller-Meteor, was so named by the creator of the IRL car. This one here, named by me.

Though, a Thunderbird named Thundertaker really is a no-brainer. A pity the name has already been scooped up by a Cadillac.

The car shown here takes a 1961 'Bullet' Thunderbird, and mounts it to the longer wheelbase (but closely related) 1961 Lincoln Continental. The Thunderbird sheetmetal is used for the rear of the car, but for the inclusion of a full-length roof, along with long side-windows creating a shooting brake.

The additional modifications of suicide doors and a wagon-type tailgate, and nice large-diameter wheels and tires add to a more resto-mod feel for the build, while keeping most of the 1961 bullet styling.

As mentioned, I missed the memo on the challenge order rearrange. Built for #mocaroundgang hearse-rod challenge hosted by @poppalars

Since the Plymouth Prowler first debuted back in 1996, I have always thought that this was a versatile platform perfect for exploration in multiple dimensions.

Around eight years ago I designed a V8, vintage plane themed HEMI Howler, replacing the stock V6 with one of Chryslers HEMI V8 engines. A not unexpected conversion.

The Prowler platform though is thoroughly modern, using a spaceframe construction and unstressed panels, meaning it can be turned into almost anything. That most customers didn't bother was a giant disappointment.

The Lego model here, designed to #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models provided an just such an opportunity. Nearly all the change is via a long tapered rear overhang, suitable for carrying long thin boxes. And, unlike the standard roadster model, the inclusion of a roof smoothes things out.

The rear load door is all glass - a nod to the futuristic hotrod concepts of the late 1960s, and the grille, wheel trims and interior are finished in blood-red.

Since the Plymouth Prowler first debuted back in 1996, I have always thought that this was a versatile platform perfect for exploration in multiple dimensions.

Around eight years ago I designed a V8, vintage plane themed HEMI Howler, replacing the stock V6 with one of Chryslers HEMI V8 engines. A not unexpected conversion.

The Prowler platform though is thoroughly modern, using a spaceframe construction and unstressed panels, meaning it can be turned into almost anything. That most customers didn't bother was a giant disappointment.

The Lego model here, designed to #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models provided an just such an opportunity. Nearly all the change is via a long tapered rear overhang, suitable for carrying long thin boxes. And, unlike the standard roadster model, the inclusion of a roof smoothes things out.

The rear load door is all glass - a nod to the futuristic hotrod concepts of the late 1960s, and the grille, wheel trims and interior are finished in blood-red.

I missed the memo for the #mocaroundgang mixing up the year's theme builds, but #mocaround48 is now #ratrod , and hearserod will be delayed until round 57.

Some quick modelling has given me my first build for the theme, a 1933 Ford V8 Coupe called #wildturkey.

The car is essentially a recoloured, and re-shod version of the ZZ-Top 'Whiskey Runner' I modelled a number of years ago. Wild Turkey being a type of whiskey, and the car now wearing a rust-coloured bodywork (kind of like a wild turkey), instead of the polished look of the Whiskey Runner car.

As is the vogue today, the car wears black wheels, small on the front and big (but narrow) on the rear.

Stay tuned for some more ratrod builds up to the July 9th deadline.

I tried to think of the most unlikely car to be modified into a hearserod (that nonetheless would be good at the job). My solution - the Mercedes-Benz W100 600 - the supreme Mercedes-Benz model from the 1960s.

The 600 was fitted with the 6.3L M100 V8 engine, producing a conservative 250 hp. An engine more than twice the size of any contemporary Mercedes model.

The 600 was built on two main wheelbase lengths. A standard car with 126 in (3,200 mm), and a Pullman model 153.5 in (3,900mm). Surprisingly, the standard wheelbase is long enough to produce a hearse, in part due to the long rear overhang of the car.

Some hearse models were built from W100 chassis, though much more formal and dignified than today's example.

For this modified hearserod I have lowered and tapered the roof, dumped the suspension, and fitted oversize wheels. Already a clean looking car, this version limits chrome trim to the bumpers, grille, lamps and upper window surround.

This is my last build for #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models, hosted on instagram by @poppalars

I missed the memo for the #mocaroundgang mixing up the year's theme builds, but #mocaround48 is now #ratrod , and hearserod will be delayed until round 57.

Some quick modelling has given me my first build for the theme, a 1933 Ford V8 Coupe called #wildturkey.

The car is essentially a recoloured, and re-shod version of the ZZ-Top 'Whiskey Runner' I modelled a number of years ago. Wild Turkey being a type of whiskey, and the car now wearing a rust-coloured bodywork (kind of like a wild turkey), instead of the polished look of the Whiskey Runner car.

As is the vogue today, the car wears black wheels, small on the front and big (but narrow) on the rear.

Stay tuned for some more ratrod builds up to the July 9th deadline.

I tried to think of the most unlikely car to be modified into a hearserod (that nonetheless would be good at the job). My solution - the Mercedes-Benz W100 600 - the supreme Mercedes-Benz model from the 1960s.

The 600 was fitted with the 6.3L M100 V8 engine, producing a conservative 250 hp. An engine more than twice the size of any contemporary Mercedes model.

The 600 was built on two main wheelbase lengths. A standard car with 126 in (3,200 mm), and a Pullman model 153.5 in (3,900mm). Surprisingly, the standard wheelbase is long enough to produce a hearse, in part due to the long rear overhang of the car.

Some hearse models were built from W100 chassis, though much more formal and dignified than today's example.

For this modified hearserod I have lowered and tapered the roof, dumped the suspension, and fitted oversize wheels. Already a clean looking car, this version limits chrome trim to the bumpers, grille, lamps and upper window surround.

This is my last build for #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models, hosted on instagram by @poppalars

Hot rod hearse: Melbourne funeral home unveils one of Australia’s most unusual funeral cars.

You might have spotted a very unusual hearse around Melbourne recently.

Oakdale Funerals embarked on a two-and-a-half year labour of love to create the Model A Ford hot rod hearse.

A Ford 1931 Model AA truck chassis, and a 1931 Model A Tudor Body were used to crease a hearse that’s the only one of its kind in the world.

Co-owner of Oakdale Funerals, Anne Allison, said the idea for the unique funeral car came from a TV show.

“We sat around chatting one night and we were laughing and talking about that old TV show, The Munsters,” she told Dee Dee.

“We said ‘How cool would it be to be able to offer our client families a hot rod hearse?’

“We haven’t been able to find another one like it in Australia, or indeed, actually, the world.”

www.3aw.com.au/hot-rod-hearse-melbourne-funeral-home-unve...

I tried to think of the most unlikely car to be modified into a hearserod (that nonetheless would be good at the job). My solution - the Mercedes-Benz W100 600 - the supreme Mercedes-Benz model from the 1960s.

The 600 was fitted with the 6.3L M100 V8 engine, producing a conservative 250 hp. An engine more than twice the size of any contemporary Mercedes model.

The 600 was built on two main wheelbase lengths. A standard car with 126 in (3,200 mm), and a Pullman model 153.5 in (3,900mm). Surprisingly, the standard wheelbase is long enough to produce a hearse, in part due to the long rear overhang of the car.

Some hearse models were built from W100 chassis, though much more formal and dignified than today's example.

For this modified hearserod I have lowered and tapered the roof, dumped the suspension, and fitted oversize wheels. Already a clean looking car, this version limits chrome trim to the bumpers, grille, lamps and upper window surround.

This is my last build for #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models, hosted on instagram by @poppalars

As Barrett-Jackson says: “There are custom cars, and then there are those that have earned their own name.” Boyd Coddington’s Cadzzilla; Jerry Pennington's Scorpion; Dave and Joyce Emery’s ‘32 Revolver: Anyone can give a car a name; to be remembered, it’s got to be earned. Bryan Fuller’s Thundertaker is going to be called that for a long, long time.

Fuller, host of Velocity’s Naked Speed, spends more time building bikes than cars. But every now and again, he does something really special on four wheels. See: The Thundertaker, completed in 2013 after a four-year-long, 10,000-hour build. Yes, it’s a 1960 Cadillac Fleetwood hearse, a true “full custom” hotrod. That means that every single inch, inside and out, has been touched by a craftsman. The entire rear half of the car was fabricated; the interior is upholstered in what’s thought to be the world’s last bolts of authentic 1960 Cadillac limousine fabric.

The shell is chopped five inches and channeled, but retains the full-size original glass recessed into the body. The 156-inch wheelbase frame is reportedly one of the longest hotrod frames ever built, helping hit the four-ton mark. (Hot Rod broke a dolly trying to move it). Fortunately, it has a GM ZZ454 crate engine, factory rated at 468 horsepower. And that’s the really crazy party: Fuller says it’s “built for speed.”

“It’s got an Art Morrison chassis, a Strange 9-inch, a big-block…strap a couple turbos to the 454, take that thing to Bonneville, and hammer down,” he told Hot Rod.

Barrett-Jackson has no reserve on it in their April 8-10 auction in Palm Beach, Florida. It’s hard to pin a value on a far-out custom, and you never get your money back. But this one? It’s going to bring the money. And, of course, the thunder.

www.thedrive.com/vintage/2163/meet-the-thundertaker-a-fou...

Built in lego form for #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 to the theme #hearserod

Hosted by @poppalas

As Barrett-Jackson says: “There are custom cars, and then there are those that have earned their own name.” Boyd Coddington’s Cadzzilla; Jerry Pennington's Scorpion; Dave and Joyce Emery’s ‘32 Revolver: Anyone can give a car a name; to be remembered, it’s got to be earned. Bryan Fuller’s Thundertaker is going to be called that for a long, long time.

Fuller, host of Velocity’s Naked Speed, spends more time building bikes than cars. But every now and again, he does something really special on four wheels. See: The Thundertaker, completed in 2013 after a four-year-long, 10,000-hour build. Yes, it’s a 1960 Cadillac Fleetwood hearse, a true “full custom” hotrod. That means that every single inch, inside and out, has been touched by a craftsman. The entire rear half of the car was fabricated; the interior is upholstered in what’s thought to be the world’s last bolts of authentic 1960 Cadillac limousine fabric.

The shell is chopped five inches and channeled, but retains the full-size original glass recessed into the body. The 156-inch wheelbase frame is reportedly one of the longest hotrod frames ever built, helping hit the four-ton mark. (Hot Rod broke a dolly trying to move it). Fortunately, it has a GM ZZ454 crate engine, factory rated at 468 horsepower. And that’s the really crazy party: Fuller says it’s “built for speed.”

“It’s got an Art Morrison chassis, a Strange 9-inch, a big-block…strap a couple turbos to the 454, take that thing to Bonneville, and hammer down,” he told Hot Rod.

Barrett-Jackson has no reserve on it in their April 8-10 auction in Palm Beach, Florida. It’s hard to pin a value on a far-out custom, and you never get your money back. But this one? It’s going to bring the money. And, of course, the thunder.

www.thedrive.com/vintage/2163/meet-the-thundertaker-a-fou...

Built in lego form for #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 to the theme #hearserod

Hosted by @poppalas

As Barrett-Jackson says: “There are custom cars, and then there are those that have earned their own name.” Boyd Coddington’s Cadzzilla; Jerry Pennington's Scorpion; Dave and Joyce Emery’s ‘32 Revolver: Anyone can give a car a name; to be remembered, it’s got to be earned. Bryan Fuller’s Thundertaker is going to be called that for a long, long time.

Fuller, host of Velocity’s Naked Speed, spends more time building bikes than cars. But every now and again, he does something really special on four wheels. See: The Thundertaker, completed in 2013 after a four-year-long, 10,000-hour build. Yes, it’s a 1960 Cadillac Fleetwood hearse, a true “full custom” hotrod. That means that every single inch, inside and out, has been touched by a craftsman. The entire rear half of the car was fabricated; the interior is upholstered in what’s thought to be the world’s last bolts of authentic 1960 Cadillac limousine fabric.

The shell is chopped five inches and channeled, but retains the full-size original glass recessed into the body. The 156-inch wheelbase frame is reportedly one of the longest hotrod frames ever built, helping hit the four-ton mark. (Hot Rod broke a dolly trying to move it). Fortunately, it has a GM ZZ454 crate engine, factory rated at 468 horsepower. And that’s the really crazy party: Fuller says it’s “built for speed.”

“It’s got an Art Morrison chassis, a Strange 9-inch, a big-block…strap a couple turbos to the 454, take that thing to Bonneville, and hammer down,” he told Hot Rod.

Barrett-Jackson has no reserve on it in their April 8-10 auction in Palm Beach, Florida. It’s hard to pin a value on a far-out custom, and you never get your money back. But this one? It’s going to bring the money. And, of course, the thunder.

www.thedrive.com/vintage/2163/meet-the-thundertaker-a-fou...

Built in lego form for #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 to the theme #hearserod

Hosted by @poppalas

As Barrett-Jackson says: “There are custom cars, and then there are those that have earned their own name.” Boyd Coddington’s Cadzzilla; Jerry Pennington's Scorpion; Dave and Joyce Emery’s ‘32 Revolver: Anyone can give a car a name; to be remembered, it’s got to be earned. Bryan Fuller’s Thundertaker is going to be called that for a long, long time.

Fuller, host of Velocity’s Naked Speed, spends more time building bikes than cars. But every now and again, he does something really special on four wheels. See: The Thundertaker, completed in 2013 after a four-year-long, 10,000-hour build. Yes, it’s a 1960 Cadillac Fleetwood hearse, a true “full custom” hotrod. That means that every single inch, inside and out, has been touched by a craftsman. The entire rear half of the car was fabricated; the interior is upholstered in what’s thought to be the world’s last bolts of authentic 1960 Cadillac limousine fabric.

The shell is chopped five inches and channeled, but retains the full-size original glass recessed into the body. The 156-inch wheelbase frame is reportedly one of the longest hotrod frames ever built, helping hit the four-ton mark. (Hot Rod broke a dolly trying to move it). Fortunately, it has a GM ZZ454 crate engine, factory rated at 468 horsepower. And that’s the really crazy party: Fuller says it’s “built for speed.”

“It’s got an Art Morrison chassis, a Strange 9-inch, a big-block…strap a couple turbos to the 454, take that thing to Bonneville, and hammer down,” he told Hot Rod.

Barrett-Jackson has no reserve on it in their April 8-10 auction in Palm Beach, Florida. It’s hard to pin a value on a far-out custom, and you never get your money back. But this one? It’s going to bring the money. And, of course, the thunder.

www.thedrive.com/vintage/2163/meet-the-thundertaker-a-fou...

Built in lego form for #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 to the theme #hearserod

Hosted by @poppalas

Since the Plymouth Prowler first debuted back in 1996, I have always thought that this was a versatile platform perfect for exploration in multiple dimensions.

Around eight years ago I designed a V8, vintage plane themed HEMI Howler, replacing the stock V6 with one of Chryslers HEMI V8 engines. A not unexpected conversion.

The Prowler platform though is thoroughly modern, using a spaceframe construction and unstressed panels, meaning it can be turned into almost anything. That most customers didn't bother was a giant disappointment.

The Lego model here, designed to #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models provided an just such an opportunity. Nearly all the change is via a long tapered rear overhang, suitable for carrying long thin boxes. And, unlike the standard roadster model, the inclusion of a roof smoothes things out.

The rear load door is all glass - a nod to the futuristic hotrod concepts of the late 1960s, and the grille, wheel trims and interior are finished in blood-red.

Oddly enough, I have ended up with two build for #mocaround56 #hearserod named 'Thundertaker'. The car shown previously, the 1960 Cadillac Miller-Meteor, was so named by the creator of the IRL car. This one here, named by me.

Though, a Thunderbird named Thundertaker really is a no-brainer. A pity the name has already been scooped up by a Cadillac.

The car shown here takes a 1961 'Bullet' Thunderbird, and mounts it to the longer wheelbase (but closely related) 1961 Lincoln Continental. The Thunderbird sheetmetal is used for the rear of the car, but for the inclusion of a full-length roof, along with long side-windows creating a shooting brake.

The additional modifications of suicide doors and a wagon-type tailgate, and nice large-diameter wheels and tires add to a more resto-mod feel for the build, while keeping most of the 1961 bullet styling.

As mentioned, I missed the memo on the challenge order rearrange. Built for #mocaroundgang hearse-rod challenge hosted by @poppalars

Oddly enough, I have ended up with two build for #mocaround56 #hearserod named 'Thundertaker'. The car shown previously, the 1960 Cadillac Miller-Meteor, was so named by the creator of the IRL car. This one here, named by me.

Though, a Thunderbird named Thundertaker really is a no-brainer. A pity the name has already been scooped up by a Cadillac.

The car shown here takes a 1961 'Bullet' Thunderbird, and mounts it to the longer wheelbase (but closely related) 1961 Lincoln Continental. The Thunderbird sheetmetal is used for the rear of the car, but for the inclusion of a full-length roof, along with long side-windows creating a shooting brake.

The additional modifications of suicide doors and a wagon-type tailgate, and nice large-diameter wheels and tires add to a more resto-mod feel for the build, while keeping most of the 1961 bullet styling.

As mentioned, I missed the memo on the challenge order rearrange. Built for #mocaroundgang hearse-rod challenge hosted by @poppalars

As Barrett-Jackson says: “There are custom cars, and then there are those that have earned their own name.” Boyd Coddington’s Cadzzilla; Jerry Pennington's Scorpion; Dave and Joyce Emery’s ‘32 Revolver: Anyone can give a car a name; to be remembered, it’s got to be earned. Bryan Fuller’s Thundertaker is going to be called that for a long, long time.

Fuller, host of Velocity’s Naked Speed, spends more time building bikes than cars. But every now and again, he does something really special on four wheels. See: The Thundertaker, completed in 2013 after a four-year-long, 10,000-hour build. Yes, it’s a 1960 Cadillac Fleetwood hearse, a true “full custom” hotrod. That means that every single inch, inside and out, has been touched by a craftsman. The entire rear half of the car was fabricated; the interior is upholstered in what’s thought to be the world’s last bolts of authentic 1960 Cadillac limousine fabric.

The shell is chopped five inches and channeled, but retains the full-size original glass recessed into the body. The 156-inch wheelbase frame is reportedly one of the longest hotrod frames ever built, helping hit the four-ton mark. (Hot Rod broke a dolly trying to move it). Fortunately, it has a GM ZZ454 crate engine, factory rated at 468 horsepower. And that’s the really crazy party: Fuller says it’s “built for speed.”

“It’s got an Art Morrison chassis, a Strange 9-inch, a big-block…strap a couple turbos to the 454, take that thing to Bonneville, and hammer down,” he told Hot Rod.

Barrett-Jackson has no reserve on it in their April 8-10 auction in Palm Beach, Florida. It’s hard to pin a value on a far-out custom, and you never get your money back. But this one? It’s going to bring the money. And, of course, the thunder.

www.thedrive.com/vintage/2163/meet-the-thundertaker-a-fou...

Built in lego form for #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 to the theme #hearserod

Hosted by @poppalas

The upcoming #MOCaroundgang challenge number 48 is for #hearserods.

I have a few of these on the way.

The first model, shown here, is based on the Chysler PT Cruiser (2001 - 2010). The base car is a compact tall wagon/hatch type car with retro styling.

The variant here incorporates many changes, commonly seen on traditional hearse conversions:

- Increased wheelbase

- Delete rear side doors

- Extend rear side windows

- Delete rear seats

Additional changes as part of the hotrod conversion is the incorporation of the large 5-spoke 'Mustang' wheels. These are pretty big and extend the track width.

The various changes to enable this car can be rolled back into the Lego PT Cruiser for additinal variants that will be seen in the future.

The upcoming #MOCaroundgang challenge number 48 is for #hearserods.

I have a few of these on the way.

The first model, shown here, is based on the Chysler PT Cruiser (2001 - 2010). The base car is a compact tall wagon/hatch type car with retro styling.

The variant here incorporates many changes, commonly seen on traditional hearse conversions:

- Increased wheelbase

- Delete rear side doors

- Extend rear side windows

- Delete rear seats

Additional changes as part of the hotrod conversion is the incorporation of the large 5-spoke 'Mustang' wheels. These are pretty big and extend the track width.

The various changes to enable this car can be rolled back into the Lego PT Cruiser for additinal variants that will be seen in the future.

Oddly enough, I have ended up with two build for #mocaround56 #hearserod named 'Thundertaker'. The car shown previously, the 1960 Cadillac Miller-Meteor, was so named by the creator of the IRL car. This one here, named by me.

Though, a Thunderbird named Thundertaker really is a no-brainer. A pity the name has already been scooped up by a Cadillac.

The car shown here takes a 1961 'Bullet' Thunderbird, and mounts it to the longer wheelbase (but closely related) 1961 Lincoln Continental. The Thunderbird sheetmetal is used for the rear of the car, but for the inclusion of a full-length roof, along with long side-windows creating a shooting brake.

The additional modifications of suicide doors and a wagon-type tailgate, and nice large-diameter wheels and tires add to a more resto-mod feel for the build, while keeping most of the 1961 bullet styling.

As mentioned, I missed the memo on the challenge order rearrange. Built for #mocaroundgang hearse-rod challenge hosted by @poppalars

I tried to think of the most unlikely car to be modified into a hearserod (that nonetheless would be good at the job). My solution - the Mercedes-Benz W100 600 - the supreme Mercedes-Benz model from the 1960s.

The 600 was fitted with the 6.3L M100 V8 engine, producing a conservative 250 hp. An engine more than twice the size of any contemporary Mercedes model.

The 600 was built on two main wheelbase lengths. A standard car with 126 in (3,200 mm), and a Pullman model 153.5 in (3,900mm). Surprisingly, the standard wheelbase is long enough to produce a hearse, in part due to the long rear overhang of the car.

Some hearse models were built from W100 chassis, though much more formal and dignified than today's example.

For this modified hearserod I have lowered and tapered the roof, dumped the suspension, and fitted oversize wheels. Already a clean looking car, this version limits chrome trim to the bumpers, grille, lamps and upper window surround.

This is my last build for #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models, hosted on instagram by @poppalars

As Barrett-Jackson says: “There are custom cars, and then there are those that have earned their own name.” Boyd Coddington’s Cadzzilla; Jerry Pennington's Scorpion; Dave and Joyce Emery’s ‘32 Revolver: Anyone can give a car a name; to be remembered, it’s got to be earned. Bryan Fuller’s Thundertaker is going to be called that for a long, long time.

Fuller, host of Velocity’s Naked Speed, spends more time building bikes than cars. But every now and again, he does something really special on four wheels. See: The Thundertaker, completed in 2013 after a four-year-long, 10,000-hour build. Yes, it’s a 1960 Cadillac Fleetwood hearse, a true “full custom” hotrod. That means that every single inch, inside and out, has been touched by a craftsman. The entire rear half of the car was fabricated; the interior is upholstered in what’s thought to be the world’s last bolts of authentic 1960 Cadillac limousine fabric.

The shell is chopped five inches and channeled, but retains the full-size original glass recessed into the body. The 156-inch wheelbase frame is reportedly one of the longest hotrod frames ever built, helping hit the four-ton mark. (Hot Rod broke a dolly trying to move it). Fortunately, it has a GM ZZ454 crate engine, factory rated at 468 horsepower. And that’s the really crazy party: Fuller says it’s “built for speed.”

“It’s got an Art Morrison chassis, a Strange 9-inch, a big-block…strap a couple turbos to the 454, take that thing to Bonneville, and hammer down,” he told Hot Rod.

Barrett-Jackson has no reserve on it in their April 8-10 auction in Palm Beach, Florida. It’s hard to pin a value on a far-out custom, and you never get your money back. But this one? It’s going to bring the money. And, of course, the thunder.

www.thedrive.com/vintage/2163/meet-the-thundertaker-a-fou...

Built in lego form for #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 to the theme #hearserod

Hosted by @poppalas

Since the Plymouth Prowler first debuted back in 1996, I have always thought that this was a versatile platform perfect for exploration in multiple dimensions.

Around eight years ago I designed a V8, vintage plane themed HEMI Howler, replacing the stock V6 with one of Chryslers HEMI V8 engines. A not unexpected conversion.

The Prowler platform though is thoroughly modern, using a spaceframe construction and unstressed panels, meaning it can be turned into almost anything. That most customers didn't bother was a giant disappointment.

The Lego model here, designed to #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models provided an just such an opportunity. Nearly all the change is via a long tapered rear overhang, suitable for carrying long thin boxes. And, unlike the standard roadster model, the inclusion of a roof smoothes things out.

The rear load door is all glass - a nod to the futuristic hotrod concepts of the late 1960s, and the grille, wheel trims and interior are finished in blood-red.