CC Contributor William Stopford posted pictures of this very impressive Chrysler Royal (AP3) hearse at the Cohort. These late fifties Australian Royals are unusual enough as it is, what with their 1954 Plymouth body hiding between modernized front and rear ends. But this final AP3 version, with its 1959 DeSoto-ish fins and taillights, along with that hearse body makes this quite a sight.
Yes, these Australian Royals, which first appeared in 1957, was a 1954 Plymouth Cranbrook with some updates to make it look a bit more modern. And the final series, which this AP4 is, was built from 1960 all the way into 1964. They came as a six, which was the venerable 230 CID Chrysler flathead, or a 313 CID polysherical head V8. No, that’s not a typo; for Canadian and export markets, there was a 313 CID (5.1 L) version that was otherwise essentially identical the more familiar 318 CID poly V8 (A Block). A slightly smaller bore made the difference. Don’t ask why, because I suspect there’s no one out there that can give us a logical answer.
The two-speed Powerflite automatic was available in the first two series, and in this AP3, the Torqueflite was the automatic choice.
Here’s the business end. I like the license plate numerals; appropriate, eh?
I had to crop the image to make sure I was reading the letters on the hood right. It obviously isn’t “Chrysler”.
Number of the Beast on a hearse?? No thanks!
Strange, but I really like this, though I would (obviously?) rather have a “civilian” wagon version.
I owned a 53 Plymouth Belvedere so I am familiar with the bullet-proof mechanicals and brick-like build quality that these cars share. I imagine (never having driven them back to back) these are at least as good a driver as a 50s Ford or Chevy.
Did Australian Chryslers get torsion bar suspensions?
The later Valiant-based ones, but not these, which are from the pre-torsion bar era.
Here’s your “civilian” wagon, the Plainsman. Only produced from ’57 to ’59. I never saw one back then, so they were always rare.
Stylish, in a slightly macabre way!
Another “new” old car for me from the Down Under. It seems that this car has a slightly different purpose than what for it was provided 🙂 Generally I like the Australian CC articles. Not so much infos came about Aussie cars to the continental Europe in the past.
Cool! I want it!
> Don’t ask why, because I suspect there’s no one out there that can give us a logical answer.
For MY1957, Dodge in Canada wanted a bigger engine for the Custom Royal. They decided to bore out the 303 by 0.070″, winding-up with 313cid. Meanwhile, Plymouth in the US wanted a bigger engine for the Fury. They decided to stroke the 301 by using the crankshaft from the 303, winding-up with 318cid. Essentially the same results except for .030″ smaller bore in the 313 versus the 318.
There was no reason to revisit the changes at the Canadian plant to harmonize the engine displacement with the US because engines built in Canada weren’t installed in US-built vehicles. That changed with the Autopact, so Chrysler Canada finally had the bore enlarged to wind-up with 318cid starting in 1965.
Summarized from:
http://www.allpar.com/mopar/canadian.html
That sure is some long side glass.
That’s in Mount Tambourine Australia.
The hearse shown brings to mind so many other feelings I have about Australia.
It is sort of English and sort of American. While the car’s styling is pure American excess rip off, in an Australian way on obsolete mechanicals and body, the hearse looks English. The big windows and high roof look to me very English – like a Daimler conversion. The lack of doors on the right side makes me wonder about the left side. Does the hearse not have the side loader ability that so many American hearses did or is is the hearse a copy of the English style with only rear loading?
And these amalgams of English and American remind me of my general feeling about Australia – strong characters of each country show up in all aspects of the Australian culture.
Interesting observation. The lack of side doors and the single, uncurtained window are definitely Anglo, while the overall shape and even the height are American.
Question for our CCers Down Under: Are the front fenders on these APs the same as the ’55-6 US Plymouth, or do they just look that way? If yes, it would go a ways to confirming my pet theory that the ’55 Plymouth and Dodge were actually a heavy re-work of the ’53-4 bodies…
The front fenders are 1955 Plymouth panels slightly modified to fit, I looked it up recently because I am doing a couple of posts on the Valiant history in Australia. I do agree with you though, apart from standard updates for the era like the wrap-around windscreen the bodies do seem very similar. Running a tape measure across some ‘hard points’ would be quite informative.
constellation – I can’t recall ever seeing a side-loader hearse in Australia. That said I haven’t made a study of them!
Chrysler built the Royal as a commercial chassis, although some hearses/ambulances were converted from sedans, wagons or utes.
As far as anyone can tell as most records do not exist anymore due the Chrysler Australia and the major body builders of the 60s closing their businesses … all hearses and ambulances were built from a Wayfarer (ute) as it was a 2 door. There is no such thing as a commercial frame or chassis built by Chrysler Australia.
There actually was a cowl and chassis produced in the Royal line after the Plainsman was discontinued. These varied widely, and while most or all hearses had two doors, ambulances just as predominantly had four doors. There are surviving examples which were clearly made from cowl and chassis and sedans, just as this hearse looks to be a stretched ute.
The macabre flamboyance of the featured Aussie Mopar reminds me of this 1939 LaSalle hearse I shot at a car show last year. The exterior sides are wood carved to resemble velvet drapery…
…and the interior looks like a chapel.
The owner also pointed out it has a swivel-slab, plus casket access from three portals: both sides, plus the rear. No matter how tight the alley or awkward the parking spot, with a LaSalle you could count on always getting the stiff into the meatwagon with a minimum of fuss.
That is one cool mash-up! The only element that looks really weird is the too-small windshield from the ’53-’54 Plymouth.
On a property neighbouring a friends where I used to stay was a AP4 with V8 and auto long since abandonned but still in quite good condition nothing rusts out there in the Pilliga scrub, Ive only ever seen one in going order they either didnt sell well or didnt last well.
I thought it looked like a “Packardbaker” at first glance -right rear view.
I’m loving the wretched excess of the Hearse but the Wagon looks great too !.
Was the Wagon available in Two Door version ? .
-Nate
No the only 2-door versions were the utes, there would have been basically no demand for a large 2-door car by this time in Australia. Less than 500 wagons were built from what I have found, only 30 of those with the V8.
Hi guys I own an 1963 Ap3 sedan there is no such thing as an ap4 the hearse is an ap3. They came with 230, and 250 ci six’s and 313 v8s. They are big reliable old fashion things but most were used till the wheel s fell off.
This is Raven’s 1960 AP3 Chrysler hearse built by W.G. Smith (Sydney N.S.W.)
There is only 2 known to exist of this model and body builder.
I have the same AP3 model and it was built by R.F. Weber (Melbourne Victoria)
Here’s a link to Allpar and will give more info on the AP (Australian Production) series.
http://www.allpar.com/world/royal.html