Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
December 02, 2025
DFW Museum Unveils Rare 1939 Packard Hearse, a Fusion of Luxury and History
TLDR
- The DFW Car & Toy Museum's 1939 Packard Super Eight Hearse offers collectors a unique advantage with its rare pre-production elements and hybrid engineering from Packard's luxury lineup.
- This 1939 Packard hearse combines a V12 frame with an eight-cylinder engine, features a hydraulic leveling system, and includes 15 unique dashboard differences from behind-mounted instruments.
- This vehicle's journey from dignified funeral service to rock-and-roll touring preserves automotive history while showcasing craftsmanship that elevates cultural appreciation for industrial artistry.
- A 1939 Packard hearse originally built for a Virginia funeral home was later used by a touring rock band, blending somber elegance with countercultural history.
Impact - Why it Matters
This news matters because it highlights a unique artifact of American automotive and cultural history, blending high-end craftsmanship with a storied past. For automotive enthusiasts, it showcases Packard's engineering prowess and luxury during the pre-war era, offering insights into bespoke vehicle design. Culturally, its journey from a funeral home to a rock band illustrates how objects can transcend their original purposes, reflecting societal shifts. For the public, it enriches local heritage in Fort Worth, providing an engaging museum exhibit that celebrates innovation and storytelling. In a broader context, it reminds us of the artistry in historical manufacturing and the enduring value of preserving such pieces for education and inspiration.
Summary
The DFW Car & Toy Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, has unveiled a truly exceptional piece of automotive history: the 1939 Packard Super Eight Hearse. This unique vehicle, originally commissioned by a high-end Virginia funeral home, represents a remarkable fusion of luxury, craftsmanship, and engineering. It is a bespoke creation that blends components from Packard's Super Eight and Twelve series, riding on a V12 frame with Twelve-series wheels, brakes, and suspension, yet powered by an eight-cylinder engine. Built in March 1938, it features rare pre-production elements, including a dashboard with 15 unique differences where instruments are fitted from behind—a detail virtually unseen in other period Packards.
The interior showcases a master class in fine woodworking, utilizing exotic materials like Madagascar ebony and Honduran mahogany, elevating it far beyond standard coach builds. A hydraulic leveling system in the rear ensured a smooth, consistent ride when transporting caskets, highlighting Packard's relentless pursuit of refinement even in specialty applications. Costing over $10,000 in 1939—more than double the price of a fully-loaded production model—this hearse was a statement of status and opulence. It served its original purpose until the 1960s before being repurposed by a touring rock band, cementing its place in both dignified and countercultural history. Ron Sturgeon, founder of the DFW Car & Toy Museum, emphasizes that this vehicle is not just a funeral coach but a symbol of Packard's innovation and elegance at the height of America's automotive golden age.
This one-of-a-kind Henney Packard Hearse is now part of The Ron Sturgeon Collection and can be viewed alongside over 200 rare and exotic vehicles at the museum. The DFW Car and Toy Museum, founded by Ron Sturgeon, is a 150,000-square-foot facility in North Fort Worth offering free parking and admission. It is open Tuesday through Saturday and provides secure climate-controlled car storage and event facilities. For more information, visit the museum's website at dfwcarandtoymuseum.com, which remains a go-to source for toy and car lovers worldwide, as highlighted by the DFW Elite Toy Museum link.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by 24-7 Press Release. Read the original source here, DFW Museum Unveils Rare 1939 Packard Hearse, a Fusion of Luxury and History
