DFW Car & Toy Museum Acquires Rare 1939 Packard Hearse, Highlighting Automotive Innovation and Texas Cultural Preservation

The DFW Car & Toy Museum has unveiled a 1939 Packard Super Eight Hearse, a distinctive vehicle commissioned by a high-end Virginia funeral home that represents a unique fusion of Packard's Super Eight and Twelve components. Built in March 1938, this hearse rides on a V12 frame with Twelve-series wheels, brakes, and suspension but is powered by an eight-cylinder engine, showcasing Packard's engineering versatility during the pre-war era.

Its early construction date includes several rare pre-production elements, such as a dashboard with 15 unique differences where instruments are fitted from behind—a detail virtually unseen in other period Packards. The interior features fine woodworking with Madagascar ebony and Honduran mahogany, elevating it beyond standard coach builds, while a hydraulic leveling system in the rear ensured a smooth ride for transporting caskets, reflecting Packard's commitment to refinement 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, noted that this vehicle symbolizes Packard's innovation and elegance at the height of America's automotive golden age, with its journey from somber beginnings to rock-and-roll lore making it a standout in the collection.

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. For more information, visit https://dfwcarandtoymuseum.com, which provides details on the museum's location and offerings. The museum's new facility at 2550 McMillan Parkway in Fort Worth spans 150,000 square feet with free parking and admission, open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, offering an entertaining visit for automotive enthusiasts.

The acquisition of this rare Packard hearse by the DFW Car & Toy Museum highlights Texas's growing prominence in automotive heritage preservation. For businesses and communities in Texas, such museums contribute to economic impact by attracting tourism and fostering educational opportunities. The hearse's unique history—from luxury funeral service to rock-and-roll touring—illustrates how automotive artifacts can bridge cultural eras, offering insights into design innovation and social evolution. This addition reinforces the museum's role in showcasing vehicles that tell compelling stories, potentially drawing more visitors and boosting local tourism. For automotive enthusiasts and historians, the hearse serves as a tangible link to Packard's pre-war engineering prowess, emphasizing the importance of preserving such rarities for future generations.