Words & Photos: Tommy Parry
Some cars are hot rods, some are rat rods, and some defy traditional categorization. The “Thunder Taker” falls into the last category, and considering the effort put into the build, it will draw massive crowds wherever it goes. The 10,000 hours, vast imagination and small fortune needed to get the car to where it is today shows through clearly, and ought to inspire a legion of builders to step their game up.
Fifty-seven years ago, the Thunder Taker began its life as a Cadillac Fleetwood made by Superior Coach of Lima, Ohio. The custom hearse had to draw attention, and it was decided by the guys at Fuller Moto of Atlanta, Georgia, that the transporter would become something a little more rockabilly, a little more stylish and lighthearted. After all, the patron of the project needed it to be swanky enough to take their daughters to prom in.
Three years in the making, this rolling masterpiece has something for everyone. The elongated body was chopped 5.5” and the a-pillars augmented to fit a smaller windshield - one from a ‘59 Eldorado - and the boxy top was slimmed and streamlined. The rest of the glass is tucked into the body, and the sunroof, which measures an astounding eighty inches long, may well be the longest in the world. It complements the 22’ length of the chrome corpse carrier, and the longest chassis Morrison has ever made.
With the classic rear fins stretched and widened, the eye is, over a period of minutes, drawn slowly to the back end of the mile-long Caddy; there’s no denying the monstrous dimensions of the machine. Weighing in at a sturdy 8,000 pounds, the sheetmetal heft needs a Big Block Chevy - a ZZ454, fuel-injected motor from Chevy Performance Parts, which drives through an automatic transmission to a Strange 9” rear end. Though the powerplant may not be the most potent, at 440 ponies and 500 lb/ft to the whitewalled tires, it’s torquey enough to get this battleship moving.
A custom Ridetech airbag setup supports both axles, each powered by its own compressor. Considering the concrete-cracking heft of the Cadillac, the need for two compressors is understandable, as are the ARP nuts and bolts reinforcing just about every body panel and suspension arm. The interior is predictably plush, and full of amenities that would make any trip to the cemetery a little livelier.
Two TV screens with their own Xboxes are the focal points in the spacious cabin. Or, perhaps, it’s the two-toned, white leather bench seats. The rears are custom, whereas the fronts sit on an original Caddy frame. With grey fabric accents lining the floors and a remarkable sheen coming off the seats, which are covered in era-familiar vinyl, the interior is a dramatic place to sit, and probably more comforting than the original layout. Plus, if you spill a drink on the bench, no worries!
That massive body is brought to a halt with the help of Wilwood 4-piston brakes at all four corners, wire wheels, and a set of modern tires, albeit with some white paint adorning their walls. The cost of the build neared the quarter-million mark, and it shows. Whoever’s got the wallet big enough to match this gem, which has become more land-yacht than coffin transporter, will find their days filled with joy and unrivaled style. Not many hearses can offer that.