I really appreciate all the advice you've all provided so far. It's a lot of help.

I know I need to table my excitement with some practicality. As much as I want to own a classic hearse, I know it's a huge commitment in time, money, and space. I have a two car garage, but a 21 foot long hearse is not going to fit inside it. (my garage is only 19 feet long from wall to door.)

So this means I would need to keep it in an unheated out building. I have a narrow area I could park a long vehicle, but I'd need to take things into the garage to work on them (like the engine).

If there was a smaller version of a classic 1940s hearse available - even if it was some sort of fabricated kit that fit on a modern frame, I'd be interested in looking at it -- but so far, I haven't been able to find anything like that.

All of these concerns have led me to this site, where I'm hoping to get answers from people with passion, who have been involved in this hobby for years.