1929 Morris Commercial hearse.

I am really proud of this vehicle as an example of what can evolve from a community project. It resides in the Kapunda Museum and is there because it was the first motorised hearse in Kapunda, operated by one of two funeral directors in the town, Mr. Gropler. Somebody had discovered the remains of the back half of the body (called "the box") minus the glass in a chook shed or somewhere. A few locals must have thought that it would be a great idea to "restore" the old thing. A Morris Commercial chassis, which may or may not have been the same one, was discovered in a paddock in Myponga and the stage was set. With the aid of a heritage grant we were able to acquire bits and pieces, a headlight bracket here, engine bits there, but most of the hearse was built from scratch. With not much more than 2 photographs from the archives to go on (see the bottom 2 pics) a really wonderful and authentic vehicle was created. Historical Society members used to turn up each Saturday afternoon at the museum workshop to build it. We were lucky enough to engage the services of a retired railway carriage builder to supervise and teach everybody the art of bodybuilding. That's John, second from right in the second photo. Jane and I were able to learn how to bend wood using steam (see the curved sides of the drivers compartment) and things like that. One of our members built an English wheel to roll the mudguards, no doubt using Beven Young's plans and we had bending machines and allsorts. Lots of help and advice and copies of manuals came from the Morris Register in SA and a similar group in the UK as well as a Vintage Commercial Vehicle Club over there. The radiator was recored in Sydney using the honeycomb fins from the era. The side glass was supplied with bevelled edges by the Autoglass manufacturer who is going to cut my Ikara windscreen and Roger Trethewey etched them by the acid method in his back yard. The coffin (empty) was found in Greenock. When it was all finished, there was a big event in Kapunda and these 2 pictures were taken outside the museum on that day. There was a parade through the town with the hearse at its head. Cars from the Morris Register and the nearby Vintage car clubs took part. That's Ivan Venning's Chev 490 behind the hearse. Two Bolwells were in the parade as Roger and Lynne came up in their Mark 7 for it. Bob Tilbrook drove the hearse. He has also driven it over to the Barossa for the Morris National Meeting and when the South-North crosscountry Talbot came to town he drove it out to Anlaby and back to Dutton Park so it's certainly not just a static display. It is fitting that Bob drives it. He did the major part of the mechanical work on it. He was an International Harvester man in Kadina before his retirement. He was one of the few workers who saw the project out to the very end when some had dropped by the wayside. Bob is from the Tilbrook racing motorcycle and Tilbrook sidecar family. The Tilbrook motorcycle engine is a story for another day.