Over time hearses progressed from simple wooden biers and horse-drawn carriages to finely crafted motor cars. Among the longest-established hearse and limousine builders in Ireland are Duffy’s Coachbuilders of Dundalk, trading since 1956 and known for their skilled craftsmanship and use of quality materials. In 2023 while filming on location for Ireland Made – stories of Irish transport, we came across a forlorn looking 1959 Dublin-assembled Plymouth hearse with an interesting back story and at that time an uncertain future.
F.M. SUMMERFIELD DUBLIN
In 1959, the Chrysler company of Canada shipped from their plant in Windsor Ontario to their plant in Antwerp, Belgium, 24 right-hand-drive Belvedere rolling bodyshells to be ‘stretched’ into limousines.
In Antwerp the Belvedere body shells were ‘stretched’ by an extra 24 inches to become eight seater ‘Coronado’ limousines with a huge 142-inch wheelbase. The new limousines where then shipped onwards to Ireland as “Completely Knocked Down” (CKD) units for assembly at Chrysler agents, F.M. Summerfield at 138 Baggot Street Dublin. Most of the parts in the CKD kits came from Canada with the flat-glass complete with an etched on Shamrock logo, fluids, paint, tires and leather seats being sourced in Ireland.
The Belvedere was seen as a good candidate for limousine conversion because it featured a separate body and chassis, offering increased strength and rigidity. This construction also made it well-suited for coach built adaptations, including use as a hearse.
DUFFY’S OF DUNDALK
Founded in 1956 by the late George Duffy, the business began with a focus on traditional coachwork and body manufacturing. Early projects included supplying buses to Dublin Airport to transport passengers arriving and departing on long-haul flights. By the late 1950s, as many coachbuilders began to specialise, Duffy shifted its focus toward the funeral industry, converting hearses based on Dodge, Ford, Mercedes and Plymouth models. Over its 69 years in operation, the company, still going strong today has delivered more than 500 vehicles, including buses, hearses and limousines.
In 1959, Duffy’s took delivery of a brand-new Chrysler Plymouth Coronado limousine with a 142-inch wheelbase, removed the original bodywork, and custom coach built it into a hearse for a funeral director based in Mountbellew Bridge, Co. Galway.
PAT CONROY’S PLYMOUTHS
Pat’s connection to Irish-assembled Plymouths runs deep, they’ve been part of his life since he was a young man. He’s always chasing what he calls the Holy Grail: a long-lost, Dublin-built Plymouth. Check out the links below to Pat’s Plymouth collection.
The rustiest, yet most complete 1959 Plymouth Pat had ever seen turned up in Mountbellew Bridge, County Galway. It had been parked since 1972, left behind by a now-defunct funeral undertaker on The Square. At some point, likely in the 1990s, the shed roof collapsed, and the car had been left exposed to the elements ever since.
In mid-March 2023, Pat’s friend Tom Heavey got wind that the undertakers building had been sold. The word was out: the Plymouth had to be removed over the weekend, or it would be buried by a track machine first thing Monday morning.
Without hesitation, Pat and his friends hit the road in a jeep with a trailer in tow and headed for County Galway. What they found was bleak, the Plymouth was in a dreadful condition. The roof was full of holes, the paint and interior had been destroyed by years of rain, and every single body panel was rusted through.
They managed to drag it out onto The Square and load it onto the trailer. Once home, Pat and Dave Curran took stock. The extent of the damage was staggering: every panel was rotten, the bulkhead had almost disappeared, and the structural pillars were completely corroded. The straight-six side-valve engine was seized. Pat eventually got it to turn over, but the valves were all stuck open, the engine was beyond saving. Even the wheel rims had rusted away!
SILVER LINING
But there was a silver lining. Pat’s own Plymouth Belvedere had a broken and badly scratched windscreen. Amazingly, the hearse’s windscreen was an absolutely perfect fit, and came out without even needing tools. Once fitted to his Belvedere, it completely transformed the driving experience. Finding one in the U.S. would have been a challenge, and shipping it intact would have been even harder, so that single piece of glass made the entire effort worthwhile.
HEARSE FOR SALE
Pat offered the car to a few others in the Chrysler-Plymouth community, but no one was willing to take it on, not that surprising. The only offer he received was from someone interested in banger racing. Even then, they only wanted the shell and offered €1,000, an offer that, given the circumstances, was hard to turn down.
Speaking about the car, Pat didn’t hold back: “It was by far the nastiest car I’d ever owned. It stunk, it had creatures in it that aren’t in books, and it seemed to be shrouded in a negative mood. I couldn’t wait to be rid of it.”
His final word on the Plymouth?
“I hope the banger boys have better luck with it 🤞.”
Check out our previous video-stories on Pat Conroy’s Dublin-built Plymouths:
If you have an idea for a story, please email Kevin Reid [email protected]
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Sources of Information & Photo Credits:
Duffy Coach Bodies
