While you can’t bring your car into the afterlife with you, it is possible to drive the vehicle for the remainder of your life.
Although you might love your car, is it enough to spend the effort, time and money to maintain a deep connection with it? Surprisingly, many people are passionate about their car enough to make this effort worthwhile. These clips will show you that your ride can be your final resting spot, regardless of whether it is a Ferrari or a Chinese hatchback.
A 1967 Harley-Davidson is buried as Astride
Billie Standley, Mechanicsburg Ohio, is the most notable vehicular burial. It’s not on a car, but on a motorcycle. Standley was so determined to ride his 1967 Harley to the grave that his family worked with Billie while he was still alive to figure how to do it according to the Dayton Daily News. Standley was able to ride his bike to the cemetery while a truck drove them.
A 1973 Pontiac Catalina equipped with a passenger seat
full of guns
Lonnie Holloway went out in style. In his 1973 Pontiac Catalina, he was buried behind it. But that’s not all. Holloway stuffed his guns into the back seat of the big coupe. One funeral attendee said that Holloway packed his collection of guns in the passenger seat of the big coupe. This makes sense to us.
A Ferrari while wearing a Neglige
Sandra West is more than just a Pontiac burying her body in it. She spends the rest of her life in a vintage Ferrari. She also wears a lace neglige for ultimate comfort.
West was a Hollywood socialite who was also the ex-wife of a multimillionaire Texas oil baron. The book Strange and True Tales of Car Collecting states that West crashed her Ferrari 250 GTE in 1977. Her injuries caused her to overdose on prescription pain medication, which ultimately led to her death. West made it clear in her will that she would be buried in one of her Ferraris. Although there is some controversy about which car is in her grave, experts such as Ferrari Chat or the Ferrari 330 GT Registry maintain that it is West’s 330 America.
Only 50 Ferrari 330 Americas were built. RM Sotheby’s sold one unit in 2017 for $412,500, in 1963.
The man above visits West’s final resting spot and shows some vintage photos of her burial in a large concrete cube.
China Hatchback
It’s not just a American thing to be buried in your car. A man was interred in his hatchback by a team of people from China’s Shanxi Province. Instead of digging a hole for the vehicle alone, a group of people works together to transport it into an underground vault. Although the story behind this event is not clear, it shows how people feel about their owner.
At the Funeral, Posed on a Motorcycle
This man from Puerto Rico was not buried on his motorbike, but he sat on the bike during the viewing. The family decided to place him on the bike before the burial because he died in a shooting.
Stevie Ray Vaughn, “Willie the Wimp”
Although Willie “the Wimp”, Stokes was not technically buried in his vehicle, he did travel to his final resting spot in a coffin that looked like a Cadillac Seville. Stokes, a gambler, was shot to death in Chicago, Illinois in 1984. His casket included a Caddy grille and lights as well as a tiny windshield and fake wheels with whitewall tires. Stokes was seated behind the wheel and wore a large diamond and $100 bills. Jet magazine covered the funeral , including photos of the odd coffin.
Ruth Ellsworth and Bill Carter wrote a song about the unique funeral. Carter recorded it in 1985. Stevie Ray Vaughn covered the song later, which you can listen to above.
Additional Examples
Many people who are buried in cars haven’t had the same coverage as the ones above. These stories can be fascinating though.
Rose Martin, for example, bought a white Chevrolet Corvair Corvair in 1962 and kept it throughout her life. Corvair Corsa. Rose Martin died in 1998 and she also took her Corvair to his grave. Martin’s casket was placed inside the car by a local mechanic who removed the engine and rear window. This Corvair is safe at all speeds.
George Swanson was a huge fan of his white Chevrolet Corvette 1984. His last words to his wife were, “Don’t forget to bury my Corvette,” according the The Washington Post. Swanson’s cremation was complete and his ashes were ready for burial in the ‘Vette. Then the problems began. According to an Associated Press report, cemetery officials delayed Swanson’s burial “because they were concerned about vandalism” and didn’t want to offend any clients. After weeks of negotiations, Swanson and his Vette finally went to their final resting spot.