Words: Ellen Richardson Images: Jone and Linnie Hayes
It is a very special time of year again. Time to enjoy a little creativity and imagination all wrapped up in a frightening package, and why should kids get to have all the fun? This is the exact sentiment that Halloween lovers Jone and Linnie Hayes have when it comes to celebrating what they call their favorite holiday. In fact, these classic car buffs have found an extra special way to celebrate Halloween all year long after completing their recent hot rod restoration – a 1976 Cadillac Hearse they call The Reaper.
What was once the promotional vehicle for Asheboro Recycling Center became a dream come true for this haunted couple only two short years ago.
“This hearse was owned by a friend of ours who owned Asheboro Recycling, and we fell in love with it the first time that my husband and I saw this,” said Jone. “Since we enjoy going all out when it comes to decorating for Halloween, we asked if we could borrow the hearse. After lending it to us for the entire month of October, I continued to fall in love with this car, and it was shortly after this that we were offered the opportunity to purchase it.
“After my husband and I purchased this car, we knew that we had to turn it as cool a tribute to our favorite holiday as possible.”
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Along with putting work into the 500ci Cadillac big block engine, the birth of The Reaper Halloween hearse also included an all new black wrap with custom graphics by HD Wrapz, all new carpeting, handmade spiderweb curtains with a matching dash, a custom made billet steering wheel in the shape of a black widow spider and chrome dub 22” rims along with a chrome skeleton head exhaust tip, installed by 64 Tires and Automotive.
This unique old-school Cadillac hearse also has a booming sound system, which pulses with added lights both inside and outside of the vehicle. The coolest part of this sound system, created by Mobile Sound Station, is that it also includes a smoke machine.
“We recently had the most awesome flame thrower kit installed that shoots flame out of the exhaust tip when you hit the gas pedal,” said Jone. “This addition really freaks people out!”
What makes this couple so excited about bringing a creepy classic back to life?
“We absolutely love Halloween and helping others find their love for this childlike holiday as well,” said Jone. “My mom was pretty strict growing up, although she would let me dress up for Halloween she would always throw a big coat over my costume and she never really seemed to want us to celebrate. As I got older I fell more in love with a holiday that would allow me to be creative and become whomever I wanted to be.”
Today, this fun-loving Halloween diva and her equally hauntingly humorous husband use their refurbished creation to celebrate their favorite holiday all year long at car shows and other Halloween related haunts throughout their home town of Asheboro, NC and surrounding towns.
If you are working on a hot rod restoration like this one, be sure to send a few pictures of your classic ride and tell us all about it at [email protected] today.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
