She's back.
After several years' absence, the classic hearse known all over Southland has returned home.
Three weeks ago, Sharron Hanley, managing director of Invercargill's Macdonald and Weston Funeral Directors, was asked if she wanted to buy the sleek and stately 1947 Chrysler Windsor funeral coach and did not hesitate.
She declined to say how much she paid but said it was ''worth it''.
''We are very, very happy to be have it back and to return a piece of Southland's history. She's here to stay now.''
Her husband David said they were still piecing together the car's history but understood it was brought to New Zealand new to transport King George VI during a visit planned for 1948.
Small metal crown emblems mounted on the inside of the front doors support that story.
But the king became ill and never came to New Zealand, so the car was lengthened and converted into a hearse, he said.
It was owned and used for more than 30 years by brothers Brian and Graeme Sinclair, whose funeral director business was based at Nightcaps, before being sold to Macdonald and Weston and used in and around Invercargill for many years.
Mrs Hanley, who took over as the new owner of Macdonald and Weston in April, said she understood it was sold to a motoring enthusiast about 2008 and had been out of the public eye since.
Although the car is 68 years old, it has only 60,000 miles on the clock.
It also has no seat belts - legal because it is a classic car - and no radio.
Mr Hanley has the task of driving - and polishing - it.
Weighing in at about 2.5 tonnes and without power steering, the car had to be eased round corners and Mr Hanley said he would never try parallel parking it, although it cruised nicely at 80kmh on the open road.
The hearse has been used at only two funerals since its return but the Hanleys said people were very pleased to see it and were already requesting it for pre-planned funerals.
Mr Hanley said at its first outing, it was a real talking point.
''When I pulled up, the ladies headed for the door [of the venue] and the men headed for the car.''
