The world’s fastest Corvette, the world’s fasted boat, the world’s fastest Bonneville Salt racer, these are things we’re familiar with -- they don’t move the needle too much. But when tuner AMS Performance started talking about the world’s fastest Hearse, we had to find out what was going on.

The story starts with AMS Performance vice president Arne Toman and his plan to build something different. He began looking into the world’s fastest hearse in 2008 and found out the record was only a 13.72 at 98 mph for the quarter mile. The hearse was named “Undead” and came from a shop in Australia. AMS thought it could beat the record handily.

Toman wanted something besides the standard Cadillac hearse, so he targeted either a Chevy Caprice or Buick Roadmaster. He wanted a black hearse with red interior because “that’s how a classic hearse should look.” It took about a year, but he found a Caprice, converted to death duty by Superior Coaches.

AMS tuner Chris Black got his hands on the engine, upgrading it to 1,000 hp with 23 psi of boost AMS

Toman says he didn’t want a gutted out race car -- he wanted something that could still haul cold bodies. That meant leaving the stereo and air conditioning -- and the rear deck and rollers for a casket.

AMS installed a GM LQ4 6.0-liter V8 with a 4L85e transmission along with an intercooler, turbocharger and roll cage. Toman says he kept the internals simple, only adding new metal head gaskets, head studs, a cam and valve springs.

Around this time AMS received word of a new contender named Stiff Shifter, from, not surprisingly, Transylvania. It actually took the record in 2010 with an 11.6 in the quarter.

Soon after AMS tuner Chris Black got his hands on the engine, upgrading it to 1,000 hp with 23 psi of boost -- and that’s where it was when we reported on it earlier this year. Performance was, in a word, unbelievable: The AMS Hearse sprinted to 60 mph in 2.26 seconds. It did the quarter mile in 9.94 @ 137 mph and the half mile at 161 mph. That record is unofficial, but AMS is working things out with the Guinness folks.

Toman wanted something besides the standard Cadillac hearse, so he targeted either a Chevy Caprice or Buick Roadmaster. AMS

Toman swore before the build that the car would be streetable. He delivered and says he can drive the hearse anywhere with the AC and radio on and the ability to pull a wheelie at stoplights. Not that he does.

Since that outing AMS shoved a few more horses underhood -- 300, actually, thanks to a new AES Racing engine and a stronger transmission. It also installed a new rear differential and bigger drag radials. The goal is first to hit 9.5 seconds in the quarter mile and then 175 mph in the standing half mile. Someday, Toman says, he’d like to attempt a 200 mph run on an airport runway.

To that, we say “why not” and have since nominated him for a Real Men of Genius award. Today we salute you, Mr. World’s Fastest Hearse inventor.

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