Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Gail Rubin in the driver’s seat of this Jaguar hearse recreation from the film Harold and Maude.
The Jaguar hearse from Harold and Maude could be yours!
Nearly ten years ago, I wrote about one of the most unusual vehicles ever created: a painstaking recreation of the Jaguar hearse driven by Harold in the cult classic Harold and Maude.
At the time, car enthusiast Ken Roberts was showing off the results of a multi-year project to rebuild a vehicle that, technically, no longer existed. The original Jaguar hearse used in the 1971 film was destroyed in its unforgettable cliffside finale. What remained were film stills, fan fascination, and one man’s determination to bring it back to life. Watch the video with the details!
Now, a decade later, that one-of-a-kind recreation may soon be heading to auction.
A Labor of Love (and Obsession)
Roberts’ recreation wasn’t a simple tribute build. It was an exercise in cinematic archaeology.
Using dozens of film stills, careful measurements, and creative engineering, he transformed a 1967 Jaguar XKE 2+2 into the hearse Harold made famous. The process took over three years and required blending parts from multiple vehicles to achieve the distinctive elongated rear and gothic silhouette.
The result? A car that is arguably even more functional than the original. This one has a working rear hatch, while the original vehicle did not.
Where the Car Is Now
I recently heard from Ken Roberts, who shared an update on the car’s current status:
“The Jaguar-Hearse is presently being restored to its original condition. The car is still a ‘Trailer Princess’ with only 650 miles on the odometer since it was completed in 2015.
I plan to show the car this summer and possibly take it to auction in the fall.”
Roberts has been downsizing his collection, reducing it from fifteen cars to seven. As part of that process, the Jaguar hearse, one of the most distinctive vehicles in his collection, may soon find a new home.
Possible Auction in 2026
If all goes according to plan, the car could appear at a Russo and Steele auction in Monterey, California during the prestigious August Monterey Car Week. It’s one of the premier venues for collector automobiles.
While details have not yet been publicly announced, the possibility raises an intriguing question:
What is a one-of-a-kind recreation of a destroyed film icon worth? The build receipts totaled $720K. The minimum bid at auction will be $250K.
Movie cars with strong provenance have fetched millions at auction. While this isn’t the original vehicle, it occupies a unique space: the only faithful recreation of a car that no longer exists.
The Jaguar hearse in the film Harold and Maude.
Why This Car Still Matters
The Jaguar hearse from Harold and Maude has always been more than just a quirky movie prop.
It represents:
- A rebellion against conventional attitudes toward death
- A blending of humor and mortality
- A deeply personal expression of identity
In many ways, it mirrors the growing death-positive movement: finding meaning, even joy, in conversations about mortality.
A Collector’s Dream or the Ultimate Final Ride?
Who might buy such a vehicle?
A film collector? A Jaguar enthusiast? A funeral professional with a flair for the unconventional?
Or perhaps someone who simply understands what Harold knew all along: that even in the presence of death, life can be lived boldly and with style. I’d buy it if I won a lottery jackpot.
Roberts added one final note in his message to me:
“Find me a buyer and I’ll pay you a commission!”
Tempting. Get in touch with me if you’re interested!
Related
Gail Rubin, CT, is author and host of the award-winning book and television series, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die, Hail and Farewell: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips, KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die and The Before I Die Festival in a Box™.
Rubin is a Certified Thanatologist (that's a death educator) and a popular speaker who uses humor and films to get the end-of-life and funeral planning conversation started. She "knocked 'em dead" with her TEDx talk, A Good Goodbye. She provides continuing education credit classes for attorneys, doctors, nurses, social workers, hospice workers, financial planners, funeral directors and other professionals. She's a Certified Funeral Celebrant and funeral planning consultant who has been interviewed in national and local print, broadcast and online media.
Known as The Doyenne of Death®, she is the event coordinator of the Before I Die New Mexico Festival and author of a guide to holding such festivals. Her podcast is also called The Doyenne of Death®. She produces videos about the funeral business and related topics. Her YouTube Channel features hundreds of videos!
Rubin is a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, Toastmasters International and the National Speakers Association. Her speaking profile is available at eSpeakers.com.
Gail Rubin has been interviewed about funeral planning issues in national and local broadcast, print and online media. Outlets include The Huffington Post, Money Magazine, Kiplinger, CBS Radio News, WGN-TV, and local affiliates for NPR, PBS, FOX, ABC-TV, CBS-TV and NBC-TV. Albuquerque Business First named her as one of their 2019 Women of Influence.
Sign up for a free planning form and occasional informative newsletter at her website, AGoodGoodbye.com.