The ultimate funeral vehicle.
If death drove a car, it would be the 1996 Chevrolet Caprice Superior Hearse Body built and tuned by AMS Performance. The black, almost-20-year-old piece of American muscle is the world’s quickest and fastest hearse. The car is an evil sleeper, just like death himself, that’ll sneak up on you and take you away in the back with body graphics similar to the David Riggs’ artwork on Iron Maiden albums.
Named “Madness,” the AMS hearse packs a 1,000 horsepower turbocharged 6.0-liter V-8 engine along with a beefed up suspension, brakes, drivetrain, and more, making this the most heavy metal vehicle, ever.
The job of creating all that power falls on the 6.0-liter GM LQ4 short block V-8 engine with OEM rod bolts, unported heats and Comp 918 valve springs. An Edelbrock unported Super Vic intake sucks in air before it moves through the 90 mm LS2 throttle body. Other engine hardware includes ARP head studs, a Speed Inc. custom camshaft, Comp Camps hardened pushrods, and a Street & Performance modified oil pan and pickup. Throwing in the fuel on the AMS “Madness” hearse are new ID 2000 injectors, two Bosch 044 pumps, and a Fuelab regulator being fed by a 255 lph in-take fuel pump. For good measure, there’s an AEM Methanol Injection setup as well.
Death likes boost, so AMS Performance threw a new turbocharger kit on the V-8 engine. The setup uses dual flipped GM truck manifolds with an 80 mm Borg Warner S480R turbocharger from Forced Inductions. A custom AMS 4.5-inch front-mounted intercooler helps keep things cool while a Tial 44 blow-off valve and 38 wastegates help regulate pressure. All that is spit out of the exhaust system with a 4.0-inch downpipe, and 4.0-inch QTP electric cutout. When the cutout isn’t activated, exhaust flows through dual 3.0-inch Vibrant mufflers and tailpipes with a hellish rumble and grumble. Everything is controlled with a stock ECU with 3 bar HPT software, MSD 2 step, and AMS-tuned by Da Man “C. Black” setup for a total of 1,000 horsepower on 23 PSI of boost pressure.
It’s not easy to handle all that power, but the AMS “Madness” hearse is ready and willing. A 3L85E Andy’s Performance Transmission is built for the high output, while a 3600 10.5-inch FTI stall converter, and DSS 3.75-inch carbon fiber driveshaft. At the rear sits a Moser 9.0-inch axle with Wavetrac Posi, 35-spline axles, and 3.73 ring and pinion.
From the factory, the Chevrolet Caprice hearse isn’t exactly built for handling. It’s made to transport the dead in comfort. AMS Performance thought that it would make things a bit more entertaining on the way to the grave so they installed new 10-way adjustable Strange shocks and Metco upper and lower control arms. Eibach lowering springs, Fredico front and rear sway bars, and Air Lift rear bags help death to switch between all sorts of performance-oriented settings. Helping bring things to a stop are Wilwood six-piston front and four-piston rear brakes.
All that equates to some very impressive performance figures. The 1,000 horsepower AMS “Madness” hearse can hit 60 mph in just 2.26 seconds, and 100 mph in 5.20 seconds. Accelerating from 60-130 mph takes a mere 6.43 ticks of the click and the quarter mile comes in at 9.94 seconds at 137.36 mph. Half of a mile is eaten up at 161.46 mph, showing that death isn’t going to just creep up on you – it’s going to hit you suddenly at 100+ mph.
The AMS “Madness” 1996 Chevrolet Caprice hearse is a special one-off build by the Chicago-based tuning company. If you do happen to see it, you better keep an eye out for the Grim Reaper.
Oh, and here are some videos of it raising all sorts of hell.
httpvh://youtu.be/D9DOCXXSRXQ
httpvh://youtu.be/bgE6OS6GiCo
AMS “Madness” Chevrolet Caprice Hearse Gallery
Source: AMS Performance
Is the 1,000-hp AMS “Madness” Chevrolet Caprice Hearse the ultimate “sleeper”?
