Here we have the ultimate clash of Metro Detroit's strangest personalities. The "deathmobile" that once belonged to assisted-suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian is now in the possession of Les Gold, host of the unusually popular "Hardcore Pawn." It's not for sale yet, though.
The deathmobile — a 1968 Volkswagen Microbus — was Kevorkian's means of transportation as he performed several deaths with a homemade euthanasia machine. Kevorkian died in 2011, but it was famously listed on eBay in 2010.
eBay removed the listing shortly thereafter. The bus was then in the possession of an auto-parts dealer in Ferndale, a Detroit suburb. Kevorkian had scrapped the bus back in 1997, believing the Volkswagen had been destroyed.
Years later, Gold of "Pawn" mentioned in an interview last month that he had the van after someone — let's assume it's the auto-parts guy — pawned it for $20,000.
He still has it in the warehouse of American Jewelry and Loan, the Detroit pawn shop where the show is filmed. Per WWJ, which reports this morning:
Gold said the van he'd purchased for $20,000 sold for $25,000 about six months ago; and, like many other items in the shop, it's on layaway.
"And he continually makes payments," Gold said of the buyer, a local businessman whose name was not disclosed. "He just wants it because he collects strange and unique items; and what's more strange and unique than Dr. Jack Kevorkian's, Dr. Death's, assisted suicide van."
Gold said he tried twice to give it to The Henry Ford, but — as museum spokesperson confirmed to WWJ — they refused it because it didn't fit into their collection plan.
Pretty sure The Henry Ford, which lays claim to the Rosa Parks bus and the limo JFK was shot in, won't give that a second thought.
Back when the bus was first listed, its owner mentioned it wasn't running nor was able to be restored. But if you've got an interest in Dr. Death's Microbus of Misery, then you'd better hope that guy misses a payment.
Photo via AP