Presidential Limo Lineage
The story of the use of cars by Chief Executives of the United States ironically
begins with two Presidents who were the target of assassination.
At the turn of the century, the President's clear desire for transportation
remained the traditional "carriage-and-four" horse-drawn carriage.
It was on July 13, 1901 that William McKinley became the first sitting President
to ride in an automobile, taking a brief run in a Stanley Steamer. On September
6, as he was welcoming citizens at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo,
New York, McKinley was shot by deranged anarchist Leon Czolgosz, and died
eight days later.
McKinley's successor, Theodore Roosevelt, became at only 42-years-old the
youngest President to hold the office -- at 43, JFK was the youngest President
ever elected. As a Rough Rider, Roosevelt remained loyal to the horse-drawn
mode, though he eventually allowed Secret Service agents to trail behind
in a 1907 steamer. Roosevelt became the first President to travel by automobile
on a state occasion. In 1912, Roosevelt ran for President at the head of
his own party, the Progressive, or "Bull Moose." On October 14,
Roosevelt was leaving his hotel in Milwaukee to deliver a major speech when
he was shot by deranged saloonkeeper John F. Schrank. The bullet was slowed
by Roosevelt's steel pince-nez case and the folded speech, allowing him
to survive.
Until 1902, the President provided his own transportation for both official
and informal functions. That year, the Quartermaster Corps was assigned
responsibility to purchase the first vehicles for Presidential use. In 1909
-- the same year Henry Ford presented the Model T -- President William H.
Taft converted the White House stables to a garage, replacing horse carriages
with automobiles. With an appropriation of $25,000, Taft purchased two gasoline-powered
Pierce-Arrows, a White Steamer and a Baker electric model.
In 1916, Woodrow Wilson's administration purchased three Pierce-Arrows.
Warren G. Harding became the first qualified driver elected President, and
the first to be driven in a automobile to his inauguration. Following a
speech in February 1933, President-Elect Franklin Roosevelt was sitting
in an open car in Miami when shots were fired in his direction by Guisseppe
Zangara. Roosevelt was not hit, but Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak died eighteen
days later.
During FDR's administration, the government continued the practice of purchasing
stock automobiles for service as Presidential parade cars, acquiring a 1933
Cadillac and a 1936 Packard Twin-Six. Roosevelt himself sometimes drove
a 1936 Ford Phaeton coupe equipped with hand-controls.
In December 1939, the first presidential vehicle built to Secret Service
specifications was delivered to the White House and leased to the government
for a nominal annual fee. With the 1939 Lincoln V-12 convertible -- nicknamed
the "Sunshine Special" by Franklin Roosevelt -- Ford Motor Company
began a three-decade tradition of supplying Presidential parade cars.
Custom features on the first specially-built Presidential vehicle included
extra-wide runningboards, stepplates at the rear, extra heavy-duty suspension,
and compartments behind the front seat. Retail costs would have amounted
to $12,000, at a time when a Deluxe Ford sold for $720. Following Pearl
Harbor, further modifications in a 1942 rebuild at Dearborn involved concealed
body armor plate, bullet-resistant glass and tires, and a massive chrome-laden
1942-style grille, bringing the car's weight to 9,300 pounds.
The "Sunshine Special" was well-regarded by Presidents and Secret
Service agents alike, appearing at wartime summits in Yalta, Casablanca,
Teheran, and Malta. It piled up another 38,000 miles before being retired
in 1950.
In anticipation of the old "Sunshine's" replacement, the Lincoln-Mercury
Division of Ford Motor Company awarded a contract to Ray Dietrich's custom
body shop in Grand Rapids, Michigan, ironically the hometown of future Warren
Commissioner and President Gerald Ford. Dietrich built a "stretched"
four-door Lincoln Cosmopolitan convertible, increasing the wheelbase from
125-inch to 145-inch. The car was 20-feet-long, weighed 6,450 pounds, and
was powered by a standard Lincoln high-compression 337-cubic-inch V-8. Custom
features included retractable steps under the rear fenders, red flashers
and flag-holders on the front bumper, and a rear-mounted spare tire.
In mid-1950, the car was delivered to President Harry S. Truman. In 1954,
at President Eisenhower's request, the car was fitted with a removable dome-shaped
clear plexiglass "bubble top" so it could be used in foul weather.
The car became known as "Ike's Bubbletop." Increasingly, Presidential
concerns focused on visibility rather than security.
On Inauguration Day in 1961, the Kennedys rode in the uncovered "Bubbletop."
The car was retired later that year, after which it served as an East Coast
VIP car for Ford Motor Company. The last Presidential use came on October
31, 1965, when President Johnson used it in New York City. In 1967, the
"Bubbletop" joined the "Sunshine Special" at the Henry
Ford Museum's transportation exhibit.
Evolution of the Lincoln Continental
The original Lincoln Continental was a pet project of Edsel Ford, inspired
by automobile styling he had seen while on a trip to Europe (hence the "continental").
Intended as a high-quality convertible-only run-about for the weathly, it
first appeared in 1940 just as the golden age of the prestige car was fading.
Never produced in large quanities, the model line was closed down for wartime
production in 1942. Revived after the war, the original Continental's last
production year would be 1948.
The "Continental" theme was revived in 1956 with the Mark II,
sold through a special Continental Division. William Clay Ford, younger
brother of Henry II, took a leading role in the car's design and production.
Intended as a flagship car that would reflect prestige on other Ford vehicles,
the new model was launched to critical acclaim at the 1955 Paris Auto Show.
Possibly the most beautiful car produced in the Fifties, it was also the
most costliest vehicle in America at $10,000, quite a sum for a two-door
coupe. The total reflected costly items such as hand-balancing the 368-cubic-inch
V8s for extra smoothness and a $150 hood ornament made of chrome rather
than plastic. Only 3,000 of the Mark IIs were produced when the line ended
in the fall of 1957, sacrificed to Lincoln Mercury's E-car project that
would produce the disastrous Edsel.
Marks III -V appeared in the late 1950s, although these were just top-of-the-line
Lincolns with the "Continental" badge added to induce lagging
sales. These Lincolns, descended from the Cosmopolitan line, were the heaviest
cars produced in the post-war era, and reflected many of the worst design
excesses of their period, such as overuse of chrome and canted headlights.
In 1961, Ford returned to the true "Continental" theme, with a
completely-restyled vehicle, whose model line included the only four-door
convertible model offered in America at the time. As revolutionary in design
as the Mark II, the new model received the bronze medal from the Industrial
Design Institute for "simplicity and design elegance." Ironically,
one of the car's most distinctive features -- the "suicide" rear-hinged
back doors -- harked back to prewar vehicles. Following its dubious use
in the late 1950s, the "Mark" designation was given a rest, and
the new car was simply called the Lincoln Continental.
Quentin Willson, author of Classic American Cars, writes:
"Sixties Continentals were the pre-eminent American luxury car and
had an aura of distinction that stood out from the garish autos of the Fifties.
Today it stands as evidence that, when they tried, Detroit could match the
best in the world ... Low, wide, and mighty, the '60s Continental was considered
the epitome of good taste and discrimination, and a patriotic alternative
to the less sophisticated and poorly built Jaguar Mark 10 Sedan."
The classic body shape wasn't changed until a major face-lift in 1965. By
1968, convertibles, which accounted for about ten percent of sales, were
no longer available. The next year, the Continental Mark III was introduced,
featuring many of the innovations of its predecessor, and continuing the
"Continental" reputation for innovation and styling.
Willson notes:
"There's an unsettling irony in the fact that John F. Kennedy was shot
in a '61 Lincoln Continental. Like him, the revamped '61 Continental had
a new integrity. Substantial and innovative, it was bristling with new ideas
and survived for nine years without major change. The car fit for Presidents
was elegant, restained, and classically sculptured, perfect for Camelot's
new dynasty of liberalism."
The "X-100"
With the decision to replace the "Bubbletop," Ford Advanced Vehicles
(a component of Ford Motor Company) and Hess & Eisenhardt, custom-body
builders of Cincinnati, Ohio, began conversion of a stock 1961 Lincoln Continental
convertible, built in Wixom, Michigan in January 1961.
Ford lengthen the vehicle by 3.5 feet (bringing the wheelbase to 156-inches)
and increased its weigh from 5,215 pounds to over 7,800. It was powered
by the stock 430-cubic-inch V-8. The most notable innovation was a series
of removable bolt-on steel, canvas and transparent roof panels that would
provide a range of privacy. The "bubble-top" clear roof wasn't
bullet-resistant. Stackable, the panels filled the trunk.
The rear seat could be hydraulically-raised up to 10.5 inches to provide
a better view of the President. Other features included four retractable
steps for agents -- one on each side behind the front wheelwell and just
in front of the rear wheelwell -- two steps on the rear bumper, red flashers,
a siren, two radio telephones, and auxiliary jump seats. One chilling option
consisted of interior floodlights designed to illuminate the President at
night. Costs were estimated at $200,000, yet Ford leased it to the Secret
Service for a token $500 per year.
Delivered to the White House in mid-June 1961, the dark-blue car was dubbed
the "X-100" by the Secret Service and fitted with Washington,
DC license plates "GG-300." In September, the original grille
was replaced with a 1962-model grille, apparently for aesthetic reasons.
President Kennedy, who often drove a stock White House Continental on informal
occasions, took a liking to the innovative "X-100."
In Washington, the "Camelot Continental" was often used in parades
for astronauts and other dignitaries, usually with either the President
or Vice-President present. JFK was the nation's first "media"
President -- for him, image and style were attributes to winning political
goals. Kennedy was philosophical about assassination, becoming reckless
about his own personal safety and refusing to consent to many of the measures
proposed by the Secret Service.
(Photo Above) The X-100 passes the White House on October 15, 1963
in this photograph by Cecil Stoughton. JFK is leaning to his left on the
left side of the back seat, which is raised 4 to 5 inches. The President
of Greece George Papandreou, who had arrived that day for a state visit,
is standing holding the crossbar. It can be assumed that the jump seats
were folded up out of the way.
In 1963, Kennedy made some 83 trips, including visits to Germany, Ireland
and Italy. That summer, he toured the western States to gain support for
his programs and raise party funds. Texas was viewed as a state crucial
to a victory in 1964. As it was the home-state of the Vice-President, a
campaign swing involving Kennedy and Johnson was scheduled for November,
ending at the Johnson Ranch on the evening of November 22, 1963. In order
to reach as many Texans as possible, open-car motorcades were planned as
well as fundraising events not open to the general public. Mrs. Kennedy
unexpectedly agreed to accompany her husband.
The Kennedys arrived in Texas on November 21 on Air Force One. That same
day, an Air Force C130 cargo plane transported the Presidential Lincoln
and "Queen Mary," one of two 1956 Cadillac touring sedans used
by the Secret Sevice as a follow-up car. The couple rode in the X-100, with
Governor John Connally and his wife Nellie in the jump seats, in a motorcade
in San Antonio -- another convertible was used in Houston. Following a testimonial
dinner for Congressman Albert Thomas at the Houston Coliseum, the Presidential
party flew to Fort Worth that evening.
The Lincoln and "Queen Mary" were flown to Dallas, arriving at
Love Field about 6 p.m. The cars were secured in the underground garage
of the Main Terminal Building in advance of the planned motorcade through
the city at noon the following day. On the fateful morning of the 22nd,
Kennedy and Johnson addressed a small public rally outside the Hotel Texas,
returning inside for a breakfast with the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce.
At about 10:30 a.m., the Kennedys ride in a white convertible in a motorcade
through downtown Fort Worth, and on to Carswell Air Force Base for the brief
flight to Dallas.
(Photo Above) The X-100 at Love Field in Dallas on November 22, 1963,
awaiting the arrival of Air Force One. The raincoats are a reminder of heavy
rain that morning. By the time Tom Dillard had taken this picture, the decision
not to install the plexi-glass "bubble-top" had been made. A clear
partition between the driver's compartment and rear area was also not installed.
The jumps seats are folded up. Blue broadcloth lap robes with hand-embroidered
Presidential seals fit snugly into special pockets in the rear doors.
The "Quick Fix"
In the wake of the assassination, a task force of some thirty experts, from
government and outside, assembled to incorporate lessons learned from the
tragedy into a new parade car. A committee of six was appointed, including
representatives of the Secret Service, the U.S. Army Materials Research
Center, Hess & Eisenhardt, and Pittsburgh Plate Glass. The most practical
solution, they decided, was to rebuild the X-100.
The White House endorsed the plan. On December 12, the X-100 arrived at
the Hess & Eisenhardt Company in Cincinnati, Ohio, the original modifiers
of the car. The rebuilding, or "Project D-2" began when the car
was officially released by the Warren Commission on December 20.
Dubbed the "Quick Fix," the project resulted in:
-- improved armoring including a permanent metal top to secure the fixed
bullet-resistant glass panels,
-- areas re-enforced to accept increased weight of new armor,
-- supplemental air-conditioning unit in the trunk to cool the sealed passenger
compartment,
-- retriming of rear compartment,
-- new, hand-built high-compression motor for a 17 percent gain in power.
The "Quick Fix" was completed on May 11, 1964 at a cost of over
$500,000, shared by Ford Motor Company, some of their suppliers, and the
federal government. A major factor in the cost was the production of the
bullet-resistant high-grade "water white" glass by Pittsburgh
Plate Glass, estimated at $125,000. The 13 glass panels ranged in thickness
from one-inch to 1 13/16-inches -- the rear roof section was the largest
piece of bullet-resistant cast glass produced to date, weighing in at around
1,500 pounds. The bullet-resisting process involved sandwiching polycarbonate
vinyl between each of five layers of plate glass.
The car's body armor was primarily 3/8-inch titanium steel plate, costing
$13,573. Although its strength makes it difficult to cut and shape, the
alloy was used behind the rear seat, within the rear doors and quarter panels,
the front roof panel and side roof rails. The rear floor was augmented with
1/8-inch HY-100 steel plate, processing a tensile strength of 100,000 pounds-per-square-inch,
effective against bombs and mines. Tires were made bullet-resistant by fastening
a solid tire to the rim, to be contained within a regular pneumatic tire.
The fuel tank was treated was a new flame-suppressant called "Safom,"
an open-foamed elastomer developed by Firestone.
When completed on May 11, 1964, the "Quick Fix" represented an
intensive engineering feat. Ford extensively tested the vehicle at its facilities
in Dearborn before returning the X-100 to the White House.
More Service
Still the official Presidential parade car, it was rarely used by Johnson.
LBJ made use of other cars in the fleet. The LBJ Museum in Austin, Texas
has on display a 1968 Lincoln Continental stretch limousine often used by
the President. Johnson often rode through his ranch in a white stock Lincoln
Continental convertible. One afternoon, while driving through a pasture,
LBJ thought the car was slightly malfunctioning. He placed a call through
to none-other than Henry Ford II, advising "You just arn't building
them the way you used to, Henry."
In January 1967, the X-100 underwent another round of modifications at Hess
& Eisenhardt. "Project R-2" included greatly increasing the
air-conditioning capacity, motorizing the bullet-proof glass in the right
rear door so it could be lowered and raised, and repainting the car from
bare metal. The trunk lid was reinforced with fiberglass after President
Johnson had buckled it by accident.
Over the last decade of its service, the X-100 was subjected to many revisions
and improvements. President Nixon requested the large glass panel roof be
replaced by a metal roof with a hinged glass hatch. Nixon and the First
Lady did take advantage of this new feature in numerous campaign parades.
The X-100 was retired in 1977, joining the "Sunshine Special"
and "Bubbletop" as part of the transportation exhibit at the Henry
Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. With its numerous refinements and technological
breakthroughs, the X-100 ranks among the most innovative vehicles in history.
There's no disputing its significance in terms of political and sociological
notoriety.
Since the X-100
In 1974, Ford Motor Company supplied another Lincoln Continental to serve
as the Presidential parade car, leased for $5,000-a-year. The 1972 model
was stretched to 22-feet, had full armor plate, bullet-resistant glass and
a 460-cubic-inch, 214-hp V8. In September 1975, President Gerald Ford was
about to enter this limousine when Sara Jane Moore fired a deflected shot
at him in San Francisco. In 1981, the car rushed a wounded President Ronald
Reagan away from an attack by John Hinkley, Jr. in Washington, DC.
A 1983 Cadillac, lengthen by 17-inches and with a raised bulletproof "greenhouse,"
became the new Presidential parade car when it was delivered to the White
House on January 30, 1984. The limo was fitted with oversized wheels to
accommodate the formidable weight of the armor. It was replaced in January
1989, when a highly-modified 1989 Lincoln Town Car, some 22-feet-long and
five-feet-high, entered service at the White House.
Currently a '93 Cadillac, whose only original parts are the trunk and engine
hoods, serves as the President parade car. The Chevy Suburban is the standard
Secret Service follow-up vehicle.
Sources:
Freeman, David W. "Cars of the Presidents." Popular Mechanics.
Jaunary 1993.
Mason, Randy. "Three Special Lincolns." Henry Ford Museum &
Greenwich Village Herald. Vol. 11, No. 1, 1982.
Willson, Quentin. Classic American Cars. Vancouver: Raincoast Books,
1997.
Was the Presidential limousine gutted to destroy
evidence?
See the X-100 in its final form at the Henry
Ford Museum
Other Vehicles of Notoriety:
The car Jack Ruby used to go downtown to the Western Union office on
November 24, 1963 is now owned by his brother Sam. The white 1960 Oldsmobile
is stored in Chicago, where Sam showed it on a 1992 episode of Now It
Can Be Told.
In 1997, Dallas conspiracy buff-turned-entrepreneur Paul Crute once offered
a $25 one-hour tour of the motorcade route in an open Lincoln Continental
stretch limo, complete with surround-sound "shots" and "historically
accurate" sounds of "that fateful day."
In 1988, a national TV newsmagazine reported on Bubby Hough's "Tragedies
in US History Museum" in St. Augustine, Florida, featuring Wesley Frasier's
1954 Chevrolet sedan and the ambulance used to transport the dying Oswald
to Parkland. Never successful, the museum was operated for a while by Hough's
widow and finally closed in March of 1998. During the auction that followed,
John Reznikoff of Stamford, Conn., phoned in a winning bid of $17,500 for
the 1963 white Lincoln Continental convertible in which Kennedy rode in
Fort Worth, hours before he was assassinated. Edward Meyer of Winter Park,
Fla., paid $7,500 for Frasier's Chevy. There were no takers for the ambulance,
or the crumpled wreck in which Jayne Mansfield died in a traffic accident
in 1967.
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Digital design and contents: (c) Copyright 1998 Jerry Organ. All rights
reserved.
Photo of X-100 passing White House from the John F. Kennedy Library (Photo
number STC336-16-63).
Photo of X-100's interior at Love Field by Tom Dillard.
Photo of X-100 at Dearborn from the Henry Ford Museum.