The Lincoln Motorcar Company has a long history of providing state limousines for US Presidents. US Presidents were chauffeured in standard production automobiles up to 1939. This trend ended when it was recognized that additional safety features were necessary for vehicles that transported federal officials. This was in no doubt influenced by an assassination attempt on Franklin Roosevelt in 1933 just three weeks before Roosevelt was sworn in for his first term in office.
Accordingly, the first car built specifically for presidential use was a 1939 Lincoln V-12 convertible built during the Roosevelt administration. The folks at Reedman Lincoln, located in the Philadelphia area, tell it was named “The Sunshine Special” by the Secret Service. This car was a K-series sedan stretched out over a 160-in. wheelbase with an armored body built by the famous coach builder Brunn. It had oversize rear-hinged rear doors because convenience was important in order to get the wheelchair-bound Roosevelt in and out of the vehicle. In 1942, the car was updated with that year’s new front end, for esthetic reasons, and additional armor-plated elements were added. At this point thick bulletproof glass was installed. After Roosevelt died in 1945, the Sunshine Special remained in presidential service until 1950. Today it is now in the collection of the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.
Known as the Eisenhower “Bubble Top”, a special 145 inch wheelbase, 240 inch long 1950 Lincoln was custom built by Dietrich Creative Industries, Inc. of Grand Rapids Michigan. In actuality, it was first used by President Truman, but Eisenhower had the plastic bubble top fitted over the tonneau. The Eisenhower “Bubble Top” was retired in 1965 and currently resides with the other presidential limos at the Henry Ford Museum.
The Lincoln limousine made famous in Dallas was a 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible that was custom built by Hess and Eisenhart of Cincinnati. Known as the SS-100-X, the Secret Service had the car fitted with a 1962 grill for aesthetic reasons along with other upgrades. The John F. Kennedy limousine also included a Plexiglas bubble top to be used in the event of poor weather. The JFK limousine was notorious for the inadequate cooling of the rear of the passenger cabin while the bubble top was in place, particularly in the hot sun. In order to prevent excessive heat and discomfort to the passengers, the top was often removed prior to parades, as was the case in Dallas on November 22, 1963.
President Nixon ordered a 1969 model limousine, through Lehman-Peterson of Chicago. This vehicle also had an added sunroof so that Nixon could stand upright when appearing before parade-goers if desired. This vehicle was equipped with several features, such as retractable hand grips and running boards, options later copied by Hess and Eisenhart. This car is now located at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, California.
Used by Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan was a 1972 Lincoln Continental model which was stretched to 22 feet, outfitted with armor plating, bullet resistant glass and powered by a 460 cu in V8 engine. This model was also altered a number of times during its history, including a full body redesign in 1979. This was the limousine that Reagan was about to enter during his assassination attempt in 1981.
