1963 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL PRESIDENTIAL LIMOUSINE RE-CREATION

Details

Commissioned through Ford Motor Company by the U.S. government, the Presidential Limousine project was known as SS-100-X, or simply X-100. It began life as a standard 1961 Continental convertible with a ’62 grille added. It was shipped to Hess & Eisenhardt of Cincinnati, OH, who added 3.5 feet to the wheelbase, fitted unique steps on the rear for Secret Service members to ride, along with special lights and sirens, radio equipment and folding jump seats in the rear compartment. The body and roof

were not armor-plated and, aside from the car’s special parts, no additional reinforcements were made. The X-100 was used by presidents until its retirement in 1978. This re-creation of the original X-100 limousine is a unique machine that started as a genuine Hess & Eisenhardt limousine. It was subsequently modified to re-create the famous Kennedy presidential car. This car features many accurately reproduced features, such as the rear step bumpers, flags and even the United States Presidential Seal on the doors. It has received a great deal of mechanical and cosmetic restoration work, and until recently it was featured as the centerpiece of a French museum of presidential cars from around the world. It runs and drives well, propelled by its 430ci Lincoln V8 engine and Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission.