Lincoln Continental Presidential Limousine with Convertible Roof Options, 1961
THF111199 / Lincoln Continental Presidential Limousine with Convertible Roof Options, 1961
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Artifact Overview
As originally built, the 1961 Lincoln Continental Presidential Limousine had three different roof options. A removable steel section provided privacy, clear plastic sections provided weather protection, and a completely open top gave the president maximum visibility. The plastic panels fit neatly into the trunk and were available whenever needed. None of the removable tops was armored.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Photographic print
Subject Date
24 April 1961
Collection Title
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Object ID
P.833.122900.163
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Material
Paper (Fiber product)
Technique
Gelatin silver process
Printing (Process)
Color
Black-and-white (Colors)
Dimensions
Height: 8 in
Width: 10 in
Inscriptions
On press release accompanying photo:
AN ARRAY OF ROOFS--The new Presidential Continental probably offers more / flexibility of roof types to meet every occasion and condition than any other custom built / automobile. Laid out in the foreground are the two-piece metal top for formal occasions / and sections of the transparent plastic roof. The new limousine delivered to the White / House by Ford Motor Company is the first presidential car equipped with a transparent / roof for all compartments. Other options include fabric roof coverings [f]or use as an / open-air convertible, as well as combinations of the types for the rear, middle and / front compartments. /
Lincoln-Mercury Division / Ford Motor Company / 300 Schaefer Road / Dearborn, Michigan
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Related Artifacts
Artifact1961 Lincoln Continental Presidential Limousine Used by John F. Kennedy
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in this car on November 22, 1963. The midnight blue, un-armored convertible was rebuilt with a permanent roof, titanium armor plating, and more somber black paint. The limousine returned to the White House and remained in service until 1977. The modified car shows the fundamental ways in which presidential security changed after Kennedy's death.