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FEATURE ARTICLE

LINCOLN - THE CHOICE OF U.S. PRESIDENTS

The Lincoln first became the presidential favorite during the 1920's because, according to one theory, President Coolidge had high personal regard for Henry Ford. Lincolns either have been the exclusive car of U.S. presidents or have shared White House honors with cars for all but a few years since that administration.

President Taft,whose term of office began in 1909, is credited with approving the first official auto fleet for White House staff and Secret Service use. In fact, the credit rightly may belong to Mrs. Taft who received a Pierce-Arrow just before the inauguration.

The practice of maintaining a White House fleet of loaned, leased or purchased automobiles continued through the terms of Presidents Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter and into presidents Reagan's administration.

Automobiles were not complete strangers to chief executives even before Taft, however. Documents collected by the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association show that William McKinley was the first president to try out a motor vehicle while in office when he "varied his usual program by (taking) a little spin" in a Stanley Steamer on 13 July 1901. He was strictly a passenger.

McKinley's sudden successor, President Theodore Roosevelt, preferred a horse he could ride; but the "Rough Rider" did appreciate the practicality of the motor car and occasionally called upon one for official, pleasure and campaign use. The Secret Service had a white Steamer in the latter years of Roosevelt's term, but tradition has it that he never took kindly to cars.

Therefore, it was up to Taft to "clean out" the White House stables and replace the horses and carriages with automobiles. Even so, it was not for another decade that the switch was completed and the car replaced the traditional "carriage and four" in the inaugural ceremony for President Harding in 1921.

When President Taft discarded the old White Steamer, the Pierce-Arrow began a long era - about 17 years - as the make in official favor. Then, President Coolidge reportedly switched to a seven passenger 1923 or 1924 Lincoln phaeton, although official records are sketchy.

Halfway into his term, President Hoover purchased a Cadillac V-16 limousine. He bought it from the government when he left office. Franklin D. Roosevelt continued his preference for Packards into the early years of his presidential administration.

Although Pierce-Arrows still were used as follow up vehicles by the Secret Service, in 1933 a five passenger Lincoln phaeton was acquired for follow up duties.

In 1939, A Lincoln convertible was leased by Ford Motor Company to the government for use by President Roosevelt. Dubbed the "Sunshine Special" by the president because of its open body, it became one of America's most famous automobiles.

In 1941, as a result of World War II, the car was further modified to offer the president more protection. Armor plating was concealed in the body, one inch thick bulletproof glass was added, as were bulletproof metal-sheathed tire tubes.

In use for 11 years and driven about 55,000 miles, the six foot high, 9,300 pound Sunshine Special was transported throughout the world and probably carried more world famous celebrities than any other car. Today, the car is on display in all its original glory at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn.

The next Lincoln added to the Secret Service fleet for presidential use was a 1949 Lincoln Cosmopolitan convertible. Unmodified in any way, it served as an "off the record" car for President Truman and supplemented the Sunshine Special.

Still mechanically perfect, the Sunshine Special and other vehicles of its vintage were retired in 1950 only because of their old style appearance. They were replaced by 10 specially built 1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitans leased to the White House by Ford.

Nine of the Cosmopolitan limousines were sedans. The tenth was a convertible parade car. It was returned to Dearborn in 1954 to be revamped with a specially built plexiglass roof.

President Eisenhower suggested the clean plastic roof when crowds frequently braved bad weather only to be disappointed when the president was hidden by the conventional convertible top.

Following this modification, the car became known affectionately as the "bubbletop". It was retired as the primary presidential car in 1961, but remained as a backup vehicle through 1965.

In 1961, a new Lincoln Continental limousine was delivered to the Secret Service. Converted by the firm of Hess & Eisenhardt in Cincinnati it would become one of the most famous presidential cars in history. President Kennedy was riding in it in Dallas when he was assassinated.

The car was completely rebuilt in 1964 with a number of new security features including a non-removable bubbletop made of bulletproof glass.

In 1968, a new presidential limousine/parade car was delivered, built on a 1968 model but modified with 1969 trim. Lehmann-Peterson of Chicago did the conversion work. It was built on a 160" wheelbase and included a number of technological features that never have been revealed publicly.

In 1972, another presidential-grade car replaced the 1961 limousine which then was retired, and supplemented the 1968/69 car. The 22 foot version of the 1972 Lincoln Continental was designed and built by Ford Motor Company, principally at its research and engineering center in Dearborn.

In later years, two additional Continentals were added to the Secret Service fleet as Presidential off the record cars, the last in 1977.

The presidential limousine of the later Reagan years was a Cadillac, presented to the Secret Service in 1984.

George Bush was the 13th president to make the historic trip down Pennsylvania Avenue in an automobile for the inaugural parade. He did so in a specially modified 1989 Lincoln Town Car. He would have been the 14th - but Jimmy Carter chose to walk.

The Lincoln automobile was named after President Abraham Lincoln by Henry M. Leland, who founded the Lincoln Motor Company in 1920. The financially ailing company was purchased by Ford in 1922.

There have been a number of cars whose names were shared with American presidents including the Washington, Jackson, Harding, Madison, Monroe, Harrison, Grant, Cleveland and Roosevelt. All but the Lincoln have been consigned to the pages of automotive history.

COPYRIGHT 1999 WARNER PUBLICATIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Sunshine Special Lincoln

Bubble top Presidential Lincoln

J.F.Kenneday Lincoln

1968 Presidential Lincoln

1972 Presidential Lincoln

Current Presidential Lincoln

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