Vehicle Description
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.