Over the years, various men have been President of The United States, have held the position, with some being more memorable than others. The cars that have been owned by certain presidents are interesting in their own right. From the 1961 Amphicar, to the 1939 Sunshine Special, here are six of the most intriguing presidential cars.
1961 Lincoln Continental SS-100-X
Perhaps the most famous presidential limo of all time, JFK was riding in the Lincoln Continental when he was assassinated. In 1961, Lincoln wanted to market their new Continental body style, so they accepted the White House’s request for a new limo. After Kennedy’s assassination, the Lincoln was rebuilt with armour and a bulletproof top. It stayed in service until 1977 and can now be seen in the Henry Ford Museum.
1961 Amphicar
Produced between 1961 and 1968, only 3878 Amphicars were created. President Johnson kept one at his Texas Ranch. It was said that Johnson liked to frighten visitors by driving the Amphicar to a nearby lake and pretending to lose control. When they ended up in the lake, Johnson would claim the brakes had malfunctioned.
1939 Lincoln K-Series ‘Sunshine Special’
This limo was used for President Roosevelt and became known as the ‘First Presidential car to acquire its own personality.’ The name comes from the retractable roof that was rolled down so Roosevelt could greet the public. After the attack on Pearl Harbour, the Sunshine Special was upgraded with armour plating and bulletproof glass.
1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan
The 1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan was ordered by President Truman to replace the Sunshine Special. It featured a glass ‘bubble top’ canopy’ and 337-cubic-inch L-head V-8 engine. The car is remembered most for the backstory, as it’s said Truman had a bad relationship with General Motors. After he was denied a car for his 1948 campaign he snubbed GM and went with Ford.
1946 Ford Super Deluxe Tudor Sedan
Truman’s Ford Super Deluxe Tudor Sedan is iconic because it was the first Ford to come off the assembly line after WW2. The sedan’s moonbeam grey paint job and wide bonnet made it a beautiful car.
1952 CJ-6 Jeep
Given to President Reagan by his wife as a Christmas gift, the CJ-6 jeep stayed with him for years. He kept it all the way from his career as an actor to his stint in the White House. It’s said that Reagan considered it the only vehicle he thought more highly of than his horse
