Classic Car Gallery Updates & a Peek at a Presidential Model
Last month, we added some very exciting photos of work we are doing on a 1962 Lincoln Continental to our Facebook page and classic car gallery project page. That work included fresh PPG paint we added to the four doors of the gorgeous model we are working on and have been working on for some time now. We are doing to this model what we like to call the "Presidential" treatment, meaning not just only fresh paint, but also some serious bodywork and all new upholstery.
Of course, presidential and Lincoln Continental are two words that very much go together. Why? Because one of the most notable examples of this model belonged to one of the country's more notable presidents: President John F. Kennedy.
The 1962 Lincoln Continental: A True Presidential Model
President John F. Kennedy and his staff utilized a sleek black 1962 Lincolin Continental "Bubbletop" as a limousine both for him and many guests of the White House. The car was known within the White House Fleet as 297-x and no, this was not the model he was shot in (that was a 1961 Lincoln Continental).
The 297-z earned its nickname of Bubbletop due to it bieng fixed with a plexiglass roof that created a unique bubble-like apperance and functionality. The model was commissioned back in 1961 and was so loved by White House family members, particularly by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, that it was commonly referred to as "Jackie's Bubbletop". It would become one of the most utilized of the White House fleet, frequently making appearances in parades and transporting important guests like the Apollo astronauts and Pope Paul VI.
As much as we might enjoy the 1962 Lincoln Continental we have in our shop and our online classic car gallery, the 297-x was truly a one-of-a-kind historic model. Today, this specific model is owned by famed car collector David Disiere who sometimes showcases it in classic car shows across the country. Back in 2013, he brought it to Dallas in remembrance of the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination.
Of course, the 1962 Lincoln Continental was not the first nor would it be the last of its model to be built and used for presidential purposes. President Lyndon Johnson sought his own Lincoln Continental. In the 70s, Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan brought this big and bold model into their White House Fleet. The model that JFK was in when he was shot was rebuilt with added armor and better bulletproofing along the roofline. It remained a part of the White House Fleet until 1977, after which it was sent on to the Henry Ford Museum where it still resides.
Give Your Own Lincoln Continental the Presidential Treatment By Contacting CHRA
Have your own Lincoln Continental you want to update for classic car gallery status? If so, then don't hesitate to contact our team at CHRA about setting up a consultation so you can learn more about our work and how we give your car the presidential treatment.