On November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy would become the protagonist of the most famous unsolved assassination of the 20th century—unwittingly of course. During the motorcade he was leading through the streets of Dallas, he would drop dead inside the presidential limousine, and a slew of conspiracy theories would erupt and remain alive - and interesting - to this day.
But what happened to this car in which JFK breathed his last? You'd expect him to have retired, right? And yet things are not like that at all.
HISTORY OF THE PRESIDENTIAL LIMOUSINE
The deep blue Lincoln Continental in which JFK was assassinated was built by the Ford Motor Company in 1961. Modifications were made by Hess &Eisenhardt (a coachbuilder that specialized in armored vehicles) to make it suitable for use by the President. According to the Henry Ford Museum, the two companies worked together to customize the vehicles—a collaboration that the Secret Service code-named the “X-100.”
The original Lincoln Continental was cut in half and a 3.5-foot extension was added to make it longer. Other features of the vehicle included removable roof panels, heating and air conditioning systems, red flashing lights, two radio telephones and a hydraulic seat to raise the president. The Lincoln cost about $7,300, but the added features cost nearly $200,000 (about $1.8 million in today's money).
The Ford Motor Company remained the owner of the presidential limousine and it was leased by the Secret Service for presidential use for the sum of $500 per year.
WHERE DID THE CAR GO AFTER JFK'S ASSASSINATION?
Most people would have thought that the vehicle in which JFK was shot would have been towed away after the assassination, but that was not the case.
After Kennedy's assassination, the presidential limousine was flown back to the White House by cargo plane. It was briefly held to be investigated for evidence, with the "Warren Commission", the FBI and the Secret Service literally dusting it off, according to the New York Daily News. It is understood, however, that the windshield, which was hit by a bullet, was removed.
The White House commissioned the Lincoln Continental to be repaired and modified in December 1963. According to the Henry Ford Museum, it was sent to Hess &Eisenhardt in Cincinnati, Ohio, where it was rebuilt. It was then moved to the Ford Motor Company garage in Dearborn, Michigan, where more features were added.
The overhaul of the car included new black paint, strengthened structural parts, additional communication technology, a non-removable top and armoring of the passenger compartments. In total, the reconstruction reportedly cost $500,000, or about $4.6 million in today's money.
WHO USED THE CAR AFTER THE MURDER?
The Lincoln Continental was restored rather than retired and this was because it would take many years before a new presidential limousine was built. Repair was the most effective solution. After all the modifications, the luxury car returned to the White House.
Surprisingly, the car in which Kennedy was assassinated continued to be used by American Presidents. Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter were the four Presidents who sat in its back seats. At the same time, the car went through a few more modifications in 1967 where it got additional armor and paint, and it also had some minor fixes, such as removing a dent and adding protective bumpers.
According to Motor Biscuit, President Johnson only used the Lincoln Continental a few times during his presidency, as he was not as comfortable using the vehicle where Kennedy was assassinated. He chose to use mainly other cars from the already large "collection" of the White House.
THE CAR WAS “RETIRED” IN 1977
Other presidential vehicles may have been built in 1968 and 1972, but the car in which Kennedy was shot continued to be part of the White House fleet. After more than a decade of service, the presidential limousine was finally retired in 1977. It was sent to the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation located in Dearborn, Michigan and is on display along with other cars built by the Ford Motor Company.
It is evident that to this day, this car remains one of the museum's most popular exhibits, with visitors spending hours gazing at the vehicle that has now become an integral part of American history. With its shiny exterior and excellent condition, anyone unfamiliar with the vehicle's history would not believe it was connected to a tragic event, let alone the most famous unsolved murder of the 20th century. According to the Dallas Morning News, some museum visitors are even leaving flowers next to Lincoln, especially on the anniversary of Kennedy's death on November 22.
THE OTHER CAR USED BY KENNEDY
In addition to the presidential limousine in which he was assassinated, JFK used another vehicle that morning. This car (a 1963 white Lincoln Continental called “Limo One”) was used by the President and his wife during their transfer from their hotel to Carswell Air Force Base on the day of his assassination. Limo One was loaned by car dealer Bill Golightly for the President to use and then returned to him.
Over the years, this vehicle changed hands before finally being sold to L.H. Howe and exhibited at the "Museum of American Tragedy". In 1998, the car changed hands again and after an auction, in 2013, it passed into the hands of collector Jim Warlick. In 2020 it came up for auction again and was sold to its new owner for $375,075.