Attractive solutions like a spare tire that could be pulled out of a small compartment under the radiator or dashboard instruments hidden under a lid were proof of Rapi's devotion to details. First there were the no-charge items, like a chauffeur's "escort umbrella harnessed below front seat" for nasty-weather days, or the choice of an AM/FM signal-seeking radio with power antenna or AM stereo tape player for the rear compartment. Also offered were air conditioning ($350 rear only, $503.90 including the front), a divider window ($250 manual, $350 power), 11-piece beverage service ($200), rear-compartment floor foot rests ($48), companion-seat foot-rest pads ($54), television with built-in antenna ($295), and many other neat and glitzy gadgets that could make a mobile dream come true. The Secret Service cars were 1967 Continental convertible sedans specially modified to the needs of the presidential bodyguards. It was these cars that were used in all the early advertising, as Lehmann-Peterson did none of its own. Lehmann-Peterson would then strip the car, cut it in half, and add a section between the front and rear doors. This was achieved by cutting the doors in half and hinging them to allow the front portion to slide over the rear half, not unlike the way modern minivan doors operate.
Indicative of his delusion was that the going price of the Touring-bodied two-door sedan was about $10,000; the most expensive chauffeur-driven limousines offered by Cadillac and Packard in 1947 cost slightly less than half that. Aside from making Executive Limousines, Lehmann-Peterson also dabbled with the idea of converting Lincoln's new entry in the "personal-luxury" field, the Continental Mark III hardtop coupe, into a four-door sedan. Output rose to 15 units, making the Lincoln an instant -- though very distant -- number two in the three-way domestic limousine sales race. Delivered in fall 1967, the Lehmann-Peterson Secret Service cars featured the grille and other trim parts from the 1968 Lincoln. In the years following the war, there was, of course, a fundamental shortage of passenger cars in Europe. The 1966 model year saw a continued refinement of the Continental design, with the most extensive restyle since 1961. This, of course, carried over to the Lehmann-Peterson limousine, which enjoyed another tripling of sales to 159 units.
Above all, you want her to know just how much you love her, and of course, you want to make sure she says yes! Obviously, Newman and Altman cared about safety as much as straight-line performance. More remarkable, however, were the two impressive convertibles made by Carozzeria Boneschi. Ford research showed that any car stretched more than a few inches would suffer greatly from metal fatigue. This car replaced the $25,000 limo that President John F. Kennedy had commissioned in 1961. It didn't even have bulletproof glass until after he was assassinated in 1963 and Ford spent $300,000 to partially armor-plate it in a 1964 revamp. Schofield revealed that two additional 1963 limos were produced for public sale; other records indicate that one of them was bought by comedian Jerry Lewis. To follow the story of the Lincoln limos into 1964 and 1965, continue to the next page. That made them more unique; Lincoln had dropped ragtops from regular production after 1967 due to declining public demand.
It was only due to repeated restructuring of the holding company that Isotta Fraschini was able to maintain its Italian plants and preserve a pair of prototypes to this day. Rather, it was due to the notoriety of the new presidential limousine. He succeeded, returning home with orders for a White House limousine and two new Secret Service security-detail convertibles. As the Secret Service didn't take delivery of the convertibles until October 1967, the cars were trimmed as 1968 models. Ford, however, wanted the first limo produced every model year for its own tests and held it to a higher standard than even the production cars. Maximum speed, however, was listed as exceeding 100 mph. Because of their low annual production, Lehmann-Peterson limousines were excluded from any kind of government crash or endurance tests. In addition, the government flatly refused to provide the necessary subsidies. Lehmann-Peterson's experience in producing limousines for Lincoln put the firm in line to carry out some critical special jobs. Planning, research, development, and construction of this masterpiece took more than 15 months in 1967 and 1968. Its price -- $500,000 -- put it in the Guinness Book of World Records. Well-heeled buyers could push the $6550 base price beyond $10,000.
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