1963 Lincoln Continental Presidential Limousine, Coachwork by Hess & Eisenhardt Registration no. NSX 335A Chassis no. 3Y82N420576

* Essentially the same as President J F Kennedy's limousine
* Formerly part of the 'Musée Automobile des Voitures de Chefs d'État' collection
* Extensively restored by the Musée
* Only circa 650 kilometres covered since restoration

The products of Ford-owned Lincoln have for years rivalled those of General Motors' Cadillac division in their exclusivity and luxury, in particular the range-topping Continental. Nowadays synonymous with Lincoln, the 'Continental' model name was first used in 1940 for Bob Gregorie's masterly styling exercise on the existing V12 Zephyr chassis. A sportier, top-of-the-range companion to the Zephyr, the Continental had started out as a personal, custom-bodied one-off commissioned by Lincoln boss Edsel Ford, and would be hailed as a classic of automotive design by authorities as diverse as the Museum of Modern Art and the Classic Car Club of America. The demise of the V12 engine at the end of the 1948 season meant that there would be no more Continentals for seven years, but when it did return (at the Paris Salon in October 1955), the new V8-engined Continental caused just as much of a sensation as the original.

Modified by the likes of coachbuilders Lehmann-Peterson and Hess & Eisenhardt, the Continental limousine was much favoured by heads of state, US Presidents included. The considerably lengthened chassis was strengthened, and the suspension reinforced to cope with the much-increased weight, while the bodies were equipped to customer order with all the usual limousine features such as internal division, additional occasional seating, etc.

In 1961, after the election of the 35th President of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the White House commissioned a new presidential limousine from the Ford Motor Company's Lincoln division, specifying that the car had to be a convertible and have large doors to enable the President and his entourage maximum ease of access. Accordingly, a new Lincoln Continental limousine chassis was delivered to specialist coachbuilders Hess & Eisenhardt in Cincinnati, Ohio to be stretched, reinforced, and modified appropriately. Hess & Eisenhardt were well qualified to carry out the conversion, having built their first presidential limousine for Harry S Truman in the late 1940s and a succession of armour-reinforced vehicles for US presidents and other heads of state thereafter. Archive photographs held by the 'Musée Automobile des Voitures de Chefs d'État' at the Château de Montjalin, Avallon show the Lincoln in use on numerous trips abroad, mainly in Germany, Ireland and South America. President Kennedy was riding in the original car when he was assassinated in Dallas on 22nd November 1963.

Built to special order by the presidential coachbuilder, this particular Lincoln limousine rolled out of Hess & Eisenhardt's works in March 1963, being essentially the same as the 1961 car in which the president was assassinated in later that year (photographs of the build are available). The 'Y82' chassis number prefix indicating that it is a series production limousine. Like the JFK 'assassination car', this one is equipped with grab handles on the boot for bodyguards, extended rear platform, presidential flags on each wing, and flashing red lights on the front bumper.

The Lincoln was purchased in Florida in 1985 by the founder of the 'Musée Automobile des Voitures de Chefs d'État' and formed the centrepiece of the collection. The Musée subsequently restored the car extensively: renewing the entire interior and overhauling the engine, automatic gearbox, brakes, exhaust system, and the electric window motors, all at great expense. Related invoices are on file, and the Lincoln has covered only 650 kilometres since the restoration's completion. Now UK registered and with an MoT valid until the end of June 2018, this imposing car boasts a tailor-made mohair hood to the chauffeur's compartment, and is described by the vendor as in excellent mechanical condition.