SS-100-X

SS-100-X was the U.S. Secret Service code name for the Presidential limousine in which John F. Kennedy was assassinated. It was based on a 1961 Lincoln automobile, designed and built by Hess & Eisenhardt of Cincinnati, Ohio. The limousine was presented to the White House in March 1961.

Pre-assassination specifications

Equipped with a hand-built 350-horsepower 430 cubic inch engine, the wheelbase was extended to 156 inches. An open car, the Lincoln was equipped with an assortment of tops, including a snap-together bubble top, a black cover for the bubble, a formal rear top and a stainless steel forward section--none of which were bulletproof. The vehicle weighed nearly 9000 pounds (although it was not armor-plated), so the undercarriage and all suspension components were strengthened. A hydraulically-lifted rear seat was fitted. At the time of the assassination, the Lincoln had been fitted with a 1962-model front clip (fenders, hood, grille and bumper assemblies).

Post-assassination specifications

Following the assassination the car was sent back to Hess & Eisenhardt to be modified further. For protection, the Lincoln received titanium armor plating and a bulletproof permanent roof. It remained in service for an additional eight years, logging 50,000 miles on the ground and over one million miles being flown to and from its destinations. The vehicle was equipped with Presidential lap robes and mouton carpeting and a complete communications system including radio patch to the White House. It was replaced in 1967 and remained in service doing less important duties until 1978, when it was retired to the Henry Ford Museum. Finished in Navy blue, the car was repainted after each assignment. It is now black.