The Kennedy Assassination Limousine

Infamously Stuck In Time, But Where Is It Now?

Sep 29, 2009

Shortly after lunchtime on Nov. 22nd 1963 a certain 61' Lincoln Continental would transport a bloody and tragic moment onto the pages of indelible world history.

Few pieces of amateur footage have been viewed and scrutinized to the extent of that of Abraham Zapruder. This unwitting historian’s 26.6 seconds of footage would capture in chilling detail the moment that President John F. Kennedy’s short tenure would abruptly be bought to an end. Although not shown publicly until 1969 it would forever firebrand all those who saw it; the characters in this shortest of short films far outliving their few seconds of flickering celluloid stardom.

Half a Minute in History

First there would be Nellie Connolly, wife of the Texas Governor at her side, she who would turn and mutter the last sentence the President would ever hear –

Then Governor Connolly himself, whose chest would shortly be pierced by a much discussed high velocity projectile. Jacqueline Kennedy, adorned in a pristine pink and navy Chanel suit, branded with presidential blood and brain matter seconds before she reaches toward lunging secret service agent, Clinton Hill. Of course the unshakable image of Americas 35th President, clenched fists at a throat that had so eloquently entranced a nation. And finally, the most subliminally iconic of them all: Codename – X-100.

Codename – X-100

X-100 was the codename given by the Secret Service to the Presidential Lincoln Continental 4-door convertible state car. It was initially constructed by the Ford Motor Company at its Michigan plant (1961) but would subsequently undergo outsourced customization at Hess & Eisenhardt of Cincinnati, Ohio. The completed X-100 was leased to the Secret Service as its premier presidential parade limousine in June of the same year.

The motorcade trend leading up to and during the Kennedy era had been toward exposing dignitaries, in as open way as possible, to their constituents; a far cry from today's presidential battle wagons. For example, little was included to the X-100’s custom additions that added to the express safety of those on board. More attention was instead paid to luxury and visibility; hand-embroidered door pockets and internal floodlights in lieu of excessive armored plate. In fact, the only true protection was the inclusion of removable reinforced steel and transparent plastic roof panels. Protection that was of course not present as the motorcade made its way down Elm Street on that November day.

The X-100 Stays in Service

Following the assassination and initial impounding for investigation, it was decided to retain but revamp the X-100. An intensive list of additional security measures where developed and installed. These included the addition of a non-removable armored roof, reinforcement of the rear passenger section and instillation of multi-plate bullet-proof glass. The last of these improvements was completed in 1967 and the car would stay in service for the following ten years. The administrations of presidents Johnson, Nixon, Ford and Carter would on occasion use X-100 until it was retired in 1977.

The X-100’s Final Parking Space

The X-100 was never actually owned by the United States government, it was permanently leased from the Ford Motor Company for the nominal price of $500 a year. So it is not surprising that it can be found today, on permanent display, at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Although almost totally reconstructed and updated from its 1963 alter ego it still retains the morbid allure of its special moment in time.

More Than One Lincoln Connection

The Henry Ford Museum contains another famous Lincoln exhibit. This one, although not automotive, has a grisly similarity to that of the X-100. It is a chair. The chair in which President Abraham Lincoln was serenely sitting when he too received a history altering head wound at the hands of an assassin. As in the case of President Kennedy, Mr. Lincoln did not actually die at the scene of his attack. Nonetheless he will always be imagined sitting in that chair; the curtain draped Ford Theatres’ state box as his final backdrop. An truely iconic image, much the same as that of a young smiling JFK - waving from the backseat of an open-topped, sun filled dark blue Lincoln Continental.

Sources:

The copyright of the article The Kennedy Assassination Limousine in Modern US History is owned by Hari Navarro. Permission to republish The Kennedy Assassination Limousine in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.