Thanks to George Lehmann ’s financial backing and Robert Peterson ’s virtual know - how , Lincoln was award with an opportunity to compete with Cadillac and Imperial for the limo trade in the 1960s with the 1963 - 1970 Lincoln Limousine .
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A man of possible action lay before George " Skip " Lehmann in autumn 1962 . Just 23 years erstwhile , he had finished college and was new from a stretch in the United States Army . He was an heir to his grandfather ’s acres , which let in the illustrious Fair Stores . He was also steeped in his hobby of hotfoot sports cars . sure as shooting this hardening of circumstances would send him down one interesting way of life or another in lifetime .
Of all the places fate could have shoot Skip Lehmann during that twilight , it chose to route him through a Chicago garage . It was there that he met Robert Peterson . In short order they would team up up in an brassy initiative that invigorated the select marketplace for limousines in America and add a chapter to Lincoln history in the 1960s .
Bob Peterson ran a very successful customizing shop . Ten years older than Lehmann , he had gain a well - deserved repute as a mechanical champion who was able-bodied to handle much anything self-propelled . He also had a background in racing as a driver and a mechanic .
Lehmann happened to block by Peterson ’s store when he learned that a subspecies automobile he ’d once owned , a rare Scarab , had been severely wrecked . Peterson had rebuilt the car in just a few hebdomad ; Skip Lehmann was impressed .
At the sentence , Lehmann rode around in a Cadillac limousine , but yearned for something different . He had already had more than a class to admire the new slab - side Lincoln Continental . In fact , he wish it so much that he corrupt his mother , Morella , a brand - new 1962 Continental . It was during one of his visits to Peterson ’s shop that Lehmann asked Peterson if he could make a limousine out of his female parent ’s Lincoln . Peterson looked in , around , and under the auto , and said , " Nothing to it . Twelve days . "
For more on the first Lehmann - Peterson Limousine and its features , remain on to the next Sir Frederick Handley Page .
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Lehmann-Peterson Limousine
The first Lehmann - Peterson limo was built in tardy 1962 or other 1963 . Meanwhile , Skip Lehmann and Bob Peterson ’s friendship get and they decided to go into business together .
Lehmann - Peterson and Company was formed in 1963 . ( Its shop at 2710 N. Sawyer Ave . in Chicago would be the company ’s family throughout its lifetime . ) With Lehmann ’s money and salesmanship attainment , plus Peterson ’s superior mechanical power , they lead off a quest to make headway approval from Ford Motor Company to provide Lincoln - base limousines .
The limo body vogue was in one of its periods of retreat at Lincoln in the early 1960s . farsighted - wheelbase formal saloon and limos had been cataloged from the brand name ’s beginning in 1921 through 1942 . Then for 1959 and 1960 , professional - car detergent builder Hess and Eisenhardt , of Cincinnati , Ohio , was commissioned to convert limited numbers of those class ' production Continentals into formal sedans and divider - windowpane limo , albeit on the stock 131 - column inch wheelbase .
sumptuosity - market rivals Cadillac and Imperial had no such prolonged interruptions in their limo programs , however . As the 1960s began , Cadillac was turning out almost 1,000 Fleetwood Series 75 limousine a yr while Imperial was selling tiny handfuls of very expensive Italian - built Crown Imperials .
To get Ford ’s attention , Lehmann and Peterson made an unpredicted visit to corporate home office in Dearborn , Michigan . When they roll up in Morella Lehmann ’s modify Lincoln Continental , they were met at the front of the building by an official whose perhaps predictably skeptical attitude was along the lines of , " Right , you need to build our limo for us . "
The pair was told to tug around to the back and expect by a service department door . After the limo deplumate up , a crew of 40 to 50 Ford Motor Company staff office quickly conglomerate . Soon an agreement was reached that allowed Ford to extensively examine the car for the equivalent weight of 100,000 Swedish mile .
Ford enquiry testify that any automobile stretched more than a few inches would meet greatly from metal tiredness . The Lehmann - Peterson experimental limousine was lengthened by a full three feet in the center section , which Ford engineers believed to be a weak point to begin with . Thus , the engineering section gave the elevator car an acid psychometric test whenever possible .
Years later it was learned that even top executive fall in in on the distortion test . At lunchtime , they would jam the car full of people and speed it over various test - track road surfaces , in conclusion set up it off build - in rises , all in an attempt to break it . It did n’t .
To read about the first 1963 Lincoln Limousines made by Lehmann and Peterson for Ford , continue to the next page .
1963 Lincoln Limousine
Based on the test results and Skip Lehmann ’s enthusiasm , Ford signal a contract and immediately order two more 1963 Lincoln Limousines base on the 1963 Lincoln adapt by Lehmann and Peterson . They were also tested by Ford and drive at least 100,000 miles each .
It was these railroad car that were used in all the early advertising , as Lehmann - Peterson did none of its own . An add together stipulation was that the two automobile never be sell to the world .
And so , in 1963 , Lehmann - Peterson was in the limo business . A regularly updated survey start out by Lincoln and Continental Owners Club ( LCOC ) member H.W. Schofield revealed that two additional 1963 limos were develop for public sale ; other records indicate that one of them was grease one’s palms by comic Jerry Lewis . In 1964 , Lehmann - Peterson and Company became Lehmann - Peterson , Inc. , " builder of the Lincoln Continental Executive Limousine and Automotive Specialties . "
The limousines and particular projects were handcraft with state - of - the - art coachbuilding proficiency . order was done by picking out a car at a Lincoln - Mercury franchise and choosing from the vast Lincoln and Lehmann - Peterson choice list .
At the factory , Ford would install a " Limousine Conversion Kit " consisting of a husky interruption with an added leaf spring in the rear and sozzled front coils , weighty - duty shock absorbers , and larger tire . Lehmann - Peterson would then deprive the car , make out it in one-half , and add a section between the front and rear door .
From 1964 on , this added section was 34 inch long , which produced a wheelbase of 160 inches – though at least two cars were build with a stretchability of just nine column inch for owner who wanted something that would be appropriate as a chauffeur- or possessor - driven car .
Apart from a lengthened driveshaft , the powertrain was stock Lincoln . This included a 430 - cubic - column inch V-8 good for 320 horsepower through 1965 . A 340 - horsepower edition of this engine enlarged to 462 cubic inches served from 1966 through early 1968 when it was replaced by a completely unexampled 460 - regular hexahedron V-8 that made 365 horsepower .
Although Ford built the Lincoln Continental to passing high standards of soundbox rigidness , annual examination break that after conversion , the limo were even firm . Because of this , Lehmann - Peterson was the only coachbuilder granted the right to have its cars covered by the same Ford Motor Company warranty as the factory - produce cars . Furthermore , Lincoln began advertising the limousine in its brochures in 1965 ( though for some unknown cause they were n’t included in the 1968 and 1970 lit ) .
From the beginning , Lehmann - Peterson give exciting novel heights of opulence . For example , the eight - rider seating area agreement allowed all rider to face each other rather than gaze at or talk to the back of someone ’s cervix . The options listing test the buyer ’s imagination . After piling on what Ford had to declare oneself , then came Lehmann - Peterson ’s list .
First there were the no - accusation items , like a chauffeur ’s " escort umbrella harnessed below front seat " for foul - weather days , or the choice of an AM / FM signal - seeking wireless with world power antenna or AM stereo tape actor for the rear compartment .
distinctive surplus - price items ( in 1968 price ) include a two - inch increase in head room ( $ 950 ) , which came off very well because of the size of it of the limousine . Also offered were air conditioning ( $ 350 tooshie only , $ 503.90 including the front ) , a divider windowpane ( $ 250 manual , $ 350 power ) , 11 - composition beverage service ( $ 200 ) , rearward - compartment story foot repose ( $ 48 ) , companion - posterior human foot - residuum pads ( $ 54 ) , television with build - in antenna ( $ 295 ) , and many other full-strength and glitzy gadget that could make a mobile dream come true .
To follow the story of the Lincoln limos into 1964 and 1965 , continue to the next page .
1964 and 1965 Lincoln Limousine
The 1964 and 1965 Lincoln limousines made by Lehmann - Peterson go along to succeed . At $ 15,153 to begin in 1964 , the Lincoln Continental Executive Limousine was priced fairly squarely between Cadillac ’s Series 75 at $ 9,960 and the $ 18,500 asked for a Ghia - built Crown Imperial . Output rose to 15 unit , pull in the Lincoln an blink of an eye – though very remote – act two in the three - way domestic limo sales event race .
Lehmann - Peterson ’s experience in bring forth limousine for Lincoln put the firm in line to carry out some critical special problem . In September 1965 , the Vatican announced that Pope Paul VI would travel to New York City on October 4 . Ford was enlist to supply an appropriate vehicle and it gave the job – and the publicity that went with it – to Lehmann - Peterson .
There was only one catch : The car had to be quick in five daylight ! " The inconceivable can be done aright away , " rifle a saying , " but miracles take a piddling longer . " This project fell somewhere in between , because the shop ultimately was grant an extra day to terminate it . At a cost of $ 15,500 , a crew of 40 mold Clarence Day and dark to complete the line .
The famous " Popemobile " was establish on one of the extra - order of magnitude limousines Ford had requested for testing in 1963 . ( It had a 1964 - style wicket . ) Special feature article included :
Meanwhile , in Lehmann - Peterson ’s main line of work , Executive Limousine output tripled in 1965 , with about 50 units sell . The 1966 manakin year saw a proceed refinement of the Continental design , with the most extensive restyle since 1961 . This , of form , carry over to the Lehmann - Peterson limo , which enjoyed another tripling of sale to 159 units .
See the next varlet to follow the Lincoln Limousine into 1966 and 1967 .
1966 and 1967 Lincoln Limousine
The 1966 and 1967 Lincoln limousine explored new territory . In 1966 , Bob Peterson flew to Washington to present to the regime his estimation for replacing the age Kennedy - era presidential limo .
Armed with his noesis of lightweight metals and plastic , he set out to convince the government that a unexampled car could do all that was demanded of it and still keep back the strength of armor plating without as much weight . He succeed , return home with orders for a White House limousine and two new Secret Service security - contingent sofa bed .
The Secret Service cars were equipped with 11 - inch - wide running play boards , which stretch the duration of the bodysides between the cycle , plus assist handles and bars for agents to comprehend . The rear door were reworked to allow for entry from the running boards while the elevator car was in question . This was achieved by cutting the doors in half and hinge them to allow the front portion to slide over the rearward half , not unlike the means modern minivan doors manoeuvre .
For normal first appearance and exit , the rear doors opened and closed in the established manner . The rear bumper was hinged so that it could swing down to form a political platform that was operate hydraulically so it could be align to the optimal height for the men standing on it . An assist bar for them to snap up could be pull back flush into the trunklid when not take .
exchangeable tops were made of limpid vinyl trimmed with black cloth . The divided front seats were alter so that a man could ride present the rear on the portion between the seats . Front and rearward seat and the translatable top were elevated three inch for proficient visibility . As far as security goes , the gondola was a rolling arsenal .
As the Secret Service did n’t take delivery of the convertibles until October 1967 , the car were trimmed as 1968 models . That made them more singular ; Lincoln had dropped ragtops from veritable product after 1967 due to declining public demand . The presidential limo would take a mo longer .
Trim on the Executive Limousine was changed a bit for 1967 . A new privacy shield just behind the front door became standard . It add to the overall line of the limo , plus helped to break up the quite a little of ice see in profile on earlier models . indoors , the companion seats could now be folded up like theater rear end . bid equipment , high - volume recitation lamp , and a rear - can center armrest store compartment were new options . sale came to 110 units .
By the terminal of the twelvemonth , Lehmann had recoup his initial $ 600,000 investment and the companionship was operating in the lightlessness . Now , more than ever , his attention was focus on keeping the company on this up swing . He also entertained thoughts of matrimony in the not - too - distant time to come . But he began having migraine cephalalgia , which he passed off as a outcome of work - related stress .
Being co - possessor of a successful business was a big enough job , but Lehmann oversee to get time for some special pet projects . He built a sand dune buggy and he had a Ferrari Testa Rosa make over so that it would n’t conk at every cherry-red light . With other adjustments , this modest , fell , blindingly fast racing machine was made street effectual . He also owned and enjoy a 1935 Packard Twelve .
Meanwhile , Peterson ’s spare time was spent research and developing economy ambulance based on Ford and Mercury station wagons . All were fully outfit once a prefabricated unit was installed . Plus , another company was buy ; it customized full - sized buses into motorhomes before that became a popular trend .
See the next Sir Frederick Handley Page for selective information on the 1968 Lincoln limousine .
1968 Lincoln Limousine
The 1968 Lincoln limo plow out to give another streamer year for Lehmann - Peterson – but not in sales , although a salubrious 91 units were establish .
Rather , it was due to the ill fame of the new presidential limo . Planning , research , exploitation , and construction of this masterpiece involve more than 15 month in 1967 and 1968 . Its cost – $ 500,000 – put it in the Guinness Book of World Records .
Some of that considerable cost was explained by the fact that the limousine had more than two stacks of armour and a fighter - planelike canopy . ( In fact , the windows and canopy were thicker than the crank used in U.S. Air Force fighters . ) This shielding could stop a .30 - caliber rifle bullet or a outpouring of Molotov cocktails .
The car ran on four labored - duty truck tires ; inside of each was a large steel record with a rubber - rimmed tread , which allowed for push back up to 50 miles at top speeding with the tires matt .
This railroad car replaced the $ 25,000 limo that President John F. Kennedy had commission in 1961 . It did n’t even have unassailable methamphetamine hydrochloride until after he was assassinated in 1963 and Ford drop $ 300,000 to partially armor - denture it in a 1964 revamp .
Of the presidential limousine , Skip Lehmann said , " It is design to attend like a perfectly normal car one minute , and the next mo it will look like no other cable car you ever saw before . " The interior featured the two inches of added headroom optional in " civilian " Lehmann - Peterson limousine . The car was not unlike a communications meat , with " the clit " always within branch ’s duration in the event that a national certificate crisis should arise while the president was riding in it . Like the two Secret Service vehicles , it was a 1967 automobile with updated appearance details .
Ford Motor Company plunge the estimated $ 500,000 in cost and then leased the car back to the government for a nominal $ 100 per month . manner of speaking to President Lyndon Johnson was schedule for August 1968 , but its comer was delayed until October , by which metre the car was update again with 1969 styling tactual sensation . Its first use the following calendar month in reality was n’t by the nation ’s sit down master executive , but by President - elect Richard Nixon , who was in Washington to visit Walter Reed Army Hospital .
Notably , 1968 also see the first major daily round of federal motorcar safety ordinance that were destined to have an extensive impact on the industry as a whole . Because of their dispirited yearly production , Lehmann - Peterson limousines were exclude from any kind of government smash or endurance test .
Ford , however , want the first limo grow every model yr for its own tests and control it to a high standard than even the production cars . ( This go a farsighted way in explain why so many Lehmann - Peterson limos have survived . ) Then , in 1966 , a driver fall down asleep during a simulated 100,000 - mile campaign and plowed into a ditch . Except for the rider compartment , the auto was a total release . Ford deemed the one-year mellow - mileage examination unnecessary after that ; driving a unexampled limousine into a posit roadblock at 35 mph every year would take its place .
Even though the Lehmann - Peterson limos passed every test give them , it ’s trust that a fear of the unknown pay Ford an alibi to begin withdrawing support from the limo program . By 1970 , the business firm would lose all financial support . But that was still a couple of eld in the future .
In the meantime , Lehmann - Peterson was as potent as ever , and both partners believe their company could make a go of it severally if need be . programme for enlargement were discussed , perhaps into Mexico to take reward of a strong U.S. clam and inexpensive labor .
1969 and 1970 Lincoln Limousine
The 1969 and 1970 Lincoln limousine see output rise and fall . In 1969 , output rose slightly to 93 units . apart from construct Executive Limousines , Lehmann - Peterson also splash around with the mind of convert Lincoln ’s young entry in the " personal - luxury " field , the Continental Mark III hardtop coupe , into a four - doorway sedan .
Such a railcar was progress for Ford Product Planning , equipped with the Mark III ’s narrow grillwork and out of sight headlights , steering wheel covers , trunklid with tire gibbousness , rear bumper , and taillights . Like the Ford Thunderbird four - door saloon , it had frameless room access glass and rear " suicide " doors .
The idea never hold up any further than that as far as becoming a mill - built Lincoln . However , that did n’t stop Lehmann - Peterson from making one to order for a pay client .
In a March 20 , 1970 , varsity letter to prospective customer Grover Hermann , the former chairman of Martin - Marietta Corporation , George Lehmann explained that such a car had just been completed for Henry Ford II at the cost of $ 13,000 . admit with the letter was a snapshot of the railroad car . ( Another Lehmann - Peterson photo survive showing a 1969 Mark III four - door nearly complete . )
Hermann opt to have one build for himself , and it was at long last deliver late in the twelvemonth . Some of the more obvious differences were a 7.3 - in body stretch , rear - seat cushions intended to allow for armrests , and 1971 - style back - up lights per a mid - year modification .
Curiously , Ford Motor Company has deny the first four - doorway Mark was ordered by , countenance alone built for , Henry Ford II . ( A rumor at the time was that it was a giving to a extraneous nonrelative female person . ) Perhaps this was the Product Planning car .
The last Lehmann - Peterson Lincoln Continental Executive Limousines were grow in 1970 . That class , the full-grown Lincoln reverted to separate dead body - and - build building , cut down the unit - body form used since 1958 .
With this change come in new styling , a feebleminded step that tended to make Lincoln seem less distinctive . die were the graceful bum - opening back doors , for example , which put up the only right way of life to go in and exit a limo . Still , Peterson deftly do work out how to lengthen trunk and frame on this new - style Continental .
unluckily , few than 20 Executive Limousines were made for 1970 . This was hardly the only job that faced Lehmann - Peterson , either . Near the end of 1969 , automakers found themselves running into a barrage of new federal prophylactic standards , the shock of which on the way of life they did business was uncertain .
This divisor more than any other wedge Ford ’s hand in decide to traverse Lehmann - Peterson any more support . The risk of the unknown was just too great when faced with possible liability from a car that was n’t even produced under its own ceiling .
In surrender 1970 , Lehmann - Peterson was coerce to close its doors . The company ’s taxis had n’t been paid for the last couple of years , so the governance preclude . Most employee left to work for competitors . Lehmann tried to make a go of thing on his own , but the brass ring never make out around again .
In a few short months , he entered the hospital for the last time and expend a solid twelvemonth there . Having slipped into unconsciousness , George Walter Lehmann died of a psyche tumour on April 6 , 1972 . He was only 33 .
The lengthy hospitalisation take its cost on Morella Lehmann . During that meter , she contracted a near - fatal fount of hepatitis . Upon her recovery , she continued to survive not too far from where " it " had all begun in Chicago until she died on August 7 , 1989 .
Robert Peterson later went on to bring about Cadillac limos for Maloney Coachbuilders , also in the Chicago area . He croak in January 1995 .
