Robert Peterson                                             George Lehmann    Luxury Is Their Bag    Presidents, sheiks and kings ride in their splendid cars, all because they followed a dream five years ago

The automotive world's young tigers often choose the heady life of the racing circuit. They'll design, they'll build and they'll risk their lifes bringing dreams to that brink where the possible and impossible meet. Every generation has its Action Men.

Is it so old-fashioned to have a dream? Men who will bend to the cynicism of the crowd far outnumber the ones who will admit to a vision and a belief in themselves. Fortunately the automotive world has it share of the latter. Yet it needn't always be the Shelbys, the Chapmans or the Halls whose dreams are realized. The same recipe, one part vision and nine parts guts and hard work hold true off the race course as well.

One automobile dream that's true is the Lehmann-Peterson operation. Its an exciting and unusal business that exist today because a couple of car buffs had a great idea and instead of just thinking that it was to much for them to handle, did something about it.

"This started as an idea in September of 1962, and I got in it because I'm a car idiot. I'm nut's about cars" Talking is George William Lehmann, 30, and what he is talking about is $2-million-a-year business that would be the dreams-realized job of anybody who really likes to fuss and tinker with splendid, expensive cars. His business, and that of his partner Robert Wilfred Peterson, 41, is coachbuilding. It's a far cry from the world of competition. (But surprisingly, racing was the quirk that brought these two men together.)

But what makes the Lehmann-Peterson operation special is that it has an exclusive contract with the Lincoln-Mercury people to do the coachwork for all Lincoln Continental limousines. In case you've always thought that all Lincoln Continentals had a limousine like look to them, notice now one salient fact: An ordinary Lincoln Continental has a price tag of something like $5800; a Lincoln Continental limousine goes out for $16,000 to $20,000. There are other major differences between the regular Continental and the limousine, but price is enough for starters.

Meet Lehmann and Peterson for the first time and you see quickly who is the salesman for the outfit and which one handles the shop. Lehmann, son of a wealthy Chicago family, is a slim, fast-moving, fast-thinking bachelor who wears vests, natty clothes, has two secretaries whose accents are heavily British, and an office that is modern, quiet, handsome, clean and full of gadgets. He owns five Dodge motor homes, an Iso, a 1935 Packard convertible, a chauffeur-driven Lincoln Continental, a Lincoln Continental convertible, a Mercury sedan, a Mercury station wagon, two motorcycles, and a snowmobile.

Peterson, on the other hand, is a chunky, reserved man. A visitor might find him in the company's shop among grinding wheels, strips of plastic and leather, noise and paint. When asked to pose for a photograph, Peterson wouldn't think to put on a tie. When Lehmann strolls in with some artist's renderings of a proposed job he has sold and asks Peterson for prices on the different phases of the work, Peterson gives one- or two-word answers. Lehmann explains the job specifications in detail; Peterson tells him, with an efficiency and finality that is awesome, how much the job will cost.

Peterson owns a white Lincoln Continental with a dented front end. He is the mechanical end of the business.

That's how the two of them got together. Lehmann had owned a racecar that got banged up. He brought it to Peterson to see what might be done to make it right again. They got to know one another and, in the course of working together, got the idea for a Lincoln Continental limousine.

They knew that corporations were buying large numbers of cars from Lincoln-Mercury or Ford dealerships for salesmen and others who used motor vehicles in the company, often also would specify that they wanted a limousine for top-echelon corporate functions. At that time, Lincoln Continental and Ford dealers would have to shuffle their feet and admit that they, through the Ford or Lincoln-Mercury operations, couldn't offer a limousine. Reluctantly, they would have to advise the customer to go to a GM dealership for a Cadillac limousine. It broke their hearts to give the GM people even a small foot in the door. They knew from hard experience that GMers soon would be bidding for the rest of the business, too.

Lehmann offered to buy a Lincoln Continental if Peterson would turn it into a limousine that they could take to the Lincoln Continental people in Dearborn. Peterson said he would, so Lehmann got a date with Lincoln Continental brass.

Peterson built the limousine in the used-car lot garage-which quickly proved too short. When the job was done, one of the obvious differences between the regular size Lincoln Continental and the limousine they built in 1962 was that the limousine was 36 inches longer.

When the Dachshund-like Lincoln was completed, Lehmann and Peterson climbed aboard and drove it to Dearborn.

There they found a terribly polite, but definite, show-me attitude. The LC people started the prototype through three months of tests-torsion, acceleration, braking, and a few others, such as eye-appeal-were impressed enough to agree to refer all future requests from limousine customers to the Lehmann-Peterson shop. But now the Lehmann-Peterson operation yearly changes about 110 ordinary Lincoln Continentals into limousines.

"We made two limousines that first year," says Lehmann, recounting the origins of the idea turned into a profitable business. "One was for the President of the United States. The other was given away on 'The Price is Right,' the television quiz show. The woman who won it did something I can't understand. She sold the car to a used car dealer. There were only two 1963 Lincoln Continental limousines ever made. One went into the presidential fleet. The other ended up on the used car lot. Some collector could do very well by himself if he got the give-away car."

What happens now when somebody walks into a Lincoln Continental showroom and says he would like a car, but the ordinary Lincoln Continental looks a little too well, ah, ordinary? It's likely that the salesman, if he is at all alert, will offer the customer a coffee, or maybe a snifter of expensive brandy, and invite him to sit right down and talk over the matter. "What would You like in your Lincoln Continental?" the salesman might ask. "Like a built-in bar, such as wealthy comedian Jackie Gleason recently ordered? No trouble. The Lehmann-Peterson people can do that. How about a television set? 'That doesn't require too much jiggling. Want to give your chauffeur his own reading light in case he spends several hours a week waiting for you while you work into the dark hours of the night? Why, of course.

"Want to stretch the car about three feet and make it a full-fledged limousine? We can handle that through Lehmann-Peterson," the salesman points out. "Or, if you would like your car stretched only nine inches or so, so it doesn't look too ostentatious, Lehmann-Peterson can handle that, too. Want your wheels gold-plated? Don't think too much of it.

"Like some more brandy?" asks the salesman, as he goes down the list of other things that the customer might want. "Two continental spare tires on the rear? Sure, the Lehmann-Peterson people have experience with that." They built, in fact, two such cars for a Hawaiian businessman who considers the two rear spares his trademark. At the moment, they certainly are. So far as the Lehmann-Peterson people know, he is the only man in the world with a Lincoln Continental limousine with two spare tires on the rear. His LC convertible also has two spares.

"Want special velour interiors? No problem, just tell me what color you want, Red? Baby blue? Gold? Have a little trouble with your back and find it difficult to bend over as you get in and out of your car? Lehmann-Peterson people will incluse a special seat that electrically slides outside the car. Sit down in the seat a push a button The seat rises slightly, turns , and slides back into its regular position" It cost more, of course , but whats's money to a millionaire with a sore sacroiliac?

What the salesman doesn't mention, naturally enough, is money. It takes the time of skilled mechanics and good craftsmen to do such things. "One of the reasons that other coachbuilders either have gone out of business or are going downhill while we're going the other way is that we price out our jobs realistically," says Lehmann. "You can lose your tail in this business if you don't know what you're doing. We had a woman come in here with a Cadillac limousine that she wanted turned into a station-wagon limousine. We could go broke in no time if we didn't know how to estimate such jobs. There's always about $10,000 involved in making a full-sized limousine from a Lincoln Continental."

Ten thousand dollars? That's a chunk of extra dough for any car. What does a customer get for that kind of cash?

The standard conversion from a Lincoln Continental sedan to a limousine starts in a corner of a small shop on Chicago's northwest side. People in the neighborhood, which is a fairly seedy one, probably would be amazed to know that some of the most expensive cars in the world roll out of the Lehmann-Peterson operation, which Doesn't even have a name on the front of the garage where the actual work is done. (Lehmann's office, in another location in the city, is small and unpretentious. It merely says "Lehmann-Peterson Coachbuilders.")

The first step in the elongation is to cut the car in half at the center roof post. Lehmann abhors the words "saw in half" because he thinks it makes people think that, somehow the car Ultimately will be weaker. "Say disassemble," suggests Lehmann.

The fact is, they saw the car in half. But buy that Lincoln Continental limousine, anyway. The limousine actually is stronger than the car from which it was built. After the car is sawed crosswise, it is fitted with several important items:

* An additional Lipper roof pillar on either side of the car. The Lipper roof pillar is the piece that extends vertically from the top of the window line to the bottom of the roofline.

* Four additional supports are built across the roof of the car. These are called "cross-roof supports," they extend horizontally across the inner roof surface.

* A 0.125-in. steel plate along each side of the car from the driver's compartment to the front of the rear cushion. In case you don't know what 0.125-in. steel is, get yourself a ruler and take a look at how thick an eighth of an inch is. Then find yourself a chunk of 0.125-in. steel. It will be only slightly thinner than tank armor.

* Two 0.125-in. structural supports get built into the driver's compartment. These are boxlike units that help give the limousine rigidity like nothing you've ever seen.

* Then they put in a 0.125-in. cross-one side of the new center of the car to the other.

* Then a new 34-in.section is welded into place on either side of the car and ultimately, a new roof is put on.

The Lincoln Continental people have subjected the limousine to torsion stresses in a grueling test of its rigidity. They hate to admit it publicly, but it is more rigid than the standard Lincoln Continental, and standard Lincoln Continentals are pretty sturdy hunks of car.

Obviously, this car is doing to weigh more than the standard version. Stick in slabs of steel, weld in 34 inches of metal on either side and add a longer drive shaft, and you're bound to have more weight.

"No problem," says Lehmann. "The Lincoln Continental engine was made to push the Linco ln Continental convertible, which weighs 5712 Pounds. The Iimousine weighs 5939 pounds only 227 pounds more. We've never ever-had any complaints from anyone about acceleration."

In addition to putting on extra metal and a new shaft, the Lehmann-Peterson limo has a longer exhaust; longer fuel lines; special parking brake cables; eight-ply tires; special springs, shocks and wheels; and a new roof that has been riveted in place. ("The rivets are completely covered with body lead," Lehmann likes to point out.)

It gets all the goodies that the customer wants as the car moves through the stretching operation. Some customers want a two-inch-higher roof, which runs about $900 more, to allow tall men to wear their hats while being chauffeur driven. With individualists like Elvis Presley, Hugh Hefner, Governor Rockefeller, The Supremes, and even Henry Ford ordering limousines from the Lehmann-Peterson shop, you can imagine that there are a fair number of unusual additions hung on the limousine they crank out. One customer wanted port holes instead of the somewhat standard "opera" window that goes into most limousines.One prospective customer even came to the Lehmann-Peterson people with a suggestion that they produce an all-gold limousine without rear windows. The car also was to have had a safe in the back. Lehmann gave a price quotation for the job, but he never heard from the customer again.

But the Lehmann-Peterson people don't confine themselves to making Lincoln Continental limousines. "We made a 1967 Chevrolet into a limousine," says Lehmann, and his company also has limousine-ized a chauffeur driven Pontiac that carries around the Right Reverend Cody, Roman Catholic Cardinal of Chicago.

About 40 men work in the Lehmann-Peterson garages and offices. While their time is mainly involved in meticulously changing Lincoln Continentals into limousines, they also get involved in some secret projects. For example, they are now working on an ambulance for the Mercury Division of Ford Motor Co. "It will be like nothing anybody has ever seen," says Lehmann. A Study of the prototype in his shop is convincing evidence that he is right.

Also in the shop is a fire truck that is being built for AnsuI, the fire-equipment people. It, also, is like nothing that ever bellied up to a big flame. It obviously isn't designed to compete with the big LaFrance stuff, but it certainly is going to open some eyes and put out some fires.

But don't get any wild ideas while reading this. Don't go picking up the phone and asking for a new limousine with red trim, one-way glass (such as Victor Borge has), rear compartment air conditioning (such as practically aII Lehmann-Peterson limousines have), a built-in telephone (common in $18,000 cars these days), and a few other nice things to be driven around to your front door. It takes about two months under ordinary circumstances-four in the fall when orders start to pile in-to get a Lehmann-Peterson limousine. In the meantime, you'll probably just have to drive around in an ordinary Lincoln Continental. How rough can life be?

Greetings from Kansas to my fellow LCOC members. I am happy to report good news from the plains of Kansas. It looks like the tumbleweeds have parted to reveal another fine and significant Lincoln. This one being a 1964 Lincoln Town Sedan conversion by Lehmann-Peterson.

Having been a member of LCOC since 1979, I was familiar with the Lehmann-Peterson story from the articles in the Continental Comments although there never was mention of a 1964 Town Sedan ever being built. An ad in the Wichita paper would bring me to knowledge of, as well as ownership of, this fine car. Upon seening this car for the first time, it became evident that it is a conversion of a standard 1964 sedan into a custom car with many features unavailable to the general buying public. These features, many of which later appeared on the Iimousines, include an interior complete with chauffeur divider to separate the front compartment from the rear seat area, front and rear AM-FM radio, genuine mouton carpeting in both front and rear compartments, all wool broadcloth upholstery and headlining.

Exterior features include black paint with a black padded roof and a small rear window which adds extra privacy for the rear seat occupants. The trunk area is also covered with black loop carpeting for a final touch of luxury. To identify themselves, the coachbuilder affixed a small name plate on both sides of the front fenders, with the L-P clearly visible.

After purchasing this car I proceeded with a full title search in which the origin of the car was found to be Houston, Texas. A Mrs. Dolores W. Whittington of 2416 Pine Valley Court and her husband H. Whittington were the earliest owners. Any information about these former owners from members in the Houston area would be welcomed. In 1972 this car was purchased by a man from Hutchinson Kansas. He drove the car to Kansas and it remained there, never leaving the state much less the city limits of Hutchinson. This would explain its 56,326 actual miles. Tumbleweeds notwithstanding, the car's former owners evidently had it garage kept as the roof covering is in excellent condition.

When speaking about this car with several of the fine men in the LCOC, I have come to understand that this car may be one of only three made by Lehmann-Peterson and possibly the first car converted by them. The vehicle warranty number is 4Y82N411483. Some questions arise concerning this car and others like it. Are there any other 1964 Town Sedans among members of LCOC'? Of the 1964 Iimousines, are their warranty numbers earlier than this car or later? Has anyone seen or know the wherabouts of any other 1964 Town Sedans? Any information would be appreciated. Please feel free to contact me anytime at the following:

Editor's Note: There may be one other in the Club. The 1995-96 Directory lists Robert & Chris Huntley, Arlington, Washington as owning a 1964 Lincoln Custom Sedan, serial number. 4Y82N404097. Even the stretched 1964 Lehmann-Peterson's are extremely rare. Only 40 were built. We have one in LCOC. It belongs to Chad & Barbara Hunt, Morgan Hill, California.

We are all familiar with the Lehmann-Peterson fender badges seen on the Lehmann- Peterson limousines of 1963 to 1970. Right? Several years ago I noticed that they came in two color schemes white/black and red/blue. That is a white background behind the stylized "LP" and a black background behind the "Executive Limousine by Lehmann-Peterson" or a red background behind the "LP" and dark blue background behind the "Executive......... With a survey it appeared that the color change occurred sometime in early to mid 1967 production. That is late 1967 through 1970 limousines had the red/blue color scheme and earlier ones had the white/black color scheme. Logic had prevailed and all was well. The sun and the planets circled around the earth. In the spring of last year the Custom Class Committee learned of the existence of a Lehmann-Peterson "Town Sedan". This is an "unstretched" Lehmann-Peterson modified Lincoln Continental sedan. We knew that Lehmann-Peterson "customized" cars without increasing their length but no authenticated example was known to still exist. The car was in Wichita, Kansas and I was the nearest member of the Custom Class Committee living in Tulsa, Oklahoma, only 250 miles away. Obviously I was the one to look at this marvel and report back to the Committee on my findings. Fortunately fate intervened. There was an Orchid Show in Wichita Kansas which I had to judge to keep my judging credentials current. I had to go to Wichita several Orchid judges explained to my wife. Satisfied that it wasn't "a car thing" she planned a nice weekend trip. She became a bit suspicious when I packed the car with cameras and Lincoln manuals.

Her attention was diverted by the prairie fires we had to dodge on an otherwise uneventful trip to Wichita, Kansas. Secretly, of course, I had made arrangements to meet the owner and view the Town Sedan. My plan was to "slip out" of judging and see the cars. However, the prairie fires made us late arriving into Wichita and we missed the judges dinner so I could not arrange a slipout. Alternate or the "B" plan was to feed her a wonderful dinner with wine etc., and then after a wonderful night's rest have her drop me off at the Orchid Show so that she could explore yet another set of malls and antique stores. The Orchid Show had arranged so that the host hotel was a restored historic hotel (read poor bathrooms) in downtown Wichita. The main tracks of the Santa Fe Railroad passed beneath our window and I can tell you the railroads are still very active particularly at night. Tired and grumpy, we met friends at breakfast and off my wife and several other wives went to the malls.

I vaguely remember it was a nice Orchid Show. They had a judging system that was so fast they still talk about it. I saw the car and the rest is history. (An article appeared several issues ago in Continental Comments about the Town Sedan. I did notice that it had unusual fender badges which had faded somewhat but clearly had the stylized "L- P" logo and then a plate which said “Town Sedan by Lehmann-Peterson” They certainly looked as if they had been on the car since it was modified by Lehmann- Peterson. I had never seen anything like these plates. Since, by serial number, this is the earliest Lehmann-Peterson known to exist at this time, I considered these might be prototype plates and filled it away. I was unable to successfully photograph these plates on the car because of fading but have used the knobs of the Xerox machine to increase contrast and a picture of the town Sedan plates thus manipulated is shown below:

In preparing the 1964-65 Authenticity Manual this year, I contacted J. Chadwick Hunt who has the most beautiful and authentic 1964 Lehmann-Peterson known exist, Since a total of six are known to exist, statement is a little less flamboyant than it at first reading seem. It is a gorgeous car! Unfortunately he is considering selling the car, but he did send me many pictures and contributed significantly to the text of the manual. He mentioned one of the few things that he had changed were the fender badges. The ones originally on the car when he bought it 15 years ago were worn and faded so he had replaced them with reproductions. He had kept the original. After pledging my first born and all my earthly goods as security, he kindly loaned to me the ones he had taken off. When they arrived they looked strangely faimiliar! The two were different. Both had the stylized L-P logo but one had "Coachbuilders" engraved in it and the other had printed plate saying "Executive Limousine by Lehmann-Peterson" where the "Coachbuilders" was on the other.

It slowly dawned on me why these looked familiar. After more negotiation and pledging of security, I also received the fender badges from the Town Sedan in Wichita. All four were identical in shape and size! All four had the stylized "L-P" logo! Three had plates which said either Town Sedan or Limousine. I formed a hypothesis that the basic fender badge was used on all Lehmann-Petersons. To denote a certain model then a plate was added to the badge. The reason that the '64 limousine had a mixed set was that the original plate had fallen off one side. It made sense from cost point of view. How to test this hypothesis without destroying these irreplaceable badges? I stole into a not-to-be named to protect my hospital privileges hospital and had the badges "non-destructively" tested. Roentgen would have loved it. X-rays revealed that beneath the plates all had "Coachbuilders" engraved on them. All four were indistinguishable on X-Ray. I was right! But just when you think that everything has been cleared up, a curve comes from left field. I found a man whose job it was to ferry new Lehmann-Petersons from the factory to the East Coast. He said that he was watching the limousines being built in Chicago while waiting to pick one up and saw the fender badges being applied. He admired them and a workman gave him one that he was about to apply to a fender. The man swears it is red, white and blue in color. Unfortunately he does not remember the year or model year that he acquired the fender plate. Off we go again!

Designed specifically for funeral directors, a new concept in spacious automotive comfort.has been engineered by Lehmann-Peterson Inc., Chicago, exclusive custom coachbuilders of Lincoln Continental limousines.

Eight passengers can be comfortably accommodated through the addition of 36 inches to the overall length of the standard Lincoln Continental. In the rear passenger compartment, room is provided for two rear facing occasional seats which offer added leg room not normally available in limousines equipped with conventional jump seats. Additionally the position of the seats provides for easy entry and exit and the intimacy of face-to-face conversation, a must when considering the welfare of the bereaved.

Available within six to eight weeks after placement of the initial order, the Lehmann-Peterson limousine is priced to sell for $13.000.

Standard equipment includes power vent windows, six-way power front seat, white wall tires, AM radio in the front, an AM-FM radio in the rear passenger compartment, two rear facing occasional seats with drop leaf walnut table, padded leatherette top and rear compartment mouton carpeting.

Optional equipment includes air conditioning tinted glass, autotronic eye, posi-traction drive, leather seats throughout, all the extras generally associated with Lincoln-plus a genuine leather seat, a chauffeur compartment window or anything else specified by the buyer which must be custom-designed.

Constructed with Lincoln Continental parts, the limousine can be easily repaired anywhere in the country should the need arise. The limousine is warranted for 24 months or 24,000 miles which ever comes first.

This limited edition limousine is available through authorized Lincoln Continental dealers.

The car is a shade over 22 feet long, weighs just under three tons, and has a 462 cu. in. V8 engine that develops 340 hp. Some versions are bulletproofed. A tank? Not at all-just America's newest prestige car, the Lincoln Continental Executive Limousine, made in Chicago by the Lehmann-Peterson Coach Co., Inc., the only independent shop in the country that makes limousines on a production basis.

Cadillac makes limos on its own production lines, as do Gerrnany's Mercedes and England's Rolls-Royce. Others are built on a one-shot basis, usually by ambulance makers and custom shops. Only Lehmann-Peterson is in the business of converting standard cars to limousines and selling them through dealers. Among the firm's customers are Lyndon B. Johnson, the Queen of the Netherlands, Spain's Franco, UN Ambassador Arthur Goldberg, various oil shieks and the U.S. Joint Chiefs-of-Staff. For every car made for a dignitary, five or so go to corporations who like their executives to travel in regal style. Some, like Ford, keep only a dignified one or two and use them mainly for important visitors. Others, like North American Aviation, keep a fleet of five.

Lehmann-Peterson also supplied the special car used by the Pope during his visit to this country in Nov. 1965. The car was made for testing by Lincoln in 1962, when the coachmakers first went into business. At the time of the Pope's visit it had been driven 170,000 miles. It was converted into a miniature throne room-complete with special screens, lights and a public address system-on eight days' notice and at a cost rumored to be in the neighborhood of $25,000, paid by Catholic laymen's groups. Curiously, few celebrities-as opposed to dignitaries-own the car. "Jerry Lewis bought one of the first ones we made," says George Lehmann. "He seemed to love it for a few months, then got tired of it. We were delighted to buy it back from him. The car itself is our best ad, and with so few of them around at the time, we didn't want any of them trapped in garages. Since then we've learned that most show-biz and sports types are more interested in 'pizzaz' than dignity. We have quite a few cars in Hollywood now, but they're all owned by studios-Warner Brothers, Revue-who use them for VIP visitors. The stars seem to go in for hopped-up foreign jobs and sportsters."
The unique coach business started in 1962 when Lehmann, then 24, found himself fresh out of the Army and fresh into a substantial inheritance. "He had enough money so he could spend his life sitting on his duff," says an associate. But duff-sitting is clearly an unthinkable occupation for the peppery Lehmann. He has too much energy to sit still in his office for more than five minutes, even with the distractions of visitors, three telephones that never stop, a public address system for communicating instantly anywhere in the shop, and a six-inch stack of daily paperwork. This is on a slow day. Busy, it's exhausting just to think about him.
"I didn't know what I wanted to do," he says. "I love cars and wanted to get into the auto business. But how? What?" In time, he met Robert Peterson. "Pete" was half-again his age and everything he is not-slow-moving, shirt-sleeved, relaxed, exuding equal parts of charm and torpor. The torpor is deceptive, though. An auto designer and industrial dabbler, he has spent most of his life building up businesses and then selling them out.

When he met Lehmann, Peterson had just sold a successful propane gas supply business that had begun to bore him. He had long been thinking there was room in the auto business for newcomers, and he thought he knew just where it was making limousines for the affluent and burgeoning executive market. After preliminary talk and planning, the two decided they could hardly manufacture and distribute a car from scratch, but that they certainly could convert existing cars-stretching them to limousine size. They approached Ford, whose Lincoln-Mercury Div. produces some 14,000 Lincoln Continentals a year, but stopped making limousines in the 1920s. They offered to convert the conventionally luxurious Lincoln into an even more opulent car, providing Lincoln would sell them through its dealers.

The Lincoln people thought this might make some sense, but only if George and Pete could meet and maintain engineering standards. They ordered two cars made and test drove them for 100,000 miles each. The cars held up beautifully-one of them, as we've pointed out, still in good enough shape to have been converted for use by the Pope and tiny, newborn Lehmann-Peterson Coach Co. found itself closely affiliated with one of the world's largest corporations. To fill dealer orders, Lincoln sends L-P standard "unibody" production cars, equipped with a limousine conversion kit. The kit consists of heavy-duty springs, shock absorbers and tires, an extra air conditioning system and an outsized cooling system. The extra cooling power keeps the cars from overheating when they spend long hours idling while waiting for passengers, as many limousines do.

L-P strips the Continental's interior, removes the rooftop and cuts the car in half at the doorposts. Thirty-four-inch steel panels are inserted to "stretch" the rear compartment, and new floor pans are welded in to compensate for the added length. The roof is replaced and covered with padded vinyl. The only important mechanical change is the installation of a new, elongated driveshaft. Standard trim and fittings include a chauffeur's compartment, a rear compartment containing five seats, the biggest armrest in creation and an AM-FM hi-fi rig supported on a walnut liquor cabinet. Also standard is an umbrella, thoughtfully tucked under the front seat so that passengers are never inconvenienced by the weather. Even better, it's the chauffeur, of course, who has to remember not to leave it behind someplace. Extras include a remote-control system to signal the chauffeur that His Nibs is ready for a spin, intercoms, full-scale public address systems, and just about any gingerbread the customer wants. "We can do anything to either the interior or the exterior," explains Peterson, who does all the designing on the cars. "The only qualifications are that the customer wants it, can pay for it and that Ford doesn't find it offensive."

So far, inoffensive, paid for modifications have included oversized trunks with jazzed-up lids; running boards; bulletproof bodies (about which no one likes to talk except to say they exist); installation of photochrome glass that looks clear but grows darker as the sun grows brighter, and removable tops for cars to be used in parades and the like. Interiors have ranged from the Papal car with its hydraulic throne to a number known around the shop as "The Funeral Special." Sold to an undertaker, it is painted a dignified black but upholstered in ear-shattering scarlet. With standard equipment, the limo sells for a neat $14,666.66. With modifications, there is no price limit.

The biggest surprise the young company has had to date is the rate at which it has grown. Having converted just two 1963 models both for testing they produced 15 1964s and 85 1965s. They expect to convert about 200 of the 1966 model. Their plant has grown from a two-car garage on Chicago's West Side to three substantial buildings. Staff has increased from four to 45. Panels, floor pans and other parts for the stretched car, once handmade, are now ordered from suppliers and inventories. From every indication, the growth will continue, too. "You could reasonably say that people are standing in line for the car," says Lehmann. "Our backlog of orders varies at different seasons, but the trend is unmistakable. We're just not stretching cars fast enough."

The Secret Service today will take delivery on two specially built Lincoln Continental convertibles that could best be described as arsenals on wheels. The two cars which will be used as security vehicles in Presidential parades and other official functions, feature hidden lockers and compartments that can hold machine guns, tear-gas bombs, and other weaponry.

By using the running boards on the sides and rear, each car can carry 17 secret service agents. The rear doors can open to allow agents to enter the car from the side running boards while the vehicle is moving. This was achieved by fashioning the doors in two sections, so that the front section can be slid over the rear half.

The cars were built in Chicago by Lehmann-Peterson Inc., which has been making Lincoln limousines for several years. They are valued at more than $20,000 each and will be leased to the government by Ford Motor company at a "nominal" cost. The removable convertible tops of the cars are made of transparent vinyl that allows agents to scan rooftops and other elevated structures. The see thru plastic is bordered by black cloth. The cars also are equipped with heavy-duty tires and wheels designed to ensure mobility under any circumstances. The frame and all supension parts have been strengthened to accommodate the weight of the extra passengers.

Modifications have been made to the front seats so that a man sitting in the middle can face the rear. Both front and rear seats have been raised three inches for better visibility and the rear seat has been specially contoured to allow extra seating capacity. Each car is equipped with electronic communications systems, public address speakers, a siren, and red emergency flashers. Powered by Lincoln's 340 horsepower V-8 engine, the cars have a 126 inch wheelbase and an overall length of 221 inches, automatic transmission, power brakes and power steering and standard on all Lincolns.

The two cars are about the only '68 Lincoln convertibles you'll be seeing. Ford has dropped them from the regular production because of declining public demand.

The increasing popularity of the Lincoln Continental Executive Limousine in daily rental and livery service is stimulating sales of conventional Lincoln Continental models, according to Frank E. Zimmerman, Jr., general sales manager of Lincoln-Mercury Division of Ford Motor Company.

"During the past 12 months the number of Executive Limousines in daily rental service for socialites, diplomats and businessmen was more than double the previous year," Mr. Zimmerman said.

"We've discovered that Executive Limousines are serving a dual role of 'demonstrators' as well as chauffeur-driven transportation -- people who have never ridden in a Continental before get livery service in these special customized Continentals and become aware of a new standard in motoring luxury," he said. "The effect is especially pronounced in the New York area where sales of the Lincoln Continental this year are up 45 per cent."

Mr. Zimmerman said he expects the 1967 Executive Limousine to maintain its growing, popularity with major corporations, governments and private individuals. He noted that on a recent business trip to New York he saw three of the custom-built Lincolns at a Park Avenue intersection at the same time, one going through and two waiting for the traffic signal to change.

"While the Lincoln Continental Executive Limousine is recognized as the ultimate in prestige and luxury motoring around the world, most of all we wanted it to earn the 'Park Avenue Seal of Approval' and it has," he said.

The manufacturer's suggested retail price of the Executive Limousine starts at about $15,000, and a typically equipped limousine sells for more than $17,000. A buyer who wants all the options and accessories and extras could spend about $20,000. The limousine is available on special order through Lincoln-Mercury dealers.

The 1967 Lincoln Continental Executive Limousine, created from the Lincoln Continental four-door sedan by Lehmann-Peterson, Inc., Chicago coachbuilders, again has a wheelbase of 160 inches and is 255 inches in length, compared to a wheelbase of 126 inches and overall length of 220 inches in the regular Lincoln Continental.

During the 1966 model year, limousine sales increased 28 per cent over the previous year. The 1967 model will be sold with the new Lincoln Continental warranty of five years and 50,000 miles for power-train components and 24 months or 24,000 miles for the entire vehicle (except tires which are warranted by the manufacturer.)

The Executive Limousine for 1967 has a distinctive wide door pillar which provides increased privacy for rear compartment passengers, particularly for occupants of the companion seats. The optional chauffeur divider window permits complete sound-proofing in the rear. The thick-padded vinyl-covered roof has a distinctive opera rear window for additional privacy. Interiors are elegant, with thick mouton carpeting and upholstery of the finest wool broadcloth or rich leathers. For 1967, the rear-facing companion seats can be folded up to give additional passenger compartment spaciousness. Standard features include an oil rubbed walnut cabinet, rear compartment clock, rear door courtesy lights, lighted armrest storage compartments and choice of AM/FM radio or AM radio/Stereo-Sonic tape system.

New options offered for 1967 include reading lights for both the passenger compartment and the chauffeur compartment, rear seat armrest storage compartment and floor foot rests. other options continued include beverage service tray, built-in television set, front and rear air conditioning, inter-cummunication system and all-leather interior. The limousine can be equipped with telephone and dictating machine.

The Executive Limousine is powered by Lincoln Continental's big 430-cubicinch V-8 engine and is equipped with Select-Shift Turbo-Drive automatic transmission to give smooth, flexible performance under all driving and road conditions. The new transmission shift provides for automatic shifting or for up-shifting or down-shifting manually as the driver desires.

The Executive Limousine is equipped with Ford Motor Company's Lifeguard Design safety features, including dual hydraulic brake system with warning light, impact absorbing steering wheel with deep-padded hub and padded instrument panel, sun visors and windshield pillars and deluxe front and rear seat belts with reminder light. Other standard safety features include double-yoke safety door latches, remote control outside mirror, non-glare (day/night) inside mirror with flexible backing and double pivot inside mirror arm, turn indicators with lane-changing signal feature, self-adjusting brakes, and 4-way emergency flasher with control mounted on the steering column. The windshield is formed of thick laminate safety plate glass, and windshield washers and variable speed wipers are standard.

IN THE HEIRARCHY of the automotive world, no motor car enjoys such distinction and prestige as the chauffeur-driven limousine. Its marrying of elegance, roominess, and privacy represents a pinnacle of the art of automobile body styling, and because of this it has been associated throughout automotive history with royalty in Europe and with the royalty of the business, social, and entertainment worlds of America.

There is now a new and striking limousine on the American scene. It is a custom conversion of a Lincoln Continental sedan by Lehmann-Peterson, an independent custom coachbuilder situated in Chicago. Known as the Executive Limousine, it is 34 inches longer than the Continental sedan but is still unmistakably a Continental.
The length of the Lehmann-Peterson Executive Limousine immediately sets it apart from other cars in an impressive manner. The additional length has been deftly used on the inside to accommodate eight persons including the driver in maximum luxury and comfort. In addition to the equipment which is standard on a Lincoln Continental sedan, the Executive Limousine contains the following unique features:

* To enhance the exterior styling, the top is heavily padded and then covered with black simulated leather.

* The rear window is reduced in size (six inches high by 25 inches wide) to insure greater Privacy in the rear compartment.

* Inside, the limousine contains a four-way power-operated front seat. Directly behind the front seat spanning the width of the automobile and rising from the floor to window level, is the divider. It is constructed of steel. Facing rearward from the divider are two permanently positioned companion seats. Separating these comfortable seats is a walnut cabinet with a hand-rubbed finished.

* A separate radio (AM-FM) for the rear compartment is contained in the walnut cabinet.

* The full-size front and rear seats along with the rear-facing companion seats, headlining, rear doors, package shelf, and divider are upholstered with the finest all-wool broadcloth available. The rear carpeting is genuine mouton.

* In many areas, additional foam rubber is installed with the upholstery to create a plush appearance of unmatched luxury. Extra insulation is added throughout the limousine for maximum quietness.

* As a final touch of luxury, the trunk is covered with loop design carpeting.

The Executive Limousine also offers several optional features. Among them are:

* Air conditioning. Those units ordered with air conditioning are equipped with a dual air conditioning-heating system. Two ducts for the rear air conditioner are incorporated into the divider. They are positioned in the center of the divider just above the walnut cabinet, and are individually adjustable so that a cool air flow can be evenly and gently distributed throughout the rear compartment. Heated air enters the rear of the limousine through two ducts located underneath the companion seats. Two three-speed fans, with rear seat controls assure air flow regulation for maximum comfort.

Those buyers who want a complete separation of the front and rear compartments may order at nominal additional charge a chauffeur compartment divider window.

* A built in television set is also available at extra cost, provision can be made for a five inch screen.

* Lehmann-Peterson will consider special request and will also offer such unusual features as a phone compartment, dictating machine or beverage compartment.

Lincoln Continentals converted by Lehmann-Peterson have been fully tested by Ford Motor Company and carry the same warranty given to all Continentals. In it integral construction, the limousine's underbody, structural members are welded directly to the floor, cross members, side rails and body sides. This method of construction results in the strongest automobile body made.

The structural solidity and rigid strength of this integral body, along with a wheelbase of 160 inches, contributes to the unsurpassed riding qualities of the Executive Limousine. Because of the extra weight, the limousine has special springs, shock absorbers, tires, fan, and radiator.

Except that Lehmann-Peterson has converted this car into something special. It remains essentially a Lincoln Continental, with all that the name implies. In its original form, prior to conversion, it was built to the world's highest standards in a special automotive plant containing the newest and finest machinery and staffed with the finest craftsmen in automobile manufacture.

The Lehmann-Peterson conversion has not altered the superiority of the basic car. Taking cognizance of the need for a motor car as beautiful as the Continental but larger, it has created an automobile that will rank and compare favorably with the most elaborate and luxurious limousines available in the world today. The result adds considerable luster and distinction to the American automobile scene.

Lehmann-Peterson Executive Limousine conversions will be sold by Continental dealers, whose warranty will include the conversion as well as the basic unit. The dealer warranty terms will be the same as on other Lincoln Continentals. The warranty may be summarized as follows: "Lincoln Continental dealers warrant to their customers: That for 24 months or for 24,000 miles, whichever comes first, free replacement, including related labor, will be made by dealers of any parts with a defect in workmanship or materials. Tires are not covered by the warranty, appropriate adjustments will continue to be made by the tire companies. Owners will remain responsible for normal maintenance, service, and routine replacement of maintenance items such as filters, spark plugs, ignition points, and wiper blades."

Limousines had been sold by Ford Motor Company fairly steadily up until 1942, when overall production of all automobiles was halted for World War II. After the war, none were offered until 1958, when Hess & Eisenhardt were contracted to produce limousines and town cars, both on a standard wheelbase. This outside contractor produced about 300 of these special car conversions for Ford from 1958 through the 1960 model year. Being on the standard wheelbase, with the factory specified interior dimensions, these conversions provided special amenities, but no extra interior room.

Lincoln described the Lehmann-Peterson (L-P) limos which were first built starting in 1963 with a prototypes being 'The Ultimate Expression of Continental Elegance.' And they were, but they were also even more reliable and more strictly tested than their regular factory counterparts. This fad came to the attention of Ford executives who noticed that warranty costs were lower for the L-P limousines than for the standard Lincoln Continentals. True, here was a factory car that had been cut in two and put back together with an extended middle section, but the craftsmen at Lehmann-Peterson went over each car in detail before its delivery to the customer. Little wonder then that Lehmann-Peterson has such a distinctive reputation for qualify among American limousine collectors.

Ford had not entered into an association with Lehmann-Peterson blindly. L-P was a brand new company with absolutely no corporate track record, and here it was, wanting to market a conversion that weighed 500 pounds more than the standard factory car.

Lehmann-Peterson presented a 1963 limousine prototype to Ford for review. Sixty people of Ford went over this prototype carefully. Then they asked L-P to leave the car with them for preliminary testing. They crammed as many people into the car as possible and drove over torturous road conditions, even racing the limo into an airborne launch of one point, with all four wheels off the ground. Safety was Ford's big concern. The car stood up to these cruelties and Ford requested more time for further testing.

At this point, engineers and others went over the prototype, evaluating every nut, bolt, and weld. Ford was pleased with the evaluation and shook hands on a deal with Lehmann-Peterson for an association that lasted seven successful years.

The man with the technical know-how of L-P was Robert William Peterson, who had been building Indianapolis 500 racecars. George Wilfred Lehmann was an automobile and racing enthusiast who was also a member of a wealthy family in Chicago. They got to know each other when Lehmann went to Peterson to see about having his racecar fixed. Both men were car nuts. Lehmann asked Peterson if he'd be interested in forming a partnership to build limousines. Since Peterson had no preference as to what kind of car to use, they decided on Lehmann's choice, Lincoln. Besides, Cadillac already had a limousine available to its customers. Finally, it was just a question of getting one into their shop and stretching it. The first Lincoln Continental they did was a 1963.

'The base price was about $6,000' Peterson said. 'We did the conversion for about seven thousand. If you had three or more limousines, Ford would give you a car. That was one reason we worked with Lincoln.'

It was the extended 160-inch wheelbase 1963 prototype the two men took to Ford for testing. Lehmann had built the car in a used-car lot garage. The experience was close to that of the proverbial 'battleship in the basement.'

Lehmann said there were two limos built that year, one went to the U.S. president and the other to the television quiz show, 'The Price is Right.' The woman who won the quiz show car sold it to a used car lot.

Lehmann-Peterson eventually set up shop on Armitage Street in Chicago and over the course of its existence as a company, turned out about 500 of its elegant, rock-solid Lincoln Continental Limousines. In addition, L-P produced many special Ford LTD's and Mercury's, plus a few special projects for Ford and other customers. A fairly well known example of the latter is a four-door Lincoln Continental Mark III ordered by Grover M. Hermann, one of the founders of the Martin-Marietta Company. By Lehmann's rough estimate, its thought that about 150 cars of several types were offered in the Lehmann-Peterson shop every year (only a fraction were factory authorized limos). But the Lincoln Continental Limousines were the bread and butter of the company.

Comparing one of the L-P limos to one of the common 'livery" limos of today really defines the philosophy behind these cars. Most of the limos of today are kind of glitzy, with fancy strip lights, built-in woodwork for wine and whiskey glasses, and other variations in interior design that reflect use in today's 'livery service' (rental limousine services). By comparison, the L-P Lincoln Continentals were fairly austere, but obviously luxurious and elegant. There was no overstatement, no excess. They were the definition of class and, for that reason among others, many are still in use today.

Peterson's philosophy of building a lightweight, trouble-free limousine was the foundation for the car's appearance and re-engineering. L-P used the standard engine with no modifications. They could do this because the car was relatively lightweight. The Lincoln Continental Convertible weighed in at over 5,700 pounds, making the limo only about 200-300 pounds over that. Even the tire size could remain the same as the standard Lincoln Continentals, but the company usually used the 8-ply tires of the time. In building these cars, Peterson said that his top priority was to produce quality. Once he could do that, he said, he could then make the cars lighter and less expensive.

Looking at these limos, the design is simple, basic, and elegant. In most of these cars, there is a partition behind the driver's seat where the extension portion of the limo begins. Essentially, the extension houses two small, well-upholstered and padded rear-facing seats (not jump seats!) on either side of a walnut cabinet. The cabinet could house an optional television, AM-FM radio, or radio/tape player. Customers could also request a beverage service, telephone, a reading light for the chauffeur, gold-plated wheels, two spares, one-way glass, a roof made 2 inches higher, a continental kit, portholes substituted for the rear 'opera windows,' an electric seat that would help you get info the rear compartment, and a dictating machine (many of these options were not listed but were available).

The standard model included the AM-FM radio, mouton carpeting, an elaborate communications system controlled by the passengers in the rear compartment, rear compartment clock and courtesy lights, and an escort umbrella stored under the driver's seat. The chauffeur's seat was usually done in leather and the rear compartment in gray wool broadcloth. Most of the limos were black, but gray (either metallic or charcoal), maroon, and dark blue were available.

Like most limousines, even those of today, the primary way of getting around the very expensive proposition of extending the roof, but of the same time hiding the weld marks, was to have a padded vinyl covering applied to the roof. (Although Lehmann liked to talk about how well his company covered the roof partition rivets with body lead.) Lehmann-Peterson used this method and in doing so made the rear window smaller for the sake of privacy. In later years, a side panel just to the rear of the front doors was added to increase privacy.

A Lehmann-Peterson Limousine treatment of a standard Lincoln Continental Sedan usually took 27 days to complete in the small northwest Chicago shop employing about 40 men (Lehmann said there were six shop employees. So either there were fewer, or the other people employed did not work regularly in the shop).

2.5 days  Disassembly of the factory sedan, removal of pertinent interior
                 components, mechanical and electrical parts, to begin cuffing the
                 unibody.
2.5 days  Work of the welding rack, including finishing the cut, setting up the
                 weld of the extension, including the addition of much structural steel.
2.5 days  Installation of roof portion of body, the extended drive shaft, extended                  fuel line, extended broke line, and the modified exhaust system.
2.5 days  Installation, alignment, and welding of center panels.
2.5 days  Painting the exterior of the body.
5.0 days  Installation of wiring, air conditioning, heater.
2.5 days  Installation of interior headliner and exterior vinyl top.
5.0 days  Fitting and completion of interior upholstery, carpet, and trim.
2.5 days  Testing vehicle and polishing the exterior.

27.0 days  Total required for the Lehmann-Peterson conversion.

Lincoln did not like to admit it, but these limos were even more rigid than the already super-rigid unibody production cars.

For all practical purposes, Lehmann-Peterson ended Lincoln Continental Limousine production with the 85 1969 units it produced. True, a 1970 non-unibody prototype and 16 or 17 othjer cars were produced, but the show was over. George Lehmann passed away and Ford was faced with newly introduced automobile safety rules. When Henry Ford II declined furthur involvement with Lehmann-Peterson, this pretty much ended things.

Through is production history L-P had been a beneficiary of Ford advertising Its limousines had been included in the Lincoln Continental brochures, marketed and serviced by Ford dealerships, and covered under Lincoln warranty. Without Ford's active participation, and following the death of one of the company's founders, Lehmann-Peterson management decided to go out of business.

Many celebrities, heads of state, the very wealthy, government officials, and world leaders have used these wonderful limousines over the years. Owners included Robert F. Kennedy, Spencer Tracy, Robert Vaughn, the royal family in the Netherlands, Elvis Presley, Henry Ford, New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, Pope Paul VI, The Supremes, Hugh Hefner, top Soviet officials, members of the royal family of Saudi Arabia, Victor Borge, Jackie Gleason, and several owners of major sports teams. The alterations necessary to prepare the limousine for Pope Paul VI were done in an incredible eight days, using 40 men working in shifts!

Lincoln & Continental Owners Club member Harvey Schofield is the owner of both Lehmann-Peterson 8-inch stretch factory-authorized specials, one a 'baby limo' with divider partition and the other a 'formal sedan' without a divider. Schofield has been ble to collect a great deal of manufacturing information on all of Lehmann-Peterson's products.

To conclude the Lehmann-Peterson Story, one must mention that these cars were the absolute largest unibody automobiles ever produced anywhere of these quantity levels. True, the unibody Lincoln's of 1958 through 1960 were the largest production unibody cars produced, but these few hundred L-P limos were over 21 feet long, about 2 feet longer than those earlier mammoths. Evidently, Robert Peterson had found a comfortable niche in that area of diminishing returns for the large-size unibody concept.

The over-all length of the Lehmann-Peterson Executive Limousine is 250 inches, and it weighs 5,664 pounds without air-conditioning or 5,791 pounds with air-conditioning. This classically styled solidly built limousine will accommodate eight passengers in maximum luxury and comfort. The thirty-four inches of additional length create a spacious interior that contains more room than the average limousine. In its integral construction, the underbody structural members are welded directly to the floor, cross members, side rails, and body sides. This is the strongest body made. The structural solidity and rigid strength of this integral body construction along with the 160 inch wheelbase contribute to the unsurpassed riding qualities of the Executive Limousine.

In addition to the equipment which is standard on a Lincoln Continental sedan, the Executive Limousine contains the following unique features:

* To enhance further the exterior styling, the top is heavily padded and then covered with black simulated leather. The rear window is reduced in size (6" high by 25" wide) to ensure greater privacy in the rear compartment.

* Inside, the Executive Limousine contains a 4-way power operated front seat. Directly behind the front seats spanning the width of the automobile and rising from the floor to window level, is the divider. It is constructed of steel and is upholstered as shown in the photograph. Facing rearward from the divider are two permanently positioned-companion seats. Separating these comfortable seats is a walnut cabinet (13' high by 12" wide by 16" deep) with a hand-rubbed finish.

* A separate radio (AM-FM) for the rear compartment is contained in the walnut cabinet.

* The full size front and rear seats along with the rear facing companion seats, headlining rear doors, package shelf and divider are upholstered with the finest all-wool broadcloth available. The rear carpeting is genuine mouton. In many areas additional foam rubber is installed with the upholstering to create a plush appearance of unmatched luxury, and insulation is added throughout the limousine so that maximum quietness is assured.

* As a final touch of luxury the trunk is covered with loop design carpeting.

* Those units ordered with air-conditioning are equipped with a dual air-conditioning/heating system. Two ducts for the rear air-conditioner are incorporated into the divider. They are positioned in the center of the divider just above the walnut cabinet, and are individually adjustable so that a cool air flow can be evenly and gently distributed throughout the rear compartment. Heated air enters the rear of the limousine through two ducts located underneath the companion seats. Two 3-speed fans with rear seat controls assure excellent air flow regulation for maximum comfort.

* Those buyers who want a complete separation of the front and rear compartments may order at nominal additional charge a chauffeur compartment divider window. Also available as optional equipment is a built-in television set.

Our prices to dealers, and suggested retail prices, for Executive Limousine conversion elements are set forth below. We recommend that in selling the Executive Limousine, you quote it at one complete figure (plus additional options and transportation charges a rather than breaking the price down into separate basic car and conversion prices. This will help establish the car as a finished integral unit as well as maximize your profit opportunity.