The “Sunshine Special” was a 1939 Lincoln Model K convertible limousine built for President Franklin D. Roosevelt — often described as the first car specially built for a U.S. president. It was a huge V12 open car with extra-wide running boards and grab handles so Secret Service agents could ride on the outside. Its nickname came from how often Roosevelt rode with the top down. After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, it was fitted with armor and bullet-resistant glass, and it served until 1950. Today it is displayed at The Henry Ford museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

At a glance
Base 1939 Lincoln Model K, V12
Body Custom convertible limousine by coachbuilder Brunn & Company
Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt; also used by Harry Truman
Armored After December 1941
Retired 1950
Location today The Henry Ford, Dearborn, Michigan

Built for a president

The Sunshine Special was built on Lincoln’s big V12 K-series chassis, with a body by Brunn & Company, a respected coachbuilder in Buffalo, New York. Its features included:

  • A long, open body so crowds could see the president.
  • Running boards and handles for agents riding on the outside.
  • Two-way radio equipment and storage for weapons.

The armor upgrade

After Pearl Harbor, the Secret Service had the car fitted with armor plating, bullet-resistant glass and heavy-duty tires. A widely repeated story says that, while the car was being upgraded, the Secret Service temporarily used an armored Cadillac seized from gangster Al Capone — a tale that historians treat with caution.

A wartime traveler

The Sunshine Special accompanied Roosevelt on important journeys and became one of the most recognizable symbols of his presidency.

Its legacy

The Sunshine Special began a tradition of purpose-built presidential cars, leading to the Lincoln “Bubbletop”, the 1961 Continental and today’s Beast. Read presidential limousine history, SS-100-X and the Lincoln Motor Company history.

See it

The Henry Ford museum in Dearborn displays several presidential cars, including the Sunshine Special and SS-100-X — a remarkable collection for anyone interested in automotive and political history.