A 1964 Imperial Crown Ghia limousine that was built for the White House motor pool was sold at the Mecum Auctions event in Glendale, Ariz., on Saturday for $181,500.
The car is based on an Imperial LeBaron convertible and features a custom stretched body designed and built by Ghia in Italy, complete with red parade lights in the grille. Imperial was Chrysler’s top luxury brand during the era.
The car was initially used by First Lady Jackie Kennedy and was reportedly part of JFK’s funeral procession, according to a report in The Detroit News.
The car had an official price of $18,500, but was leased to the White House by Chrysler for a nominal $1 annual fee.
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It was at Lyndon B. Johnson’s inauguration and remained in the fleet into his administration, but was later auctioned by Chrysler, making it one of the few state cars to pass into public hands.
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Its first owner, Chrysler dealer Hugh McVeigh, wasn’t aware of its history when he bought, but he put it into storage to preserve it once he found out.
The car had 9,000 miles on it when McVeigh bought it, but the odometer reads 15,109 today.
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It’s one of 10 Ghia limousines like it that were built and features a 340 hp, 413 cubic inch V8 and pushbutton activated three-speed Torqueflite automatic transmission.
The rear passenger compartment is finished in gray leather and has a pair of jump seats to increase its seating capacity.
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