The Complete History of the Presidential State Car

Roosevelt’s Cars Had Special Equipment

Franklin Roosevelt suffered from polio, so he was unable to operate a car with normal control. As such, his cars were customized to include hand controls. This was one of the rare customizations in the early days of presidential vehicles. Interestingly, these adjustments Roosevelt ordered in 1936 went directly against Secret Service protocols that stopped sitting presidents from driving. During most of his time in office, Roosevelt drove the Packard. There was a backup Lincoln Phaeton later, followed by the Sunshine Special, which became one of the more popular state cars.