Received the following email from the Archivist of the
Eisenhower Presidential Library with confirmation that
Ike DID at one time own a 50 Crown but, alas,
according to the VIN, it was not mine. sniff sniff
Interesting news that the White House did show two
Chrysler Limos as of 55 and also the fact that Ike
traded in his 50 Crown for a 52 Crown. Perhaps it's
the one that Wayne Davis owns. If so, it just went up
in value considerably...
Regards
Kerryp
----------
Dear Mr. Pinkerton:
Thank you for your e-mail of May 20. The Eisenhower
Library has a limited amount of information on
vehicles owned or used by Dwight D. Eisenhower. We do
know that he purchased a 1950 Chrysler Crown Imperial
Limousine (serial # 7813548; engine # C50-1052) in
February 1950. He traded in a 1948 Chrysler Crown
Imperial. The 1950 Chrysler was registered in New
York and was used by the Eisenhowers while he was
president of Columbia University. He had a
personalized license plate with the letters, "DDE."
The 1950 Chrysler remained in the U.S. when General
Eisenhower traveled to Europe to serve as the first
commander of NATO.
In April 1952 Eisenhower traded the 1950 Chrysler
Crown Imperial in on a new 1952 Chrysler Crown
Imperial limousine (serial # 7815118). The 1952
Chrylser apparently accompanied them to the White
House.
We can find no record of a 1950 Chrysler Crown
Imperial that was used by the Eisenhowers while he was
President. Our files contain a listing of vehicles in
the White House Garage for February 1953. The list
includes 9 Lincolns, 15 Fords, 1 Mercury, and 1
Packard. The only Chrysler on the list is the one
privately owned by the Eisenhowers.
A report on the White House Garage for January 1955
indicates there were two Chrysler limousines and one
Chrysler sedan on the roster by this date. However,
one would expect that the vehicles which were added
between 1953 and 1955 were newer 1953 to 1955 models.
With the exception of the one report for Feb. 1953, we
do not have detailed records for the White House Motor
Pool during the Eisenhower Administration. The
later reports only indicate the makes and quantity of
the vehicles and do not specify the year or serial
number of the vehicles in the White House Garage.
For additional information on presidential vehicles
you may want to consult two books: Presidents on
Wheels by Herbert Ridgeway Collins �. 1971; The
President's Car by Nancy Winslow Parker �, 1981.
We hope this information is of assistance to you.
If you have any further questions regarding Dwight D.
Eisenhower, please let us know.
Sincerely,
Herbert L. Pankratz
Archivist
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