The Rolls Royce Phantom V of John Lennon was a  bit to huge for the doors of the museum so the front doors of the building had to be removed first before it can get the limousine inside. The Beatles icon bought the Rolls Royce in stock black finish in 1965 when he got his driver’s license.

The Phantom V was then custom made to include a rear seat which can be converted into a double bed, a portable refrigerator, a television, a telephone, and a really nice sound system.

In 1967, the paint job and the exterior were remade. The custom painting was done by a gypsy artist who was a close friend of John Lennon. House paint was used to make the flower designs plus the vines and spirals of the wheel cover.

The car was rarely used by John Lennon and wife Yoko Ono even when it was shipped to the United States. The limousine was often lent to famous music icons for special occasions. Some of the names who rolled in the psychedelic Lennon limo were the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Moody Blues.

The limousine was bartered by the couple to fix a huge tax problem back in 1977. It was later donated to a museum in New York City for a tax credit of $225,000.

It was auctioned in 1985 by the Sotheby’s where Jimmy Pattison, a B.C. millionaire acquired it for $2.3 million.  The owner later donated the car to the museum after being displayed in the 1986 international expo in Vancouver.

Left Lane News spies had the opportunity to take photos of the said limo while it is being tested on public highways and roads. General Motors, manufacturer of the Cadillac Limousine, was reported to have used medium-duty chassis, tires and wheels similar to the quality and size of those used in a Topkick truck. Such specs were of importance to accommodate the armors needed to be installed in the presidential limo.

To ensure the quality of the tires, the car manufacturer used Goodyear Regional RHS. However, sources are in the dark about the size of the tires. They are torn between 22.5 in and 19.5 inch.

The new presidential limo is said to be powered by a diesel engine. True enough, sources have noted that the exhaust note of the limo can be compared to that of a medium-duty Topkick truck.

The new Cadillac Limo appears to have a mixture of the features found in the different models that the company have had over the years. Headlights made of Xenon can be found on the fro of the unit can be attributed to that of the Escalade. Meanwhile, the rear part of the unit is very reminiscent of the STS parts. Unsurprisingly, the eight-inch thick doors of the limo are the focal point of the unit. This feature will characterize ‘maximum security’ as an understatement.

Although the said presidential limo is reported to be of use by next year, an exact date has not yet been confirmed.