I would be willing to guess for as long as it takes to convert the current vehicles it would be a few years before we see the suburban phased out. The new Toyota's that are armored look cool.
White House Beast #002?
- Thread starter Mike McDonald
- Start date
I would be willing to guess for as long as it takes to convert the current vehicles it would be a few years before we see the suburban phased out. The new Toyota's that are armored look cool.
Jeremy D. Ledford
PCS Volunteer Chapter President
John Royark JR
PCS Member
WOW!! I knew the beast was big, but this really puts it in prespective.
Gregg D. Merksamer
PCS Life Member / PCS Publicity Chairman / PCS Ele
Considering its exterior size, one of the true ironies about "The Beast" is that it's NOT all that roomy inside, as demonstrated by this Flickriver image of NBC News anchorman Brian Williams riding along with our Commander-in-Chief. With something like six inches of armor in each side window - that's maybe twice the thickness of what was used in the Clinton-era Fleetwoods! - this behemoth is evidently capable of seating only six people between the driver's compartment, the back seat and the rear-facing center seat. As the windows are maybe half-as-transparent as stock thickness auto glass and Reagan's 1970s vintage Lincoln was the last White House limo with a sunroof, it's also worth taking notice of the fluorescent ceiling lights appearing in this photo.
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I got a good inside look years ago at the Carter/Reagan Lincoln, and recently at one of the armored Suburbans. I'll agree with Gregg, because of the armoring, they are not all that roomy inside. Oh well, you get a little cramped, so be it. I guess HE gets to stretch out when he's in the 747.
Wayne Krakowski
PCS Member
Saw recently the video of the secret service suburban,where the top pops open and a machine gunner appears and lets all dickens break out,sure would like that for tailgaters.
My cousin works for General Motors at the Corvette plant,and he claims that Chevrolet has not,nor will they,drop the Suburban any time soon. In fact, he claims there are already spy pics out of a concept Escalade ESV. He claims that GM would never drop the Suburban since they move far too many units a year to discontinue the vehicle.
On the thread;
Here in Phoenix it was often when Reagan visited his Mother-in-Law and in later Prez/Vice-Prez visits my Towing company always was called to be "in service" at the tail end of any entourage in case of any need.
We only once towed the Beast's previous version. Wouldn't start: Straight to the Cadillac dealer under escort where the Mech's had the "suits" watching every move.
Here in Phoenix it was often when Reagan visited his Mother-in-Law and in later Prez/Vice-Prez visits my Towing company always was called to be "in service" at the tail end of any entourage in case of any need.
We only once towed the Beast's previous version. Wouldn't start: Straight to the Cadillac dealer under escort where the Mech's had the "suits" watching every move.
2013 is the last year for the Avalanche, the reason given was that they are built on the suburban chassis and there will not be a chassis to build them on in 14. so we will see. they, GM calmed they would never close the suburban plant in Janesville either. the 50 MPG mandate will change a lot of what we except as cars. a Suburban half the size would just be a S10 Blazer with 4 doors. got to say I loved the 73 and 78 I had wish I had them back. but I to can't see them dropping the line.
so are there only two beast's ?? one for the President and one for the Vise President ?? and the others are just regular cars with some protection ?
Andrew G. Zajkowski
PCS Member / Super Site Supporter 9 years
When President Obama Visited a plant in redford twp, mi a couple of months ago, the 2 Limo's that i saw where the same one shown in earlier posts late model Cadillac's but had white walls. not black walls. i took pics but they are not staged right .
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John Burchfield
PCS Life Member
Leave it to "The Merks" to have the most accurate info. on these very special limos 
. Looking at some footage from Obama's 1st inauguration I noticed the obvious difference in scale of the Beast vs. the production DTS-derived stretches. I thought it was likely a stretched Suburban chassis w/ specially fabricated large scale Cadillac sheet metal, but given the weight involved, A Kodiak med. duty chassis certainly makes more sense. Get a load of the lug pattern on that Suburban photo Jim Ireland put up-I see EIGHT lugs on about half the wheel, so it must be a wide 16-lug pattern. I kinda doubt Secret Service vehicles are going be subject to this 50mpg CAFE regulation . I got a look at the first generation Beast when I was doing some duty at Walter Reed in 2005. President Bush reportedly really enjoyed visiting the Wounded Warriors and altered his timetable of those visits to afternoons so as not to disrupt patient access to clinics during the busy morning hours. When the President was in the building elevator use was restricted as was ingress and egress from the hospital. The regular staff had developed "ennui" about the visits over the years, but since I was just there for a short time I knew it would be a chance to see the limo and hopefully the Pres. when I heard he was there one afternoon around 3pm. I went to a clinic on our floor that overlooked the front of the hospital and had a good view of the parked motorcade. A Secret Service guy was obviously practicing his duties at the RR door, repeatedly opening and closing it! Finally the President came out, stepped in, and was off in a jiffy. The door and other proportions of the Beast looked pretty much like the current one. I felt lucky to have seen the Commander in Chief and his motorcade!
. Looking at some footage from Obama's 1st inauguration I noticed the obvious difference in scale of the Beast vs. the production DTS-derived stretches. I thought it was likely a stretched Suburban chassis w/ specially fabricated large scale Cadillac sheet metal, but given the weight involved, A Kodiak med. duty chassis certainly makes more sense. Get a load of the lug pattern on that Suburban photo Jim Ireland put up-I see EIGHT lugs on about half the wheel, so it must be a wide 16-lug pattern. I kinda doubt Secret Service vehicles are going be subject to this 50mpg CAFE regulation . I got a look at the first generation Beast when I was doing some duty at Walter Reed in 2005. President Bush reportedly really enjoyed visiting the Wounded Warriors and altered his timetable of those visits to afternoons so as not to disrupt patient access to clinics during the busy morning hours. When the President was in the building elevator use was restricted as was ingress and egress from the hospital. The regular staff had developed "ennui" about the visits over the years, but since I was just there for a short time I knew it would be a chance to see the limo and hopefully the Pres. when I heard he was there one afternoon around 3pm. I went to a clinic on our floor that overlooked the front of the hospital and had a good view of the parked motorcade. A Secret Service guy was obviously practicing his duties at the RR door, repeatedly opening and closing it! Finally the President came out, stepped in, and was off in a jiffy. The door and other proportions of the Beast looked pretty much like the current one. I felt lucky to have seen the Commander in Chief and his motorcade!As we saw in the photos, the VP does not ride in the big Beast, he rides in a smaller armored limo (or an armored Suburban). There is always a backup Beast in the Presidential motorcade, but nobody "important" is in it unless it's needed as a backup. There may be more than two.
Brad Ross
PCS Michigan Chapter President
Definitely more than two beasts - there were four seen together in the Inaugural Parade as previously mentioned in this thread.
Based on the number of identical presidential cars said to be built in past versions, it would not be a surprise if there are at least six or eight 'beasts'.
Based on the number of identical presidential cars said to be built in past versions, it would not be a surprise if there are at least six or eight 'beasts'.
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but even the president gets white wall tires
On Inauguration Day, it was blackwalls (scroll up in this thread). The VP had whitewalls, oddly enough.
Most Cadillac DTS that I see on the streets have blackwalls. Not all, but most.
Abe
It is my guess they have many of these vehicles. I have heard they have some that are just decoys. Iam sure they are not telling. If I am correct this "beast" body style came up with the 2nd Bush first term. It looked like a converted DTS. The VP had a smaller car the did not have the space between the front and back doors. The photos that Rick has posted look to be from that time. If you look at the 1st. photo you can see the DTS bumper, deck and tail lights. The rear license plate is mouted in the bumper and the rear wheel opening is not as large. Now go back to the photos of the 'beast" last Monday and see the license plate is in the deck, lights and bumper different. The wheel opening is much larger. If you compare the grills and head lights the new one looks bigger, Escalade? As far as the white walls I think it depends on what one of them you are looking at. We have had a few DTS cars over the years and they all had black walls.
Just my 2 cents
Just my 2 cents