Think your new SUV is hard to park, well you've obviously never had to navigate a record-breaking 30 metre long limousine around town!
The world’s longest car has finally been restored and is ready to cruise the roads once more after years of neglect. In March 2022, the super limo named The American Dream rolled in at a length of 30.54 metres, breaking its original 1986 record title by literal millimetres.
This limo isn’t only impressive in its size but also from its story of resilience and passion of its several owners over the years who painstakingly built and restored it.
First built in California in 1986 by famed car customiser Jay Ohrberg, The American Dream originally measured in at 18.28 metres long, sat on 26 wheels and had a pair of V8 engines at the front and rear to help propel it along. Ohrberg later extended the limo by another 12 metres to take it to an incredible 30.5 metres in length.
The American Dream is based on a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado limousine and can be driven from both ends and was built in two sections and joined in the middle by a hinge allowing it to turn in tight corners.
After first being recognized by Guinness World Records in 1986, The American Dream suddenly rose to fame and was often rented out for red carpet appearances and featured in various films.
In its heyday, The American Dream was one of the most luxurious and extravagant limos on the road with features including a large waterbed, a swimming pool complete with a diving board, spa bath, bathtub, mini-golf course, a helipad, and the ability to accommodate more than 75 people! It’s also equipped with several TVs, a refrigerator, and a telephone.
Rising maintenance costs, obstacles such as where to park such a long vehicle and a decreased demand for the unique car in films caused its fame to eventually burn out. The limo sat unloved for years in a warehouse and began to rust until parts of it were rendered unsalvageable.
Michael Manning recovered the colossal limo for restoration after it had been abandoned at the back of a New Jersey warehouse for years, purchasing it from eBay.
His plans to restore the limo to its former glory through community donations eventually came unstuck thanks to county politics and budgetary changes, once again leaving the car’s fate uncertain. It ended up on eBay again.
In 2019, Michael Dezer, owner of the Dezerland Park Car Museum and Tourist Attractions in Orlando, Florida, saw the iconic car listed on eBay and purchased it. It was shipped to Florida and Manning agreed to assist with the project that he had always dreamed of someday completing.
The project restoration project cost over $US250,000 and took three years to complete.
After its long-awaited restoration, The American Dream finally debuted its fresh paint job and a new flashy set of wheels and with its slightly longer length, claimed the title once more of the world’s longest car.
Unfortunately, unlike in its heyday, you won’t be able to hire it out though.
“You really couldn’t put it on the road because it’s too long,” said Manning.
“It was built to be put on display.”
The stretched limousine will sit alongside Dezerland Park Car Museum’s impressive collection of unique and classic cars.
“It’s something that has to be seen in person. When you see it live you think, ‘Wow, look at the size of this thing!’”
Keyword: World’s longest car at over 30 metres long breaks its own world record