Constructing a stretch limousine is an absolutely bizarre process that you definitely wouldn't have expected

How a stretch limousine is constructed is an absolutely bizarre process, but it’s quite literal to its name.

You’ve likely seen many limos docking the streets at ceremonious occasions like weddings, proms, and sweet sixteens.

But how the concept came to fruition is quite hilarious.

With hopes of making standard sedans into luxurious vehicles fit for the fanciest occasions, the construction of the stretch limo is exactly what it says on the tin.

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A stretch limousine is a 475-hour hack job turned into refined luxury

Nowadays, limousines are built from scratch, but that wasn’t always the case.

Back in the heyday of car engineering, stretch limos like the 1957 Chevy Bel Air got their name quite literally, by being sawn in half and stretched.

Like that magic trick with the woman in a box sawn in two and put back together, just with a longer torso.

In a YouTube video from Science Channel, the simple steps to make a stretch limo include cutting the car in half, attaching huge steel beams and sheets for the roof and floor, and making padded doors for the sides.

Then, with a driveshaft and exhaust pathway also added, the car was sealed up by a welder and given a vinyl wrap and a paint job.

The heavy metal sheets add a lot of weight, so the cars lose a lot of power and speed, but they’re never meant to be a getaway car.

All in all, though, the job is a 475-hour effort, from cutting the steel to size, welding it together, installing a warm and fun interior padding, and finishing it off with sparkling paint.

The best limos in the world

This process has been left behind by most people nowadays, having once been the norm.

That is, except for hilarious projects like the Ferrari 360 Modena stretch limousine, featuring gullwing doors and enough room for eight party-goers.

But while the stretch limousine is now more of a gimmick made by mad scientists, it has inspired the real limos that we see, and they’ve played crucial roles in history.

Particularly, the Cadillac known as ‘The Beast’ has served many US Presidents as their official transport.

Now, some of the most famous limos come custom-built, and brands like Bentley are showing exactly how far the manufacturing has come with its set of 12 Mulsanne Grand’s sent to the UAE.

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