Posted on 03/05/2009 8:10:53 PM PST by a fool in paradise
For a moment there, it seemed like a lost piece of Elvis Presley memorabilia was rediscovered.
No, not the mason jar where they kept his stillborn twin brother Jesse Garon, but something almost as cool - a Plymouth Barracuda thought to have been bought by the King for one of his queens in 1971. Said car-slash-historical artifact wound up in the hands of Tulsa-based Leake Auction Company, which is auctioning the 'Cuda and around 300 other cars at San Antonio's Alamodome March 21.
After doing its due diligence, Leake issued a press release today stating that "The current owner purchased the 1971 Plymouth Cuda in March of 2008 from a car collector dealership in Miami. While upgrading the drive train, his mechanic discovered what appeared to be the title to the vehicle between the carpet and the floor pan." (It must be noted that Leake never officially said the car was Elvis's, only that the questionable title was found in it).
The Ohio title listed the owner as Elvis Aaron Presley - but the Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles couldn't confirm or deny its authenticity.....until earlier today.
"[We] got a call first thing this morning...from the Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles that it was in fact a fraudulent title," Jennifer Tetley tells Hair Balls. She said "There were some little-bitty hiccups on the title that did not add up....We had eight digits - there should have been nine digits."
There was also a problem with the way the Ohio DMV's stamp appears on the title. Tetley assured Hair Balls that Leake never intended to mislead anyone, and while the sweet, sweet ride will still be auctioned off, it won't be advertised as Elvis's car.
[ Elvis never drove or bought another Ford as long as he lived]
Lol, you should have written ‘continued’ at the top of your post. You know way too much about all his cars.
Strange how one bad incident with a certain make car will put people off them forever, and it happens all the time.
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Elvis only drove his Stutz Blackhawk customs himeself - for the rest of his life
He bought five (5) - inclucing ‘71 - ‘72 - ‘73 models - all Italian custom coachmaker conversion from Ameican Pontiacs - designed by Virgil Exner
The first one sold to the public - others - and more he gave as gifts
His white one he only wore black suits with
His black one he only wore white suits with
Dean Martin bough 3
Sammy Davis Jr. bought 1
Frank Sinatra backed off - as he would not allow Stutz to use him in photos or associate his Stutz with TV and print ads
That photograph is at Graceland
It’s a very nice display. I’m not crazy about black cars.
What does Molto Bene’ mean?
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Elvis paid top-dollar instantly in cash
Always wanted cars right then
And tested and safe
He also had a ‘56 Continental and some Lincolns too
He loved Caddys - but the Stutz Blackhawk design and luxury Italian interiors and body execution of America Virgil Exner’s designs met Elvis’s
Ghia built the first prototype Stutz’s in Italy
Another Italian custom coachmaker built the production Stutz’s in ‘71, ‘72, ‘73
Elvis had the first prototype ever sold - a ‘71 - bigger rear window, special details by Ghia
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Motto Bene’?
I dunno!
Very good?
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Elvis had cars of many colors
Once he crushed a handful of grapes on his car’s fender and said:
“Make me some paint exactly that color - and paint this car with it!”
Elvis also had a big Caddy with pearl and fishscales in a gold paint -
Sparkles galore!
[He also had a ‘56 Continental and some Lincolns too]
Remember I once read up on the stars who had a 1957 MarkII. There were 3 or 4 of them and I thought I posted it.
[big Caddy with pearl and fishscales in a gold paint -]
I’d like to see that! I saw ones in Vegas covered with bright gold pennys. Guess they coated them to keep them bright and shiny looking.
1957 MarkII Lincoln Continental;
Famous owners included Elvis Presley as well as Frank Sinatra, the Shah of Iran, and a cross section of the richest men in America. The car was featured in a few scenes in the 1956 movie High Society, with Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, and Grace Kelly.
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Elvis wanted to buy the first prototype Stutz Blackhawk on the spot
The dealer isted it go on a marketing trip at car shows first to PR it
Elvis said he had the cash on him
Sintra wanted it too but did not have that amount in cash on him
And Sinatra refused to let his Stutz - if he bought it - be sent to car shows
Elvis told the dealer:
“What will give the Stutz Blackhawk more sales - me driving it - or many carshows?”
Elvis agreed to let the Stutz go to a carshow and won the argument and bought the Stutz
TMI?
I see a back 'tire thing' like on the Continental on one of them. TMI?????
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Yup
Looks like it is covered with a textured design cover on the Conti Kit on the trunk - Almost like Python skin
I was looking at the black one and didn’t notice that!
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I saw it on a website of the first prototypes, the Italian factory photos at Ghia, the 3 years of Stitz Blackhawk production, and Elvis’s Stutz’s at Graceland outside - and now the Blackhawk that is inside at the Elvis Presley Museum with his other cars
These Stutz Blackhawks also had chrome wire wheels - something Elvis really loved on automobiles
The interesting thing is that Elvis never again personally drove any other cars except his Stutz Blackhawks after he saw and bought the first Stutz Blackhawk in 1971
He had other cars - but he had a driver when he rode in them
Elvis had great loyalty to his friends, fans, car brands, and even Col. Parker - who had 50% of Elvis’s earnings and dictatated his somewhat mixed movie career
These Stutz Blackhawks were custom designs by American designer Virgil Exner - and built in Italy on Pontiac running gear and chassis
The chrome grill is a giveaway - a larger and more dramatic grill treatment of the late 60’s through 70’s Pontiacs that were a retro grill based on early American and foreign cars
The resemblance to some Pontiac Gran Prix’s is not coincidence
Elvis was booked to appear in Asheville North Carolina while I was there -
Whatever anyone says - Elvis Presley was a great entertainer and until a year or so ago - he topped music sales -
A few of the songs he recorded with Frank Sinatra are interesting to listen to - Elvis admired Frand Sinatra’s and Dean Martin’s styles - and his Las Vegas show and song styes reflect what he learned from them
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Elvis Presley - right now tonight thousands of singers are imitating their voices and styles -
“I did it my way......”
Hard acts to follow -
I was never a big fan of Sinatra or Martin. Think their ‘Looks’ didn’t appeal to me, lol.
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You were/are just an R & R girl!
Half the songs I love are ‘slow’ ones. I just never liked Sinatra’s skinny looks or Martins looks either. I like many of Sinatra’s songs but not when he makes a slow one BOUNCY, jazzy, lol.
Perry Como, Johnny Ray, Nat King Cole, they were good!
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You forgot Jerry Lee Lewis!
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