Elvis Presley was an avid car enthusiast. She bought them, gave them to him and collected them. He had what he wanted. Among the many mechanical jewels that drove the rock and roll legend, a series of sedans in coupé format stands out. The Stutz Blackhawk They were tailor-made models for a true rebellious monarch: they conveyed both opulence and sportiness. V8 engines, for maximum acceleration, and details in gold. The king had four of these models. One of themsurvived into the 21st century, goes on sale.
This is the second Blackhawk of the King of Rock & Roll, which bought it at zero kilometers in the year it left the factory, as confirmed by the documentation accompanying the car and which includes a copy of the new vehicle registration certificate in the state. of California.
But at least in this case it is not that he did it in a fit of eccentricity to have “the little couple”: in fact he commissioned it because the first one, which he had acquired at the end of 1970 almost as before, crashed in a car accident a few months after receiving it. The company proposed to leave it as new, but the Tupelo decided to cut its losses and take another one.
So it has been for a while Elvis Presley he had this black Blackhawk under his orbit and in his garage. But one day he decided to give it to his doctor, Dr. Elias Ghanem, and he did it with dedication and all: “Elías Ghanem, a true friend. Elvis Presley ”, reads a plaque on the dashboard.
The appointment is organized by the auction house Mecum Auctions between 10 and 12 November, where this Stutz Blackhawk will be part of a batch of 195 vehicles from all eras and stylesgoing from a 1969 Dodge Daytona – one of the main courses of the auction – to one Ford F-100 from 1960 or a much newer BMW 528i Sedan from 2011.
Elvis lived to the rhythm of his music, his tastes and his addictions. As a kind of Pomelo – the incredible character of Diego Capusotto -, what he saw and liked, he wanted and had. So it was with cars. The first he drove was a 1952 Lincoln Zephyr that his father gave him for his 18th birthday (he was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1935). Soon after, with the first dollars he made, he returned to class but progressed into independence when he bought another Lincoln, but one from 1941.
When he was in Germany for military service, he came across a beauty that became a legend: a BMW 507, one of the most beautiful cars produced by the German house in its history, which was loaned to him to drive in that country. He bought it and brought it to the United States. It was white, but the king had painted it red to hide the lipstick marks the fans had left on the bodywork. Incredible. As much as the Stutz Blackhawk
Elvis Presley is a very special copy
The Stutz Blackhawk It was a two-seater produced between 1971 and 1987 and of which only about 500 units were sold. It was designed by the former Chrysler Virgil Exner as a luxury car on a General Motors G Body platform but with many elements typical of the Pontiac Grand Prix, albeit with some modifications to improve its performance, such as shock absorbers and air-adjustable differential. limited slip.
Mechanically, this particular specimen mounts a 7.5-liter Pontiac V8 engine paired with a three-speed automatic transmission to deliver 360 horsepower. And despite being 51 years old, the odometer reads 51,200 kilometers.
This car was delivered to Elvis on September 9, 1971 at his home at 144 Monavale Street, Beverly Hills. Quickly distinguished by the split windshield, there is no shortage of leather-covered seats and other advanced elements at the time of its presentation, such as central locking, height-adjustable steering wheel or electric windows.
Beyond its features and series perks, it’s no surprise that a figure like Elvis required more privileged details: from the hand of George Barris, a famous Hollywood customizer – in charge of emblems like Adam West’s Batman Batmobile or KITT, Super Auto-, the unit incorporated exclusive elements on the outside such as gold wheel spokes or tires with white bands, among others.
for the bodywork, the Stutz went through a six-week process with twenty-two coats of individually hand-rubbed lacquer paint. In the cabin was a luxury ship. The floor coverings were made from Australian lambswool. The bezels and moldings have been plated with 24 karat gold.
Elvis made it to measure. He asked to add, for example, mink mats, a space for drinks and a Nardi Torino steering wheel, for example. And the truth is that even today, despite half a century having passed, the cabin has been fairly well maintained. It is only striking that they have installed a Sony stereo with CD player and remote control: the Blackhawk has always been an evolved car, but not that much.
Marty Lacker, Elvis’ youthful friend, a member of the Memphis mafia and one of his wedding witnesses, said that the king “loved that car and would drive it alone along Sunset Boulevard” of the Angels. “I think he enjoyed the joy of driving that unusual car and showing it off. Especially with the horn, “he said. The speaker had the chords of a song,” Never on Sunday. “And in the neighborhood they knew that this was Elvis Presley’s unmistakable Stutz.
Source: Clarin
