Elvis' 1960's Mark V
Limousine
Elvis
bought a 1954 Fleetwood Limousine just before going on a tour in it in
March 1956. Originally blue, he had it painted yellow. In the spring of
1957, Elvis moved to Graceland, and this vehicle was used to stock the
grounds. One time it was used to haul fowl - chickens, ducks, guineas,
peacocks and a turkey back to Graceland. The car was so defiled
that even after he sent it to the Cadillac dealer to be cleaned and
fumigated, it was never the same. Elvis told his Daddy it was time to
buy a new car. That's when he bought a 1958 black Cadillac Limousine.
The car was displayed at the 1977
Tri-State Auto Exhibition in Denver, and was last driven in April 1981
when it took part in the premiere of "This is Elvis" at the
Memphian Theatre. Since June 1982 the car has been on display at the
Elvis Presley Automobile Museum at Graceland.
It also appeared on stage at the "Elvis Aaron Presley: A
Tribute" show in Memphis, 1994.
January 1961 Elvis signed a 5 year
contract with Hal Wallis. To celebrate he went out and bought a
Rolls
Royce Phantom V from a Beverly Hills dealer only to bring it home and
have his mothers' chickens peck away at their reflections in the elegant
finish. Most people would have just shot the birds but Elvis just chose
to have the car repainted four or five times.
I (Alan Fortas) ended up driving
the Rolls and while it wasn't the most dependable car we had a lot of
fun with it. I remember driving it home from California one time &
stopping to buy gas in Forrest City Arkansas about sixty mile outside
Memphis. Elvis always like to have the Rolls gassed up and washed in he
wanted to short it off or take somebody for a ride.
The gauge said the car was almost empty
when I pulled into the station. It has a big tank for its time held
about 25 gallons 0 and took a while fill it up. Apparently Forrest City
had never has a Rolls grace it little streets and word traveled like
wildfire. The attendant was still pumping away when I look around to
discovered that the whole town stand there gawking. There were lots of
oohs and aahs and talk about the car maybe belonging to some celebrity.
Elvis
never wanted the general public to know whose can it was, so he always
told me to say that I was just delivering it for a car service. I was
ready when the question rang out from the crowd.
"Who's car is that, mister?"
"I don't know, I replied. "I work for a service in California
I was just paid a hundred dollars to deliver it to Memphis."
A hush fell over the crowd people reached
out a tentative finger to touch it and like Gladys' chickens to see
their reflections in the paint. Finally a guy elbowed his way to the
front. "I know whose car it is" he said.
"Tell me," I said "I wish
I knew"
He pointed to the RR on the grill "Roy
Rogers," he announced "That's whose car it is!" The
crowd agreed.... "You're probably right, " I answered "I
never thought of that. Yeah, it must be Roy Rogers car"
Then I handed the attendant Elvis'
credit card which read E.A. Presley. The gas jockey either never stopped
to look at it or he was too stupid to figure out that EA was Elvis. I
drove off laughing so hard I wondered how they kept from hearing me all
over Forrest City. When I finally got to Graceland, Elvis made me relate
that story to everyone that would care listen for the next week... and
every time Elvis smile proudly.
