Elvis Presley's Famous Pink Cadillac : 1955 Fleetwood Series 60
Source: www.elvis.com.au
July 18, 2008
On July 7, 1955 Elvis purchased his second Pink Cadillac, a new 1955 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 60 in blue with black roof, to replace the Cadillac that was burned. He had the car repainted by a neighbor who designed a pink color for Elvis and named the color 'Elvis Rose'. This is the one that he gave to his mother, probably the most famous car in the world. Gladys Presley would always proudly point to it as 'her' car.
Gladys Presley never had a driver's license and Elvis drove the car with the members of his band for most of 1955 - 1956. They had a serious accident in Texarkana, Texas on September 2, 1955. Scotty Moore drove the pink and black Cadillac Fleetwood into an oncoming vehicle that was in the process of passing a pickup truck. Scotty recalls the Cadillac as requiring approximately $1,000 worth of repairs.
In February 1956, Elvis had the upholstery replaced as well as getting some paint work done.
This may well have been when the black roof is painted white.
Joe Esposito later used the pink Cadillac when he joined Elvis at Graceland in 1960 when they both returned from military service in Germany.
The car was brought to the front drive entrance of Graceland during the visit of President George Bush and Junichiro Koizumi, the Prime Minister of Japan during their visit in June, 2006.
The original pink Cadillac remains on permanent display in the auto museum at Graceland. In December 2006 the historians of Graceland granted the request of Bonnie and Stewart Krentzman of River Vale, NJ to document and provide them with every detail of the car so that they could create the exact 'twin sister' of the famous pink Cadillac. It was stipulated in the agreement that the twin sister would be offered at no charge to 'pink ribbon' breast cancer fund raising organizations to help raise money for breast cancer research and education. This car has begun to appear throughout the US in April 2007 at many Susan G. Komen, Avon and Revlon Walks in addtion to being used by many grassroots breast cancer organizations.
(Some of) Elvis' Other Cadillacs
In early March, 1955 Elvis bought his first Pink Cadillac. It was a pink and white 1954 Cadillac and provided transportation for Elvis and the Blue Moon Boys for about three months. The car went up in smoke when a brake lining caught fire, on the road between Hope and Texarkana, Ark. on June 5, 1955.
After a show at Hope, AR. Coliseum in Fair Park, Elvis sets off for Texarkana with a girl from that town, while Scotty Moore and Bill Black ride with other friends. About halfway to Texarkana, in Fulton, Arkansas, Elvis' pink--and--white Cadillac catches on fire and burns. Elvis' mother, Gladys, will always recall how she was awakened out of a sound sleep at home by the feeling that something was wrong. Others recall Elvis sitting by the side of the road, looking desolate as he watched his dreams go up in smoke. From Texarkana Scotty returns to Memphis to get the new pink and white Ford Crown Victoria that Elvis has recently purchased for his parents, while Elvis and Bill fly on to Texas.
The Pink Cadillac : Fleetwood Series 60
On July 7, 1955 Elvis purchased his second Pink Cadillac, a new 1955 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 60 in blue with black roof, to replace the Cadillac that was burned. He had the car repainted by a neighbor who designed a pink color for Elvis and named the color 'Elvis Rose'. This is the one that he gave to his mother, probably the most famous car in the world. Gladys Presley would always proudly point to it as 'her' car.
Gladys Presley never had a driver's license and Elvis drove the car with the members of his band for most of 1955 - 1956. They had a serious accident in Texarkana, Texas on September 2, 1955. Scotty Moore drove the pink and black Cadillac Fleetwood into an oncoming vehicle that was in the process of passing a pickup truck. Scotty recalls the Cadillac as requiring approximately $1,000 worth of repairs.
In February 1956, Elvis had the upholstery replaced as well as getting some paint work done. This may well have been when the black roof is painted white.
1954 Cadillac Series 75 Fleetwood 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 left in such a mess 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.
1955 Series 75 Fleetwood Limousine
The Cadillac was originally painted in a light blue, but Elvis quickly had it repainted black. Elvis used it to tour throughout the south with his original band members, Scotty Moore, Bill Black and D.J. Fontana.
1956 Cadillac Eldorado
Elvis and June Juanico flew to Houston to purchase this car on June 12, 1956 at a cost of $10,000. Originally white with a black interior, Elvis squashed a handful of grapes on the fender and told the customiser, Jimmy Sanders of Memphis (who also customised the pink '55 Fleetwood), that was the colour he wanted. The upholstery was changed to white roll and pleated leather, and the floor covered in mouton fur dyed purple. Elvis' initials 'EP' entwined with a guitar and two musical notes inscribed in leather adorned the floormats and overhead. Elvis traded it in on December 23rd 1957.
1960 Series 75 Fleetwood Limousine
This vehicle is the ultimate in luxury and opulence. Costing $100,000, it was customised by George Barris with gold plated interior gadgets such as a phone, shoe buffer, refrigerator, entertainment console with a ten record automatic changer RCA record player, swivel TV and tape deck. Forty coats of exterior paint made with pearl, diamond dust and oriental fish scales were used on the outside. Hubcaps, wheel covers, headlight rims and the front grille are gold plated in 24kt gold. Gold lame drapes were used to cover the back windows and to separate the front and back seats. Truly a vehicle fit for a King!
Elvis used it occasionally in the early 60's but towards the end of 1966, Colonel Tom Parker talked RCA into buying it for $24,000 as a promotional tool. The car tour (which included Australia in 1968) was a great success. In Houston, 40,000 came to take a look and take home a free 'Elvis Presley's Gold Car' postcard. In Atlanta, the car was the guest of honor at a dinner for 250 dignitaries. In the late 70's the car was donated to the Country Music Association Hall of Fame in Nashville. When you press a button, the roof lifts off so you can see inside it. You can read the full story of the cars Australian tour here.
1964 Series 75 Fleetwood Limousine
Originally black as in the pictures it has been resprayed to it's current silver colour.
Elvis Presley's Famous Pink Cadillac : 1955 Fleetwood Series 60
Elvis with his Messerschmitt : June, 1956
Elvis Presley driving his Pink Cadillac : July 5, 1956
Isetta Sports Car (Elvis gave to Colonel Parker as a birthday present)
Elvis' BMW 507s : Germany 1958-1959
Elvis' 1962 Ford Thunderbird
Elvis' Gold Cadillac Tour of Australia 1968
Elvis Presley's Cars : Cadillacs : Stutz Blackhawk : BMW : Rolls Royce : Mercedes-Benz 600
Elvis Presley's Stutz Blackhawk's
Pink Cadillac : By Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen was inspired as a seven-year-old by seeing Elvis Presley on The Ed Sullivan Show, so it was only fitting that Elvis' Pink Cadillac entered into Springsteen's music world. 'Pink Cadillac' continued his well-known obsession with car imagery in songs. It was his second song about the brand, 1980's 'Cadillac Ranch' being the first. 'Pink Cadillac' was first recorded by Springsteen in a stark acoustic version in early January 1982, part of a session that later became the Nebraska album. He pulled it out again in May 1983, during the sessions for the Born in the U.S.A. album; putting together a quick demo after most of the crew had left a session. He started strumming the riff on an acoustic guitar, put down the basic track, and then recorded the rest of it with the band in the morning. It was on the short list for inclusion on the album, until it was bumped in favor of 'I'm Going Down'.
Instead, it was released as the B-side of the album's first and biggest hit single, 'Dancing in the Dark'.
Natalie Cole's rendition was a #5 Billboard Hot 100 pop hit in 1988.
Pink Cadillac Lyrics : By Bruce Springsteen
You may think I'm foolish
For the foolish things I do
You may wonder how come I love you
When you get on my nerves like you do
Well baby you know you bug me
There ain't no secret 'bout that
Well come on over here and hug me
Baby I'll spill the facts
Well honey it ain't your money
'Cause baby I got plenty of that
I love you for your pink Cadillac
Crushed velvet seats
Riding in the back
Oozing down the street
Waving to the girls
Feeling out of sight
Spending all my money
On a Saturday night
Honey I just wonder what you do there in back
Of your pink Cadillac
Pink Cadillac
Well now way back in the Bible
Temptations always come along
There's always somebody tempting
Somebody into doing something they know is wrong
Well they tempt you, man, with silver
And they tempt you, sir, with gold
And they tempt you with the pleasures
That the flesh does surely hold
They say Eve tempted Adam with an apple
But man I ain't going for that
I know it was her pink Cadillac
Crushed velvet seats
Riding in the back
Oozing down the street
Waving to the girls
Feeling out of sight
Spending all my money
On a Saturday night
Honey I just wonder what it feels like in the back
Of your pink Cadillac
Now some folks say it's too big
And uses too much gas
Some folks say it's too old
And that it goes too fast
But my love is bigger than a Honda
It's bigger than a Subaru
Hey man there's only one thing
And one car that will do
Anyway we don't have to drive it
Honey we can park it out in back
And have a party in your pink Cadillac
Copyright © Bruce Springsteen (ASCAP)
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Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD
Never before have we seen an Elvis Presley concert from the 1950's with sound. Until Now! The DVD Contains recently discovered unreleased film of Elvis performing 6 songs, including Heartbreak Hotel and Don't Be Cruel, live in Tupelo Mississippi 1956. Included we see a live performance of the elusive Long Tall Sally seen here for the first time ever. + Plus Bonus DVD Audio.
This is an excellent release no fan should be without it.
The 'parade' footage is good to see as it puts you in the right context with color and b&w footage. The interviews of Elvis' Parents are well worth hearing too. The afternoon show footage is wonderful and electrifying : Here is Elvis in his prime rocking and rolling in front of 11.000 people. Highly recommended.
Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD Video with Sound.
