"While I was driving a truck, every time a big shiny car drove by it started me sort of day-dreaming. I always felt that someday, somehow, something would happen to change everything for me. I would daydream about how it would be." - Elvis Presley
The 1950s Elvis's Cadillacs
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Elvis's love affair with this 1955 Cadillac was well documented and his reputation for collecting cars was well deserved. Though he owned and gave away many different kinds of cars to friends and total strangers, this 1955 pink and white Cadillac Fleetwood (originally blue in colour with a black roof) is said to have been his favourite and the one car he never sold or gave away. Elvis bought it for his mother (although she never drove) on 7th July 1955. According to Art, who lived next door to Elvis in Lamar St in 1955, he made the pink paint for Elvis and is the only one who knows the formula, he named it "Elvis Rose."
On September 2, 1955, $1,000 damage was caused to the car in an accident just south of Texarkana. In February 1956, Elvis had the upholstery replaced as well as getting some paint work done. Most likely, this would have been when the black roof was painted white. The car has become one of the ultimate icons of Elvis and the 1950's, and it is arguably the most famous car in the world.
Two (b&w) pictures from 1955 of Elvis with this car when it had a black roof:
Soon there were three more Cadillacs in Elvis's drive, including a yellow 1954 convertible. "Four Cadillacs?" a radio reporter asked him. "I do have four Cadillacs," Elvis replied. "But I haven't got use for four. Maybe some day I'll go broke and I can sell a couple of 'em."
This picture was taken (probably) in May of 1956 at the house on Audubon Drive. They had obviously either just returned from a tour or
were leaving on tour that day, since the instruments were stowed on the roof rack. Also notice that the Fleetwood's roof is painted white,
which was done in March or early April of 1956. The car was displayed at the 1977 Tri-State Auto Exhibition in Denver. In April 1981, 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.
