Elvis Presley‘s love of automobiles is well-documented. His Graceland home stores some of his most unforgettable vehicles. These include a pink Cadillac gifted to his beloved mother, Gladys Presley. However, Elvis was less than thrilled when after purchasing his beloved white BMW, fans covered it in lipstick messages. His wild reaction ended the problem once and for all.
Many of Elvis Presley’s cars are on display at his Graceland home
Many of the king of rock and roll’s cars reside at the Elvis Presley Automobile Museum, reports the official Graceland website. Highlights of this most impressive car collection include his famous Pink Cadillac, Harley-Davidson motorcycles, a Stutz Blackhawk, a 1975 Dino Ferrari, a 1956 Cadillac Eldorado convertible, and a red MG from the film Blue Hawaii.
Also on display are some of Elvis’ favorite motorized toys, including a go-cart, dune buggy, motorized three-wheelers, and a pedal car.
The last car Elvis ever drove through Graceland’s gates was perhaps his favorite, according to the home’s official website. He purchased the 1973 Stutz Blackhawk on September 6, 1974. This Stutz was unique because it had a red leather interior with 18-karat gold-plated trim, reported Elvis.au.
Fans snapped Elvis’ last known photograph as he drove through Graceland’s music gates in this car shortly after midnight on August 16, 1977, from a late-night visit to the dentist. The car is on display in the museum.
However, one of Elvis’ automobiles couldn’t escape love messages from fans. He took drastic and wild actions to ensure his prized BMW would no longer be damaged.
Elvis Presley’s reaction when fans wrote lipstick messages of love on his white BMW
According to BMW‘s official website, the entertainer purchased a used BMW 507 after starting his military service in Germany. Presley paid $3750 for the second-hand car, formerly used by German auto racer Hans Stuck for demonstrations.
However, Elvis didn’t expect the car to draw his female fans. The chalk-white exterior was a perfect canvas for his devoted followers to leave messages. These lipstick notes became legendary in Elvis lore. Therefore, he took wild measures to keep the car uniformly one color.
Although he loved the stark white tone of the BMW, Elvis painted it red so the messages would be less visible. When his military service ended in 1960, Elvis took his sports car back to the United States.
The car was later sold for $3,500 to Tommy Charles, a Radio DJ and hot-rod hobbyist who kept the car in storage. It was founded in a garage in 2014 by Jackie Jouret, who traced the vehicle’s VIN back to the king of rock and roll. The BMW was restored to its original glory and chalk-white paint color and unveiled in 2016.
Fans continue to scrawl messages for Elvis during their visits to his Graceland home
Elvis added a wall surrounding Graceland, the lions that watch over the front door, and the infamous iron music gates in the 1950s. After Elvis’ death in August 1977, fans began leaving written messages on the stone. These messages vary from declarations of love to how he impacted their lives.
Over the past 45 years, Elvis admirers have turned the wall into a special place. Millions of people, including celebrities, politicians, and fans, have since signed the wall.
