Our weekend in Memphis

Well Vince and I had a good time in Memphis even if it was way too short of a trip. We left at about 1:30 in the morning Friday and arrived in Memphis at about 9:00. We went straight to Graceland after getting a quick bite to eat. It was just opening up for tours and we just walked around and checked out all the shops. We spent the afternoon going to some stores in Horn Lake. We finally got to check in at the Heartbreak Hotel about 3:30 so we could get a little rest before the meet and greet with Darlene Tompkins and the screening of Blue Hawaii. Darlene spoke some before the movie came on about the movie and Elvis. The movie started and Darlene kind of mixed with the crowd and spoke some about things throughout the movie. Unfortunately I missed a good portion of the movie because I was out in the hall on the phone tending to some things going on back home. After the movie we got some food and headed back to the room. We turned on the 24 hour Elvis channel the hotel had and watched Girl Happy as we went to sleep. We both could barley function by that time!
Saturday we got up pretty early and headed over to Graceland for our VIP tour. Going up to the mansion was as great as it always is. This was my thirteenth time and it was as moving as the first time I ever went in. As soon as I step into that house I just get the best feeling. You feel so welcomed and know Elvis would be glad you were there. I can't really come close to describing it. The reason for this big weekend trip was to see the new exhibits. The special VIP only Graceland exhibit was very cool. A lot of the same stuff as usual was in the room but a lot of stuff had been added as well. Old documents, receipts, letters, and such telling the history of the home. I was very fascinated by this. The thing that intrigued me the most was some of the receipts from when Elvis redecorated Graceland after he has purchased it. It kind of gives you insight of how the house looked and the feel it might have had. I was trying to imagine that anyway. You could really tell he was going all out and was for sure making good on his promise to give his mother the nicest home in town. The automobile museum also had two new additions to it. They added another Rolls Royce Elvis owned as well as a 6-door Mercedes Benz limousine featured in the movie Elvis on Tour. I has seen the limo last EW at the expo, but I had never seen the Rolls. That was a pretty sharp car. Another new thing added was the exhibit Elvis Lives: The King and Pop Culture. It was loaded with books, collectibles, cd's, movies, and more that has to do with Elvis over the years. The last exhibit was called Elvis In Hollywood. This was my favorite part of the tour because I am such a big fan of his movies. It showcases all 33 movies and documentaries Elvis made. Some cool stuff from Jailhouse Rock, Clambake, Viva Las Vegas, and Blue Hawaii I never have seen are on display. I was very excited over getting to see that stuff. After spending way too much money on cd's we finally started to make our way home late Saturday.
Overall it was a great trip. I am glad we decided to go. It was very tiring(I am still dead tired!) and I was a little preoccupied by some other stuff but I don't regret going. I really can't wait to go back in August. I picked up some new FTD's while out in Memphis. No way I was going to be in those shops and not buy a few. Nevada Lights,On Tour,Blue Hawaii,Kid Galahad, Elvis Today,Raised On Rock, and Wild In The Country was added to the collection. I have really enjoyed what I have got to hear from them. I will be doing some reviews on here for sure.
That puts my cd collection up to 157. I am really getting it built up now!

Elvis and his Stutz Blackhawk's

Our good friend The King Of Cool from over at The Dino Lounge had a cool picture of Dean and his Stutz. That got me thinking about the two at Graceland. They are some cool cars and Elvis was very fond of them. The second picture is the first one Elvis ever owned. It was a prototype that was sent to the US to be used to show around to potential dealers and buyers. Jules Meyers who was a Stutz dealer took the car to show Elvis and he of course had to have one. Jules told Elvis they could make him one but Elvis was having none of it. He wanted the one in his driveway. The guy did not want to get rid of it at first because he was using this one to gain publicity and Frank Sinatra was interested in it as well. Elvis being Elvis charmed the guy into letting him have the car. Elvis was also willing to take some pictures for publicity and let the car be shown at a car show before taking delivery. Frank was not willing to do this. So the guy was glad to let Elvis have the car. Elvis would have it sent George Barris to do some customizing, and then the car was delivered to Vegas for Elvis. A driver for Elvis wrecked it pretty bad in the summer of 71. Elvis has it put in storage after that.

The first picture here is of Elvis' 1973 Stutz. It was for sure his favorite car in the 70's. It is very nice and had golf trimming in the inside and all. It was the car Elvis drove on the final night of his life and a fan snapped the last ever picture of Elvis driving into Graceland in it.Elvis would own a few other Stutz in the 70's but this are the only two in Memphis. Elvis also had a pearl white Stutz that I have seen pictures of. Man that thing is sharp!

1955 Fleetwood Pink Caddy

The first things that come to my mind when I think of Elvis is, Sideburns and Cadillacs. Elvis gave away many different kinds of cars to friends and total strangers, the 1955 pink and white Cadillac Fleetwood (originally blue in color) 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) in July 1955. According to to the man that painted the car, 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." in Sept. of 1955, $1,000 damage was caused to the car in an accident just south of Texarkana. The top of the car was painted white around March 1956. This car is siply one of the coolest cars Ive seen and id like to get my hand on a die cast model of this car.

Coolest cup car ever

As you probably have figured out I am a huge fan of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Last year he drove an Elvis themed car at Richmond last September. Jr has said it is one of his favorite schemas he has ever had since he is such an avid Elvis fan. The unveiled this car last year during EW at Graceland. Dale's grandmother, who is a big Elvis fan and got him into Elvis, was there as well. I ran across this picture last night and thought it was worth posting. Jr fan or not, you must admit this car is cool as all get out.

1956 Cadillac Eldorado

Im gonna start blogging about the cars of Elvis since car shopping was a huge hobby of his. The first car im gonna blog about is my favorite, The Purple 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Convertable. Elvis flew to Houston to purchase this car on June 12, 1956 at a cost of $10,000. Originally white (As seen on the left) 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 caddy), that was the color he wanted. The upholstery was changed to white roll and pleated leather, and the floor covered in fur dyed purple. Elvis's initials "EP" with a guitar and two musical notes were inscribed in the leather, the floormats and overhead. It is believed Elvis always had problems with this car, which is probably why he traded it in on December 23rd 1957. The car was then purchased by a fan of Elvis's, Mrs Lena Moskovitz of Memphis for $4893. After her death in 1974, the car was abandoned in an open field where it weathered badly. On July 31st 1976 the car was sold at auction to used car dealer James N. Cantrell of Columbus, Georgia for $975. This made news across the USA and the next day the new owner was offered $10,000 for it, but turned it down. Instead he started a slow, ground up $28,000 restoration, hoping to show it to Elvis when it was finished but, Elvis passed away before he had a chance.