HomeMediaThe King presents classic Stutz at Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas

The King presents classic Stutz at Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas

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Elvis Presley impersonator with Stutz Black Hawk | Matthew Fink Photos

On the final day of the Las Vegas Barrett-Jackson auction, the King, Elvis Presley (well, at least his likeness), graced the auction block and presented a 1976 Stutz Black Hawk Coupe. While Elvis was an impersonator, the car was offered with an authentic Elvis Presley signature in addition to its pristine original owner’s manual and its original nameplate.

A total of 500 such Stutz Black Hawks were made from 1971 to 1987, with the first one being purchased by Presley for $26,500 on October 9, 1970, after a bidding war between himself and Frank Sinatra. In the years that followed, Presley bought three more.

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Elvis impersonator and Craig Jackson

Due to the car’s rarity , they were popular in the Hollywood celebrity circle.

Other famous owners  included Dick Martin; Lucille Ball, who got her 1971 Black Hawk as a gift from her husband, Gary Morton, with a dash plaque saying ‘I love Lucy – Gary’; Sammy Davis Jr., who owned two; Dean Martin, who owned three and crashed one with a license plate that read ‘DRUNKY’; Evel Knievel; Johnny Cash; Willie Nelson; George Foreman; Billy Joel; Elton John; Paul McCarney,; Barry White, and many more.

The cars, with bodies produced in Italy, were based on Pontiac chassis with design input from former Chrysler designer Virgil Exner.  The company was not related to the classic Stutz or its Blackhawk model of the 1920s.

Crossing the block for $36,300, this Black Hawk was restored to show quality and featured a 455-cubic-inch V8.

Nicole James
Nicole Jameshttp://nicoleellanjames.com/
Nicole James has been involved in the automotive world her entire life. Her dream car is a 1965 Shelby Daytona Coupe. She currently drives a 2005 Mustang affectionately known as Marilyn and uses the car to participate in track events, car shows, and explore the world around her. Nicole joined the ClassicCars.com Content and Marketing team in 2014. Nicole is an automotive journalist and the creator of Pretty Driven - an online source for car culture and news for millennials, as well as a contributor for ClassicCars.com. Follow Nicole on Instagram and Facebook - @Nicoleeellan

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