CAR AUCTION - 1967 ELVIS PRESELY'S LINCOLN CONTINENTAL LEHMANN-PETERSON LIMOUSINE

For years this iconic limo has been hidden away from the public then it was recently discovered in the Petrozzini collection

• The Elvis Presley family car
• Documented with a copy of the original title application in Elvis Presley's name
• Presented to Elvis Presley as a wedding gift by his manager Colonel Tom Parker
• Elvis Presley owned this car when he got married and his daughter was born
• The whereabouts of limo car have been unknown for many decades
• Part of the Petrozzini collection since the 1980s
• Executive Limousine coachwork by Lehmann-Peterson
• Serial No. 88
• 462 CI V-8 engine
• Automatic transmission
• Mr. Petrozzini enjoyed picking up his son and friends from school wearing a chauffeur's hat and white gloves in this limo
• Mr. Petrozzini also drove the limo to impress clients when transporting them to and from the airport
• Titled as a 1966 Lincoln

Elvis Presley owned this car when he got married and his daughter was born

When Elvis Presley married Priscilla Beaulieu in May 1967, his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, gave the newlyweds this 1967 Lincoln Continental Executive Limousine by Lehmann-Peterson as a wedding gift, and the celebrity ownership is documented with a copy of the title application listing Elvis Presley as the original owner.

Elvis and Priscilla honeymooned in Palm Springs at a modernly styled home not far from Colonel Parker’s own home, yet far enough to allow privacy and downtime from the hectic life and exposure that came with being Elvis. His arrivals, departures and everything in between were events unto themselves, and that wasn’t to be the case during the honeymoon. From the wedding through the early 1970s, this limousine served the family well, carrying Elvis, Priscilla and their only child, Lisa Marie, around town, on trips and to countless engagements. As such, this car has the distinction of having been regarded by “The Memphis Mafia” as the Elvis Presley Family Car; the tales this car could tell, if only it could talk.

It seems the majority of the cars once owned, or otherwise kept, by Elvis are accounted for and largely coddled in collections and museums around the world, or at least heavily photographed and documented through pictures. Even a Ford Thunderbird he bought on a whim in the mid-1960s because he liked the wire wheels has been reasonably well documented. But that’s not the case with this 1967 Lincoln Continental Lehmann-Peterson Executive Limousine. It’s been largely forgotten over time, seen only in a rare few photographs and remaining extraordinarily overlooked as a Presley car.

Odd that it went so unnoticed, considering it was the first car of the Elvis Presley family, a wedding gift even. (Kudos to Colonel Parker in his selection of a family car for the Presleys.) Few cars could be more fitting, as it’s commonly known that Elvis preferred the likes of Cadillac and Lincoln seemingly above all other makes. An avid car guy, though, he also kept company with brands like Rolls-Royce, Stutz, Mercedes-Benz, DeTomaso and even a BMW 507 while serving in the U.S. Army and stationed in Germany. In fact, the last picture taken of him before he died, literally hours before his death, was of his return to Graceland from a dental appointment driving the infamous black Stutz, the fourth of four Stutz Blackhawks he owned. The first one was actually a prototype, car No. 002; while a number of stories about how Elvis acquired it swirl around, a check for nearly $27,000 is what secured No. 002 for Elvis.

The last car Elvis bought was a relatively sedate, white 1977 Lincoln Mark V

Part of the extensive collection of James Petrozzini, the Elvis Presley Family Limousine has been hidden from public eyes for decades. It was equipped with air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, power windows, a power antenna, a power front bench seat, an in-dash clock and a host of other luxurious amenities, putting the car well over the top of the typical bar of exclusivity. The mechanical symphony that is the 462 CI V-8 with an automatic transmission powering this limousine was introduced in 1966 and was known in the day as one of the smoothest, quietest engine combinations ever produced, and it also boasted a linear powerband that rivaled all others to boot. It was perfect for motivating the heavy body of a well-built Limousine like the Lehmann-Peterson examples.

The history behind Lehmann-Peterson limousines is very interesting in and of itself. The first and second examples of the company’s limousines easily won over the hearts of engineers, designers and top brass at both Ford and Lincoln divisions, largely for two main reasons: one, the passenger area layout, which did away with the old-style jump seats and employed a reverse-seat layout, said to have been inspired by private aircraft seating; and, two, the extraordinary structural rigidity.

In testing, Ford-Lincoln tried to break the first prototype, literally jumping the Limousine a couple of times to bend it, buckle it or actually break it. The car wouldn’t budge; it remained as straight as if nothing had happened. The doors operated normally, the chassis remained sound, and the customized interior was unfazed. To say it was impressive was an understatement. Lehmann-Peterson limousines quickly became the posh ride of America’s most elite, thanks to the understated styling of the Continental and the elegantly spacious interiors. Throughout his life, Elvis owned a number of limousines, including a 1960 Lincoln Continental Mark V Limousine that he ordered in 1959 while stationed in Germany. One of the first 1960s off the assembly line, Serial No. 32 was custom bodied by Hess and Eisenhardt with a padded roof, power privacy glass and two separate air conditioning systems for the front and rear. Later, Elvis acquired a 1973 Lincoln Limousine, a car that was said to have been a gift from RCA Records, though, other reports claim that he ordered and bought the car himself.

There was also a 1960 Cadillac Limousine with custom features by George Barris, including 24-karat gold accents. Then there was a 1964 Cadillac Limousine and a 1969 Mercedes-Benz 600 Limousine, all bookending the ownership of this 1967 Lehmann-Peterson Lincoln. Elvis owned hundreds of cars over his lifetime and gave away the majority of them. It’s been rumored that in one night, he gave away 30 Lincolns. This car nevertheless stands out as a truly unique and memorable Presley-owned auto.  Graceland still maintains a healthy number of original Elvis-owned cars. But the Elvis Presley Family Car has not been available for spectators to view like the well-known examples on display at Graceland. Elvis Presley’s 1967 Lincoln Continental Lehmann-Peterson Executive Limousine has been tucked away for decades, like a hidden treasure awaiting discovery. In fact, few even knew it was part of the Presley fleet, but, thanks to the title application listing Elvis as the owner, it is indeed an easily proven fact.

Throughout his life, Elvis owned a number of limousines

Throughout his life, Elvis owned a number of limousines, including a 1960 Lincoln Continental Mark V Limousine that he ordered in 1959 while stationed in Germany. One of the first 1960s off the assembly line, Serial No. 32 was custom bodied by Hess and Eisenhardt with a padded roof, power privacy glass and two separate air conditioning systems for the front and rear. Later, Elvis acquired a 1973 Lincoln Limousine, a car that was said to have been a gift from RCA Records, though, other reports claim that he ordered and bought the car himself. There was also a 1960 Cadillac Limousine with custom features by George Barris, including 24-karat gold accents. Then there was a 1964 Cadillac Limousine and a 1969 Mercedes-Benz 600 Limousine, all bookending the ownership of this 1967 Lehmann-Peterson Lincoln. Elvis owned hundreds of cars over his lifetime and gave away the majority of them. It’s been rumored that in one night, he gave away 30 Lincolns. This car nevertheless stands out as a truly unique and memorable Presley-owned auto.

Graceland still maintains a healthy number of original Elvis-owned cars. But the Elvis Presley Family Car has not been available for spectators to view like the well-known examples on display at Graceland. Elvis Presley’s 1967 Lincoln Continental Lehmann-Peterson Executive Limousine has been tucked away for decades, like a hidden treasure awaiting discovery. In fact, few even knew it was part of the Presley fleet, but, thanks to the title application listing Elvis as the owner, it is indeed an easily proven fact.

The Elvis Presley Family Car

The Elvis Presley Family Car is significant for a number of reasons, not the least of which being that it was a wedding gift from Colonel Parker, was used extensively as the first family car for Elvis and Priscilla, and, perhaps oddly, is the least-known car from Elvis’ extensive roster of rides, long forgotten to the passages of time. But, here it is now, unveiled and ready for its next chapter.