<VV> Corvair associated with Elvis

[wrsssatty at aol.com]

<Elvis Presley had a 63 Corvair. I understand it was
Red on Red.   What happened to his Corvair?  That would be a super project. >
Well, in actuality, Elvis gave the Corvair in question to his then girlfriend, Priscilla, as a high school graduation present.   Most of this information comes from an April 1998 CORSA communique article writen by Jeff Barrett.  He said that on 12/28/64 Elvis gave the car to Alan E. Fortas, a long-time friend and part of Elvis' entourage known as the Memphis Mafia. In March of 1977 the car belonged to one Billy Smith, Elvis' cousin.  In his article, Jeff Barrett said he was reaching out to the Archives Department of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. and that they were researching but I am unaware of any subsequent follow up.  


Upon reading the communique article, I wrote on April 8, 1998 to the Tennessee Department of Safety, Title & Registration Division inquiring whether they had any record of the car beyond Billy Smith's ownership in 1977.  They replied; "We find no record of a Tennessee Certificate of Title having been issued on the referenced vehicle."


I don't believe that any of us ever had the VIN for the car.


BTW, the communique article states that the car was Palomar Red but in every color photograph I've ever seen of it the car appears to be Ember Red.
~Bill Stanley