Elvis Presley’s Cadillacs: The Story Behind the Dream Car

Elvis Presley’s lifelong passion for Cadillacs included a dream for a custom gold-plated Eldorado that was never completed during his lifetime. Nearly a decade after Elvis’s death, George Barris of Barris Kustom Industries built that vision for the Elvis Presley Cosmetics Company. Today, the Elvis Dream Cadillac is on permanent display at Tommy Bolack’s Electromechanical Museum in Farmington, New Mexico, where admission is free.

Elvis Presley owned more than 100 Cadillacs during his lifetime, making the luxury brand one of the defining symbols of his legacy. One of the most unusual is the Elvis Dream Cadillac, a custom vehicle now displayed at Tommy Bolack’s Electromechanical Museum in Farmington, New Mexico. Visitors exploring the Four Corners region can see this one-of-a-kind automobile while learning the story behind the final Cadillac inspired by the King of Rock and Roll. Admission is free. For hours, directions, and guided tour information, see the visitor information page.

Elvis and Cadillac: A Love Affair That Defined the King

Key takeaway: Elvis Presley owned more than 100 Cadillacs during his lifetime, making the luxury automaker a defining part of his public image. His long relationship with legendary customizer George Barris eventually led to the Elvis Dream Cadillac, a concept Elvis helped create that was completed after his death.

Few celebrities are as closely associated with a single automobile brand as Elvis Presley is with Cadillac. Throughout his career, Elvis reportedly purchased more than 100 Cadillacs, often giving them away to family members, friends, employees, and even strangers. Those spontaneous gifts became part of Elvis’s legend, reflecting both his generosity and his lifelong appreciation for Cadillac’s style and craftsmanship. When people search for an Elvis Presley Cadillac, they are often looking beyond a single vehicle to the collection of cars that became one of the most recognizable in American popular culture.

Elvis’s earliest Cadillac was a 1954 Fleetwood Series 60 he purchased in early 1955 as his career began to take off. After that car caught fire near Texarkana, Arkansas, in June 1955, Elvis bought a 1955 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 60 in blue and had it repainted in a custom pink shade his neighbor dubbed “Elvis Rose.” He gave the car to his mother, Gladys Presley, and it became an enduring symbol of his career. Today, the famous Elvis Pink Cadillac is preserved at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, where it remains one of the estate’s most popular attractions. You can read more about its history on the Wikipedia page for Elvis Presley’s Pink Cadillac.

As Elvis’s career reached new heights, his custom automobiles became even more elaborate. George Barris transformed a 1960 Cadillac Series 75 Fleetwood into a gold showpiece featuring dozens of coats of pearlescent paint, gold-plated trim, and luxury amenities. Elvis reportedly spent about $100,000 on the project, and today the Elvis Gold Cadillac is part of the permanent collection at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee.

Barris, known as the “King of Kustomizers,” collaborated with Elvis on several ambitious automotive projects, making him the natural choice to bring another Cadillac concept to life. Although Elvis died before the Elvis Dream Cadillac could be built, Barris later completed the custom car from a concept they had developed together. Today, the one-of-a-kind automobile is one of the signature exhibits at Tommy Bolack’s Electromechanical Museum in Farmington, New Mexico, making it one of the more memorable New Mexico road trip stops for travelers exploring the Four Corners region and its many historic attractions along the way.

The Elvis Dream Cadillac: A Barris Tribute to the King

Key takeaway: The Elvis Dream Cadillac is not a car Elvis Presley owned or drove. Instead, it is the posthumous realization of a custom Cadillac concept that Elvis and legendary designer George Barris reportedly developed together in the late 1960s, then brought to life in 1986.

The story of the Elvis Dream Cadillac begins years before the car itself existed. According to documented auction provenance, Elvis Presley and George Barris discussed creating a one-of-a-kind gold-plated Cadillac Eldorado convertible that reflected Elvis’s personal style and love of luxury automobiles. Before Barris could build it, Elvis died on August 16, 1977. The concept remained unfinished for nearly a decade.

In 1986, representatives of the Elvis Presley Cosmetics Company (E.P. Cosmetics) contacted Barris to complete the project Elvis had envisioned. Working from a 1965 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible, Barris coach-built the Elvis Dream Cadillac. The distinction is important: Elvis conceived the idea but never saw the finished automobile. The completed Elvis Cadillac is the realization of his design concept, built after his death by the customizer who had created several of his most famous vehicles.

Barris spared little expense in creating a showpiece worthy of Elvis’s legacy. Tommy Bolack’s Electromechanical Museum describes the finish as 37 layers of gold pearlescent lacquer paint, while some independent sources count 40 coats using a different method. The exterior features 14-karat gold-plated trim and components, hand-swirled gold leaf striping by renowned pinstriper Bob Bond, and a custom-machined “E.P.” hood ornament. Inside, automotive designer Dick Dean developed the upholstery concept, with guitar-shaped sun visors paying tribute to Elvis’s musical career. Every detail reflects the bold styling that made Barris one of Hollywood’s leading custom car builders.

The Elvis Dream Cadillac made its public debut at the Equestrian Center in Toluca Lake, California. In 1987, the car began a nationwide promotional tour sponsored by E.P. Cosmetics. Barris Kustom Industries later acquired the vehicle and continued exhibiting it at major automotive events, including World of Wheels, Autorama, and Rod & Custom shows throughout the United States and Canada during the late 1980s and 1990s.

Years later, Tommy Bolack acquired the Elvis Dream Cadillac from a collector in Las Vegas, Nevada, ensuring the one-of-a-kind automobile would become part of a permanent public collection. Today, it is one of the most photographed exhibits at Tommy Bolack’s Electromechanical Museum on the B Square Ranch in Farmington, New Mexico. For travelers planning a Four Corners road trip or looking for memorable New Mexico road trip stops, it offers a chance to see one of the country’s most unusual Elvis exhibits while exploring one of the region’s most distinctive museums.

For additional documentation about the car’s provenance, specifications, and build history, see the Bonhams auction lot description.

Where to See Elvis Presley’s Cadillacs Today

Elvis Presley fans can see several of his most famous Cadillacs at museums across the United States. If you’re planning a Four Corners road trip, Tommy Bolack’s Electromechanical Museum in Farmington, New Mexico, is the only place to see the one-of-a-kind Elvis Dream Cadillac. 

Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, is home to Elvis’s iconic pink 1955 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special and several other vehicles from his personal collection. The automobile museum is one of Graceland’s most popular attractions and is included with paid admission.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, displays Elvis’s custom 1960 Gold Cadillac Series 75 Fleetwood. Created by George Barris, the limousine became famous for its shimmering pearlescent finish, gold-plated details, and extravagant styling.

Tommy Bolack’s Electromechanical Museum in Farmington, New Mexico, displays the Elvis Dream Cadillac, a custom 1965 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible built by George Barris for the Elvis Presley Cosmetics Company from a design concept developed with Elvis Presley. The museum’s 3.5-acre campus also features thousands of historic automobiles, military vehicles, planes, communications artifacts, and other technological exhibits. Admission is free, making it an easy stop while exploring the Four Corners region.

See the Elvis Dream Cadillac at Tommy Bolack’s Electromechanical Museum. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and admission is free. Call 505-325-4275 or visit the Electromechanical Museum and visitor information pages to plan your visit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Cadillacs did Elvis Presley own?

Elvis Presley reportedly purchased more than 100 Cadillacs during his lifetime, making the luxury automaker a defining part of his public image. He became famous for buying Cadillacs not only for himself but also as gifts for family members, friends, employees, and even people he had just met. Among the best-known vehicles associated with Elvis are the pink 1955 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special, now displayed at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, and the lavishly customized 1960 Gold Cadillac Series 75 Fleetwood displayed at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville.

What is the Elvis Dream Cadillac?

The Elvis Dream Cadillac is a custom 1965 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible built by legendary Hollywood customizer George Barris for the Elvis Presley Cosmetics Company in 1986. According to documented provenance, Elvis Presley and Barris developed the concept together in the late 1960s, but Elvis died before the car could be built. Barris later completed the project using gold pearlescent paint, 14-karat gold-plated trim, custom interior details, and other one-of-a-kind features. Today, the Elvis Dream Cadillac is on permanent display at Tommy Bolack’s Electromechanical Museum in Farmington, New Mexico.

Who was George Barris?

George Barris (1925-2015) was one of the most influential custom car designers in American automotive history. Often called the “King of Kustomizers,” Barris built many of Hollywood’s most recognizable vehicles, including the original 1966 Batmobile, the Munster Koach, and the Beverly Hillbillies truck. Barris also worked closely with Elvis Presley for many years, creating several custom Cadillacs, including the famous 1960 Gold Cadillac. That long relationship eventually led to the creation of the Elvis Dream Cadillac, completed after Elvis’s death using a concept the two had developed together.

Where is Elvis Presley’s Gold Cadillac?

Elvis Presley’s famous 1960 Gold Cadillac Series 75 Fleetwood is on permanent display at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. Customized by George Barris, the limousine features 40 coats of diamond dust pearl paint, gold-plated trim, a television, record player, telephone, refrigerator, and other luxury amenities that reflected Elvis’s larger-than-life style. Because of its size, the vehicle had to be airlifted into the museum during installation. Today, it remains one of the museum’s most popular exhibits and one of the most celebrated automobiles in Elvis Presley’s collection.

Can you see an Elvis Cadillac at the Bolack Museum?

Yes. The Elvis Dream Cadillac is on permanent display at Tommy Bolack’s Electromechanical Museum, 3901 Bloomfield Highway, Farmington, NM 87401. Built by George Barris for the Elvis Presley Cosmetics Company, the custom 1965 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible is one of the museum’s most photographed exhibits. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and admission is free. To plan your visit, call 505-325-4275, or review the visitor information page. You can also schedule a guided tour by contacting the museum directly.