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Quick, when did Cadillac make its first station wagon? If you said the 2010 Cadillac CTS, you’re technically correct. That was certainly the first factory-built wagon Cadillac sold in North America. But, that didn’t stop Elvis Presley from ordering a one-off custom station wagon version of a 1972 de Ville.

The story goes that the American Sunroof Company offered station wagon conversions. But only two folks sent them 1972 de Ville’s for a wagon build: Dean Martin and Elvis Presley. Presley’s build was by far the more opulent. Not only did he ask to have a station wagon roof fitted on the pillarless sedan, but he swapped all its emblems out for 24-karat gold ones. He even had the spoked wheels gold-coated.

Here’s the wild thing, this one-off station wagon wasn’t for Elvis himself. The ever-generous Presley had it built for his longtime manager, Colonel Parker.

Custom 1972 Cadillac de Ville station wagon
Elvis’ 1972 Cadillac de Ville wagon | Mecum Auctions

During those days, Elvis was a fixture at the Westgate Casino in Las Vegas, where he had a residency. He also had a home in Beverly Hills. Because a regular Cadillac didn’t have nearly enough room for all his music equipment, Elvis borrowed the Colonel’s Cadillac wagon back so often, Parker just gave the car to the King.

Rumor has it that the 375 horsepower wagon became Elvis’ favorite Cadillac by far. And the fact is that it clocked 73,000 miles. In fact, he had another one built for his Graceland home when he sent a 1974 de Ville to the American Sunroof Company.

So what’s this custom-built Cadillac wagon worth? Well it was listed on eBay with a buy-it-now of $500k, but then pulled from the site when it was sold by Mecum Auctions instead. The 1974 Wagon was tucked away in a barn for decades, then sold for $200,000, though that was not an auction.

Next, read about the hunt for Presley’s long-lost 74 wagon, or see more about Elvis Presley’s car collection in the video below:

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.