Rock ‘n’ roll fans with a passion for automobiles will be thrilled with the next auction at Julien’s Auctions. Three motorboats that belonged to Paul McCartney, Elvis and Slash, notable figures in the international music scene, will be offered at the auction to be presented next November at the Hard Rock Café in Nashville, Tennessee.
These include the double-decker bus used by Paul McCartney and his band Wings in 1972, Elvis Presley’s 1977 Lincoln Continental Mark V and the 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Stignray owned by Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash.
These vehicles appear in the sale’s catalog, “Played, Worn, and Torn: Rock’n’Roll Iconic Guitars and Memorabilia,” which features more than 1,000 musical instruments, clothing and other relics related to the history of popular artists and groups such as Mötley Crüe, Elton John, the Foo Fighters, George Michael, Bill Wyman, The Police, Steve Vai, Michael Anthony of Van Halen, Kurt Cobain and Eric Clapton.
A psychedelic double-decker bus
Paul McCartney’s bus will of course be the main attraction of this auction, but also the largest item we will see there. This double-decker bus, a 1953 Bristol KSW 5G ECW, commemorates McCartney’s transition from the Beatles era to that of Wings, his ’70s band.
In the summer of 1972, Paul and Linda McCartney embarked on a debut tour with Denny Laine, Henry McCullough and Denny Seiwell Wings entitled The Paul McCartney & Wings Over Europe.
This psychedelic-looking bus will transport the group’s members and their families over 12,000 kilometers across nine European countries: France, Germany, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. We will therefore see him at the group’s concerts, but also at meetings where the media and Wings fans come together. This recently restored bus is estimated to be worth between $200,000 and $300,000.
A carriage for the king
The King of Rock and Roll’s Lincoln will undoubtedly attract great interest from collectors. According to Jimmy Velvet, who was president of the Elvis Presley Museum in 1990, this 1977 Lincoln Continental Mark V was one of the last cars Elvis purchased. He acquired it a few months before his death on August 16, 1977.
According to an affidavit provided to Julien’s Auctions at a previous sale in 2020 where this car was offered, the purchase of this Lincoln dates back to December 1976. At this time, Elvis was performing at the Hilton International in Las Vegas. His girlfriend at the time, Ginger Alden, pretended to want to buy a new car without knowing what color to choose and suggested him to choose a white car.
In just 12 hours, this white Lincoln was found at Star Lincoln Mercury Sales Inc. from Glendale, California, and it was reportedly delivered to him in Las Vegas. He then allegedly brought Ginger outside the hotel where this Lincoln was parked to give her the keys and give her a gift!
This Mark V cost $13,500. It was powered by a 6.6 L (400 cu in) Cleveland V8 with 179 hp and 329 lb-ft of torque, mated to a 3-speed automatic transmission.
This long car would have been used regularly by the couple. She can be seen in many hastily taken paparazzi photos at the time, including when Elvis drove Ginger to her grandfather’s funeral.
This car was offered to Julien’s customers at an auction in June 2020. Elvis’ Mark V then found a buyer for $62,500. For this new sale, the company’s specialists are optimistic and estimate that a price between 200,000 and 300,000 US dollars could be obtained.
The Corvette that replaced a CRX
The 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray that belonged to Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash (Saul Hudson) is sure to be another star of this auction.
In an interview with the American publication Vette Magazine (which existed from 1976 to 2019), Slash says that he bought his Corvette in 1988 during the first hours of Guns N’Roses’ fame. It was one of the first “big purchases” of that time and was offered at the time. He said: “I had a Honda CRX before but that doesn’t count as a real car. All important elements [de cette Corvette] are original. I hate the idea of parting with it, but it never runs… I’m always on the go! »
The Corvette features a 7.0-liter 427 V8 engine with 390 hp and 460 lb-ft and a Muncie four-speed manual transmission. According to Julien’s, the car has covered 35,164 miles and is currently largely in original condition, with vinyl bucket seats and a sports steering wheel with a wood flange.
As with Elvis’ Lincoln, this is the second time this car has appeared in the catalog of a Julien’s auction. In March 2011, a collector paid $115,200 for this Corvette at an auction dedicated entirely to Slash. Curiously, Julien’s experts estimate that his current value is only between $100,000 and $200,000.
Photos: Julien’s Auctions
The text motor stars of Paul McCartney, Elvis and Slash at Julien’s Auctions’ Hard Rock Café sale. comes from L’annuel de l’automobile – automotive news