Elvis’ car has arrived at the building. It’s literally 41 feet long, which is a big deal.
The sparkling pink Cadillac, modified to look like a guitar, has a new home at Orlando Auto Museum, an attraction within Deserland Park on International Drive.
The vehicle, known to be driven by Elvis Presley at a concert in Las Vegas, was purchased by South Florida developer Michael Deser and the owner of Deserland Park auto collector. This car was located in France, where we spent a huge amount of time in a junkyard and on top of a shopping mall.
It began as the 1970 Cadillac Eldorado and later split into the middle to realize Jay Orberg’s design. The engine is maintained up front, with a long, thin extension like a guitar neck connecting to the back half of the car and its one seat.
Originally there was a “string” that ran from front to back, with the tuner adjacent to the hood and fiberglass added to the back to make it look like an instrument from above.
Therefore, Elvis’ “guitar car.”
“The museum’s curator is a great place to be.” “It’s still a piece to watch,” he said.
The mystery surrounds the car’s post-Vegas journey, but here is one certainty. I need work. There are rusty spots, damage to the body where the correction is attached. There is worn and exposed wood around the seats. There is no hub cap.
Under the hood, workers quickly noticed that distributors and other important parts were missing. The engine didn’t run and 15 people were needed to pilot the car into the backstage area of Deserland on Wednesday.
“It’s been decades since I was seen, but most of that time I was actually outside in the junkyard, so I took all the elements,” Morales said.
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The car features strange details. It was topped with a futuristic clear dome (but no windshield) as the sound of the sides, oversized tail fins, and a once-fitting seating area. The logo on the side, including the Rolling Stones-like tongue symbol and two women in boots and bikini, is written “Hollywood Star Car.”
In other ways, it looks normal. The front license plate is probably novelty, and is originally from Tennessee, registered in 1977.
The key is on the ignition.
“Like this, few cars capture the spirit of American music and culture,” Dezer said in a news release. “We are proud to bring this extraordinary Elvis history back to the US and make it possible for fans to see it up close.”
“Guitar cars” have been out of the US for years. Orlando Auto Museum plans to repair it with public observation. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
The custom-made guitar-shaped car, once belonging to Elvis, arrived at Deserland Park Orlando on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. The Orlando Auto Museum, an attraction in Deserland, will sell around $1 million on cars and set up a location where Auto Museum guests can watch the resting process. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
The custom-made guitar-shaped car, once belonging to Elvis, arrived at Deserland Park Orlando on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. The Orlando Auto Museum, an attraction in Deserland, will sell around $1 million on cars and set up a location where Auto Museum guests can watch the resting process. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
The custom-made guitar-shaped car, once belonging to Elvis, arrived at Deserland Park Orlando on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. The Orlando Auto Museum, an attraction in Deserland, will sell around $1 million on cars and set up a location where Auto Museum guests can watch the resting process. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
The custom-made guitar-shaped car, once belonging to Elvis, arrived at Deserland Park Orlando on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. The Orlando Auto Museum, an attraction in Deserland, will sell around $1 million on cars and set up a location where Auto Museum guests can watch the resting process. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
The custom-made guitar-shaped car, once belonging to Elvis, arrived at Deserland Park Orlando on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. The Orlando Auto Museum, an attraction in Deserland, will sell around $1 million on cars and set up a location where Auto Museum guests can watch the resting process. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
The custom-made guitar-shaped car, once belonging to Elvis, arrived at Deserland Park Orlando on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. The Orlando Auto Museum, an attraction in Deserland, will sell around $1 million on cars and set up a location where Auto Museum guests can watch the resting process. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
A custom-made Elvis themed car (Ricardalo Mirez Bacceda/Orlando Sentinel) that is part of the collection on display at Deserland Park Orlando on Wednesday, September 3, 2025
A custom-made Elvis themed car (Ricardalo Mirez Bacceda/Orlando Sentinel) that is part of the collection on display at Deserland Park Orlando on Wednesday, September 3, 2025
A custom-made Elvis themed car (Ricardalo Mirez Bacceda/Orlando Sentinel) that is part of the collection on display at Deserland Park Orlando on Wednesday, September 3, 2025
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“Guitar cars” have been out of the US for years. Orlando Auto Museum plans to repair it with public observation. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
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The purchase price for the Dezer guitar car has not been revealed. His Orlando Auto Museum features over 2,500 rare and famous vehicles, over $200 million. The collection includes films, international oddities, military vehicles, bone que items, the world’s longest limousine, cars from O’Herberg creations.
The guitar car was originally listed on eBay, and in the US it is seeking a bid of 10,000 euros, worth around $11,000.
The museum plans to restore the vehicles so that visitors can see the progress. We plan to start public parts in a month or two.
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“I don’t think he (Dezer) will spare the costs of the repair process, but there are plenty of panels and items needed to rebuild or create,” Morales said.
The project takes a year and costs $1 million.
“By the way people come here during opening hours and see all of our social media posts, we’re very excited because it’s something we don’t do here often,” Morales said.
dbevil@orlandosentinel.com
Original issue: September 4th, 2025, 9:09am EDT
