Stutz Meet 2004
August, 13th - 15th
Graceland (Memphis, TN)
A lot of Stutz-fans liked the
idea of having a Stutz-Meet, but when, and where?
Butch Sedlow brought up the
idea to have it at Graceland, during Elvis Memorial Week 2004 (August,
7th - 16th).
I liked the idea, and so we
started to organise the very first Stutz-Meet for cars of the Exner-era,
built between 1969 and 1995.
Finally, 13 Stutzes showed up
on Friday, August, 13th.
Absolutely no reason for being
superstitious!
At the Elvis Car Museum, there
were his two Stutzes, so we had 15 Stutzes at Graceland.
In addition to these Stutzes,
there were a 1985 Bayliff-Packard
Ambulance-Hearse Combo,
a Stutz-Truck,
and some additional Stutz-owners without cars, and (of course) some Stutz-fans,
like me.
The Cars:
Branko Kavcic brought the very
first Blackhawk to the Meet, from Canada!
This is car #1, the only car that is older than Elvis'
prototype, which is in the Elvis car-museum.
Ken Ramsey showed his beautiful
1971 Blackhawk,
titled in 1972, but produced in late December 1971,
showing the split-windshield of the 1971 models.
Butch Sedlow and his 1972
Blackhawk.
Without him, we still would dream of a Stutz-Meet...
This 1974 Blackhawk belonged to Evel Knievel, now it is owned by John Palermo.
Mike Armour brought this 1974 Blackhawk to the photo-session on Graceland.
Tony Grova, an Elvis-impersonator showed one
of his 1974 Blackhawks,
this car once belonged to a Middle East Prince.
Another 1974 Blackhawk, owned by Phil Iturbide.
Clayton Crowe towed this 1975 Blackhawk to the Meet.
Coming from Canada, Adrian Chadwicks 1976 Blackhawk.
1976 Blackhawk, ordered by Joseph Graue, now owned by his daughter, and her husband, Dee and Ken Kramer
To late for the photo-session on Graceland, the 1977 Blackhawk, owned by James Frye.
Jim Milliken showed his 1981 Blackhawk.
The only 4-door-model at the Meet, a rare 1986 Victoria.
Not a Stutz, but a Stutz-Truck, it contained the two Blackhawks from Canada.
Definitely no Stutz.
It's a Packard, based on a Buick, rebodied by Bayliff.
The owner Patrick Martin often heard the comment that
his car looks like a Stutz,
so he attended the Meet to get some photos showing
the difference...
The Event:
The Stutz-Meet started on Friday, 13th, early in the morning, with a photo-session on Graceland.
HERE you can see some of the photos.
After that, the cars were shown at the parking lot,
next to Elvis' airplanes (Lisa Marie).
On Saturday, the cars were shown from 2:00PM to 6:00PM,
and on Sunday from 10:00AM to 2:00PM, officially,
but most of the Stutzes came earlier, and stayed longer.
My first trip to the United States started earlier,
in Florida,
and so I have seen more than these 15 Stutzes.
In total, I have seen 22 Stutzes,
within three weeks.
And I have visited Mr.
Virgil Exner, jr., so you can expect a lot of new information...
Please note:
All these pictures are copyrighted!
All rights reserved.
Elvis, Graceland, etc. are registered trademarks of
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
Stutzes
on Graceland
stutzy
memorabila, made for the Stutz-Meet 2004
Adrian
Chadwick's photos
Fred Kendall's
photos
Jim
Milliken's photos
Bryan
Ramsey's photos
Lee Secrest's
photos
Butch
Sedlow's photos
