General Motors updated their C-Series line of trucks in 1967. The Chevy version was known as the C-10, while the GMC edition was identified as simply a ½ or ¾ ton truck. This pickup is said to have been one of three purchased at the same time by Elvis Presley to use at his Circle G Ranch and maybe the only one that has survived. It has changed hands several times over the years and received a frame-on restoration not too long ago. The truck will be auctioned off on February 28, 2021 on-site in Greensboro, North Carolina and is detailed here on GA Classic Cars at the Palace. There is no indication of what the starting bid or reserve is, but they may be divulged to registered buyers. Thanks, Mitchell G, for bringing this bit of Elvis automotive trivia our way!
Vehicles with a story are far more interesting to cover – and this one does have a story! Elvis Presley bought three 1967 GMC ½ pickups at the local dealer in Senatobia, Mississippi in February of that year. We don’t know whether Elvis himself picked them out or whether a proxy handled the details. Being red, blue and green in their colors, they were all destined for his area ranch. About a year later, the truck broke down while on a road trip and was traded at a dealer in Maryland so the journey could continue (they were picking up horses). From there, the ownership situation of the truck gets blurry, but it looks as though it took three more owners to get it into the hands of the curator of an Elvis Presley Museum.
The museum connection led to the truck being on display over the years in Niagara Falls, New York; Canada; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and finally, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The last set of owners had the truck shipped to Georgia where a restoration was undertaken. The history of this truck is said to be documented in the book, “Hurry Home Elvis”, a collection of excerpts from the diaries of the daughter of the foreman of Elvis’ ranch. A copy of the book is included in the sale of the truck.
Restoration efforts on the pickup began about four years ago. The bed was removed for the project, but the cab was not. The initiative uncovered multiple colors on the GMC, so it was in the paint shop on several occasions. The photos depict a truck that is now straight and rust-free with a fair amount of documentation to support the storyline. If you check out the dashboard, you’ll see that it was signed by Blake Shelton and Jay Leno (Gwen wasn’t available?).
The motor was removed and detailed but not likely rebuilt. With 83,000 estimated miles on the truck, it is said to run and drive very well with a 3-speed manual transmission. Under the hood should be a 250 cubic inch inline-6 that is rated at 155 hp through a one-barrel carb. When the buyer takes delivery, he/she will receive boxes of original parts that were saved from the restoration. The Elvis connection aside, what’s a truck like this worth? Hagerty thinks $6,600 in Fair condition and $27,300 for Concours. This edition is likely to run to the high end of that spectrum, but will the “Hunka Hunka Burning Love” factor add a premium to the tab?
You think Elvis could drive three in the tree.? Where would his girl of the day sit?
Well, since a “three on the tree” is shifted FROM THE STEERING COLUMN I would assume she would sit on the seat right next to him.
When he got to third gear his hand would be perfectly positioned to move into overdrive:)
This is a mighty tenuous Elvis related sighting…….he bought th truck…..once.
Now if Big Mama Thornton owned this and drove it, I’d git excited.
But it is pretty.
Only worth anything extra if they had pictures of Elvis going around the world with Ann Margret in the truck bed. Otherwise, what is a work truck for the hired help really worth anyway? Going to start selling off the urinals in the employee rest room too?
They are? What a pisser!
Likely wherever Elvis told her to sit. I think I know. Lol
I’m sure Elvis had some money laying around at this point, but a straight 6 and a 3 speed? This was obviously meant for the hired help and I’d bet Elvis never laid a hand on it… I like the looks of it but too bad it’s not a Chev, never like that GMC grille. Wouldn’t kick it out of my driveway though…
I always thought one of his only pickups had 2 am radio stations written on the metal dash!
Suspicious Minds like mine are curious to what this thing is going to sell for. I’ve got a Burning Love to own this truck, mostly because of the Elvis factor, but I would definitely be living in Heartbreak Hotel after my wife found out that I bought it.
Yeah, she would probably Return to Sender…
Looks like it could be another “Elvis Impersonator” GMC truck.
Can’t you just see Elvis tooling around Graceland in this? Neither can I.
Maybe this is really a Ford, and Elvis was really Sam Walton.
I think the steering wheel and seat cover need to be Returned to Sender…
Both wrong for this make / model / year
Other than that, as plain as it gets and I agree it was likely never touched by the King himself.
The old pic of a green truck on the ranch has the lower chrome trim that was present on higher trim-level trucks. Assuming this truck never had that trim (which seems a reasonable assumption given the white grill, bare tailgate, and being restored without it), then it isn’t the one in the old picture.
I would have to agree Jeff, why restore the truck and not include the trim that was obviously present in the historical picture.
Growing up in SoCal I only remember seeing one truck with the dealer name painted on the rear bumper. It was from out of state I recall–wonder if that was a southern thing?
No, it’s a southern ‘THANG’.
Many dealers here in OR used those bumpers. Since the PUs came w/out a rear bumper (unless a chrome one was ordered), dealers sold the ‘heavy duty’ bumpers like on this GMC with their names on them. Very common in the 60s.
Unless it comes with a peanut butter and nanner sandwich, and a bag of ludes, well then I don’t want it. Oh and throw in his old DEA badge that Nixon gave him, just because….
Now thats funny! Dont forgrt the polyester sequined clown suit!
The “history” of this truck makes me want to shoot my TV. (maybe that is also a Southern Thang?)
Wise men say only fools rush in, but I can’t help falling in love with you.
This truck was at my Brothers shop in Stuarts draft Virginia about a year or so ago. I believe my brother did the carb work on it to get it it running smoothly for Leno and Shelton!
I think this truck was owned by John Voight at one time also.
“Jon” Voight if I remember correctly.
Think I saw it at the Costanza place in the Hamptons once. If recall correctly he was delivering computers in it.
Elvis, eh? “Uh-huh,huh”,,,this is incredibly misleading. I did find a picture of A ’67 GMC, but it wasn’t his. I read, Elvis Presley ENTERPRISES, bought 3, a red one, a blue one, and a green one, for use on his “Circle G” Ranch in Horn Lake, Miss. While similarly optioned, it had different mirrors, different color, and chrome trim down the side. Sorry, I don’t think this is it. Nice truck, tho.
Gillespie called, he wants those dog dish hubcaps back!
Speaking of suspicious minds, how can anyone prove this is the real deal with the original registration and paperwork?
Just because it’s signed by Blake Shelton and Jay Leno doesn’t make it so.
This is a mix and match of parts. Amateur “restoration” where they used trim from the wrong year, brand, and model. This truck may have originally had the lower body trim. But who knows. The mileage is unknown as that gauge did not come with this truck. Good news is that rebuilding that engine is cheap and a breeze. I agree that it’s an interesting story but Elvis certainly never drove it, at best he walked by it a couple times.
Saw the episode of Jay Lenno’s Garage when Blake Shelton and Jay Lenno drove the truck around. Jay talked about the truck and it’s history of ownership by Elvis at length. I think he even showed Blake a copy of the original registration or some form of the truck’s original paperwork signed by Elvis. Was a nice driving truck.
Well, OK then. ;-)
GMC trucks of that era are designated 1500 / 1/2 T
2500 / 3/4 T
3500 / 1 T
Either a terrible attempt at a restoration or not the same truck.
I love the ’67 GMC because my grandpa had one and we had a lot of years of fun with that old truck. His was a straight 6 with 4 on the floor, with 1st gear being the granny gear. We used to load up bushels of apples and take them to the farmers market to sell. We always had a good time together doing that. Not too impressed with the Elvis connection as his crew abandoned the truck when something went wrong with it. Didn’t appreciate what he had.
Elvis was too busy eating banana and bacon sandwiches and popping pills to appreciate much of anything.
Ok, I get that Jay and Blake drove it around. But why did they have to sign the dash? IF, and it’s a giant IF Elvis bought it, and being an old collector of things Elvis, the LAST thing I’d want would be Jay or Blake’s autograph on the dash. That to me just shot the value waaaay down. Suppose Jay took ol Blake out in Carroll’s Shelby or Steve’s Mustang Fastback and they signed THOSE dashes? Heads would roll. Juuuust sayin.
Amishtrucker just nailed it. This celebrity stuff is out of hand and adds nothing to anything, especially when the “anything” is questionable to begin with.
It’s questionable that Elvis owned it. I don’t see any bullet holes.
Yes Elvis could drive 3 in the tree. His Girl would sit next to him. Elvis bought a ranch in northern Mississippi. Back in the 60es.And Elvis can be seen behind the wheel of a pickup truck. The Ranch was named Circle G Ranch.