The very first Blackhawk sold was purchased by Elvis Presley on October 9, 1970 for US$26,500. This was the 2nd Blackhawk prototype, as built by Carrozzeria Padane (the first one, built by Ghia, was driven by James O'Donnell himself). Frank Sinatra had vied with Presley for the car. Sinatra was offered the 2nd prototype on the condition that the distributor, Jules Meyers, could show the car at the L.A. Auto show and got publicity photos with Sinatra at delivery. Sinatra declined but Presley accepted and ended up with the car. Presley had it customized by George Barris after purchase. In January 1971 Presley had a mobile telephone installed for US$1,467.50. In July 1971 a hired driver totaled the car. Distributor Jules Meyers offered US$1,000 for the wreck but Presley declined and put the wrecked car in storage. It was only restored, with non-original parts, after his death and can now be seen at the Graceland museum. Presley bought at least three more Blackhawks and leased one other (he bought a black 1971 for himself and a white 1971 for his Las Vegas doctor Elias Ghanem, and leased a white 1972 and a black 1973, his favorite Blackhawk, which car he purchased at the end of the lease; this 1973 car is also on display at Graceland).[8][9]
Other famous owners included **** Martin (1971), Lucille Ball (who got her 1971 Blackhawk as a gift from her husband Gary Morton with a dash plaque saying I Love Lucy - Gary), Sammy Davis Jr. (who owned two 1972, one for himself and one for his wife), Dean Martin (who owned three and crashed his 1972 Blackhawk with vanity plate DRUNKY), Robert Goulet (1972), Evel Knievel (1974), Wilson Pickett (1974), Luigi Colani (1974), Johnnie Taylor (1975), Johnny Cash (1975), Curd Jürgens (1977), Larry Holmes (1982), as well as Jerry Lewis, Liberace, Willie Nelson, Lou Brock, Isaac Hayes, Muhammed Ali, George Foreman, Tom Jones, Billy Joel, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Al Pacino, Wayne Newton and H.B. Halicki. The Shah of Iran reportedly owned twelve of them. Stutz collector Ken Ramsey owns at least ten Blackhawks.[10]