Elvis acquired the roadster in 1958 while serving in the military in Germany. In 1960, he was discharged with the rank of sergeant and returned to the US, bringing the car with him. However, two years later, the singer traded it in at a Chrysler dealership in New York, and the roadster then ended up in Alabama, where it was modified for racing.
The owner replaced many original components, and the most significant modification involved the engine: the original 3.2-liter V8 was replaced with a Chevrolet V8. Additionally, while Elvis still owned the car, it was repainted from white to red. This was done so that the singer's female fans would no longer leave love declarations written in lipstick on the body.
The roadster was sent to the BMW museum by American collector Jack Castor, who had owned it since 1968. After carefully studying the car's history and learning of its historical value, he wanted to restore it. Castor meticulously collected original parts and dreamed of one day returning the roadster to its original appearance.
Ultimately, after lengthy consultations with the German brand's engineers, in the spring of 2014 Castor sold the 507 to the BMW museum. The collector passed away in November 2014 at the age of 77.
BMW staff returned the standard engine to the roadster, installed other original parts, and repainted the body in its original color. The public premiere of the unique model will take place on August 21 at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, during which BMW will honor the memory of Jack Castor.
