Celebrity cars at Imperial Palace auction

Monday, March 16, 1998 | 10:20 a.m.

One vehicle featured at this year's event is Cher's 1956 Ford F-100 pickup truck. The truck has undergone a complete frame-off restoration, which included upgrading the performance and appearance of the truck. From the 1995 7.5 fuel injection engine to the black leather seats with sterling silver buttons, Cher created a driving masterpiece.

Elvis Presley is represented by three vehicles: 1 1966 Chrysler Imperial, a 1969 Mercedes-Benz 600 SWB limousine and a 1976 Cadillac Seville.

A 1955 Ford Thunderbird, formerly owned by Beach Boys' Brian Wilson, will also take a spin across the auction block. The red convertible is autographed on the hood by all four of the Beach Boys.

Additional star cars featured include a 1965 Rolls Royce Phantom V limousine, formerly owned by John Lennon; Sammy Davis Jr.'s 1964 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III Mulliner drophead coupe LHD and 1972 Stutz Blackhawk; a 1956 Jaguar XK140MC Ghia coupe once owned by Ricardo Montalban; and Mel Blanc's 1973 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spyder.

Two prsidential vehicles will also be available for purchase: President Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1938 Cadillac convertible parade car and President Dwight D. Eisenbower's 1956 Cadillac convertible parade car.

Another vehicle up for big will be the 1936 Buck McLaughlin Series 90 sedan, once owned by the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

In addition to the star cars, the 10th annual auction will feature more than 400 antique, classic, collector and special-interest vehicles. The auction begins at 10 a.m. March-21-23 at the Imperial Palace. Gates open at 8 a.m. both days. The bidder's fee is $100 and general admission is $10.

For more information, call (510) 736-0695 or visit the website at http://www.vegasauction.com.