(first posted 2/17/2012) Aside from my well-known love of old cars, I am also a huge fan of Frank Sinatra. From his early days as The Voice to his twilight in the 1990s, Ol’ Blue Eyes was a singular force in the world of music. I have always been interested in the cars of all of my favorite musicians. Unfortunately, this information is usually very hard to come by, if available at all. Fortunately, Sinatra’s life is well enough documented that we can at least find a few of them.
Sinatra got his big break in 1939 when he signed with the Harry James big band. His first recording with the band (All Or Nothing At All) only sold about 8,000 copies that year, but it would go on to sell millions as he became better known. It seems that through his life, Frank Sinatra was, at least part of the time, a Chrysler guy. Although I have not verified this recently, I recall reading in a biography that when he got married to his first wife Nancy in 1939, they went on their honeymoon in a 1939 Chrysler.
Sinatra became famous with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and, in 1942, began his solo career. The Voice, as he was known then, had a string of hit records and could send most any teenage girl into a faint. What was he driving in those years? I have to speculate here, and if guessing, wouldn’t it have to be a Lincoln Continental? After all, if all the other big stars like Rita Hayworth had one, surely Sinatra did as well.
Some say that the greatest single record Sinatra ever recorded was I’m A Fool To Want You. Recorded in 1951 during a long, slow decline in his popularity and during his tumultuous relationship with Ava Gardner, Sinatra did the song in a single take. Then, without saying a word, he strode out of the Columbia Records studio into the night. Wouldn’t a real fan want to know what car he got into? It bothers me that I cannot complete this mental image. I like to think that maybe it was a new Hemi Imperial, but I am probably dreaming.
But I can move us into the high-flying 1950s when he revived his career with a fresh artistic wind. A series of successful records backed by Nelson Riddle on the Capitol label and starring roles in a series of critically acclaimed films, he was at the top of his game. In 1955 he recorded what is, in my opinion, one of the best up-tempo albums of his career – Songs for Swingin’ Lovers. And that year, he did his own swingin’ in this 1955 Thunderbird.
By the next year, he was moving up. In 1956, he co-starred with Grace Kelley and Bing Crosby in High Society, a remake of the 1940 Cary Grant-Katherine Hepburn picture The Philadelphia Story. With the combination of Cole Porter’s songs and Sinatra’s voice and natural acting abilities, the movie was a huge hit. Sinatra moved into automotive High Society with his next car, a Continental Mark II. At $10,000 in 1956, this was the car that Henry Ford II used to try to put Lincoln back onto the prestige car map. Although the Mark II failed at this mission, it was quite a car. And Sinatra had one.
Sinatra’s dice remained hot in 1957. His best remembered work of the year is probably his Capitol album Come Fly With Me. I have always loved the Lockheed Constellation on the cover. The album’s theme was a musical trip to exotic places, and then back home. Sinatra’s Dual Ghia was sort of an exotic place all by itself. The car is an interesting mix of Virgil Exner’s designs, Ghia’s prototypes and Chrysler drivetrains. It is an interesting story that we do not have time for on this tour.
1958 brought the acclaimed album Only the Lonely, a classic collection of songs about heartbreak. The 1958 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham was a kind of heartbreak for Cadillac, as the division lost a ton of money on each one of the $14,000 cars. The Eldo Brougham was a semi-custom built four door hardtop with suicide doors and a stainless steel roof. This is the one that graced the Sinatra garage.
By 1962, Sinatra was continuing his upward mobility. He now owned his own record label, Reprise Records, and his albums continued to spin on turntables everywhere, at least everywhere where there were adults and martinis. That same year, The Manchurian Candidate hit the movie screens in what became one of his most critically acclaimed movies. Sinatra’s Chrysler thread picked up again with the 1962 Dual Ghia L6.4, the second generation of Chrysler-powered semi-customs.
Frank Sinatra turned 50 in 1965. Everyone has a mid-life crisis, I suppose, and I guess he did too. This customized Mustang would seem to fit the bill for a midlife crisis car.
But apparently not. By 1969, he retired, he married a much-younger Mia Farrow (for whom he reportedly bought a 1969 Mark III) and he went way out there for his next car. A 1969 Lamborghini Miura.
In 1980, Sinatra turned 65 and was enjoying a resurgence in his popularity and seemed to be returning to his musical and cultural roots. He had a hit song (New York, New York). He had a hit album (Trilogy). And even a new movie (The First Deadly Sin). And, of course, we know that he spent some time in his own 1981 Imperial (CC here). Does his musical commercial count as a hit?
But what was his last car? The answer will surprise you – it did me. Life has a way of coming full circle, and Sinatra’s automotive history does the same. His last car is reported to be a 1985 Chrysler LeBaron Town and Country wagon. Even Frank Sinatra eventually put the old flash and swagger aside as he got older and could be satisfied with a very modest car.
So, as it turns out, Frank Sinatra really was a Chrysler man at heart. Or maybe the T&C was a warranty replacement for the ’81 Imperial?
I gotta ask, was the T&C a turbo?
yes, mitsubishi 2.0 turbo engine…
No. It might be a Mitsubishi 2.6, but it would be an all-Mopar 2.2 if it was turbocharged.
In 1968, I worked for The Red Fox nightclub in Hollywood. I parked cars and met many Stars of stage and screen. I remember meeting Frank in front of the club having a cigarette with Red during a break. Frank apologized for having his chauffeur park his car in the front instead of having me park it in the back. The car was a black Studebacker limo with a telephone. I never saw that car before or again but it was beautiful. BTW HE OFFERED ME A TIP AND I REFUSED IT. So Frank and Red let me hang out with them for about 10 minutes. Does anyone have a picture of that car? Black Studebacker limo with blackout windows and a trunk antenna
I love Frank.
I regularly play “That’s Life” in the Lincoln when they day has whupped my ass. It fits my both my mood and the lazy motions of the car…
I need to get me an isolation capsule of a car. Haven’t had one since my Cutlass Brougham that was stolen in 2001. My truck tends to get cranked up with things like “Country Is My Rock” and “One Wing in the Fire”.
Do you remember the mid-80’s movie called “License to Drive”? Corey Haim’s character snuck his grandfather’s 1972 Cadillac Sedan de Ville out to take a girl on a date. Somehow the grandfather’s Frank Sinatra cassette got stuck in the aftermarket car stereo, so the whole time while they are cruising around Sinatra is playing. Near the end of the movie, they are stopped at a sobriety check point and a drunk ends up commendeering the Cadillac and drives it through a construction zone, utterly trashing the car. While the drunk swerves, slides, and launches the hulking Cadillac, its to “That’s Life”, and it did fit the lazy motions of that car as well.
One of my favourite movies ever, and the Sinatra soundtrack was incongruous and yet perfect.
In Corey Haim’s Movie “LUcas” He Drives a Brown Cavalier Convertible Identical to mine, Except If His Is Automatic, mine was 5 speed manual.
Loved The AQua Deville in Licence To Drive
Grandpa: Where’s ma caddy?
Nice piece; thanks. Hard to imagine him in a K car, though.
Hard to imagine him in the exact same K-car my mother drove! Still, it was by far the nicest of the three Ks that graced our driveway back in the day.
There was a Chrysler-Plymouth dealer in Hoboken not far from where Frank grew up – the building is still there, and in the right light you can still make out the outlines of the streamlined sans serif “Chrysler-Plymouth” letters that would have looked very modern and appealing to a young man who’d suddenly come into real money. Maybe that’s where his Mopar love began?
Awesome idea!!!!!! Love it! Maybe we could incorporate the cars of Frank’s movies…. just think of all the wheels in movies like ‘some came running’, ‘Ocean’s eleven’ et al.
Like why were there no ventpanes on the 61 Ford Convertible he drove in Tony Rome? This always bothered me.
I always wondered that too-I assumed it was to allow a better view of him in the action shots.
The high-intencity camera lights reflected too much on that triangle of glass; hence the studio had them removed. It was a common malady of scenes with actors actually driving, rather than stupio shots.
Didn’t he own a Stutz Blackhawk at some point as well, or am I thinking of Dean Martin?
I shake my head to think that someone who owned some of the most desirable bespoke production cars ever made wound-up driving a K-car.
Dean Martin and Elvis had the Stutzes beginning in ’71. BTW Frank’s greatest record is “Wee Small Hours” from 1955 originally released on two 10″ Capitol LP’s. “Songs For Swinging Lovers” came out in the spring of ’56.
I checked my cd notes – we are both right. Some of the tracks were recorded October 1955 and the rest January 1956.
Sinatra had one hell of a mid-life crisis. Sinatra at Sands with the Count Basie orchestra and Quincy Jones arrangements. A customized ‘stang, marrying Mia Farrow and retiring with a Lamborghini Muira. 65-69 seem like some really good years.
The Mid-fiftiesh Ford cars always were my favorites of the era. A 56 Conti will always be supreme. For some reason the 57 Chev has become an icon of the period, but the Fords of the time were sharper in styling but possibly lacking in a V-8 whooph.
That hideous custom Mustang (by Barris obviously) appeared in an episode of Get Smart
(season 1, Satan’s Place ) as the Chief’s car.
Yep, the custom Mustang for a Frank/Nancy movie, and was featured in ‘Cars of the Stars’ by Barris. The book also features Dino’s wagon Eldo.
Thanks JP! I suddenly feel like donning a suit and heading out for a few martinis..
I was surprised to find out about the T&C, an odd choice but at least it’s a turbo car.
Good research, JP. However, did you find out if there was a chauffeur’s glass between the front and back seats on the T&C?
Great piece. But I don’t think the T & C was his last car. This summer, at Monterey, Mecum auctioned off a red, late 80’s Jaguar XJS convertible that had been Sinatra’s. I also recall seeing photos of him in the 90’s behind the wheel of a Rolls.
I was going to say the same there was a red XJ-S and I have also seen a black early 90’s XJ-S at an auction was owned by Sinatra.
The Town & Country was probably the maids car for runs to the liquor store for booze and smokes.
I remember the XJ-S from a Sinatra bio I have around here somewhere.
I read a story by one of his employees saying the K car wagon was his means of not being noticed when he was in that mood.
I love his music.
C’mon – the T&C was probably there for the help to run errands in. Frank may even have used it himself from time to time. But does anyone really think that he rolled up in front of Spago in this car? Don’t think so.
No, that T and C K wagon was indeed ONE of his last cars. I saw a copy of the title. He did drive it fairly regularly as a low-profile vehicle, but he did have Jags and Rollers towards the end.
Old Coot Opinion.
K-car bought to allow moving around without attracting undue unwanted attention.
His “Cycles” written by Gayle Caldwell, who died not long ago and with whom I swapped some interesting e-mails awhile back, actually had an effect upon my persona;
http://obbop.wordpress.com/2012/02/11/5483/
I was surprised where he chose to be buried… a desert town, one of the “rough” ones where the laboring class serving the Palm Springs and ritzier resort towns of the area bake under the broiling sun tend to reside in shantys:
Burial:
Desert Memorial Park
Cathedral City
Riverside County
California, USA
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?GRid=2953&page=gr
Sonny Bono resides there.
Have a nice weekend and wear your seat belts!!!
Sinatra made several discs with Harry James; got ’em all
This time you got me. I have fixed the text in the article. Unfortunately, I did not start on this piece until too late and was cramming to get it finished. I have the full set of his records with Dorsey, but never delved much into the Harry James stuff. Most of it (other than All or Nothing at All) seems to have pretty much sunk into the bogs of time. Other than for sharp-eyed (eared?) CC readers!
“In 1956, he co-starred with Grace Kelley and Bing Crosby in High Society, a remake of the 1940 Cary Grant-Katherine Hepburn picture The Philadelphia Story. With the combination of Cole Porter’s songs and Sinatra’s voice and natural acting abilities, the movie was a huge hit. Sinatra moved into automotive High Society with his next car, a Continental Mark II.”
Well, Sinatra was the comic foil to Crosby in the movie, But Crosby was the leading man who sang the duet with the leading lady, Grace Kelly, “True Love” which became a number one hit. Sinatra was paired up with comedienne Celeste Holm.
You also forgot to mention Louis Armstrong. The movie re-sets the story from Philadelphia to Newport R.I., and makes the leading man the impresario of the Newport Jazz Festival, then a staple of cultural life. Armstrong is jazz, in propre person, and has a big share in the music.
The Continental Mark II also appeared in the movie as the whip of Grace Kelly’s louche Uncle Willie.
The Continental and the Eldorado Brougham peaks of American automobile design in the 1950s. The Continental was a classical design that was the basis, at least emotionally for the classic Continentals of the 1960s. The Eldorado was the height of the baroque in American Automobile design. Neither car made money, but they were halo cars for their brands.
Their prices were just one clue. At that time, a Ford or Chevy would have cost less than $2,000, and a Cadillac Sedan was around $5,000. The Cadillac’s $14,000 price tag was something that would only have been seen on a Rolls Royce. At that time, the Roller was using a V8 and an automatic transmission that were based on Cadillac designs.
The Rolls Royce L-series V8 didn’t reach production until 1959. There were three Rolls Royce V8s built in 1905, but they weren’t related. Whether or not the L-series was really based on any Detroit design, and it is often debated, the engines they reverse engineered were Chryslers. Once they knew what made them tick, they went with a far more conventional combustion chamber and valve configuration than Chrysler used, but that doesn’t mean they were Cadillac knock-offs.
Exactly. However Rolls did recognize a good transmission in the GM unit with a few improvements as they did with the A/C.
Rolls couldn’t get the Hemi-version of their engine to produce power, and it needed excess timing advance.
They revised the head from Hemi to wedge, solved their problem while cutting cost, weight, and space.
Copied from an article written by Jack Phillips of RR, which used to be at this link but isn’t any more.
http://www.rrec.org.uk/Cars/Rolls-Royce_Motor_Car_Engines/The_V8_Engine_Birth_&_Beginnings.php
“The cylinder heads, which were identical, were based on a modified hemispherical combustion chamber and, as mentioned earlier, had a central plug and so a very short flame travel. Project work on maximising the stiffness of the large exhaust rocker arm for the minimum inertia occupied some time, as did the evolution of the precise combustion chamber shape to give smooth combustion…. …The weight and width problems were faults of design, as was the slow burning (technically the rate of flame propagation). At this point the 10% inspiration came to my aid and a new design of cylinder head was started to halve the weight of the previous head and increase the combustion squish area to 33%. This project was a design experiment, but on one of his infrequent visits to the Drawing Office LS [Dr Llewellyn Smith] became interested, and we were told to proceed to fruition. This new head reduced the overall width of the engine by seven inches, reduced the weight by thirty pounds and halved the ignition advance requirement. “
Paul:
Have you ever considered hitch-hiking to the Gilmore Museum in Kalamazoo, Michigan?
They have several Deusenbergs there. We would all enjoy your reading your interpretation and analysis of this fabled automobile. You should not limit your talents to what happens to be found curbside.
Thanks for that thought. My problem is getting to the write-ups. I went to the Allure of the Car exhibit in Portland this summer, which included an SJ, but I haven’t gotten to it yet. Big job! Also, some of my pics didn’t turn out so hot…but I will get to it soon.
Paul: This has nothing to do with cars, but are you familiar with a book called Sessions with Sinatra: Frank Sinatra and the Art of Recording, by Charles Granata?
Aaron; Are you asking me or Jim Cavanaugh? I’m more a Frank Zappa guy than a Frank Sinatra guy. I can appreciate his talent, but something about his persona always gave me the creeps. Not familiar with that book.
Er, I meant Jim. (Note the posting time of the original comment…reading comprehension was apparently sub-par…) Sorry about that, Paul!
The man could sing!!,,,But evidence does point to the fact he was more often than not probably a jerk.
Hear, hear! 100 percent! Not the first time I have agreed with you!
Its funny you should put that way as Zappa’s music and persona gave me the willies.
Hmmm, yeah, Sinatra didn’t name any of his kids “Moon Unit”…
funny. my mother was huge sinatra fan. she met him as a teenager during the second world war when he was doing a charity event in newark, nj. i on the other hand was a huge frank zappa fan. i saw him in concert at least six times. but, as i get older i appreciate sinatra more and zappa less.
The 66 Mustang wasn’t so much a Mid Life Crisis, more a Hollywood statement, ind of like the Prius is now. It conveyed a sense of social relevance.
I did a bit of Googling and found a couple more. A Barrister and a 41 Caddy 60 Special.
Like this (not actual car)
Also an 82 Barrister (George Barris) similar to this.
Iknow this is a little old,but I’m new to the site, and stumbled on this.I’m a big Sinatra fan,and you could actually order a Limited Edition Frank Sinatra Imperial. Chrysler I guess was trying to counter the Lincoln Mark Designer Series, and probably Frank was doing his buddy Lee a favor helping Chrysler getting back on track.
I have driven up the road to where he lived in Palm Springs, in my LeBaron Turbo Convertible, I Can imagine How difficult that must have been with a wagon Full.
Wonder if anyone Has Both The Cassette And 8 Track Versions of The Imperial FS.
in the first photograph, I’m surprised no one had commented on how much the roofline of the ’62 Dual-Ghia looks like the ’65 Barracuda.
The mid-life crisis car was not in fact Frank’s car, but the car of the character he played in the film Marriage on the Rocks. That photo is from the set of the film. His character was pretty much having a mid-life crisis!
Interesting. I have not seen that movie in a bazillion years. It is interesting that as much interest in Sinatra as there is out in the world, there does not seem to be any kind of site with any information on the subject. Are you aware of any links of interest? I thought that this would be a quick and easy topic, and it turned out to be anything but. Thanks for the new info.
In the liner notes of “Trilogy” Frank is described as driving a Mercury station wagon. In 1977 he hosted the “Tonight” show and on a subsequent “Tomorrow” show (remember that?) Tom Snyder talked about the buzz at NBC studios prior to Frank’s arrival and wondering what he would be driving and he seemed kind of let down to announce that instead of a limousine Frank drove himself in a Volvo wagon.
The Tbird is his coolest car by far!
Also in photographs of the crew setting up for a live television interview with Edward R Murrow at Frank’s Bowmont Drive house in Coldwater Canyon there’s a white 1956 Thunderbird in the garage.
I believe there were a couple of Buick Reatta’s he owned towards the end.
One of Sinatras cars is in a car museum in Brooline just outside Boston MA. I think its a Ghia of some type, its about 15 years since I saw it, but its only one of a few made……..I was in Sinatras house in Palm Springs last year and took about 300 photographs. The house is almost exactly as Sinatra left it and the new owner did not modify it in any way. The house contains lots of photos and poster of his films, as well as his enormous train collection…..The only vehicle that was his and still parked in the garage was his golf cart, which has the words ‘ol blue eyes’ on the side…….Ive been a life long fan of FAS and to my knowledge, he was not a great user of cars, and was nearly always driven. Even when he left the compound in Palm Springs to move to Malibu, he left in a rented town car. He was a very complex guy, full of contradictions, and had surprisingly simple tastes in lots of things, including his wines….For more information, read The Way You Wear Your Hat, which is probably the best book written on FAS in terms of his preferences in goods etc….Ive read everything ever written on FAS, some of the most revealing books were the paperback or cheaper type publications, my favourites being My Life With Mr S written by his butler, and the one mentioned earlier. If anybody wants any more information on his Palm Springs house, let me know. I have lots of pics…..I was also in Elvis Presleys house in Palm Springs, which is surprisingly simple too,if not a tad tacky in terms of decor…..All the best from Dublin Ireland.
Those Ghia cars are works of art,I’ve always loved the idea of a big American V8 in a handbuilt European car.More please Bristols,Jensens,Facel Vegas and the rest.
Jensen!
Frank also owned a Cadiilac Allante which featured an Italian hand-built body by Pininfarina. In many ways, very similar to the Ghias.
I HAVE AN ORIGINAL AUTO REGISTRATION AND INSURANCE CARD TO ONE OF FRANK SINATRA’S CHRYSLER AUTOMOBILES. I WOULD LIKE TO SELL THEM…
I am the “B” of B&M Racing & Performance. In 1962 we put a ’62 409 Chevrolet engine and B&M HydroStick transmission in Sinatra’s 62 Dual Ghia. I am trying to find out anything I can about this car.
I’m late to this, but Sinatra is a weak spot. Not much to add car-wise, I think his L64 had a phone in it. A few of the cars featured here are in the book ‘Cars of the Stars’ by George Barris.
Frank, the core LPs:
If you’ve just broken up with a girl: ‘Only the Lonely’
If you need to move some: ‘Songs for Swinging Lovers’
If you’re cruising in a pre-1980 motor vehicle: ‘Nice and Easy’
‘We’re on the road to romance, that’s safe to say.
But let make all the stops along the way.’
It’s Frank’s garage, we’re just parking in it.
Currently on Ebay, Feb 2014, there is a 1974 Imperial LeBaron on ebay for sale. It’s purported to have been owned by Sinatra. It was an all new style that year that Chrysler Promoted and it’s a Special Order Dark Red/Pink color with all the options including a moon roof. Apparently only 10 exist in this color…..that being said, there is no documentation proving ownership by Sinatra…..that’s what brought me to this article. Thanks for all the information.
What about the Hudson Italia?
In this 9/1/45 newspaper column, a serviceman tells of hitching a ride in Sinatra’s ’42 Chevy convertible during the V-J celebration in the streets of Hollywood:
Thanks for a fascinating addition to this oddly obscure topic.
One more: Beverly Hills minor traffic accident, January 1954. Sinatra driving a Caddy:
Lee Iacoco was friends with Frank Sinatra. When Chrysler was in financial trouble in the early 1980s Sinatra did some comercials for Chrysler. Almost every year as I recall being told, Iacocco gave FAS a free car. Frank did drive the Town and Country Van as it could hold all his friends and to take his dogs to the veterinarian. But I do not think he drove the dogs around, it was staff. On Monday nights for Monday Night Football he and his friends, including Jilly Rizzo would often start at an Italian restaurant in Rancho Mirage. I forgot its name now, but today it is The Crab Pot on highway 111. After eating, and drinking and Monday night football, they would go to Chaplins restaurant on Frank Sinatra Drive. He always parked in the rear. It was owned by Charlie Chaplins son I think. It is now Shame on the Moon restaurant. But if Frank was not with the entourage, he never drove the van, according to one of his security guys. But then who really kept track. Barbara bought him a car, I do not recall for certain, but I think it was a Jaguar. Frank had set up to buy a exotic American made car in the late 1960s, I forget the name. It was a retro style. But when he heard that I think Elvis was getting the same model befor him, I think he canceled his purchase. Lord Fletchers is still open in Rancho Mirage. And every Friday night when in the desert, Frank had the same reservation at 8 pm party of five. Even if it was just he and Barbara, they sat at the same table every Friday for at least 20 years. And he always ordered the same thing, something as I recall was a potato dish, and the stuffed pork chop with applesauce. Not exactly recalling but those are something close. I always intend to see if it is still on the menu. If someone wants to know EVERYTHING about Franks cars, and some very interesting storys, his mechanic was still alive and living in the Cathedral City area. He was in poor health, but I saw him a couple of years ago at a Goodwill. He has done televised interviews that may be on line
Hello, I know mr Frank was a great car lover… Same thing about the Rat Pack guys, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, those guys had many Stutz Blackhawk even Peter Lawford bought the very first Stutz produced but about Mr Sinatra I never saw any picture of him driving a Stutz… And there’s a story about a kind of conflict between him and Elvis about the second Stutz prototype that Elvis bought now in Graceland… Story said he wants the car and Elvis too but Elvis got the car because he accepted to be photograph with Jules Meyers receiving the keys of the car, is it right???
Best regards, Serge H.
Not much of a Sinatra fan (although he had a few good tunes). Much more prefer his Rat Pack pal, Dean Martin. How about a CC on Dino’s cars? Probably not as extensive or interesting as Frank’s but, still.
BTW, some of the cars celebrities drive were/are more due to a commercial tie-in where a manufacturer supplied them with the car for little or no cash. Burt Reynolds got a free Trans Am that way for a long time after the success of ‘Smokey and the Bandit’. Likewise, most of the astronauts got sweetheart leases for Corvettes.
Then there’s Frank and his cozy relationship with Lee Iacocca. Too bad his ‘Frank Sinatra Edition’ Imperial turned out to be such a lemon. OTOH, it’d be kind of cool to own a pristine one today.
I do not know about the Stutz first hand, but that is similar to somewhat the story I heard. But I heard it second hand. I attempted to look online for the mechanic whom Frank took his cars to from about 1970 onward, and post his email or phone. He always enjoyed talking about everything FAS. I forgot his name and he is retired. I have seen Nancy, (daughter) about 4 or 5 years ago driving an very old Rolls Royce, and I assumed it was Franks, but just guessing. Because FAS got so many free Chryslers, I can not say which one was his or if he had several Town and Countrys vans. But I would see him in a Town and Country and always thought he was going low profile. But I think he had about at least a 12 car garage in Rancho Mirage. Barbara Sinatra kept some kind of special breed of very big and harry Argentinian horses at a ranch about a mile from the Tamarisk compound in Rancho Mirage across from Mirage Cove next to the mostly dry riverbed. And I think she drove the van a lot to carry all the riding and horse equipment.
I do recall Sammy Davis Jr. driving a car like a Stutz or Clarinette or something. But I do not know what it was. It was similar to one a guy I knew named Harry Oranges of Rancho Mirage had. And his was orange painted.
I remember reading elsewhere how Frank and Barbara Sinatra did a gift exchange for their wedding, and she bought him the green Jaguar XJS mentioned in another post here, while he bought her a light blue Silver Shadow. Could the Silver Shadow be the older Rolls-Royce that Nancy Sinatra was driving? I love how they held on to their cars like normal people and “old money” rather than constantly replacing them. Buy quality, and it will serve you well. If Nancy was driving one of her family’s cars, it is testament to the car, and more importantly those memories that she held dear. There was a photo of Dean Martin’s daughter Claudia Martin and Nancy Sinatra in a 1963 Buick Riviera with an 8-track player…..there is also a photo of Frank Sinatra driving a light colored 1963 Riviera with Dean Martin riding shotgun. The Riviera is definitely a car that I can see Mr. Sinatra being an early customer! One car I most certainly WOULD think that Mr. Sinatra owned at least one of was the 1961 to 1964 (and perhaps beyond) Lincoln Continental. The song “Nothing But the Best” from the 1962 LP “Sinatra and Swinging Brass” starts with the line “I like a new Lincoln, with all of its class”. Although not a Cole Porter song, it is a “list song” with references to fine things in life. An early 1960s Lincoln shouts “Rat Pack”.
About Frank Sinatra’s last car. This 1989 Jaguar XJS V12 ?
http://www.complex.com/sports/2013/05/frank-sinatras-personal-jaguar-is-headed-to-auction
Though I imagine that he probably had other cars newer than this, probably leased through Frank Sinatra Enterprises that was driven around in, probably Cadillac or Lincoln sedans, I can’t imagine that Frank daily drove the XJS everyday.
So much great back story here .
-Nate
Interesting to note then they used also that customized Mustang for an episode of Get Smart http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_326553-Ford-Mustang-Zebra-1965.html
There was a Hudson Italia in there somewhere.
wikipedia has sinatra listed as an owner on the facel vega page. makes sense as i know ava gardner had a couple.
Wow Frank Sinatra and Frank Zappa in the same thread! I enjoy them both although I grew up with Zappa (my parents would dispute that). Interesting article! Keep your ears open for the Dyna-mo Hummmmmm….
Time for a CC challenge: can anyone identify the car? (photo is 1963)
Hmm, there is an LOF Plate-Glass id in the quarter glass, so I’m thinking GM car, maybe a 1964 Cadillac, Fleetwood maybe judging from the wood trim visible on the rear door panel.
Not a 63 or 64 Fleetwood, as the front of the roof on those curved down a bit to meet the ventpane. This roofline is straight. DeVille?
1963 Buick Riviera
Yes a 1963 Buick Riviera
Does anyone have a picture of Sinatra with the 1064 Buick he bought for his father? If so PLEASE PLEASE reach out to me.
Love all things Sinatra–what a remarkable life. He gave a concert here in Hamilton Ontario way past his prime and many in the audience where shocked at him using teleprompters–was someone in his family still pushing him out there he didn’t need the money did he? Anyway didn’t Frank and Dino own Eldorados?
A huge fan, and I have all the old Capitol and Reprise LPs plus the Dorsey 78s (I’m a trombone player and big Tommy Dorsey fan).
Love the cars and concur on “Songs for Swingin Lovers”, might be the one I’d keep if I had to pick one.
I’d enjoy a ride in an Imperial FS one day, though, likely, not ownership of one.
I have all of the Dorsey sessions on several LPs, which I have not listened to in ages. Dorsey did a much better job of showcasing Sinatra than most other bandleaders did with their own singers.
“I like a new Lincoln, with all of it’s class.” Opening line to Frankie’s 1961 or 1962 song…Nothing but the Best. I believe it was the B-side to his hit, Cycles.
I bought a 1981 imperial that had a convertible conversion and a letter from an early owner said frank owned/used this car as Lee Iacocca had the Sinatra edition cut because the coupe looked sharp with the top down. The owner also thought it was a one off conversion. Any thoughts?
He had an ’86 K-car limo that sold not long ago.
http://www.classic-carauction.com/auction_details.cfm?auctionid=7367
Mr. Sinatra’s Chrysler wagon was a 1981 or 82, Not the “K” car. It was white with the faux wood. I was at a light on Beverly Blvd. in my white 81 T&C and he pulled up next to me in his identical car….he waived
Also, Dean Martin owned a BMW 5-Series E34 and Mercedes S-Class W126 looking at this old photo of his house (though I’m not exactly sure if the cars were either owned by him or his relatives).
Source: http://www.findadeath.com/Deceased/m/Dean%20Martin/dean_martin.htm
I had a calendar with various photos of Frank. One that caught my eye was a photo of Frank backing out of his driveway in Hasbrouck Heights New Jersey in a 1942 Chrysler convertible. I believe its a New Yorker because the front from cowl forward seems to be the eight cylinder. It is an early 42 because it has all the chrome speed streaks on the front and rear fenders. looking close it has a few minor dents in the fenders on the drivers side.
Your recall of that calendar picture gibes with my own of Sinatra’s early preference for Chryslers.
I have eventually decided that this preference remained through much of his life because I recall a car coming up on eBay some years ago after I wrote this. It was a 74 Imperial, IIRC, bright red with white leather/vinyl roof. There was some questions whether he bought it for himself or if it was one of many cars he apparently bought for people in his close circle of friends and family.
Very interesting article, but what caught my eye in the pic with the T Bird convertible were the oil stains on the driveway. I’d read that much older cars lost a great deal of oil, hence checking the oil at every gas fill up. Those stains look like the floor underneath my fathers 39 Ford.
Only tangentally related, but this song called “Sinatra’s Car” has one of the most bizarre stories behind its release and is an amusing read (and a good song too!)
If the Imperial FS had an 8-track player in it, it would be able to play the most valuable 8-track cartridge ever, which trades for about $5,000. It was intended to be the follow-up to Sinatra’s (excellent) collaboration with Tom Jobim, but Frank got hold of a tape and didn’t like what he heard – his voice was off on several tracks, and they sliced “Wave” in half and put it on two different 8-track programs, leading to a “ker-chunk” halfway through the song. But the album had already been for sale for a day and about five that were sold are accounted for. The cease-and-desist order came before any LPs, cassettes, or open reels were issued.
I like Songs for Swingin’ Lovers but my favorites from that period are the “downer” albums – In the Wee Small Hours, Only the Lonely, and No One Cares. The two Jobim albums are also great, and Watertown is, well, interesting.
For your reading amusement, the very wordy advert for the 81 Imperial:
pg. 2
I remember seeing those ads for the ‘81 Imperial. I liked the look of them, but I also remember reading that they had problems with the fuel injection system, and some owners had the 318 retrofitted with a carburetor. I’d also be leery about the reliability of the all-digital dash back then – I’d prefer gauges if I could get them.
Great Essay! Thanks for the automotive history on The Voice.
I have a car was also Frank’s, he owned it in 1972, El Camino, runs on either gas or propane, I bought it in 1991, now it’s in Minnesota, and needs restoration, was originallyyellow, for sale if interested, usedabit58@hotmail.com
I’d like to add a picture or two
Try this pic, if it will post,
Is this car the car he bought his father, the 1964 Buick Electra 25>
Around 1970 Lee Iococca at Ford before he went to Chrysler, had the Lincoln Division make designs for a model called “The Frank Sinatra Special”. I don’t know if it ever got off the drawing board. Iocacca liked big cars and stuck Ford with an albatross lineup before he left for Chrysler and became an advocate of the small car. My boss in the late sixties attended meetings with him and “The Deuce”. He was not a nice guy and was not liked within the company. Some of the meetings devolved into shouting matches between him and “The Deuce”. Four letter were exchanged between the two of them.
Can’t tell from your construction here whether “He was not a nice guy” refers to Iacocca or to HF2, but it doesn’t matter; it applies equally well to the both of them.
Didn’t Barbara and he buy each other cars on their wedding day? Could you elaborate? Thank you