Thunderbird Jumpsuit (1972-1973)

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

Thunderbird Jumpsuit (1972-1973)

Known Dates Worn:-

November 11, 1972 (8:30 pm) Oakland, CA.
November 17, 1972. (8:30 pm) Honolulu, HA.
April 24, 1973 (8:30 pm). Anaheim, CA.
June 30, 1973 (3.00 pm) Atlanta, GA.

[boogie]

tour 1973, thunderbird suit

[The fool]

I think these wonderful 1972 photos are worth seeing, in spite of those lousy watermarks. Notice the original belt.

[Pahvi]

What watermarks? :) Okey, I did a little bit of cleaning, because this picture is so fantastic!

http://www.tcb-world.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4643&stc=1

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

Great work Pahvi, When you doing the rest ;)

Welcome to TCB World, enjoy your stay (y)

Have had a go to.....

[U.S. Male]

I had a fight with the watermark, and by the looks of the photo, you'll see who won! :flex:

[buttonhead]

more pix of thunderbird

[U.S. Male]

This photo is from the very first set of Elvis photos that I ever purchased (so I am sentimental about it ;) )

[buttonhead]

another pic of this jumpsuit

[The fool]

Hawaii, 1972

[richardo316]

this one is nice also. to bad he didn't wear it more often.(y)

[U.S. Male]

An excellent photo fool....have never seen that one before....keep em' coming!:cool:

[Leroy]

One way or another, Fool, you're always a surprising factor picture wise.

[Tommy]

Here's a cool pic of Elvis holding the Phoenix/Thunderbird cape!(y) The quality of the pic is not too good though...

Jouni:xmas:

Thank you Jouni,

This is a beautiful photo of the cape and of course Elvis holding it! :D

Tommy :newyear:

[thehillbillycat]

I know what happens right after that picture. He gives to a kid and his mother. The kid died when he was a teenager but hs mother is still alive and well and still has that cape she also has the belt for that suit too. THey had to be escort out of the Omni by the police because people was trying to get it. Do I know the lady? Nope but my friend does.

[elvis fan 1976]

Here's one from Hawaii November 17,1972.

[elvisfred]

Am I the only person in the whole world who thinks this suit is a vulture? Its not a Thunderbird at all. Look at the belt.....

Fred

[Eve]

http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/1274/thunderbird4yk4.jpg

[U.S. Male]

An excellent photo Eve(y)

I also have the b & w prints of the set that contains the watermarks (mine doesn't have them:P ), and I can say they are very sharp:D

[Eve]

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/3214/lemayphoenix73la1.jpg

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/1274/thunderbird4yk4.jpg


I love this picture (y)

[nabelt24]

I had heard that this suit was originally designed and intended for the Aloha special, but Elvis wanted something more patriotic. Anyone else ever heard this story?
I'll try to find where I found this...

[goodelvisgirl]

waw great pics i just posted a topic looking for more photos and info onthis suit but i got it all here thanks

[Diane Lynn]

Am I the only person in the whole world who thinks this suit is a vulture? Its not a Thunderbird at all. Look at the belt.....

Fred
please ask yourself. why would elvis be wearing a depiction of a vulture? why would very expensive suits have a vulture put on them. who would take the time?

[Diane Lynn]

absolutely perfect

[1100ccRider]

please ask yourself. why would elvis be wearing a depiction of a vulture? why would very expensive suits have a vulture put on them. who would take the time?

I've always thought the same thing, that this suit had a definite vulture quality about it (hey, vultures are just as inherently noble as the bald eagle that is often, after all, just as much a scavenger). It's the belt, more than anything -- same with the freaky red Russian eagle belt that Elvis didn't like wearing with the porthole suit earlier in '72. I think this suit looked better with the turquoise-studded belt that Jack Lord had made for him, that Elvis wore in Honolulu on November 17, 1972.

I can see how this was kind of a template for the Aloha suits, though, just as the Today/Pharoah, red flower/flame, Aloha, and Memphis/Arabian 1 suits inspired, respectively, the embroidered Inca Gold Leaf, Flame, American Eagle, and King of Spades suits and the Philly/Spectrum/Snowflake 1 suit from 1971 showed up again as the jeweled Snowflake suit in 1973.

[RS277]

Never really cared for this suit. Can't really explain why. Kind of looks cheap I guess. Love the Jack Lord belt though.

[tony70]

one of my favs love the design

[Vegas King]

Here,I colorized one of the jumpsuit junkie's photos
hope you like it

[WHITETIGERMAN]

I love looking at pics of him in this suit....I love all the great colors on this fantastic suit.

[easyrider]

Beautiful photos

[Brad Stalnaker]

I shot this in Memphis in Oct. of 08. What's the deal? The head of the bird doesn't match the one in the photos of Elvis.

Was it repaired? Is it a replica suit? (The "Memphis suit" didn't look right to me either {for that matter})....I had heard that it's not an original.

Why would they put "fakes" on display. There is a photo in the JUMPSUIT EXHIBIT book of a black cape with red stones.....the suit doesn't exist (that I know of).

Hmmmmm....anyone know the story (of the Thunderbird suit at Graceland)?

I'm not interested in seeing "replicas". If its NOT the original why put it on display?

[Leroy]

I shot this in Memphis in Oct. of 08. What's the deal? The head of the bird doesn't match the one in the photos of Elvis.

Was it repaired? Is it a replica suit? (The "Memphis suit" didn't look right to me either {for that matter})....I had heard that it's not an original.

Why would they put "fakes" on display. There is a photo in the JUMPSUIT EXHIBIT book of a black cape with red stones.....the suit doesn't exist (that I know of).

Hmmmmm....anyone know the story (of the Thunderbird suit at Graceland)?

I'm not interested in seeing "replicas". If its NOT the original why put it on display?

I have noticed the difference in the 1972 "Thunderbird" too. I do believe it is the original but that repairs were done. When the suit comes back from the dry cleaners very often there are stones missing (some by accident, some deliberately). During the repairs Gene might have decided he was not satisfied and change details, like in this case the head of the bird.

The 1973 "Arabian" (Memphis) is also the original. But they have put the wrong belt on the suit which might give it a totally different outlook. Also... you have to keep in mind that Elvis already put on some weight while wearing this suit. This doesn't show on the dummy they use at the display. That might make a suit look different too.

[LuckyJackson]

Love this suit, its got beautiful colours in it

[thejumpsuitman]

I had a conversation with Charlie Hodge back in '03. He told me a story about this suit... The story goes that when Elvis received it, he asked Charlie what he thought of it. Charlie's response was "It looks like a **** buzzard!" Joe Esposito overheard and pulled Charlie aside reprimanding him, saying "Don't you know Elvis takes that very seriously? If he is self conscious about the suit, he won't wear it anymore and these suits are expensive!"

[Tommy]

http://www.tcb-world.com/gallery/data//31/1973ThunderBirdTommyTCB.jpg

[elvia7]

http://www.tcb-world.com/gallery/data//31/1973ThunderBirdTommyTCB.jpg



SUCH A ELVIS :wub::notworthy:wub::wub::wub:SMILE!!!

Great picture , thank you Tommy!:notworthy:notworthy:notworthy

[Tommy]

Thank you very, very much Evi...............(y) :D

[richardo316]

thanks tommy. the pics are fantastic

[hounddog]

one from the book The day Elvis came closest to Japan

[hounddog]

and a few more

[richardo316]

one from the book The day Elvis came closest to Japan

this one is new to me. thanks for sharing

[hounddog]

it's a lovely book

[drumzz70]

He took studs out of the bottom of the beak , in the close up of graceland pic you can see holes in the suit where the beak hooked down, it was then givin a flatter bottom and light orangy oval studs add on top and bottom of beak. it looks to me more of a turkey head now then a bird with the added studs. This suit is also one with no color in the leg kick pleat, but instead is just the suit material and stud work inside.

[drumzz70]

The story of the belt and cape and pics of boy are on rareelvispresley.com under belts and cape tab, 3rd picture cap from the bottom. It states that Jimmy Velvet contacted the boy when he was 16 and wanted to buy them, so he bought the boy a brand new fully loaded chevy camaro car for both belt and cape. I read that the boy had died as a teenager, i hope it wasnt in a car wreck with the new car. that would have been awful.

[richardo316]

thanks for letting us know about this

[drumzz70]

You're very welcome.

[Tommy]

http://www.tcb-world.com/gallery/data/31/19738.jpg

[richardo316]

thanks for letting us see this outstanding picture Tommy

[Tommy]

thanks for letting us see this outstanding picture Tommy

You are very welcome my friend Richardo, thank you very, very much. (y)

[Tommy]

http://www.tcb-world.com/gallery/data//31/lichter3_593840.jpg

[richardo316]

http://www.tcb-world.com/gallery/data//31/lichter3_593840.jpg

thanks for this very nice share

[Tommy]

http://www.tcb-world.com/gallery/data//30/006_531229.jpg

[Tommy]

Thank you very, very much my friend richardo316 (y)