Inside Elvis Presley’s Velvet-Clad Private Jet That’s Landing At Auction
Image via Mecum Auctions
The King did fly like royalty—and soon, after giving his jet a deep restoration, you could too.
A 1962 Lockheed 1329 Jetstar once owned by Elvis Presley is set to take off for sale at Mecum Auctions in January 2023. The King of Rock and Roll purchased it for US$840,000 in 1976, but when he passed away in 1977, it was sent to an aircraft graveyard in Roswell, New Mexico. The jet was last sold for about US$430,000 in an auction in 2017, according to the Daily Mail. There is no price estimate listed by its current holder.
Having sat in an aviation graveyard for decades, the jet has never been restored and will require significant repairs to fly again. When it does, it should be able to reach a top speed of 565 mph and a fuel range of 2,500 miles.
Red velvet adorns the walls and seating of the personal plane, which also preserves the same wooden paneling and gold hardware from when it was in use by Elvis.
The jet’s six plush seats can recline and be swiveled around so passengers can interact with one another.
The jet’s entertainment system, controlled by a wooden media cabinet, includes tech antiquities like an old television, a VCR player, an audio cassette player, and headphone ports for every seat. As with commercial planes, the musician’s jet contains a meal-prep area, which consists of a Kenmore microwave and drink dispenser, in the galley.
The plane’s bathroom and vanity are still intact.
Presley owned a fleet of private aircraft, as well as kept several pilots on standby to fly him to fans at the last minute. “With a busy touring schedule, these crafts were needed to transport the singer, his TCB band, backup groups, Col. Tom Parker, and the ever-present Memphis Mafia to venues, concerts, and appearances all around the country,” explains the auctioneer.
The plane, however, is missing an engine and numerous cockpit elements, so a massive restoration is in order. It will be able to seat two pilots, nine passengers, and one flight attendant when in flight.
The auction house reckons the personal aircraft will be “an incredible restoration opportunity.” It foresees organizers of a prospective Elvis exhibit as some of the jet’s possible buyers.
The new owner will also receive Aircraft Security Agreement documents signed by the singer himself.
[via Insider and Artnet News, images via Mecum Auctions]
