As crazy as it sounds, it’s fitting for Elvis Presley, the “King”—who once flew to Dallas, TX, to get a peanut butter and banana sandwich—to have his private jet turned into a recreational vehicle!
It all started with an energetic YouTuber James Webb, aka Jimmy’s World, purchasing the plane for $234,000 through the Mecum Kissimmee Collector Car Auction. James is known for buying old, non-functioning airplanes and flipping them, showcasing the process on his YouTube channel.
The 1962 Lockheed Jetstar L-1329 was purchased by Elvis Presley in 1976 for $840,000 for his father, Vernon, one year before he passed away. After Elvis passed away in 1977, the plane was sold to a Saudi Arabian Air Company until it was shuttered in New Mexico at the Roswell International Air Center.
Webb won the bid in an auction on January 8, 2023, which, ironically, is Elvis’ birthday. He originally planned to turn it into an Airbnb after finding the engines missing and knowing the plane would never fly again. He stated that Dolly Parton rents her tour bus for $10,000 per night, so he felt people would pay 10 times that for a night with Elvis!
Just like everything else “Elvis,” this plane is way over the top with red velvet interior and gold-plated fixtures rivaled only by The Jungle Room (at Graceland), in my opinion.
An RVbnb?
Rather than an Airbnb, Jimmy is going to transform it into an RVbnb! He plans to purchase a motorhome, remove the box and fabricate the jet minus the wings and tail into a traveling RV touring the country to raise funds for charity!
After sitting in the airplane boneyard for 40 years, the exterior has seen better days. However, the heat and dry climate have kept the interior in fairly good condition, including the TV, VCR, cassette player, and even the microwave that still “dings”.
After the purchase, the wings and tail were removed and the remaining plane was transported to Webb’s Tampa Bay, FL, area workshop, where he plans to have the renovations done and the unit on the road in one year. He will document the process on his YouTube channel.
I believe the endeavor will be a pricey one; however, here is my Photoshop rendition of what it might look like. Just gaudy enough for a King?
Here’s Webb’s video about the jet:
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook” as well as the Managing Editor of the RV Repair Club.
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Good luck. You’re gonna needed it.
Cool. Thanks, Dave! That is a transformation that I hope to watch. Thanks again!