Elvis Presley's Dilapidated Private Jet Sat in the Desert for 40 Years. It Just Sold for $260,000.

Going once. Going twice. Sold for $260,000! Elvis Presley’s 1962 Lockheed 1329 JetStar crossed the block at the Mecum Kissimmee
Collector Car auction in Florida yesterday on what would have been the King’s 88th birthday.





On hand for the high-profile sale was Elvis’ former wife Priscilla Presley, who stood alongside the Mecum auctioneers during what turned out to be decidedly lackluster bidding.


“Elvis loved planes and this was one of them. This is my first auction and I’m excited to be here. Today would be Elvis’ 88th birthday,” she told the packed auction.


Bidding started at $100,000, jumped to $150,000 but settled at $200,000. Only with plenty of coaxing did it get up to $240,000, where it stayed for a number of minutes. Finally, $260,000 came from a telephone bidder, the reserve came off and the hammer fell.

It didn’t help that the 61-year-old jet wasn’t on hand at Kissimmee for viewing. It’s currently parked in the desert, gathering dust at the Roswell International Air Center in Roswell, New Mexico, where it has sat outside for close to 40 years.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/classic-cars/elvis-presley-s-dilapidated-private-jet-sat-in-the-desert-for-40-years-it-just-sold-for-260-000/ar-AA168uDj


Elvis Presley’s planes
The Jetstar parked in Roswell wasn’t the King of Rock’s only plane. In 1975, Elvis acquired a collection of aircraft. The original plan was to buy a used Boeing 707, but the owner of the chosen aircraft was involved in alleged crimes. With the purchase of the Boeing cancelled, the musician leased a Fokker F-27 turboprop.

The following month, he returned the F-27 and bought two business jets, a Gulfstream G1 turboprop and a Dassault Falcon jet.

As Elvis wanted a bigger plane, the solution was to buy a four-engine Convair 880 that belonged to Delta Airlines. The passenger plane was customized with special painting and the interior was configured with a cabin with a double bed and a room with a large table in the center. This plane was the first in Elvis’ fleet to be named Lisa Marie. Next came the Hound Dog.

Other members of the Presley family and people close to the musician also took a ride on these planes, with or without Elvis on board. With so many “passengers”, the king of rock bought another Lockheed Jetstar, the Hound Dog II.


https://www.airdatanews.com/elvis-presleys-former-business-jet-is-up-for-auction/