When rock ‘n’ roll royalty takes flight, luxury knows no bounds—and Elvis Presley’s forgotten JetStar proves that even decades of desert dust can’t diminish the King’s golden touch.
For nearly four decades, a piece of music history sat deteriorating under the harsh New Mexico sun, its red paint fading and fuselage developing holes. Yet when the doors opened to reveal the interior, time seemed to stand still—plush crimson velvet seats, gleaming gold hardware, and wood-paneled walls remained frozen in 1970s opulence, a luxurious time capsule of rock ‘n’ roll excess.
This isn’t just any abandoned aircraft. This is one of three private jets owned by Elvis Presley, the undisputed King of Rock and Roll, and its journey from Hollywood glamour to desert graveyard to auction block tells a fascinating story about fame, fortune, and the enduring power of celebrity.
A Christmas Gift Eight Months Before Tragedy
Elvis Presley purchased this 1962 Lockheed 1329 JetStar on December 22, 1976, as a Christmas present to himself, paying $840,000—equivalent to approximately $4.4 million in today’s currency Robb ReportSentinel Aviation. The timing was bittersweet: less than eight months later, on August 16, 1977, the world would lose one of its greatest entertainers.
What makes this particular aircraft especially poignant is that Elvis bought it jointly with his father, Vernon Presley, making it the only jet the father-son duo owned together Simple Flying. According to a letter from Priscilla Presley, Elvis’s former wife, this purchase represented more than just luxury—it symbolized Elvis’s desire to support his father’s business ventures, especially after the devastating loss of Elvis’s mother years earlier.
The heartbreaking reality? Elvis likely never actually flew on this JetStar, unlike his other aircraft that are now on permanent display at Graceland Hagerty Media. The jet was being customized to his exacting specifications when Elvis passed away, and it was sold shortly after his death in 1977.
The JetStar: A Jet Fit for Icons
The Lockheed JetStar wasn’t just any business aircraft—it was the world’s first dedicated private business jet and remained the largest in its class for many years Simple Flying. When Lockheed began production in 1961, the JetStar quickly became the aircraft of choice for the global elite.
The four-engine jet could accommodate eight to ten passengers plus a three-person crew, cruise at speeds up to 565 mph, and travel approximately 2,500 miles on a single tank WikipediaAutoevolution. Its distinctive design featured four engines mounted in two pods at the rear of the fuselage and unique “slipper-style” fuel tanks attached to the wings.
Who else flew in JetStars? President Richard Nixon, the Shah of Iran, and countless other dignitaries considered it their preferred mode of transport Simple Flying. The aircraft even achieved pop culture immortality when it appeared in the James Bond film “Goldfinger” as the villain’s getaway plane.
Red Velvet Dreams: Inside Elvis’s Flying Palace
Step aboard, and you’re immediately transported to the height of 1970s luxury—with an unmistakably Elvis twist.
The interior features wood paneling throughout, but the dominant aesthetic is unmistakably bold: red velvet upholstery covering six plush swiveling and reclining passenger chairs plus a sofa, complemented by red shag carpeting and gold-finish hardware Robb ReportRacecar. Every detail screamed opulence and personal style.
The entertainment system was cutting-edge for its era. A media cabinet housed a television, RCA VCR player, and audio cassette player, with headphone ports and audio controls positioned at every seat Robb Report—technology that was remarkably advanced for the mid-1970s.
Even the galley showed attention to detail. It included a Kenmore microwave and beverage dispenser Robb Report, allowing passengers to enjoy warm meals and refreshments during flight. At the rear, a private lavatory with vanity provided comfort that far exceeded typical aircraft amenities.
Perhaps most remarkably, when the new owner connected power to the aircraft after approximately 35 years without electricity, everything still functioned—the television, VCR, microwave, and all the lights illuminated as if frozen in time AOPA.
From Memphis to the New Mexico Desert
After Elvis’s death, the jet’s journey took a circuitous route. It was sold in 1977 and eventually ended up with a Saudi Arabian company, which moved it to Roswell International Air Center in Roswell, New Mexico Sentinel Aviation—the same desert town famous for alleged UFO sightings.
There it sat. And sat. And sat.
For close to 40 years, the aircraft received virtually no maintenance. The harsh desert environment took its toll: holes developed in the fuselage, the sun bleached and faded portions of the red exterior and silver accents, and the Pratt & Whitney engines were removed along with numerous cockpit components Sentinel AviationAutoevolution.
In 2017, businessman Jim Gagliardi of Madera, California, purchased the deteriorating jet at auction for $430,000 (or $498,000 with fees). Gagliardi planned to display it at his earth-moving equipment dealership as an advertisement, but the plan never materialized—and he confessed to never actually visiting the plane during the six years he owned it Robb Report.
The King’s 88th Birthday: A New Beginning
On January 8, 2023—what would have been Elvis Presley’s 88th birthday—the JetStar crossed the auction block once more at the Mecum Kissimmee Collector Car auction in Florida.
Priscilla Presley attended the event, standing alongside the Mecum auctioneers as she told the packed crowd: “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” Robb Report.
The bidding began conservatively at $100,000 and slowly climbed. A telephone bidder ultimately secured the aircraft for $260,000, bringing the total to $286,000 after commissions and fees Sentinel Aviation. While this represented a financial loss for Gagliardi compared to his 2017 purchase, it opened an entirely new chapter for the historic aircraft.
The winning bidder? James Webb, a 43-year-old YouTube personality behind the “Jimmy’s World” channel, who typically rescues and restores abandoned small aircraft Hagerty Media. But Webb had something extraordinary in mind for Elvis’s jet.
An Unlikely Resurrection: From Jet to RV
Webb initially had $100,000 to spend but became captivated by the overwhelming public interest when Mecum posted a pre-auction video about the jet Hagerty Media. Despite the aircraft being engineless and structurally compromised—making flight restoration economically impossible—Webb saw potential.
His solution was ingenious and unconventional: after an 18-month conversion process, Webb married the JetStar fuselage to a 1999 Freightliner motorhome chassis, creating what he calls the “Elvismobile” AutoevolutionAOPA.
The transformation required cutting the jet into sections for transport from New Mexico to Florida—a journey exceeding 1,600 miles. Webb even convinced the truck driver to detour through Memphis so the aircraft could visit Graceland, marking the first time all three of Elvis’s jets were in the same location simultaneously Hagerty Media.
Webb’s total investment reached approximately $350,000, but he developed a creative revenue strategy: cutting the wings into approximately 1,000 tokens sold with certificates of authenticity for $329 each (or $529 mounted with documentation) AOPA. He’s also proposed creating a limited run of guitars from the tail section with companies like Gibson or Fender.
The completed Elvismobile made its debut at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024, where it traveled under its own power—albeit at a modest 65 mph rather than the jet’s original 565 mph cruising speed. Fuel efficiency improved dramatically too: the converted vehicle achieves 11.5 miles per gallon AOPA.
Why This Aircraft Still Matters
Decades after Elvis Presley’s death, public fascination with his life, style, and possessions remains extraordinarily strong. This JetStar represents more than just an aircraft—it’s a tangible connection to how one of the 20th century’s most influential cultural figures lived, traveled, and surrounded himself with beauty.
Elvis owned a small fleet of private jets, including a custom Convair 880 called “Lisa Marie” (named after his daughter) and another JetStar nicknamed “Hound Dog II,” which used the call signs Hound Dog 1 and 2 respectively Simple Flying. Both of those aircraft are permanently displayed at Graceland, where hundreds of thousands of visitors view them annually.
But this third jet—the one that sat forgotten in the desert—may ultimately reach more people through Webb’s touring Elvismobile concept than it ever would have as a static museum piece.
The preservation of the original interior means that visitors stepping inside don’t just see a restored exhibit—they experience an authentic environment from the 1970s, complete with functioning period electronics and untouched red velvet upholstery. It’s a genuine time capsule, offering an intimate glimpse into the King’s aesthetic preferences and lifestyle expectations.
The Legacy Lives On
Elvis Presley didn’t just change music—he redefined what celebrity could look like in the modern era. From his revolutionary performances to his Graceland mansion to his customized private aircraft, Elvis understood the power of image, style, and living boldly.
This 1962 Lockheed JetStar, purchased just months before his death but never flown by the King himself, stands as a bittersweet reminder of dreams deferred and ambitions cut short. Yet its unlikely resurrection as the Elvismobile ensures that new generations can connect with Elvis’s legacy in unexpected ways.
Whether displayed at aviation shows, parked outside charitable events, or cruising America’s highways as a one-of-a-kind RV, this aircraft continues serving as a testament to Elvis Presley’s enduring influence. The King may have left the building decades ago, but his jet—red velvet, gold accents, and all—is still captivating audiences around the world.
In an age when private jets have become commonplace among the wealthy, Elvis’s customized JetStar reminds us of a time when rock stars pioneered these luxuries, when owning a private aircraft was genuinely extraordinary, and when one man’s singular vision could transform functional transportation into a flying work of art.
The red velvet throne may be grounded permanently, but the King’s legacy continues to soar.