Back in 1976, Elvis Presley added a 1962 Lockheed 1329 JetStar to his collection of private jets for the hefty sum of $840,000 ("about $4.4 million in today's dollars"). This plane, which has seen better days, will be auctioned off in January. The sale doesn't include an engine or "many cockpit components" but it does include its interior which is a time capsule of (apparent) vintage luxe.
The jet's cabin is outfitted with wood paneling and red velvet upholstery, complete with gold-finish hardware. There is seating for nine, with six swiveling and reclining chairs, and a couch. An onboard entertainment system features a TV, VCR, and audio-cassette player. Headphone ports with audio controls are located at every seat, allowing passengers to listen to music or watch movies in privacy. The galley area even includes a meal-prep area for those mile-high meals.
Now, back in 2017, Boing Boing reported that the same plane was sold for $430,000 in auction and that the authenticity of Elvis choosing the red velvet upholstery was in question. A previous owner of the jet, Roy McKay, claims he added it because the original two-tone gray "kind of looked like a casket."
Also, the current auction company, Mecum's, is reporting that it's been sitting on a Roswell, New Mexico runway for the past 45 years. There is no mention of the 2017 buyer.
In the spring of 1977, the jet was sold, later ending up with a Saudi Arabian company. The JetStar was then moved to Roswell International Air Center (ROW) in Roswell, New Mexico, where it's been stored for decades and resides to this day.
@carin1467, A commenter on the auction house's "Fly Like the King" video reports, "I worked for a company at the Roswell airport, we were told that Elvis had owned the plane but he actually never flew in it." (via Neatorama)
