The muntz jet is a rare american automobile produced years 19501954. Originally published in the july 2010 issue of aviation history. The first operational military jet in the world, towards the end of the second world war the me 262 was to be the german miracle weapon. The mission of the historic vehicle association hva is to promote the cultural and historical significance of the. According to the muntz registry booklet, oral history suggests this car was stored in mississippi for an extended period of time, from 1962 to 1979. Extremely rare american classic 1953 muntz road jet. Introduction to the 19511954 muntz jet howstuffworks. His muntz jet, based on the 194849 kurtis sport, is considered by many to be the first highperformance personal luxury car. In compliance with the recent request, we have appraised the above referenced vehicle.
Adding to the unknown is that this is a muntz jet, one of only about 250 cars built, theres simply not all that much information available on what the structure looked like originally. A variety of reasons conspired to delay the engines availability, this delay caused the. History of the muntz jet earl muntz, the 4track madman. Dont say im paying cash at car dealerships auto expert kevin hunter duration. Muntzs garish ads dominated southern california car advertising. Earl madman muntz produced one of the most iconic cars in american history. The muntz jet is a twodoor hardtop convertible built by the muntz car company in the united.
The first muntz jet automobile was quick, capable, cushy, and a full seven years ahead of the first fourseat thunderbird. Muntz jets today are considered rare and valuable collector pieces. The story of earl madman muntz and his road jet can be found elsewhere, but the short version is that a used car and electronics salesman decided he wanted to build a car. There are three muntz stereo stores listed in the california telephone books and. Specifications performance top speed of 120 mph engine typedrivetrain.
The muntz car company was an automobile manufacturer based in the united states. Yet it faithfully profiles the dawn of the rocket and jet age, from the perspective of a participant with an eagle eye for detail. Thank you very much for the business, and if you should have any further questions, please do not hesitate to call. Adding to the unknown is that this is a muntz jet, one of only.
Base sur a nous meler quel il a aussi servi nimporte quel plebeien pour essayer appartement dans mon soussol. May 01, 20 musty muntz 1950 muntz jet may 1, 20 by andrew newton leave a comment legendary race car builder frank kurtis actually did build some customer sports cars, and one of them was his kurtis sports, a machine that beat corvette to the sports car game by several years. Muntz was assisted by frank kurtis, who had earlier attempted to produce a sports car under the kurtis kraft marque the kurtis kraft sport. The pages are a bit toned but are not brittle, there are no creases to the spine, the pages are clean and without marks, highlighting, marginalia or underlining. After many lesser technical difficulties were solved, mass production of this engine started in 1944 as a powerplant for the worlds first jet fighter aircraft, the messerschmitt me 262 and later the worlds first jet bomber aircraft, the arado ar 234. History the company was established in 1950 in glendale, california by earl madman muntz, a well known local used car dealer and electronics retailer. There is 1 1951 to 1953 muntz jet for sale today on. The muntz jet was a 4seater convertible in the mold of the 5861 tbird. Muntz registry is published as requested and includes production history and owners listing for muntz jet automobiles produced 19501954.
Two muntz jets were sold at rms phoenix auction on january 19, 2007. No one had to tell ross who joe bailon is, or explain what muntz jet was. Barris chopped at least two jets that i know of in 19531954. Thats the main thing i loved about jet, but i did feel like he was fighting a losing battle. Classics on autotrader has listings for new and used 1953 muntz jet classics for sale near you. Early history of the muntz family this web page shows only a small excerpt of our muntz research. In 1950 earl muntz bought indy car builder frank kurtiss design and all the tooling for a 2seat sports car and renamed it the muntz road jet. History of the 19511954 muntz jet frank kurtis, a famous builder of indy racecars, decided to build an american equivalent of the jaguar sports car for the street on a 100inch wheelbase.
Full text of james bond books ian fleming casino royale. The madman and the musician 1952 muntz hemmings daily. Projects 1952 muntz jet build, from a beginner page 3. Jet has a lot of s going on in his personal life, but hes managed to build a stable life for himself, but he cant give up on his family. A mintcondition 1953 muntz jet at a monterey, california, classic car auction. I am pleased to be able to offer this rare piece of american automotive history.
It is sometimes credited as the first personal luxury car. The muntz car company was an automobile manufacturer based in the united states history. Home to the many cars in the museums ownership not currently on display, the vault seemed to be. Click the link to view the listing and full description. Behind it was a wild and crazy genius who has sold just about everything and is still going strong after making and losing several fortunes, here we meet the car the 19511954 muntz jet and the irrepressible madman who made it happen. Muntz jet convertible is described as the oldest mostly unmodified muntz thought to exist the wire wheels and altered headlight treatment apparently arent factory. Historical information and registration for muntz jet automobiles 19501954. The original design came from frank kurtis before earl muntz bought the design and redesigned and re.
The muntz is mostly, if not all, steel and is a heavier car but with the power of the cadillac engine it feels sportier. After building fewer than 30 cars at kurtiss glendale, california, shop, however, muntz moved the operation to evanston, illinois, and made further changes. It is 1 of 197 built according to the muntz registery. Jan 20, 2015 6 lessons from the boldest launch in startup history jet. The car is not restored and missing some name plate badges on the hood, fenders, and truck, however it has most of its original equipment. Another 96 words 7 lines of text covering the years 50, 1455, 1487, and 1510 are included under the topic early muntz history in all our pdf extended history products and printed products wherever possible. Jan 14, 2017 regarding those photos you took at monterey. They brought the muntz to ross obermeyer at obermeyers auto body in allenton, wisconsin. Power rating 115218 hp transmission gm hydramatic 1950, gm 4speed hydramatic 195154 chassis. Mar 29, 20 the kurtis sport is a 2seater with a convertible top. According to a representative at the registry, the car has resided on the west coast since the late 1960s. He bought frank kurtiss design, tooling, and factory, stretched the wheelbase inches, added a back seat, and called it the jet.
The first jet pilot doesnt pretend to be a scholarly study of german rocketry and jet development, nor is it a fully researched biography. Where earlier examples used early ohv caddy v8s, this one runs a factory 337ci lincoln flatty fitted with rare edmunds aluminum heads and dual carbs, driving the rears through a gmsourced. On the date appraised, this 1953 muntz jet represented a excellent example of this rare early american sports car. Frank kurtis, an indy race car builder, wanted to make a rival to jaguars offering and for a couple of years he did just that. As he was doing with his television sets at the time, muntz marketed the muntz jet directly to the consumer. See more ideas about automobile, classic cars and antique cars. Jet owners included mickey rooney, frank stanton and lash larue.
The muntz jet was more expensive than a cadillac 62 convertible and as. Instead, the muntz jet was for people who wanted to be noticed. Though ultimately a financial failure, the muntz jet remains the one creation. As noted on the vehicle option pages, and as depicted on the many enclosed digital photographs, this 1953 muntz has been professionally restored back to a near perfect, as factory condition.
Feb 09, 2016 were looking at a 1951 muntz jet with engine start up. The story of earl madman muntz and his road jet can be found elsewhere and its a. I was interested in automotive history since i was a little kid. Weve seen tons of awesome classic sports cars, but this muntz jet is one of the coolest weve run across. Developed from the kurtis sport car ksc that was designed by frank kurtis, it was produced and marketed by earl madman muntz. In 1950 he sold out to earl madman muntz, a used car salesman and tv company owner. He used to sell tvs and radios in the chicago area. I had the muntz shipped up to my humble 2 car garage in the seattle area along with the original engine and transmission.
The business for these twoseat cars continued from 1949 through 1950, at which time kurtis chose to sell out to millionaire used car salesman and tv. This volume has 285 pages plus three additional leafs, two pages have advertisements and one has an order form. Muntz owner route 66 ashland, or 97520 4232008 appraisal report. Nov 10, 2015 to many spring means cleaning, but in my case it means that work can finally start on the muntz jet. Muntz extended the wheelbase to 1inches, and added a back seat. Ever unpredictable, earl madman muntz changed his mind shortly after his takeover of the former kurtis car design seemed complete. His creations included a racy fourpassenger sports car called the muntz jet actually a 195154 fourseat sporty luxury car derived from a twoseat sports car built by american genius race car builder frank kurtis. The pick of the day is a 1953 muntz jet, restored in red with an offwhite, pleated interior, a white removable roof and a full load of optional features. Muntz also pioneered car stereos1 by creating the muntz stereopak, better. The photo on the top left shows the fabrication of a new lift off top. The first muntz jet automobile was a fast, capable and seven years ahead of the first fourseat thunderbird. I grew up in the 50s reading rod and custom and the little pages, as they called em. Jet is a sweet, sexy, hilarious and protective character, and i just really loved him. Click to view image album click to view image album click to view.
That is the lesson that was learned the hard way by earl madman muntz when he set out to produce the muntz jet. Condos was the welding foreman for the muntz car company in glendale california, and when the company moved to evanston illinois in 1951, earl asked him to come along. The jet was by no means a bad car, but it was a car that lost its creator a small fortune during its production run between 1951 and 1954. This 1951 muntz jet chassis m185 is one of just 198 built over the course of five years, and looks stunning following a claimed nut and bolt restoration. A beautiful, wellcrafted, speedy car that was a precursor of chevrolets corvette, the muntz jet was an aesthetic and mechanical success, but muntzs first financial disappointment. Talking to some local contacts, and using lots of cell phone pictures, i knew the car wasnt stock but the extent of the modifications to it remained a bit of a mystery. Earl muntz claimed close to 400 models were produced, but research indicates that perhaps only slightly over 200 cars were built. His creations included a racy fourpassenger sports car called the muntz jetactually a 195154 fourseat sporty luxury car derived from a twoseat sports car built by american genius race car builder frank kurtis. A pristine example of one of the rarest and most dramatic period cars in us auto history, this muntz jet is now literally better than when it rolled off eclectic earl muntz s handmade assembly line. Muntz car company news newspapers books scholar jstor november. Attractively sporty in a bold 50s way, the fourseater jet is powered by a 160horsepower lincoln v8, and while shouldering two tons of heft, the car is said to accelerate. This 1950 muntz jet was manufactured in evanston, illinois by earl the madman muntz.
The company was established in 1950 in glendale, california by earl madman muntz, a well known local used car dealer and electronics retailer. His muntz jet was the fastest production car in the us in the early 50s. Mano ziegler was involved from its inception and contributed to the design, testing, and training and even served in it operationally. As far as the seller knows, this is the oldest muntz known to exist in a mostly unmodified condition. Projects 1952 muntz jet build, from a beginner the h. The car was powered by one of two v8 engines, either a 160 hp 120 kw. All specifications, performance and fuel economy data of muntz jet 153 kw 208 ps 205 hp, edition of the year 1953 for north america u. In 1950, he sold the operation to earl muntz who had purchased two examples, who had acquired his fortune selling used cars to returning servicemen, and his mutz television sets. One of four 1953 muntz jet roadster sold in 2016 carlassic. This example was reportedly owned by the current owners husband for nearly 30 years, and during that time a repaint in red was carried out and the flathead lincoln v8 was replaced with a 350ci chevrolet v8.
Trying to measure up to european car manufacturers, americans came up. The worldrenowned old bill, which has featured in every book ever written about. And muntz took advantage of this story, to whatever extent it may have been true, and he. Youtube, youtube channel, video marketing, youtuber, igtv, erika vieira, video, instagram. Lillian hellman wickers story was edited by james z.
Heres a short overview video and some really excellent pics of an awesome 1950 muntz jet we recently came across. Hemmings find of the day 1952 muntz jet hemmings daily. Lear had his lear jet and muntz created the muntz jet, a souped up. Its metallic purple with a white synthetic iguana skin interior. After just 28 of the cadillacpowered jets had been built at the former kurtis plant in glendale, california, he moved the operation to evanston, illinois, and made. The history of these cars is not unlike a hollywood movie. He chose the cadillac ohv v8 for power, upgraded the interior and changed the name to muntz jet. The muntz jet is a twodoor hardtop convertible built by the muntz car company in the united states between approximately 1949 and 1954.
Muntz was assisted by frank kurtis, who had earlier attempted to produce a sports car under the kurtis kraft marque the kurtis kraft sport, which sold just 36. A pristine example of one of the rarest and most dramatic period cars in us auto history, this muntz jet is now literally better than when it rolled off eclectic earl muntzs handmade assembly line. The genius man behind this car was earl madman muntz, who established american car company, muntz jet, in 1950. Aug 14, 2008 dont say im paying cash at car dealerships auto expert kevin hunter duration.