Muntz

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Ellingson's Ultimate Garage

This 1953 Muntz Jet is a beautifully restored, Concours award-winning, boutique built convertible that is extremely rare and highly collectible.  The background story behind the Earl "Madman" Muntz's Jet automobile is extremely interesting.  The beginning of Muntz's vehicle manufacturing operation originated from Earl Muntz's desire to build and sell an automobile.  In order to get his auto manufacturer off the ground, Madman Muntz purchased another automaker, Kurtis, out of Glendale, California.  Named after owner and legendary Indy Car builder Frank Kurtis, the Kurtis Sports Car was a low production 2 door, 2 seater roadster built with performance in mind.  However, Kurtis was only able to build a a measly 36 cars and sold his outfit to Muntz for the sum of $200,000.  Differentiating Muntz's version from the original Kurtis design was the addition of a backseat which was accomplished by adding approximately one and a half feet to the car's wheelbase.  In addition the early Muntz Jets were hardtops, unlike Kurtis's original roadster design.  To compensate for the extra weight, Muntz initially swapped out Kurtis's souped-up Ford Flathead for Cadillac's 331 Overhead Valve V8 that produced 160 horsepower.  After squaring away the engineering and design side of the Muntz Jet, the Madman went off to sell his eponymous personal-luxury car for $5,000.  However, the whopping price tag scared off potential buyers despite Muntz's impressive ability to sell products to consumers.  Later on, the Cadillac V8 was substituted a Lincoln-sourced V8, after Muntz was reportedly cut-off by Cadillac, likely due to his inability to meet his payment obligations.  Additionally, in an attempt to get the Jet's MSRP down under $5,000, Muntz replaced the hardtop with a removable "Carson" top, a change that did achieve the goal but just barely.  Despite the innovative look and design of the Muntz Jet, the car was a sales flop for Madman Muntz who was losing thousands of dollars from his eponymous automaker and some even said that Muntz lost over $1,000 on every car he sold.  Muntz was a much better showman than a record-keeper so production figures of the Muntz Jet are fuzzy, but most peg total production from 1951-1954 at 394 units, of which 136 were built in the final two years, which makes this particular Jet quite a rare piece of automotive history.  This '53 Muntz was also recently awarded Best In Class at the 2024 10,000 Lakes Concours D'Elegance further reinforcing its fantastic quality, rarity, and desirability.  Powering this Muntz Jet is a Lincoln 317.5 Cubic Inch OHV V8 engine fed by a Holley Single 2 Barrel carburetor.  The Lincoln V8 is mated to an automatic transmission which makes this rare 50s classic convertible an easy car for anybody to drive.  Exhaust exits the Lincoln Y-Block via a dual exhaust setup that generates a nice throaty rumble out of the rear tailpipes.  The original single master  cylinder has been upgraded to a dual master cylinder with power brakes setup which makes bringing this Muntz Jet to a complete stop much easier.  With a pair of chrome outside mirrors, squeezing this '53 Muntz into a tight space at the local car show is a much more simple maneuver.  A duo of outside chrome spotlights are another nice touch from the period, and will help you find a street address late at night.  The white vinyl "Carson" removable convertible top is in fantastic shape and it is outfitted with a clear plastic rear window.  The exterior chrome and brightwork shows great as well and elevates the exterior look of the car.  Riding on a set of wide whitewall bias-ply tires with chrome wire wheelcovers, this 1953 Jet has a great look whether you're cruising down the road or you've got this rare convertible parked in your garage.  The exterior of this Muntz Jet has been refinished in a beautiful Colorado Red paint that completes the gorgeous exterior appearance of the car.  The interior of this 1953 Muntz Jet is stunning!  The front bucket seats, center console, rear bench seats and rear armrests have been reupholstered in beautiful Ivory vinyl that provides a wonderful contrast to the exterior of the car.  The matching Ivory upholstered door panels with integrated ashtrays, black carpeting, black and ivory padded dash, and steering wheel all appear to be in fantastic condition as well and retain a nice stock appearance.  The engine-turned trimmed instrument cluster is equipped with Stewart Warner gauges including a 160 MPH speedometer, 6,000 RPM tachometer, amp gauge, oil temperature gauge, oil pressure gauge, a pair of engine temperature gauges, and fuel gauge.  A retro-style Custom Autosound AM/FM/CD entertainment system is integrated into the center console and completes the interior look of the car.  Whether you're adding to your existing collection of classic cars or you're buying your very first one, this 1953 Muntz Jet Convertible would make an excellent choice.  Give Ellingson's a call today at *number in the description*!

White

This 1953 Muntz Jet is an ultra-rare, ultra-collectible piece of automotive history.  Few American automobile manufacturers have a story quite like the short-lived Muntz.  The brainchild of the flamboyant radio and television manufacturer Earl "Madman" Muntz, the Muntz Jet's origin actually dates back to another eponymous automaker, Kurtis-Kraft, owned by and named for the legendary race-car designer Frank Kurtis.  When Kurtis's production ended in 1950, after building a measly 36 cars, Frank Kurtis sold his fledgling, Glendale, California-based company to the Madman for $200,000.  See, Madman Muntz had become enamored with the idea of building his own line of passenger cars and so, with several modifications, the Kurtis Sport became the Muntz Jet in 1951.  One of the big changes Muntz made to Kurtis's platform was that Muntz added approximately one and a half feet to the wheelbase which made room for a back seat.  In addition, Muntz's first version was a 2-door hardtop, as opposed to Kurtis's 2-door roadster body style.  Also, due to the extra weight, Muntz swapped out the Ford 239 Cubic Inch flathead V8 used by Kurtis replacing it instead with a Cadillac's 331 V8 that produced 160 horsepower.  With those changes, Muntz set out to sell his $5,000 eponymous personal-luxury car, the Muntz Jet.  In the years that followed, Muntz substituted a Lincoln-sourced V8 after he was (likely) cut-off by Cadillac, replaced the hardtop with a removable "Carson" top, and was able to get the MSRP down under $5,000, but just barely.  However, the Muntz Jet failed to take-off from a sales perspective and Madman Muntz was losing thousands of dollars from his auto operation (with some saying that he lost over $1,000 on ever car sold).  Muntz was a much better showman than a record-keeper so production figures of the Muntz Jet are fuzzy, but most peg total production from 1951-1954 at 394 units, of which 136 were built in the final two years, which makes this particular Jet quite a rare piece of automotive history.  This particular Muntz comes to us from the large private collection of a prominent west coast collector who owned the car for nearly 25 years.  Under the hood on this '53 Muntz Jet is a 317.5 Cubic Inch OHV Lincoln V8 engine paired with a single 2 barrel carburetor.  The 317 Lincoln V8 is backed by a GM Hydra-Matic Automatic Transmission that makes this Jet easy for anybody to take for a spin around the block.  Exhaust exits the 317 V8 via a dual exhaust setup that creates a nice throaty sound out the rear.  The black vinyl removable "Carson" top is in great condition and is included in the sale of this Muntz.  The chrome and brightwork around the exterior of this sporty Muntz is nice shape and presents quite well.  Riding on a set of wide whitewall bias-ply tires wrapped around steel wheels appointed with chrome beauty rings and chrome hubcaps, this 1953 Muntz has a truly classic look going down the road.  The exterior of this Jet was refinished in an eye-catching Sunset Orange that completes the exterior look of the car.  The interior of this Muntz Jet is charming!  The front bucket seats and rear bench have been reupholstered in black sport-style vinyl, as are the door and side panels, center console, and padded dash.  The black carpeting, steering wheel, and engine-turned instrument cluster are all in great shape as well.  The instrument cluster is outfitted with a 120 MPH speedometer, 8,000 RPM tachometer, vacuum gauge, volt gauge, oil pressure gauge, temperature gauge, fuel gauge, and clock.  Whether you're buying your first classic car or you're adding to your existing collection of rare automobiles, this 1953 Muntz Jet would be an excellent choice.  Give us a call today at *number in the description*!

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