Aircraft enthusiast reveals first steps to turn Elvis Presley’s abandoned private jet into a motor home after buying it at auction for $260,000

It’s all rock ‘n’ roll in a garage in Florida.

YouTuber James Webb of Jimmy’s World has revealed how he began converting Elvis Presley’s beloved private plane into a motorhome after buying it at auction in January for $260,000.

The plane sat abandoned in the New Mexico desert for nearly 40 years until it was put up for sale, and now Webb has big plans to turn it into a car and take it on tour across the United States.

In a new video, the Florida-based influencer shows how he installed the body of the 1962 Lockheed 1329 Jetstar onto the reinforced frame of a donated RV.

The plane sat abandoned in the New Mexico desert for nearly 40 years until it was put up for sale, and now Webb has big plans to turn it into a car and take it on tour across the United States.

In a new video, the Florida-based influencer shows how he installed the body of the 1962 Lockheed 1329 Jetstar onto the reinforced frame of a donated RV

He explains to the audience that the whole project is a kind of experiment for him, as he has never faced such a challenge before

Webb envisioned driving his donated camper back to his workshop for his ambitious new project

Presley’s luxury private jet was left to rust for decades before being put up for sale. The opening bid was $100,000

He explains to the audience that the whole project is a kind of experiment for him, as he has never faced such a challenge before.

“To say the least, I’ve never done this before, I don’t see what could go wrong,” he says.

Webb, who is known for cleaning up abandoned aircraft, bought the Lockheed 1329 Jetstar in 1962 to celebrate the King of Rock and Roll’s 88th birthday on January 8.

He then transported the plane to his workplace in Florida to convert it into an RV for a cross-country trip to raise money for charity.

“I knew it was a unique opportunity,” Webb previously told Fox News.

“It was the biggest financial purchase I’ve ever made other than a house, and ironically, it was more expensive than my house. ‘How crazy is that?’

The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll bought the plane in December 1976 for $840,000, less than a year before his death in August 1977.

It subsequently changed hands several times before being decommissioned by the FAA in 1983. “Because of FAA regulations, that was the reason it was discontinued in the first place. They have not changed these regulations and the parts for this aircraft no longer exist. We don’t have them to fly that plan again,” Webb told Spectrum News after purchasing the plane.

Webb is documenting the progress of the battered plane and has already successfully restored the lights

Webb’s vision for the plane is to turn it into an Elvis cell phone – a project he believes can either succeed or fail

Using the remains of the plane that were not used for the RV, such as wings and gas tanks, Webb will turn the parts into Elvis memorabilia for a profit

The cockpit, like the rest of the plane, was never repaired. The plane’s interior has red velvet seats and carpets

Webb has no plans to ever fly the plane again. If so, a new engine will be required

There is a cassette hidden behind a cabinet. Webb plans to keep the wood panels on the beloved plane

Presley’s other two jets are currently at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. He is pictured above next to one of them with Priscilla Presley

The once 60-foot-long plane was originally lip red, but after being exposed to extreme weather conditions, it became more of a “salmon color,” according to Webb.

“We’re going to paint it, restore it and make everything nice and clean on the outside,” he revealed.

Although the nine-seat plane can be expensive to refurbish, the original cassette player, cabin wood paneling and 1970s charm remain.

Webb is documenting the progress of the battered plane and has already successfully restored the lights.

The rusted plane’s exterior will also be redesigned, but Webb plans to keep the velvet seats, shag carpet and wooden cockpit panels.

Webb’s vision for the plane is to turn it into an Elvis cell phone – a project he believes can either succeed or fail.

“Maybe we’ll take it to Las Vegas, to Graceland,” Webb added.

Using the plane’s leftovers not used for the RV, such as wings and gas tanks, Webb will turn the parts into Elvis memorabilia to make a profit.

This rare aircraft is one of only 204 aircraft produced between 1957 and 1978 in a private partnership between Jetstar and Lockheed.

The opening bid for the 1962 Lockheed 1329 Jetstar was $100,000, but bids slowly increased.

In Webb’s latest YouTube, he shows how he successfully assembled the plane on its new base. Subsequent work included the installation of a steering column, the extension of the stairs and the extension of the interior.