Early Muntz can be a very rewarding project

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Yesterday’s Corvette and Skylark may be tempting vehicles from America’s Golden Age of Motoring, but they are fully finished restorations with no work left. Just ready to rumble and win prizes. So what if you are looking for an American idol that hasn’t been through this phase yet, and needs the full tender loving care of a restorer? One who likes to do all of the labour himself? Well, how about a Muntz Jet - as above - but one that needs the full works? Chances of bumping into a Jet are low anyway, with supposedly 50 on the road today. Finding a restoration project will be even harder?

We like the Jet even if it was alone for its rarity. The Muntz Car Company built under 200 of them between 1949 and 1954 in Glendale, California and later over 2000 miles eastwards in Evenston, Illinois and in Chicago. They came with Cadillac or Lincoln V8 power. The car’s instigator, Earl ‘Madman’ Muntz was a bit of a character, too, having earned his nickname not for nothing. Muntz is said to have made and lost several fortunes during his lifetime and married seven times. He was also described as ‘A nut, a failure, a genius and a huge success, sometimes all of the above within the space of a few years.’ Intriguing.

Anyway: a rare chance to buy a Jet restoration project is offered now. This is a 1950 car, wearing chassis number 14 and so one of the early cars made in California with part aluminium, part steel body that’s also slightly longer than that of the later Illinois cars. The (private) seller states: “The 1950 run of 27 also featured the awesome 331 Cadillac OHV engine. Car 14 has its original Cadillac 331 engine and the extremely strong hydromatic transmission. Both Car 14's engine and its transmission are being completely rebuilt right now. (…) The bottom line for collectors seems to be that the 1950 first 27 cars with the aluminium fenders and quarters are the most desirable of all the Muntz Jets." See the ad here.

(Words editor, picture Pawel Litwinski / Auctions of America / PostWarClassic)  

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