History Madman Muntz

Ed's a good guy, he's been in the same car club as my folks for probably 20 years, always had some neat stuff. His 55 chevy is a good one too.

For anyone looking there's 2 muntz
Jets in this junk yard in the middle of nowhere nevada. Pass it every year on the way to bonneville. Talked to some of the locals only thing they can tell me is the guy who owns the property lives closer to Vegas, and doesn't make it out very often. I've left notes on the fence and never gotten a reply

 

I wrote an article about that one a while ago, sure is a fine car!

http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Ed_Malinski's_1953_Muntz

 

Thanks ... I think ...

It's really fun to drive and to listen to all the different comments regarding it. The one I most often hear is "Oh, that's a custom Merc (or Hudson)". Few realize that it actually came standard from the factory as what we now would consider as a "custom" with a DuVall windshield, Stewart/Warner Hollywood gauge cluster, Appleton spotlights, fender skirts, sombrero wheelcovers, "snakeskin" tuck-n-roll trim, Carson top, crazy paint colors, etc.. All stock!


A couple of Jets were chopped at the Barris shop in Los Angeles around '53-'54. Following their lead, I took 3 inches out of mine ....

 

I remember that at one of the first car shows I saw -- LA National Guard Armory, circa 1951 or '52 -- there was a customized Muntz. I think Barris did it for Anthony Heinsbergen, a high profile interior designer who helped with a lot of Nethercutt's restorations color-wise.

I seem to recall that it was gold with some kind of reptile interior, but the most noticeable feature was huge headlight rings that were taken from a '30s Marmon or something. The rings surrounding the sealed beam lenses were concave and close to a foot in diameter. Strange, but not bad looking for the period.

The car got some publicity when it was current. It was probably featured in Motor Trend. I've seen a picture of it, probably here on the HAMB, within the last couple of years. I'll bet there's a picture somewhere in Rikster's archive, but I can't find it.

 

Just checking back into this one since I posted yesterday, But I have to deeply second Ryan's comment.... WAYYYYYYYY Those wheels! I wish I was fast enough with a camera to capture what the mere sight of a set of sport mags does to the hair on the back of my arms! The only other things that make me react like that involve stuff I can't print here, Ducati motorcycle noises at a fast clip, and blower whine...

 

Not cheap

http://bringatrailer.com/2013/11/07/1952-muntz-jet/


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Here's another customized Muntz Jet, this one by Joe Bailon for the famous bandleader Freddie Martin. Photo by Kustomrama

 

Thanks, Rik! It was better looking in my memory, but that often happens.

 

They go for big money now, even if they are wrecks. In the last few years I've seen several that are either a complete mess ($10000 range) to non-running restorable but in need of everything ($50000). Im looking around for one maybe under the radar.

 

you mean, "ain't you"

 

I have a muntz 4 track on my bookshelf, still have about 6 tapes left, had In my car in 60s, chrome plated and bracket bolts under dash.