Elvis Presley’s old jet is simply cruising around my town.

      Courtesy of Ian Caple

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      While growing up in the Ozarks, I believed I was in the middle of nowhere. Now that I’m older (and still here), I realize I actually live in the center of everywhere—at least from a geographical standpoint. Quite a few fascinating things occur in my area, and if you need evidence, just check out these images of Elvis Presley’s former jet cruising through traffic about 30 minutes from my home.

      Indeed, that is an abandoned jet that once belonged to the King of Rock and Roll. And yes, it is being driven rather than flying. When YouTuber Jimmy Webb acquired it at auction last year, there was no possibility it would ever take to the skies again. However, I never expected to spot it at the corner of 14th and Moberly in Bentonville, Arkansas.

      My friend Ian Caple—one of the talented creators at BLK ELK—was waiting for his food when he witnessed the Elvis jet pass by. He shared it in the Arkansas Car Spotters group on Facebook, which typically features supercars in various locations and donks in North Little Rock. He might have secured “Post of the Year” with this one.

      Courtesy of Ian Caple

      “We were just sitting at Sonic waiting for our food when I looked up and saw an airplane driving down the road,” Caple recounted. “It looked hilarious next to a Mercedes.

      “It definitely had tight height tolerances to get beneath lights and bridges. I got a good laugh when I drove past and saw Elvis on the back with the text that read, ‘All shook up.'”

      A commenter mentioned that the jet was returning home after attending the Guilt By Association Truck Show in Joplin, Missouri. (This event is hosted by Chrome Shop Mafia, the folks from CMT’s Trick My Truck. Do you remember that?) Anyway, I’m curious if they planned to end up on 14th Street during lunchtime, as that’s when everyone from Walmart’s Home Office heads out to get 7Brew.

      The retired aircraft is a Lockheed JetStar that Presley purchased in 1976. He owned it for only a few months before selling it to a Saudi Arabian sheik, apparently. It changed owners several times before it was left to decay in Roswell, New Mexico, for about 40 years until Webb acquired it at a Mecum auction in 2022. He has already done quite a bit with it, including mounting it on a motorhome chassis and having a custom body built for the lower half, which required 300 hours of sheet metal work.

      If you're wondering, the visibility appears to be as poor as you might expect. Nevertheless, Webb ensured a surround-view camera system was installed to help him navigate it on public roads. It’s astonishing what you can register for road use, though perhaps less surprising once you find out he resides in Florida. That’s not a criticism! I promise!

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