Ain't Nothing But a Hound Dog: Aviation YouTuber Transforms Elvis's Legendary Jet into a One-of-a-Kind RV
As befits a global icon, the "King of Rock and Roll," Elvis Presley, curated a massive collection of luxury vehicles. His garage was legendary, featuring classics like the 1974 Cadillac Fleetwood, the De Tomaso Pantera, and the Stutz Blackhawk. But the singer also commanded a fleet of private aircraft. While owning a private jet today is the ultimate flex for any major celebrity—and even an Instagram influencer can save up for a charter flight—back in the '70s, a business jet was the pinnacle of luxury, a privilege reserved for the elite. And Elvis was definitely the main character of that era.
Lisa Marie
Presley named his flagship jet after his daughter, Lisa Marie. It was a Convair 880, one of only 65 aircraft produced between 1959 and 1962 before General Dynamics exited the airliner market. Elvis called the Lisa Marie his "Flying Graceland" and the "pride and joy of Elvis Presley Airlines." The jet was also known by the nickname Hound Dog I, with the call sign 880 Echo Papa. Elvis purchased the bird for $250,000 (roughly $1.4 million in today’s money) from Delta Air Lines and commissioned the same firm that built the U.S. President’s Air Force One to handle the interior restomod.
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The customization cost a staggering $800,000. The plane was outfitted with ultra-luxury interiors, including a master suite with a queen-size bed, a full bathroom, a conference room, and an entertainment lounge featuring video screens and a professional-grade dressing room. The cabin was decked out in premium materials like suede, leather, and 24-karat gold accents, alongside high-tech audio-visual equipment for the time. While the jet could hold 28 passengers, Elvis typically traveled with a tight-knit inner circle.
"The Lisa Marie was more than just a plane; it was a symbol of the mid-century American dream, reflecting the sheer scale of Elvis's influence on global culture," notes a luxury lifestyle historian at Vogue.
Today, the Lisa Marie is a permanent fixture at Elvis’s estate-turned-museum, Graceland, in Memphis.
Hound Dog II
In addition to the Lisa Marie, the King owned a smaller jet, a 1962 Lockheed Jetstar sporting a striking striped livery. Within the singer’s entourage, this bird was known as Hound Dog II. Not quite as famous as the Lisa Marie, this plane spent the last few decades gathering rust in a boneyard in New Mexico—until it caught the eye of Jimmy Webb, the host of the popular aviation YouTube channel Jimmy’s World.
“As soon as I saw it, I knew it would never fly again,” Webb said in an interview with Robb Report at the start of his project. “The best thing we could come up with was to mount it on a motorhome chassis so we could cruise across the country and show it to Elvis fans.”
Webb spent 18 months on the project, documenting every stage on his YouTube channel. Interestingly, before he decided to turn Hound Dog II into an RV, the vlogger actually managed to fire up the plane's engines. In theory, the bird could have taken to the skies again, but Webb estimated the restoration would cost at least $6 million. More importantly, the jet would still be grounded due to modern FAA regulations regarding noise and safety.
To move the plane to Plant City, Florida, where Webb is based, it first had to be dismantled. The wings and tail section were cut off, and the fuselage was loaded onto two semi-trailers for the long 1,670-mile trek across the South.
The YouTuber decided to transform the plane into a luxury RV while preserving its historical value and connection to the King’s legacy. The project underwent numerous modifications to make it functional for van life and road trips. The fuselage was mounted onto a custom motorhome chassis. The original avionics and flight controls were replaced with automotive steering and pedals, custom-fabricated in a retro-aviation style.
Jimmy Webb plans to use the "flying car" for travel and appearances at major events like airshows and classic car meets. This allows him to not only enjoy the premium comfort but also share a piece of Elvis's history with the public.
Inside, the plane was fitted with modern utilities, including a kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping quarters. Webb also kept elements of the original 1960s design to maintain that vintage aesthetic unique to the King’s era. During the conversion, new LED lighting, heating, and HVAC systems were installed. Backup cameras were added to improve visibility while driving this massive rig. The jet received fresh vinyl upholstery that matches the original color palette but adds a modern, high-gloss finish.
"When you're dealing with a piece of American history, you have to balance modern functionality with the soul of the original machine," says custom automotive designer and TV personality Chip Foose regarding high-profile restomods. This project definitely hits that sweet spot of Americana and modern engineering.
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