Muntz Car Company
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| Muntz Car Company | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Type | Private |
| Founded | 1951 |
| Founder | Earl Muntz |
| Dissolved | 1954 |
| Headquarters | Glendale, California, USA |
| Area served | United States |
| Key people | Earl Muntz, Founder Frank Kurtis, Designer |
| Industry | Automotive |
| Products | Performance vehicles |
The Muntz Car Company was created in Glendale, California in the early 1950s by Earl "Madman" Muntz, a well known local used car dealer and electronics retailer. He was assisted by Frank Kurtis, who had earlier attempted to produce a sports car under the Kurtis Kraft marque (the Kurtis Kraft Sport, which sold just 36 units by 1950).[1]
In 1951, Kurtis sold the license to manufacture the cars to Muntz, who quickly rebadged them as the "Muntz Jet", extended the body to make it a 4-seater, and exchanged the Ford engine with a larger Cadillac V8. Later, this engine would be replaced with a less expensive Lincoln side-valve V8.[2][2]
The car, a sports coupe, was manufactured in Evanston, Illinois and featured its own unique design, with aluminum body panels and a removable fiberglass top that were manufactured in-house.[2] Other parts (such as the engines) were sourced from other manufacturers. It was capable of 112 mph,[2] a significant achievement for a road car at the time. It was featured on the cover of the September 1951 issue of Popular Science (with a Jaguar and an MG).
The company managed to produce only about 400 cars during 1951-1954, and due to the high manufacturing cost, Muntz himself estimated that his company lost about $1,000 on each car; this financial drain eventually caused him to close the company.[2]
Muntz Jets today are rare and valuable collector pieces.[2]
 "Mars Red" Muntz Jet |
 "Stratosphere Blue" Muntz Jet |
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