Words: Tommy Parry
When Nathan first came across this Muntz Jet collecting dust in a warehouse in Biloxi, Miss., he didn’t know quite what to think. The primered fender, lack of paperwork and nondescript modifications were disconcerting. However, finding a Muntz Jet — 1 of just 198 – was thrilling enough, even if it came with a few blemishes and unsettling question marks.
It was enough to have the car shipped to Nathan’s garage in Seattle, where he began picking apart the old roadster. He first realized that much of the front clip and the rear were taken from a mid-eighties G-body car, possibly a Buick Regal; the engine had been swapped for a SBC350 with a TH350, and the interior looked to have been plucked from an early-nineties DeVille.
That prompted him to establish a build ethos then and there. To keep the exterior stockish in appearance while hiding retrofitted pieces underneath the skin was the order of the day — or the year, rather. Finding the time to tinker and toy was becoming harder and harder, so he had to allocate a few hours every weekend to rebuilding this rarity. Did I mention this was his first build?
More specifically, he wanted something that would cruise comfortably around town and on the freeway. Not a hardcore track car, but something with poise that could be driven precisely. The RideTech Level II kit offered Nathan versatility and comfort with air ride, as well as new control arms, ball joints and rear links to replace the tired, rusted and possibly dangerous G-body pieces hanging off the car.
Next came a custom Ford rear he had manufactured by Johns Industries with all of the G-body suspension brackets welded on, but a new Ford hub on the ends so it could accept a set of Wilwood DynaPros to match the six-piston units up front. However, during installation of a new axle housing to match the G-body configuration, he discovered the previous owner hadn’t changed the length of the suspension components, or the axle housing itself, but bent the suspension parts and thereby changed the angle of them between the car and housing. He then decided, after a few choice curse words, to tear down the axle housing, remove the top and lower suspension housing brackets and weld them at new angles.
While the axle housing was away, Nathan delved head-first into determining the ideal set of wheels for his build. Limited by the narrow confines on the Muntz Jet’s wheel wells, he found himself in a bit of a pickle. To increase the width of the rears would either involve moving the frame inward or cutting out the fenders so they aren’t skirted. So, he had his work cut out finding something that would fit, do the classic lines justice and clear the sizable Wilwood front brakes – without breaking the bank.
After being frustrated by a cheap set of unknown pedigree 15×7 wheels that didn’t quite fit, he grabbed a set of Rocket Igniter 16×6” wheels — well, he jumped with an athleticism he didn’t know he possessed.
With the footwork somewhat sorted out, he sought a powerplant that would do this retrofitted roadster justice. While the LS was an appealing option, it was too common. The Coyote wouldn’t mate to his automatic transmission, and he wanted something contemporary but a tad uncommon.
Before he knew it, a Viper V10 from a wrecked SRT truck arrived on his doorstep. It was a bit of a gamble, but the tape measurer ensured it would fit.
The truck-based motor had a couple features which appeal to him. The truck’s oil pan, fitted with a rear sump, worked better in the Muntz Jet’s bay. Additionally, this variant fits to his Chevy 4L75E automatic transmission. Again, this car is meant to cruise comfortably — and quite quickly.
This ambitious build is far from finished, but with Nathan’s attention to detail and penchant for the wild and uncommon, it’s bound to be a head-turner once it’s complete. To keep tabs on this motivating build, you can visit the thread here.
