Story Photos
 'When you get it out in the sun, with gold ghost flames that are pearl, it really shows up,' Jeremy Dillinger says. Photo courtesy of Rachel Dillinger
|
People & Their Wheels: Jeremy Dillinger's 1934 Ford Coupe
Saturday, April 5, 2008 7:17 AM PDT
By Brenda Blevins McCorkle
Printable version
E-mail this articleBackground: Jeremy and his wife, Rachel, have been together for 15 years. They are Mark Morris High School graduates, he in 1993 and she in 1995. Their children are 6-year-old Amanda and 8-month-old Kaylyn. The couple co-own Ambassador Mortgage and manage 40 rental homes locally.
His wheels: A 1934 three-window Ford Coupe the couple bought in September 2007.
“I wanted a toy, and it’s not the most practical thing,” Jeremy said. “It’s kind of a bachelor rig, ’cause it only holds two people, and we’ve got a family of four.”
That didn’t stop him from wanting the car. The couple scoured the Internet, and before long, Jeremy was planning a trip to Atlanta to buy a red model.
Then Rachel Googled the Ford again, and the tangerine orange model popped up on the Web site of a body shop in Shreveport, La.
“They had it as, like, their show piece,” Jeremy said. “That’s when I got sold on this one.”
The style, so reminiscent of the car used by the music group ZZ Top in their videos, appealed to the young Kelso man.
“I’ve always loved the body style,” he said. “It’s the cab and everything, the fenders.”
Jeremy traveled to Shreveport to buy the Ford. He arranged to have it shipped to Kelso via covered transport.
Since the car has been home, Jeremy said he hasn’t done any work to it.
“It was in this good of condition, so I haven’t touched it,” he said.
The vehicle, which cost $60,000, features a custom tube frame, four-wheel disk brakes and vintage air.
“It’s not an amateur job,” Jeremy said. “The guy who built it, David Dean, ran a street rod shop. You can tell by how everything is put together ... that he really knows his stuff.”
Little luxuries such as power windows, a tilt steering wheel, cruise control, a keyless entry and a power trunk added to the car’s appeal.
The paint is what truly sold him, Jeremy admits. The shade is tangerine pearl by House of Color.
“When you get it out in the sun, with gold ghost flames that are pearl, it really shows up,” he said.
Friends and family who ride in the car comment on the vehicle’s power.
“They love it,” Jeremy said. “Almost everyone who has rode in it says their stomach is pinned against the seat when you step on it.”
The Ford has a 383 Stroker engine and 700 R4 transmission.
“It’s really a dependable rig,” he said. “It can make it anywhere.”
But with the powerful engine, the moderately low cost to fill the tank barely brings them to the next gas station, he said.
Despite that, Jeremy said he and his wife plan to show the vehicle this summer.
“Once our children get a little older, we’re going to start going again to Hot August Nights (in Reno),” he added.
For now, the couple will enjoy attending local shows. The usual response to the hot rod is echoed in its personalized license plate OHCOOL.
“That was most people’s reaction, so that’s what I ended up getting for the plate.”
Editor’s note: Jeremy Dillinger was featured in a Daily News story in January 2008 about how he embraces his link to the notorious 1930s bank robber John Dillinger, who shares his last name.
ânº If you know of someone to feature in the People and Their Wheels column, submit their name and number to Brenda Blevins McCorkle at 577-2515.
Get a clue wrote on Apr 5, 2008 9:36 PM:
There's a jealous one in every crowd wrote on Apr 7, 2008 5:56 PM:
Past Month's Most Commented Stories