Like other car aficionados, Joe Wilkins brought his ’39 Ford to Doug Leopold at Classic Collision and Restoration in Bryan, Texas to rebuild the classic from the ground up.
“Big project, no big deal, but this was a little bit of a bigger project,” said Leopold.
That’s because Wilkins didn’t ask for a “typical” restoration. Joe wanted something extra special. Besides the Hemi engine to be installed under the hood, he wanted an additional engine in the back…a jet engine.
“Building this kept me young and it was a real break from reality in the laboratory,” said Wilkins.
Incredibly, Watkins sometimes uses his Hemi Jet Ford as his daily driver. “I’ve even got air conditioning in it, a stereo; I’ve taken it to the store to get milk and bread,” said Wilkins.
The tailpipe has an afterburner that develops thrust beyond what the car can produce through the wheels. No one’s sure yet how fast this Ford can go, but Joe will tell you its cost was in the six figures. Joe plans on taking the Hemi Jet ’39 Ford to Utah next year to see if it can be first street legal car to hit 300 mph.
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