If you have ever lamented how the value of your car always seems to be heading south, do not tell this to Dennis Collins. Because when it comes to making money investing in heaps of motorized metal, Dennis is a winner.
Various sources have placed the net worth of the Wylie, Texas based entrepreneur at $30 million. Now that isn?t exactly a threat to Bill Gates, but the story of how Dennis achieved this enviable status is about as American as it gets.
Call him a gear head or gas monkey because Dennis Collins is all about cars. But not just any cars, we are talking about vintage cars. If Dennis were on Wall Street he would likely be a famous stock picker. Across the auto world he is known to be one smart car picker.
For the past 29 years, Dennis has been the owner of Collins Brothers Jeep of Wylie, Texas where his has been married to his trophy wife (that is his very accurate description) for the past 21 years.
Collins Brothers Jeep isn?t like any other car dealership. For one thing they only work on Jeep CJ?s and Wranglers. They specialize in restoring, refurbishing and customizing these specialty vehicles. This is how Dennis got his start in business. He didn?t need to go to Harvard; he got his PhD getting his hands dirty.
Many a car buff know Dennis along with his good friend and partner Richard Rawlings on the hit show Gas Monkey Garage. The two met years ago on a Harley Davidson motorcycle rally from Dallas to Daytona. They?ve been close ever since.
Dennis has put together some serious money investing in vintage autos other the simply Jeeps. Ford Mustangs are a passion. Dennis is known for acquiring the famous Law Man Mustang, a Super Boss 429 horsepower machine for under $100,000. That very same car recently sold for over $2 million.
His investing passion extends to a major involvement with Healy?s where Dennis mentions he has either owned or restored over 200 models. One in particular ranks as his favorite. Known as Goldie, the highest valued model in existence. Collins is also the owner of the first production model of the Nash-Healy built in 1950. It does n?t get much better than that.
Lots of people tinker with cars in their spare time as a hobby. Dennis? near obsession with cars serves as both a business and his hobby. Here is where the expression holds true: If you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life.
Dennis is a showman as his appearances on television attests. He is equally public about his devotion his beautiful wife as he is to his cars. Well known as a generous donor of his time and assistance to others, he is conspicuously modest about his charitable activities. Some people like Bill Gates like to start high profile foundations and make lots of noise in philanthropy circles while Dennis keeps his list of charities neatly folded up and stored in the glove box.
