john dillinger

1930 Ford Model A used by John Dillinger up for Auction

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

There are pieces of history and then there are pieces of history. This is clearly the latter. What you see here is the actual car which John Dillinger and his gang used to escape federal agents in one of the most famous shoot-outs in American history.

In the midst of a nation-wide robbing spree, Dillinger and his cronies stayed at the Little Bohemia Lodge in rural Wisconsin. After the proprietors alerted law enforcement to their presence, federal agents arrived at the scene, shooting the place full of bullets in an effort to kill the wanted criminals. As depicted in the blockbuster hit Public Enemies, Dillinger and a few of his men managed to escape into the woods and commandeered this very vehicle, using it to flee to Minnesota where they picked up a faster Ford V8. The Model A seen here was returned to its owner, who was forced to drive the car as Dillinger shot out the back window, and it stayed with the family for decades.

It's also the car the film-makers used to recreate the scene following an extensive and faithful restoration. Now the 1930 Ford Model A, with four-cylinder engine, bullet holes and all, is up for sale by Barrett-Jackson at their upcoming event in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Gallery: John Dillinger's 1930 Ford Model A

Tags: 1930 ford model a, 1930FordModelA, arizona, barrett-jackson, dillinger, ford, ford model a, FordModelA, john dillinger, JohnDillinger, public enemies, PublicEnemies, scottsdale

Bid On Dillinger's Derringer

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions

This past weekend many people went to see Johnny Depp as John Dillinger in "Public Enemies," spiking renewed interest in the gangster. That makes it perfect time to float a piece of Dillinger memorabilia on the market. The small pistol gangster John Dillinger was carrying hidden in a sock when he was arrested in Tucson, Arizona 75 years ago, six months before he was shot and killed in Chicago, will be up for bid at Heritage Auctions in Dallas (and online) on July 25.

The Remington .41 caliber Double Derringer was confiscated from Dillinger when he and members of his gang were taken into custody in 1934. According to Dennis Lowe, Director of Militaria at Heritage Auction Galleries, the gun ended up in the hands of Tucson Sheriff, John Belton who gave it to Deputy Probation Officer, Evelyn B. Jenney. Jenney's son, William LeBaron Jenney III, sold it to the current owner in 1959, who has held on to the gun for 50 years. The seller wishes to remain anonymous but is said to have put the piece up for sale because he is in poor health. The gun has been shown to friends and family over the years but never was never publicly displayed. The pistol is expected to sell for $35,000 or more.

UPDATE: This gun sold for $95,650 at auction to a Los Angeles area collector.

Source

Tags: auction, derringer, gun, john dillinger, JohnDillinger, memorabilia, pistol