For most people, a car is nothing more than a means to get from here to there. But for some at Biola, a car is more important to than most anything. Some spent years saving money to buy their dream car, others worked 40 hours a week in high school to pay for parts to spiff theirs up, and others spent hundreds of hours in the garage with dad learning the trade and perfecting their prizes. There are dozens of car guys (and girls) with these stories on campus.
Jared Cox is one of those guys. He knows everything there is to know about his ’76 Chevy half-ton converted to three-quarter-ton, four-wheel drive truck. The hours he has spent pouring himself into the vehicle, analyzing every facet of his truck, are almost uncountable.
“You have to realize that everything on this car, not only do I know it, but I have touched it and put it on it,” said Cox.
A junior archaeology major with an Islamic studies minor from Alturas, Calif. (middle of nowhere, north of Redding), Cox has grown up with engines. At the age of five he was riding motorcycles with his dad, and from then on, almost all the time he spent with his father was either in the garage or on the road. The guy loves cars and motorcycles.
“If its got four wheels, or an engine, you can ride it,” he said.
Jared was fortunate to have his truck passed down the family line, part of the reason why he values it so much.
“I got it from my grandpa when I was a sophomore in high school, because they were going to do the RV thing and they couldn’t tow the truck along,” said Cox. “So he gave it to me.”
From the first days he had the truck, Cox never stopped working on it. Early on, he put a lift kit on it; just last summer, he converted it from an automatic to manual transmission.
“It has just been a blessing to have,” said Cox. He says this not just because it’s a nice drive, but because of the opportunities the car and his love for it have provided. “I am able to help people out who need it,” he said.
Cox has had the opportunity to help friends and even strangers with simple repairs and adjustments, and has certainly saved people a lot of money.
“There is no way around it. It just took a lot of hard work,” he said. “It looks good, it runs well, but it’s not something that I’m afraid to go have a little fun with.” Cox smiled when he added, “As a matter of fact, that truck has been covered in mud more than once.”
Cox’s relationship with his truck has also helped his relationship with his family flourish, especially with his father.
“One of my earliest memories is my dad and his ’68 Camaro,” Cox said. “I remember him working on it, and it just looked so good. Because of this, I have always liked looking at good-looking cars … It’s created a common interest between my dad and I. It’s how we bond … and it has worked out well because he is a good teacher.”
One of the main things Cox has learned from working so hard and spending quality time with his father is that his truck is so much more than just four wheels and an engine.
“You appreciate the value of the truck, because you appreciate the hard work you put into it,” said Cox. “You appreciate the people who have helped you with it, you appreciate so much more about the car after you are done with it. Not the car so much, but what it represents.”
Cox is one of many car enthusiasts on campus. His story is unique, but it is not the only one. Others on campus share his passion and have invested countless hours into their vehicles. It takes a special personality and a determined mindset to fully invest in a car. The efforts of a guy like Cox can often be overlooked, but knowing that he and others slaved over their cars is encouraging, especially to those of us who don’t know a thing about engines and gear ratios and where the motor mount goes.
The way Jared Cox and others like him treat their cars is inspiring; to see a vehicle as a work of art, and a model of good craftsmanship that should be cared for. It’s rightfully making the car out to be so much more than just a way to get from here to there.
