If you’re a fan of the Discovery reality show American Choppers, you probably know who Vincent “Vinnie” DiMartino is. A famous figure in the custom motorcycle world, he was also employed at Orange County Choppers.
Friends with Paul Teutul Junior, Vinnie was part of the garage from 2002 to 2007 and appeared on the show for three seasons. He left OCC after a five-year stint, after which he started his own custom motorcycle business. Let’s take a closer look at what he’s been up to lately.
Vinnie from American Choppers had humble beginnings
Vincent DiMartino was born in 1972 in Hudson Valley, New York. His father, John DiMartino, was a professional mechanic and auto repair shop owner. From a very young age, Vinnie used to hang out in his father’s shop, which developed a passion for all things automotive and turned him into a speedster. He built his first motorcycle engine at the age of nine. The knowledge he gained during this time allowed him to get a job at an engine repair shop later in life.
While working there, he regularly rebuilt cars and motorcycles, which allowed him to hone his mechanical skills. In high school, Vinnie befriended Paul Teutul Junior, who later invited him to work at his father’s business, Orange County Choppers. He joined the garage in 2002 and as we saw on the show, his skills made him an essential asset for the Teutuli.
Vincent “Vinnie” DiMartino’s time at Orange County Choppers
When Vincent DiMartino, aka Vinnie, joined Orange County Choppers in 2002, little did he know that the garage was about to become the centerpiece of Discovery’s American Choppers show. He was informed about this issue just one month after his joining. Vinnie is known to be among the show’s original cast and has been behind some critical construction.
One of the first custom choppers Vinnie worked on during his time at Orange County Choppers was the Commanche bike. The project was inspired by the army’s Commanche attack helicopter. The finished bike was among the best builds on the American Chopper show. But the project had a few hiccups.
Commanche had to make an appearance at an exhibition in South Carolina. But before that could happen, it started to develop some mechanical problems. Vinnie, along with Paul Teutul Junior and Paul Teutul Senior, had to rush to the exhibition to fix the problem that had arisen. They managed to fix these issues and the bike received a lot of appreciation from the public.
Another interesting build that Vinnie worked on at Orange County Choppers is the mickey/Vinnie bike. For this, he teamed up with Michael “Mickey” Teutul, the younger brother of Paul Teutul Junior. Although the project was time consuming, the result was a spectacular custom helicopter. As a little anecdote, the bike had an illustration of Mickey and Vinnie hugging on the back.
Vinnie is out of American Chopper and working for Teutul Junior
Vinnie left the American Chopper series in 2007 when he left Orange County Choppers after a five-year run. At the time, there was much speculation about his departure. However, he later clarified that the reason he left OCC was that he felt his career was not moving forward. He also said that he always wanted to own his own custom motorcycle shop. And that’s what he did. After quitting, he opened V-Force Customs in Rock Tavern, New York.
But that wasn’t the end of Vincent’s TV career. He was seen again in American Chopper: Senior Vs. Junior, which was a spin-off of the original show. In this show, he worked at his old friend Paul Teutul Junior’s shop, Paul Junior Designs. Vinnie had a contract with the show’s producers that allowed him to carry merchandise with the V-Force Customs logo, making sure the audience knew his store was still in business.
Here’s what Vincent “Vinnie” DiMartino is up to today
After leaving Orange County Choppers, Vinnie focused on his business, V-Force Customs. His shop has made some cool builds like the V-Force 1 and the Tampa Bay Storm Chopper. In 2012, keeping up with the times, he changed the name of the business to DiMartino Motorsports, transforming it into a service shop for cars, trucks and fleet vehicles. In 2022, he started a new business, DiMartino Industries, specializing in the manufacture of custom clothing and vehicle gifts.
But aside from his businesses, Vinnie has a few other things keeping him busy these days. At the top of the list is his family. He married his wife, Melissa, in 2001, a year before joining Orange County Choppers. He currently has four children, and when he’s not spending time with them, you can find him cooking up delicious meals in his workshop kitchen.
Sources: DiMartino Industries / American Chopper / BiographyResearch