HotRod Holly
When’s the last time you researched the term, “hot rod”? Never? Well, my friend, you’re in luck. In my never ending addiction to all things classic cars, I did it for you. Why? Because of a name. Whose name? HotRod Holly.
Per Merriam-Webster, hot rod: noun “an automobile rebuilt or modified for high speed and fast acceleration.”
Let’s be honest, this definition isn’t very sexy. Frankly, it’s lacking and rather disappointing. Why? Because when we talk about hot rods, it’s not so much something that’s scholarly or readily defined. No, it’s something we feel. Emotions based on American machines that are handcrafted long in our minds before ever being brought to life. Radical rumblings of souped up V8 engines, big tires and glistening paint that embody who we really are without having to say a word. So if someone is brave enough to brandish the name “HotRod”, then they must truly embody the culture.
And I can tell you this, very few people embody the culture like HotRod Holly. It’s not just the slick silver paint that Lil’ Bubba, her 1956 Chevy pickup, is bathed in or its perfect stance that comes courtesy of a 1975 Camaro front end. Neither is it the rumbling 350 small block backed by a TH400 and a Gear Vendors overdrive system that tells you she’s a real hot rodder. Could it be custom pinstriping that drapes across the hood, fenders, bed and tailgate? Well, now we’re getting closer to why she deserves the HotRod title.
Holly has spent most of her life behind the wheel of one type of classic car or another. Her passion for Detroit Iron started with a love for the Ford Thunderbird. Before Bubba came into her life, Holly could be found wrenching on or driving a 1971 El Camino SS 454 nicknamed “Muscles”, 1972 El Camino called “Stripes”, 1963 Fleetside shortbed, a short stint with a 1960 Chevy pickup that she never really bonded with, a pink ‘60 Coupe Deville lovingly referred to as “Sister Jackson”, a second 1964 TBird. And she’s currently building a ‘68 Camaro named “Silver Fox” with hopes of cruising it in 2025. But it’s Lil’ Bubba who has stolen her heart.
“Lil’ Bubba and I were married!” She says with a laugh. “It was a few years back by Hot Rod Bob and Peggy Beck, Stormy Byrd gave me away. We exchanged a key chain ring and a ‘MoonEyes’ antenna ball. This veil was from Octane Anna who was also my Maid of Honor!” For the honeymoon, they went on a “cruise”.
Cruising is something all hot rodders dream of and some of us live for. So when Holly says she’s going for a cruise, she means it. A sticker hangs on the rear window that reads “San Diego, Ca to Chicago, IL. 2400 Miles”. This isn’t a show truck by any means. “I’m not afraid to just get in and go.” Holly walks me around the truck and I notice some dents and other things that most people would consider damaged or a defect. But not Holly. “This dent came from a Nitro Revival Night. And this one here, a girl backed into me. She was so sad but I told her not to worry about it and we parted as friends.” She rubs her finger on the scuff, just one memory of thousands she shares with her truck. “I always say, ‘If it’s nothin’ then it’s nothin.”
A gentleman riding his bicycle nearly rear ends a parked car as he cranes his neck to stare at the truck and Holly. She smiles and gives him a wave. He blushes as he straightens out and pedals away. She’s a pro for the camera but even better than taking pictures is her ability to interact with onlookers. Throughout the course of our interview and photo shoot, strangers who stop to admire her pickup end up leaving with a hug and as friends. “I hug everyone, it’s kind of my thing. A lot of car guys don’t realize that it’s the people that count most.”
Lil’ Bubba is peppered with stickers. Each one a part of her collection of people who mean the most to her. “My passion is fueled by the people in my life.” She notes when I bring this up. “I mean, isn’t that what hot rodding is all about?” And she’s right. Most of us had someone beside them, late into the night, helping to install a transmission, endlessly sanding or sometimes, just sharing a beer next to our project cars. It’s a sacred ritual. One that Holly celebrates. “Colin Rodgers has been my mechanic for a long time. He dialed in the motor and really helped me build most of Lil’ Bubba.” She points to the cleverly hidden “T” in the “Chevrolei” tailgate, “This was all hand painted by my friend, Mark Lueck. I wanted a feminine vibe for Lil’ Bubba. I told him what I was hoping for and I got all I wanted and more.”
She excitedly pulls out her phone to show me pics of someone’s Saturn SUV that was inspired by Lil’ Bubba. After speaking with Holly she asked Mark to mimic the paint job onto her car. “I mean how nice is that! Her and I parked next to each other during a car show to celebrate Mark.”
So how does one assume the title of “HotRod Holly”? “Harmonica” John Frazier and Chet Cannon sang at the local bar where Holly was a bartender. “I had a ‘63 pickup at the time and loved listening to them sing. They would sing silly songs and one night, they made one up about me. While I was out on the dancefloor serving a drink, he sang ‘HotRod Holly’ and that was it! Now, I’ve had that nickname for decades and love it.” Holly took the name and ran with it. “I just hit the road, started doing all I could and never looked back.”
Since that night, Holly has built cars, relationships and a name for herself with thousands of followers across multiple social media platforms, awards and even appearing in a couple tv shows. It’s clear that Holly is an unapologetic hot rodder through and through by how she lives her passion and represents the best part of our culture day in and day out.
