2012 Special Guests

Troy Ladd of Hollywood Hot Rods
www.hollywoodhotrods.com

Interview from  www.hotrodandrestoration.com

Hollywood Hot Rods is a full service hot rod and classic car build-up and restoration shop that utilizes a “team approach” to building some of the finest cars to hit the street in recent years. The Burbank, California shop is owned and operated by Troy Ladd.
Ladd’s ‘Respect Tradition’ 392 Hemi-powered Deuce roadster has received a great deal of press lately, appearing in numerous magazine articles and receiving many awards. Ladd also appeared on the television show “Rides,” and received a special award at the 2007 SEMA show, which we talk about on the following pages.
Ladd had no previous hot rodding in his blood, so it’s been his determination, skill and love of hot rods responsible for getting him where he is today. He previously owned a “street-race” Mustang, an ex-dirt track racing ‘36 five-window, and a ‘34 Chevy coupe that he chopped in the parking lot of his apartment complex.
Today, Ladd is the proud owner of Hollywood Hot Rods, where he merges artistic restoration and building skills while taking care of the demands of a growing business. His specialties include complete hot rod and custom car build-ups, custom metal fabrication, sheet metal forming, body customization (chops, shaving, channeling, etc.) among others.
Sit back while Troy Ladd talks hot rodding, why traditional hot rods are the “kings” of his shop, and why “Rat Rods” are two bad words based on a new craze that he feels could be dangerous and hurt everyone in the business. He’ll also point out where he sees growth in the coming years, and why real hot rodding will never die.
Click here for full interview>>

Hollywood Hot Rods owner Troy Ladd has added winning the "GNRS Builder of the Year" to his list of achievements.
Troy Ladd of Hollywood Hot Rods, named as the 2010 Grand National Roadster Show’s “Builder of the Year.”
Ladd, who started Hollywood Hot Rods seven years ago, will be presented with this esteemed award at the show at the Fairplex in Pomona, California.
“Designing and building hot rods has been a passion for most of my life,” said Ladd. “Making the leap from a corporate suit-and-tie guy with a hot rod hobby to being a full-time hot rod builder is quite literally a dream come true. When I decided I wasn’t put here to be a project manager, I quit my job and used my entire life savings to open Hollywood Hot Rods. I had to sleep on the shop floor at night and lived on one McDonald’s meal a day to survive. To go from that, which was just seven years ago, to being ‘Builder of the Year’ at the most prestigious roadster show in the world is quite unbelievable.”
In seven short years, he has built two ‘America’s Most Beautiful Roadster’ (AMBR) runner-up cars (“Respect Tradition” and “Black Widow”), was named Goodguys’ “Trendsetter of the Year” at the 2007 SEMA Show, has been featured numerous times on Discovery Channel and SPEED Channel shows including “Rides” and “Hot Rod TV,” and has been featured in over 60 publications. Ladd is also one of the youngest builders to receive the award.