Stop by Hollywood Hot Rods in Burbank, California, on a typical Sunday and you'll find the lights turned off and the roll-up doors rolled down. If there's any activity going on inside, it'll be a closed-to-the-public thrash to finish work on one of the top-shelf rods and customs that have given the shop its reputation. One Sunday a year, however, Troy Ladd and his crew open up the shop and invite everybody in. The tools are put away, but the barbecue grills are going, the music's playing, and the place is packed with people and cars.
The annual Hollywood Hot Rods Open House has become a tradition for a lot of tradition-respecting rodders. By the time we arrived at the 2007 celebration, the streets and alleys surrounding the shop were packed with several hundred rods and customs from all over Southern California. The Old Crow Speedshop right next door contributed its parking lot and opened its doors as well. In addition to the food and music and cars, we got a chance to take a look at the many outstanding project cars going together at HHR. A bunch of folks went home with raffle prizes and a few with trophies.