Randy Holst’s 1966 is Cooler than Water Skiing in a Leather Jacket
When he was just a wee lad, Randy Holst’s uncle had a first gen C10. The compound curves of that alligator hood, the elegantly chiseled roofline, the utilitarian yet sculpted interior details. Those character traits that gave the ‘60-66 GM trucks a completely unique presence in a sea of boxy, utilitarian trucks, were the same traits that drew young Randy’s eye to his uncle’s rig. He loved that truck and he knew that some day he would own one and put his stamp on it.
I bumped into Randy and his truck, Fawnzie, at the 2020 edition of Dino’s Git-Down in Glendale, Arizona, and it was love at first sight. The first thing that caught my eye was the Ed Roth pearl flake paint on the roof, dazzling in the brilliant Arizona sun. As I walked closer, the fawn/gold paint seemed to melt in front of my eyes. The color combo is spectacular, understated, and classy, in a Frank Sinatra/Las Vegas kinda way. Just thinking about it now makes me crave a martini. Shaken, not stirred.
The other primary key element that brings the exterior package together is undoubtedly the 17” Cragar S/S wheels. In a world filled with “big billets”, Randy’s choice was admittedly not the most obvious. He broke it down for us. “I wanted something that tied the truck back to the era of my Uncle’s truck. Fortunately, Cragar makes the S/S in a relatively modern 17” diameter. I needed something that would fit over the CPP disk brakes and there were the perfect choice. The 225/50-17 Diamondback Classic white stripe tires were the ultimate tire to bring everything together.” We couldn’t agree more. The total package simply works. And does so very well.
To get the truck sitting pretty, front and rear Porterbuilt Dropmembers were added to the chassis along with Slam Specialties bags and Ridetech shocks. Accuair e-Level air management controls the ups and downs of the system.
Under the hood is a classic 383 cubic inch small block Chevy. A trio of Rochester 2G carburetors sit proudly atop an Offenhauser intake manifold. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it once again – small block Chevy’s are cooler to look at than any LS motor. No offense, it’s just the way it is. Hedman Hedders direct the exhaust to a custom 3” exhaust with Flowmaster Super 40 mufflers for the quintessential sound that everyone knows and loves. A 700R4 transmission with 2,500 RPM stall converter. A Lokar shifter selects the gears and sends power to the 3.08-cogged posi rear end. This bad boy can get after it and still cruise the expressway like a champ.
Things get really interesting when you peak inside the cabin. The Dakota Digital RTX gauges are the industry standard and a no-brainer choice. The Accuair controller mounted to the dash is a nice touch. But as we start working our way back, the real honey starts dripping. A silky white Mooneyes OG 3-spoke steering wheel is an absolute thing of beauty. The stock bench seat was recovered in vinyl and early Impala fabric to create an incredible looking spot for Randy to, as Arthur Fonzarelli would say, sit on it. A chrome tilt column connects his hands to the front wheels while the air conditioning helps control the Arizona heat.
Randy has done a fine job of creating a truck that is not only fun to drive, but also puts a big ‘ol smile on his face and takes him back in time to his younger years. Old trucks have magic and personality forged into their molecules. It’s part of what creates that love affair that we have with these hunks of steel.
