Dave Oseychuk, owner of Michigan Rod and Custom in Warren, has been at a number of Autoramas where Holden's work was on display. I've seen a few of his cars before. He did good work. Richard Forton, Autorama chairman, describes some of Holden's work as revolutionary. It is something you are born with.
Some people can do beautiful woodworking and oil painting.
Holden grew up in Roseville and joined the U.S. Air Force in 1946. When he returned from a tour in Korea in the 1950s, he was stationed in California, hanging around hot rodders and custom car shops. By 1960, he was stationed at the Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township and lived in St. Clair Shores. That's where he started working on the bubble-topped El Camino. He retired from the Air Force as a master sergeant in 1966 and went full time into the custom car business.