Car guys love to think they’ll still be hooning long after social security kicks in, but the truth is, life often gets in the way. That’s nothing to be ashamed of, though it does give us extra reason to celebrate when we see somebody like Annie Koehler. She’s a 79-year-old grandma with a 1957 Cadillac and a hankering for sick, smoky skids.
Koehler emailed us out of the blue over the weekend with an irresistible opening line: “I think you might like to see me doing static burnouts in my Caddy.” She elaborated further by saying she has eight grandkids and while she’s relatively new to the car hobby, she’s “hooked” after winning a few burnout contests. What’s more, she asked us for a hand: “I am looking for more contests. If you know of any, please let me know. I can do rolling burnouts but prefer the standing still ones. I think the radical, moving ones might be too hard on my old Caddy.
Thanks are owed to her son Jamie Hutchins, who owns an engine shop in Bethaldo, Illinois. He built the car as a gift for his mom, one she promptly took on a 4,200-mile road trip to California and back. She entered those competitions along the way, instantly gaining loads of fans at the International Route 66 Mother Road Festival in Springfield, Illinois, as well as the Eville Shindig in Evansville, Indiana. She’s working on winning over some more gearheads with her new YouTube channel, which has 22 subscribers at the time of publishing. Help her out and subscribe, why don’tcha?
Koehler told me over the phone that the engine is a big-block Chevy V8 that’s been bored out to 496 cubic inches. There’s no turbo or supercharger here—just old-school, naturally aspirated power. “I’ve sure had a lot of fun with it,” she added.
From driving a semi for a living to playing music in Nashville and even publishing a children’s book this summer, Koehler has done it all. “I thank God every day I’m still here to get to this season of lighthearted foolishness,” she laughed. And that’s something everyone can hope for, right? To live long enough and reach a point where your responsibilities are minimal so you can have a little fun. Or, if you’re Hot Rod Annie, a lot of fun.
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