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Some info on the "man"
Cause Of Death Still Vague
Boyd Coddington was the man who made hot rodding and custom cars a household hobby.
Anaheim, CA- February 27, 2008- Boyd Coddington, the creative visionary who took hot rodding to an art form and custom wheels to a new level dies at 63. He was a long-time diabetic died from complications that were brought on from a recent surgery. It was his ever forward-looking view at the design and art of the hot rod and his unconditional desire to create the finest quality cars that became the "Boyd Look".
"It is a major loss for the automotive enthusiasts and hot rod aficionados around the world. Boyd Coddington did so much more than create automotive trends, he also built the finest hot rods. He was entertaining on his TV Show (TLC's- American Hot Rod) and an ambassador who educated.", said Harry Hibler, former publisher of Hot Rod Magazine.
He grew up in Idaho was a car enthusiast from a young age. At age 12, young Boyd traded his prized shotgun for a Model A Ford, this began the legacy of the "Boyd Look". Moving to Southern California to chase his dreams of chrome and customizing, he first worked as a shop machinist at Western Gear. Then in the 1970's, He found work as a maintenance repairman and machinist at Disneyland. Coddington would recount fondly his experience at Disneyland and the company’s desire for perfection, a trait that he instilled in everyone who worked at his hot rod shops.
His first major opportunity at developing the "Boyd Look" was when Vern Luce bankrolled a dream. The "Vern Luce Coupe" was Boyd's vision of what could be done to create the ultimate 1933 Ford hot rod. Boyd would refer to his look as getting rid of the bumps and allowing the lines of the car to show. He removed door handles, hinges and massaged the body dynamics in a way that no one every had ever realized. To make the Vern Luce coupe even more dynamic was his trademark use of billet aluminum to create parts that were unique to ever hot rod. The result of his first creation was the prestigious "Sloanaker Award", the first of many.
Over his thirty-year reign as the "King of Hot Rods", Coddington created dozens of hand-built hot rods and custom cars. He amassed numerous awards and was the first builder to ever win the America's Most Beautiful Roadster (A.M.B.R.) award six times. Collectively, Boyd created more respect for hot rods than ever thought possible, his hot rods have been in Museum exhibits and even the cover of Smithsonian Magazine.
Coddington's innovations have become not just hot rodding touchstones, but influences that have helped the entire aftermarket industry flourish. Building cars that stand the test of time and have creative names such as CadZZilla, CheZoom, Aluma-Coupe, Smoothster, Boydster I and Boydster II set him apart from others. His client list also included ZZ Top, The Beach Boys, Van Halen's- Michael Anthony, Brad Penny of the LA Dodgers, Budweiser, White Cap, Sobe, Old Milwaukee Beer, O'Reilly Auto Parts and Hershey.
Boyd Coddington was also an entrepreneur with a driven desire to build his company and see his goal become reality. In the 1980's, Boyd literally re-invented the wheel by creating the billet wheel for hot rods. They were first designed to match each car. A master metal craftsman, Coddington specialized in machining them from billet aluminum, and soon earned the nickname "Billet Boyd." That was several years before the whole "billet revolution," and Boyd was among the few metal geeks responsible for the rise of high-level machining in the hot-rod world. Coddington and long-time friend Lil' John Buttera found they could machine practically anything they needed from solid aluminum. He took the idea and made it commercially viable. In the 1990's, his hot rod shop and wheel company had grown and was so successful that he took the company public in an I.P.O. on NASDAQ.
Boyd was less known as a father of five boys and a man who had an infectious laugh. To many he was the under-the-gun, deadline-stomping star of "American Hot Rod" a persona that led some to believe he was cantankerous. Actually, he was a humble and somewhat shy individual who loved kids and was a true philanthropist. He has continually employed those were mentally challenged and gave them a welcome environment to learn and work. Through his "Coddington Foundation", Boyd and his wife Jo gave to the community and an array of charities.
Eventually, his tinkering earned him two Daimler-Chrysler Design Excellence awards and induction into the Grand National Roadster Show Hall of Fame and the National Rod & Custom Museum Hall of Fame.
Mr. Coddington was also a mentor to several other hot-rod notables. For most of the 1990s, his chief engineer was Chip Foose, who is now host of his own cable show, “Overhaulin’,” on TLC.
"When you saw a Boyd car you knew it was a Boyd car," said Chip Foose, who worked as a designer at Boyd's shop from 1989 to 1996.
Perhaps his best trait, realized at the height of his creative passion in the mid-1990s, was his ability to gather a talented team to produce the creations he envisioned.
"His biggest talent was bringing talent to the table," said Foose. "It was like we were all spokes but we had to attach to one hub. He was the hub. He gave us the freedom to create."
Car customization was entering its post-fiberglass phase, and thus to become a high art. Were it not for him and his ilk two decades earlier, however, the 1930s rod may have died before ever reaching ZZ Top Eliminator phase and beyond.
He was honored during his life as Hot Rod Magazine's "Man of the Year", he was inducted into numerous Hall's of Fame. His hit TV show "American Hot Rod" brought world wide notoriety and corporations sought his talents. The "Boyd Look" will live on and his spirit will forever remain the hot rodders inspiration.
I’d like to muse; "Whenever there are clouds in the heavens, we'll know it's Boyd showing God how to do a great burnout."
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