Boyd Coddington, 1944-2008 : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

hotshotfxdl · 02-28-2008, 08:39 AM

Renowned custom-car and wheel builder Boyd Coddington, 1944-2008: World-renowned tuner and hot rod king Boyd Coddington, founder of Boyds Wheels, designer of prize-winning custom cars, and star of American Hot Rod on TLC, died this morning. He was 63.

Coddington grew up in Rupert, Idaho, where he got his first car (a 1931 Chevrolet truck) at age 13. He attended machinist trade school at Idaho State University and completed a three-year apprenticeship in machining. In 1966, he moved to California building hot rods by day and working as a machinist by night. He soon became known for building unique hot rods and in 1977 he opened his own shop, Hot Rods by Boyd, in Cypress, Calif. His first customer was Vern Luce whose car (a '33 coupe) won the Al Slonaker Award at the 1981 Oakland Roadshow. In 1988, Coddington founded Boyds Wheels Inc to manufacture and market custom automobile alloy wheels made from billet aluminum. In 1997, Coddington (along with his then chief designer Chip Foose) was inducted into the Hot Rod Hall of Fame..

According to his compay's websitre, Coddington "set a standard for his workmanship, creativity and thinking from which he's never deviated. Hot rod afficionados who saw some of those first cars he produced many not have recognized the stocky guy with the Hawaiian shirt at that time, but they noticed that all his cars shared the same look and level of detail. Smooth, integrated, no hiccups, nothing extraneous; they were surgery-room clean in form and function. He and contemporary Li'l John Buttera, who had made his fame building drag-racing funny cars before he got into street rods, were both master machinists and had developed a new aesthetic for rods, something that doesn't happen everyday in a largely tradition-minded hobby."

toybox99615 · 02-28-2008, 08:37 PM

when his show was on it was the best car building program bar none. While Boyd was a bit sarcastic at time he knew how to get the job done. I believe his employees could fabricate just about anything. His influence on hot rods will be missed. He just did not like to be good enough he strived for perfection.

Ice is Cool · 03-02-2008, 10:25 AM

Wow. If you like hot rods, you'll miss Boyd Coddington. Wonder who takes control of the business? Current wife, son, ex-wife, none of them, all of them? I hope it's not Duane. He's an ass.

Ice

ChromeWelder · 03-02-2008, 11:55 AM

What an unexpected passing. I saw him last June at the Tulsa-Rama event at the unearthing of "Ms. Belvedere". He seemed heathy then? It once again brings home the importance of enjoying each day.

Texan · 03-02-2008, 12:18 PM

WoW... That's a shocker. First met Boyd while producing a video Street Rod magazine back in he '90s. Met him and Arlen Ness at the Oakland Street Rod Show. Did several segments with Boyd over the years. The automotive/street rod community has experienced a great loss.

LA Times article

On the other note about the business, will be interesting to see how that shakes out.

Rest in peace my friend,

o~\o