Boyd Coddington has died

[laconic1]

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...467772614/1065

By MARK VAUGHN

Boyd Coddington, the hot-rod innovator whose creations won the coveted Grand National Roadster Show's America's Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) trophy a record seven times, died Wednesday morning after a lengthy hospital stay. He was 63.

Coddington was raised in rural Idaho but moved to Southern California as soon as he came of age, to pursue his dream of building hot rods. He quickly earned a reputation for subtle, stylistic innovations on what had been an almost overdone theme--the '32 Ford roadster. That branched out to '33s, '34s and then all manner of surprising twists on iconic themes.

Cars with names such as Boydster, Smoothster, Alumacoupe and Chezoom redefined what a rod could be. His wheels were equally well known, particularly those shaved from billet aluminum. He soon earned the nickname "Billet Boyd" for his aluminum-machining techniques.

One of his best qualities, 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.

In the early '90s, he had assembled one of the best teams ever, including builder Lil' John Buttera and designer Chip Foose, to produce some of the best hot rods the hobby had ever seen, raising the level of what could be expected from such a craft.

His early works were swaddled in simple, flowing lines. The Foose-designed Boydster was an early Coddington interpretation of the iconic '32 Ford roadster, but Boyd's take was stretched three inches, lowered and smoothed out beyond what anyone else had ever done. The subsequent Boydsters II and III carried that theme but with full, flowing fenders.

The Smoothster was a yellow, full-fendered '37 Ford riding on Corvette mechanicals and a Corvette drivetrain.

A Corvette engine also powered Chezoom, a '57 Chevy so heavily modified that only 10 percent of the original sheetmetal remained. While the look was unmistakably '57 Chevy, it was unlike any '57 ever seen, with a lowered, channeled body and a reclining cruiser elegance not normally associated with the muscle of the original.

Like Chezoom, Cadzilla was a reclined cruiser take on a more modern Cadillac. Designed by Larry Erickson and built by Boyd for ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons, it is one of his most well-known creations.

Coddington experimented with aluminum in offbeat creations such as the Mitsubishi-powered Alumacoupe, the truck-based AlumaTruck and the shiny Aluma-Dub-Tub.

Coddington went through his share of troubles, including a bankruptcy in the late 1990s. He is best known outside the rodding community for his Discovery Channel show, American Hot Rod, which often showed his short-tempered side. But ultimately, his influence on hot rods and customs cannot be overstated.

"It is my firm belief that Boyd is the founding father of this street-rod movement," said Gary Meadors of the Goodguys. "From the Boyd cars to the Boyd billet aluminum wheels . . . that whole smooth look that he brought to street rodding is what set him apart. He took our hobby to a whole other level with all the exposure he got in media outside our world. He was a forerunner, and he will be missed."

I saw this today and I was a bit shocked. When I read all the hot rodding magazines as a teenager Boyd was the guy that always had the trickest cars in them. I wonder what this does to the value of his cars, even though he wasn't very hands on in the building of them. And I also wonder what his legacy will be. He certainly was an innovator, but his tv show didn't help his image one bit.

[silent_jay]

Sad to hear about this, I agree the show didn't do much for his image, but how much of that was editing and how much was really Boyd?

RIP Boyd, you were an innovator and a great car designer and will be missed by all.

[telekinetic]

I knew he was sick but hadn't heard this. RIP Boyd, the angels will now be rolling in style.

[Fotzlid]

has anyone heard what he died of?

[silent_jay]

Saw somewhere it may have been from a lacerated liver or lacerated ulcer I think it was, just checking for a link now, it may have been on Wiki so it isn't reliable by any means.

[Bear Cub]

He was an innovator in his early years, but that's where it ended. I personally found the man to be a total asshole, but am sorry to hear of his passing regardless.

[BadNick]

He was an important innovator and hot rod personality, definitely made his mark in automotive history, r.i.p.

[laconic1]

I saw in another article today he died from complications from a surgery related to his diabetes.

[supafly]

This is some sad news, RIP Boyd.

[LoganSnake]

Never heard of him until American Hot Rod. Never really liked his persona.

Unfortunate.