BOYD CODDINGTON CADZILLA CREATOR DIES AT 63

Many people look at fine cars and see art.  After all, it’s hard think of changing a thing on something as pristinely beautiful as the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Convertible.  Boyd Coddington, hot-rod designer extraordinaire, saw potential. 

Never content with the finished product on showroom floors, Coddington would add to, subtract from, buff, bend, and polish until something entirely new emerged.

For example, Coddington designed the Smoothster, a combination of a ’37 Ford and a Corvette.  Similarly, he helped create the Chezoom, a marriage of a ’57 Chevy and a Corvette engine. 

Perhaps his most famous car was the Cadzilla.  The Cadzilla was a reclined version of a modern Cadillac built for ZZ Top member Billy Gibbons.  The Cadzilla was recently part of the Cars and Guitars exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

Coddington created the hit television program American Hot Rod for the Discovery Channel. The show ran from 2004 to 2007 and cemented Boyd Coddington’s reputation as among the most influential hot rod builders in America.

“Coddington was self taught and grew up dreaming of the cars that he saw in magazines. He was not content to dream, but worked hard to build a very successful business designing cars for people who wanted something unmistakably unique,” said Ron Sturgeon, owner of a Dallas exotic car rental company.

Although the car world will no doubt miss Coddington’s flair, he has awakened in millions a passion for exotic cars.  “Hotrodders like Coddington were a big part of what attracted me to cars and car collecting,” said the Dallas businessperson.

In the last two years, Sturgeon has devoted himself to creating companies that allow people to drive exotic cars without the expense of ownership.  He operates an exotic car sharing club in Dallas, and a company that arranges fantasy car driving tours for enthusiasts throughout Texas, and an exotic car rental agency.

“Boyd Coddington was a genius. His creations reflect the passion for automobiles and the confidence that no matter how beautiful it is, an artist can make it even more so,” says Mr. Sturgeon. “He found ways to combine designs in unexpected ways and produce cars that were magical.”

Boyd is survived by his wife, Jo, and his three sons, Chris, Greg, and Boyd Coddington, Jr.

Written by G.D. Gregory.  If you are interested in having me write stories for you or seeing my portfolio, please contact me at ggpsu@yahoo.com. Garrett is a regular contributor to the exotic car rental blog. Read more of his car stories on our daily exotic car news page.