[s-cars] NAC: Hot-rod builder Boyd Coddington dies

[David Kase]

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Boyd Coddington, shown signing an autograph during the SEMA show last 
October.
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By MARK VAUGHN 
<http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/personalia?ID=1000015&category=contact> 



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 six times, died Wednesday morning of undisclosed causes. 
He was 63.

Coddington was raised in rural Idaho but moved to Southern California as 
soon as he could 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 
<http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080227/FREE/467772614/1508/newsletter02#> 
roadster. That branched out to '33s, '34s and then all manner of 
surprising twists on iconic themes. 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 
techniques machining aluminum.

One of his best qualities was his ability to gather talented partners to 
produce his many fine creations.