Boyd Coddington

[allis327]

We are staying at a place called Boyd lodge nothing to do with Boyd Coddinton, but got me thinking what happened after his death. Is the business still around, what happened to the employees. There was a lot of but kind of a specialized occupation. I know one guy went to Foose but that was during the tv show. Doesn't really matter just on of them things you think of driving down the road.

 

[LilD]

I remember that foreman and body guy named Burt started a new shop. Saw it in a truck mag. I think the wheel guy and the painter went to Foose before Boyds death but im no expert.

 

[Gregster]

I don't know what happened to everyone , but there is no way on God's green earth I could work with my ex-wife on a day to day basis , like Boyd did , especialy with my new wife in -out all the time . Imagine the the daily conflicts, then when you get home at night having to hear " What did she say about me today etc. etc. ? " I just couldn't do it !

 

[knotheads]

I don't know what happened to everyone , but there is no way on God's green earth I could work with my ex-wife on a day to day basis , like Boyd did , especialy with my new wife in -out all the time . Imagine the the daily conflicts, then when you get home at night having to hear " What did she say about me today etc. etc. ? " I just couldn't do it !

i seem to remember that on one of the shows its was brought to light ,that the EX Mrs. Coddington was awarded most of the money in their divorce. Boyd had to put up with her in order to keep working. lol

 

[Reverend D]

Didn't Foose originally work for Boyd?

Regards,

Rev. D.

 

[schine]

I remember that foreman and body guy named Burt started a new shop. Saw it in a truck mag. I think the wheel guy and the painter went to Foose before Boyds death but im no expert.

i'm pretty sure the paint guy ended uo with foose, i think he was called charlie....

 

[donsrods]

Yeah, Chip worked for Boyd some time ago and I understand there were some very hard feelings over his leaving. As for the business, it pretty much went away after his death. Employees found other jobs and the wheel division supposedly was going to be run by Boyds second Wife Jo. Don't know if that ever happened or not.

Dan the one fabricator opened his own shop and I heard he took some of the former employees with him like Abraham, the one painter. Boyds two Sons were trying to keep their Fathers name going by opening a business called Sons Of Boyd, or something like that. However, it was pretty much devoted to selling T shirts and memorabilia and not actually building cars, I think.

Boyd was on thin ice financially for years from what I hear. The TV show deal kept them floating for a while, but it sure didn't do anything to boost their image. It portrayed them as a bunch of screwups, IMO, and dealt more with the drama and stupid stuff than how cars go together. Every time Hollywood gets involved with a car business the results are pretty lame.

Bottom line though, when Boyd died unexpectedly it pretty much killed the business too because people wanted cars built by Boyd, not Boyds shop. At least that is how they perceived it, even though Boyd didn't turn wrenches personally.

Don

 

[old bone]

boyd

when i working offshore last year..dad told me he watched an episode where boyd told em to build three rat rods....i guess one guy had it out with boyd over one of the rats and quit..from what i rember it had to do with the front suspension set up..or brakes....can anyone expand on this or any have any links to the builds or pics

 

[fatdog409]

i met boyd about one year before he died, not to speak ill of the dead but that guy was one of the biggest *****s i ever met!!! im not sure if it was health issues or what that made him like that but that show was no put on he was really not a very nice guy. charlie went over to chips team and so did mike curtice the cnc guy, mike made the grill and other peices for for jf's 55 chysler wagon that is going on barrett jackson today.

 

[BadRATT]

Your right Fatdog409..and more isnt known.

Some say it isnt right to slam someone after they have died and cant REALLY give you an answer back.Boyd never built ANYTHING,or so it has been told,but the people around him built everything.Watch one of his programs when they are at SEMA..( I think..) and what does he do..? Takes full credit for the build,even though he never turned a wrench.Alot of builders who worked for Boyd said he did that all of the time so they got fed up and would quit.Charlie did quit and go to Chips but only lasted about a month before he left there too.If anyone followed a few of these guys, that MORON Dwayne went to another show ..( West Coast Customs I think..) but got BOOTED off of that show because of his LOUD mouth and his attitude towards people.Maybe that worked on Boyds show,but not in the real world.A friend of mine bought one of Boyds cars and went to meet him,but didnt want anything to do with him..!!! He wouldnt even sign the car after repeated attempts were asked of him.The car was a POS after they had to tear it down,I should know because I have the motor in my garage.They painted the inside of the lifter valley with paint that just wore off and dumbed into the motor...Nice work.
If you kept track,just before his death,the Feds slammed the doors on his operations and hauled all of his files and paperwork with them.Seems Boyd was re-tagging cars and not building them to emission standards because they were tagged as NEW BUILDS.Boyd was in some DEEP trouble.His ex wife was SO steamed because Foose never showed for the funeral,but sent a message how sorry he was.Those boys did try,dont know if they ever did,to keep his business going.The only thing there doing is rims.

 

[EnglishBob]

Did Mr Daimler turn a wrench full time? how about Henry Ford?
Sometimes the Main people have the vision and the contacts and don't need to get their hands dirty.
It was just another reality show that gives some loud mouthed untalented idiots their 15 minutes of fame.

 

[bob w]

Back in the 70's, before all the big name rod shops existed, the magazines would do "Garage Scenes" where normal car builders would show their projects. They would also run short articles by individuals highlighting a unique suspension or other clever idea. A few local guys would be featured from time to time. So was Boyd. He was just like everyone else, building hot rods one at a time for himself or an acquaintance. I hated what they did to the TV show with all the fake drama. I have no personal knowledge of Boyd's personality, and it appears he wasn't a very good business man, but at one time he was a skilled and creative hot rod builder.

 

[hotrod preacher]

i agree, bobw-- boyd, from my reading, was at one time just a regular guy-building hotrods and modifying cars....the business got bigger than he could manage, and he wound up going bankrupt--with a young talented guy named foose, who feeling sorry for the guys who had cars in boyds shop, told them the "inside scoop" of the bankruptcy and told them that if they would work with him (chip) that he would complete their cars.....and chip started his own business...that is the reason there was hard feelings betweeen the 2--boyd did manage somehow to re-open his business--different name (tax/bankrupcy deal?) and it was that business that made the tv show....it didn't help any when chip wanted to hire boyds painter (charlie hutton) for a ridler contender (the impression)...saw that on one of the episodes of the show...as far as boyd goes, the show sure didn't help his reputation any, and the only guy i know personally that met boyd said he was a little full of himself....

*some of the info here was from a streetrodder mag, the rest from the shows

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

old bone, the guy quit over boxing the frame. Its the only episode i ever watched. Boyd told him to build it his way, and then threw a fit like a 3 year old because he didnt box the frame. so he was let go, and the other guys built it just like boyd wanted it. was a very lame show i thought.

 

[old bone]

ohh

i wonder if there is an internet clip of that show anywhere out there...

 

[Sam_Fear]

Yep, boxing the frame. Think the kids name was Blue-Bear or something. He was like the shop go-fer. Always getting dumped on in the show. Seemed kinda like the whole thing where he got canned was staged for the show. About the only episode I ever watched. The painter seemed like a smart guy.

 

[BadRATT]

Check out you tube.

Head over to you tube,they have all most all of there videos.The blue bear one is in there too.

 

[binder grinder]

Boyds rods gold chains cars with all their personalty removed !I think these cars will not be remembered like Ed Roth or even George Barris cars! they are dated red pastel colors maybe just shock value. too much aluminium I also met boyd at a BFG display I hope being sucessful should make you act mad because someone passes you a complitment I was offended. I wish the up and coming new guys will learn a lessson from this !!

 

[CR55]

Boyds rods gold chains cars with all their personalty removed !I think these cars will not be remembered like Ed Roth or even George Barris cars! they are dated red pastel colors maybe just shock value. too much aluminium I also met boyd at a BFG display I hope being sucessful should make you act mad because someone passes you a complitment I was offended. I wish the up and coming new guys will learn a lessson from this !!

I think he will be remembered for a few of the cars he built such as "Cadzilla". Boyd's show was a touch of reality mixed with a lot of drama. For those of us who have had 10 or more employees you know how "drama" unfolds duing the working hours! It can't be stopped because it's human nature to talk and do things your own way. His show started out good and steadily went downhill in my book, but I watched most of them anyway just to see the cars they were building. Blue Bear was an obnoxious kid who I would have let go right at the start. Boyd's foreman, Dwayne, would have been the 2nd one to go down the pike! I think most of the car shows are trying to be realistic, but they're not succeding. Overhaulin is a prime example. How much bondo can you put on a car and not have to worry about it cracking and falling off? They load em up! I couldn't even get guys to work from Monday thru Friday,
7:30 to 4:00 ! I don't know how they get em to work thru the night!![S Barry White's show was a joke. One builder who comes to mind that they haven't done a show on is Posie. Truly a craftsman! I've seen some top notch cars come from that shop. Years ago he built a 37 Ford Coupe that was painted yellow, knocked me out with that car! We probably have builders here on RRR that can match or out produce most of the TV shows!..[cl..my .02 cents worth......CR

 

[Bullit68]

Mike that was on Boyd's show was on the "Overhaulin" series. Dwayne and Burt went to West Coast Customs, don't know if Burt made it, Dwayne sure didn't! I thought Boyd's kids run the wheel division, which is what Foose did for Boyd.