For those of us who remember Boyd's big splash as only yesterday, consider that Boyd quit his straight job in 1978 to open his own shop behind his Cypress, California home. His first customer, Vern Luce, gave Boyd the opportunity to build a particularly important '33 Ford coupe. That car did several things: it won Al Slonaker Award at the '81 Grand National Roadster Show, put Boyd on the map, and defined the look and feel of the next generation's street rods. And as we'd soon find out, it also defined a new color in the rainbow: Boyd Red.
Over the next two decades, he orchestrated builds that won seven (wow!) America's Most Beautiful Roadster awards and countless other prestigious honors. As the accolades rolled in, Boyd's talent roster grew and his customer base exploded. Recognizing the icon status, celebrities like ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons Van Halen's Michael Anthony even commissioned Boyd-built cars. After a tumultuous 1990s, Boyd started with a clean slate and an updated business moniker: Boyd Coddington Companies, including Boyd Coddington Wheels and Boyd Coddington Garage. Boyd Coddington's inventory still includes wheels and a full-service street rod fabrication shop, but his latest endeavor, Boydster III body manufacturing, lent Boyd Coddington Companies a more diverse business model.
And it's at that very same La Habra facility that Boyd's crew will celebrate Boyd Coddington's 25th Anniversary bash on March 27, 2004. They're luring some 400 to 500 people with food and libations, so it should prove quite a hit. Among other things, they're even bestowing a rather important Lifetime Achievement award upon a notable and talented fabricator. Even the Discovery Channel will show up, cameras in hand, to capture the event. Discovery Channel will also use the footage to conclude their American Hot Rod series. For more information about Boyd Coddington Companies, write 811 E Lambert Rd, La Habra, CA 90631; call (562) 697-1470; visit www.boydcoddington.com.