Discovery mourns the passing of automotive industry legend and AMERICAN HOT ROD host Boyd Coddington. Boyd passed away on the morning of February 27 and will be missed by family, friends and fans around the world.

Boyd's passion for hand-crafting cars began in his childhood, on a small farm outside of Rupert, Idaho. It was here that he began building cars from scratch at the age of 13.

At the age of 22, Boyd moved to the hot rodding capital of the world - Southern California. It wasn't long before Boyd established a reputation for craftsmanship and imaginative detailing. It was there that he opened his own shop in 1978. Boyd would soon be inventing custom cars for superstars such as ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and Van Halen's Michael Anthony.

Boyd earned many awards including seven wins for America's Most Beautiful Roadsters, the prestigious Riddler Award, and Builder of the Year at the Grand National Roadster Show.

He also holds the distinction of designing the first and only hot rod in The Smithsonian Museum of American History, and the first to grace the cover of Smithsonian magazine.

Boyd's designs helped establish the idea of what a hot rod is. His work inspired many including the next generation of custom-building superstars - both Chip Foose and Jesse James are alumni of his shop.

One of Boyd's most cherished creations is The Coddington Foundation, a public benefit, not-for-profit organization that he and his wife Jo created.
Make a Donation or Learn More About THE CODDINGTON FOUNDATION.

Share Your Thoughts and Memories of Boyd Coddington in the REMEMBERING BOYD FORUM.