CODDINGTON'S FRENCH CONNECTION
His creations became the stuff of legends, and how can you put a price on that? well, we're about to find out.
Prior to his death in 2008, Boyd Coddington was one of, if not the most influential custom-car builders of his time, with a unique and distinctive style that changed the business.
Coddington loved to design cars that were long, low and swoopy and his bold creations remain some of the most sought-after customs of the modern era.
One of his most striking early efforts was a 1948 Cadillac commissioned by rock band ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons. The outrageous “Cadzilla” firmly established Coddington as a top-flight builder who stretched the boundaries of conventional design.
And the cars that rolled out of Coddington’s Southern California shop also fetched big money. His radical 1957 Chevrolet known as “Chezoom” sold at auction for $352,000 in 2014 at the Barrett-Jackson Collector-Car Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz. At the same auction, a more conventional creation of his, a 1940 Ford pickup truck, brought even more money, selling for $374,000.
But the Coddington custom that brought the biggest money last year was a street rod called “What the haye,” a crazy creation patterned after a 1936 Delahaye roadster but powered by a Dodge Viper V10 engine. It sold for $671,000.
Coddington was obviously deeply influenced by the long-defunct French automaker Delahaye, which closed in 1954. Delahaye is best known for its exotic luxury cars bodied by the Parisian coachbuilding firm Figoni et Falaschi, who favored long, teardrop-shaped bodies.
Which brings us to this year’s Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction. On Jan. 30 in Scottsdale, Coddington’s last car he designed before his death in 2008 crosses the auction block.
Like all of his radical customs, this one has a name: “The French Connection.” And what a car it is, with a body that looks like it came from Figoni et Falaschi in 1937. Constructed of aluminum and steel, the body was hand-formed at Marcel’s Custom Metal in Corona, California.
But that’s just the start. The French Connection rides on a custom, one-off chassis, with power coming from a 12.8-liter (781-cubic inch) V12 engine built by Italian marine supplier BPM and topped off with a custom fuel-injection system. Figure about 800-plus horsepower under the hood.
The interior is as outrageous as the curvaceous body is. It took two full cow hides and 15 ostrich skins to cover the bucket seats and all the interior surfaces. And for the final touches, The French Connection comes with fitted luggage and a letter of authenticity from the creator’s widow, Jo Coddington.
The most amazing thing about The French Connection? It will sell at no reserve, meaning the top bid will bring it home, regardless of price. Rest assured, though, this jaw dropper will fetch a princely sum.
“My dad set a standard for his workmanship, creativity and thinking from which he never deviated,” wrote Coddington’s son, Boyd Jr. “He strived to personalize each hot rod to be different without being odd. The flawless metalwork, paint and wheels were always a given. When he saw a line in the body that didn’t suit his overall vision, there was no hesitation, and that line was changed. ‘The French Connection’ reflects the awesome standards and the creative thinking of my dad.” Indeed. For purists who find Coddington’s hot road a little too over the top, Barrett-Jackson will also serve up a genuine Delahaye. This one is a 1953 Delahaye Type 235 coupe, with custom coachwork by another Parisian coachbuilder, Jacques Saoutchik, who like Delahaye, closed his doors for good the following year. According to the consignor, this car was shown at the Pebble Beach (Calif.) Concours d’Elegance car show in 1990, and again in 2012.
Of course, Barrett-Jackson isn’t the only game in town during Arizona auction week. RM/Sotheby’s will sell a gorgeous 1949 Delahaye 135 M Cabriolet by with bodywork by Guilloré. This particular Delahaye was a Best in Class winner at Pebble Beach and was owned by noted collector Brooks Stevens. And this one has an incredibly cool Lucite (clear plastic) steering wheel. What more could one want?