Great Machines: Le Haute Rod
June 2, 2004
Coddington has 16
employees in his La Habra, Calif., hot rod shop, but often collaborates with an
elite cadre of specialists like DeLay to ensure flawless craftsmanship and
performance for major projects such as What the Haye. Coddington went to Art
Morrison Enterprises for the frame rails and front suspension but used his own
Pro-Ride rear suspension. It was developed as one of the components for the
series of Boydster hot rod kits available in do-it-yourself or fully assembled
formats. To complete the running gear underneath What the Haye, Coddington
employed a set of Wilwood four-piston caliper racing disc brakes at each wheel.
Wheels are another of Coddington’s trademarks; here he used one-off 18-inch
aluminum billet wheels fashioned on-site at Boyd’s Wheels, a 70-employee,
high-end custom-wheel manufacturing facility he founded in 1988.
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Inspired by classic French design from the 1930s, the What the Haye
nevertheless has all-American performance courtesy of 500 hp from the Dodge
Viper’s V-10 engine. (Click image to enlarge)Gabriel
Lopez of Gabe’s Custom Interiors is Coddington’s go-to-guy for distinctive
upholstery work. Lopez tailored a black-and-gray leather interior that expresses
the simple elegance Coddington desired in translating classic French coupe to
all-American hot rod.
Speaking of all-American, the drivetrain Coddington
selected for this project was an 8.3-liter 500 hp V-10 and 6-speed manual lifted
directly from the latest Dodge Viper. Coddington just rolls his eyes when asked
if the engine that overpowers the 3,410-pound Viper is modified for his
approximately 2,700-pound hot rod. “We left it alone except for a different
exhaust system,” he says. “It sounds just like a Ferrari, and with the
suspension it handles like a European car.”
The completion of this nearly
two-year-long project has Coddington looking forward to doing another hot rod
with a European accent. Next up is his interpretation of a Talbot Lago fastback
coupe. Because these projects have an inherently bespoke nature, prices vary; if
you would like one for yourself the cost will likely reach north of $200,000.
For an inside view of Coddington at work, tune in to American Hot Rod on the
Discovery Channel.
2004 What the Haye
Engine: 8.3-liter V-10
Power: 500 hp at 5,600 rpm
Torque: 525 ft lbs
at 4,200 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Curb weight: 2,700
pounds
Base Price: please inquire
Boyd Coddington’s Hot Rods
866.414.6876
www.boydcoddington.com
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