One of Boyd Coddington’s most radical hot rods, and probably one of the most radical custom Tri-Fives ever built, the “Chezoom” was built for owner and CEO of Mr. Gasket, Joe Hrudka. While Coddington had been showing Hrudka some renditions by Thom Taylor of what a modern, ’57 Chevy might look like, Hrudka exclaimed, “I’ll take one!” From there, the idea behind Coddington’s “Chezoom” was born.
The radical shoebox started life as a stock, ’57 Chevy two-door hardtop. From there, a custom tube chassis was built and fitted with front and rear suspension from an ’85 ‘Vette. The Chezoom’s drivetrain consisted of a 300-horse, LT1 350 with a 700R4 transmission, and the custom carriage rode on Boyd Coddington’s own, 17-inch billet aluminum wheels.
One of Coddington’s most famous customs, the “Chezoom” set a whole new standard for Tri-Five, Chevy customizing. Since its creation, the custom ’57 has enjoyed minor modifications, along with a substantial upgrade in 2004. The LT1 motor under the hood is definitely not a “fire-breather,” but with the Chezoom, as with many of Boyd Coddington’s creations, the emphasis is on creating a “Turtle Wax” clean, custom street rod that lives its life as a sculpture, and not as a race horse.
Though Coddington himself is no longer with us, his memory lingers strong through his now-famous Chezoom hot rod. The Boyd Coddington style of rod-building is well-represented through the radical ’57, and if leaving behind a custom-rodding legacy wasn’t enough, Boyd’s “Peacock Teal” Bel Air sold for $372,600 in 2005 at Barrett Jackson.
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