Details

It is a remarkable thing how the mind can conceive an idea, then bring it to pass so that the whole world can see it. This profound act of creation has been so frequently associated with artists, writers and musicians that we forget that the joy of creation is something likewise experienced by engineers, architects and car builders.

At some point in time Boyd Coddington had an idea emerge in his mind: to recreate a 1927 Model T Roadster that could go over 200 miles per hour. Next week, the car will be put to the test at the Bonneville Salt Flats with his wife Jo at the wheel. This is no simulator at an amusement park. It is a real deal, and they are planning to go fast.

Coddington, who has won the prestigious “America's Most Beautiful Roadster” Award a record seven times and the Daimler-Chrysler Design Excellence Award twice, is an acknowledged artist from the old school. Cars are his canvas. Attention to detail is his trademark. Though a master of visual design, his concerns go beyond what the eye can see. For this reason the interior of the engine is not lubricated with just any oil. No matter how hot it gets out on the desert, his car will be cool.