Kalamazoo To Host 29th Street Rod Nationals North

Once again the rodders will be assembling in Kalamazoo for their annual shindig. The gathering of pre-1949 vintage street rods will be held at the Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds this coming weekend, September 12-14. This is the largest automotive participation event in the region and despite gas prices being up a little this year, there will be a vibrant quantity of very cool cars on hand.

The National Street Rod Association (NSRA), with headquarters in Memphis, TN has more than 53,000 members worldwide. Vehicles will be driven from all parts of the United States to make this a truly unique gathering of vintage automobiles featuring nearly every make, model and style of pre-1949 manufactured vehicles. AMSOIL is proud to be a sponsor of the NSRA, with products that both enhance performance and protect the engines. AMSOIL also carries Mother’s products which add that special pizzazz when the car you’re passionate about is put on display.

Spectators will be treated to the sights and sounds of some of the best constructed, most beautiful vintage automobiles ever to gather in one place.

In addition to classic cars, the Street Rod Nationals North will also include over 120 manufacturer displays representing leading automotive specialty and aftermarket suppliers, as well as a “Women’s World” area with arts and crafts. Designed to be a true family event, if you’re in the area, check it out.

Blown Outa Proportion

Paul Sykora's pet passion has been making the rounds. In July the ’37 Ford Coupe, which won a 2007 Hot Wheels Design Award, was displayed at the GoodGuys Nationals in Columbus. Paulie put together a nice sign listing all his sponsors with a full color AMSOIL logo prominent. We like that kind of appreciation.

From there, the Coupe was transported to the NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Louisville KY, a highlight among the 10711 cars there. To many, the coupe was the hit of the show. Among the photos here we see a camera crew interviewing Sykora for their video and Street Scene magazine.

Sykora's email to AMSOIL, describing the photos he sent us, included this comment: "The last one doesn’t need a caption. It's me and Chip Foose standing next to the car, which he liked by the way." We're sure he did.

If you wish to see this work of art and engineering in person, the car is scheduled to be in Florida the rest of the year. You will find it at the Daytona Dream Cruise in Oct, the NSRA Nationals in Tampa (also October), and the Turkey Rod Run in Daytona in Nov.

Street Rodder Road Tour Coming To Town

For a lot of folks, it’s like Christmas in summer. Wednesday night, June 18, the Street Rodder Road Tour will be making its last stop before heading to the Minnesota Street Rod Association’s Back to the Fifties event in St Paul. We’re currently anticipating 28 cars and a contingent of local street rodding enthusiasts. This leg of the Tour which originated in Bowling Green, Kentucky, currently has 22 vehicles making the whole trip, but six more will be joining soon. That’s how road tours go, with enthusiasts hopping aboard along the way.

A special feature of this stop will be the presence of Jo Coddington, wife of the late Boyd Coddington, one of street rodding’s most influential builders and centerpiece of American Hot Rod. Jo will be joining Road Tour Director Jerry Dixey in the lead car for the last segment of this journey.

June 18 Agenda
The agenda here on Wednesday is for the Road Tourians to arrive at AMSOIL Center after checking in at their hotel. From 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. we’ll have suitable street rod music blaring and vendors on hand if you need a bite to eat or something to quench your thirst. And of course there will be the cars, which is what it's all about. Happily, the weather appears to be promising. Local car clubs and the public have been invited to view the cars on the tarmac inside Gate A at the AMSOIL Center.

Evidently there’s a lot of buzz out on the street. Anyone wishing to join the parade of classic cars on Thursday’s day trip to St. Paul is more than welcome. We’ll be gathering again in the morning at the AMSOIL Center to head south at approximately 8:30 a.m. If you’re planning to drive Back to the Fifties, be sure to double check the start time when visiting Wednesday eve.

Are We Having Fun Yet?

As summertime approaches, the opportunitites to be part of an AMSOIL sponsored event almost seem to be stacking on top of one another. It is a very exciting year with head turning thrills wherever you look.

Next weekend the NSRA will gather in Springfield, Missouri for the Mid-America Street Rod Nationals at the Missouri Entertainment and Event Center. This is the 25th year of the annual event, which is noted as the city's largest vintage car show. Fans of these wonderfully cool old-time cars can see them live from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday thru Sunday, May 23-25.

I know a few off road truck enthusiasts who would probably give their eye teeth to be part of the Top Truck Challenge in Hollister, California the first week of June. There will be a lot of shredded metal and other carnage again this year, no doubt, as the editors and publishers of Four Wheeler magazine dream up new ways to put equipment to the test. More info on that will follow soon.

A little later in June the Street Rodder Road Tour will be passing through Superior and stopping at the World AMSOIL Center the evening of June 18. The public is invited to see these classic cars from 6:30 till 8:00. (We'd party till midnight, but the drivers will have just finished a long day's trek and out of courtesy we'll let them check in to their hotels and get some rest.)

Those who have followed the tour in Street Scene and Street Rodder magazines will know that columnist Jerry Dixey drives the lead car. It's a lot of work putting these road tours together, but Jerry loves all the great people he's met along the way. This is your opportunity to meet him in person.

For the record, anyone interested in joining the parade of vintage street rods on Thursday as they head to St. Paul can meet us at the AMSOIL Center at 8:30 a.m. The word on the street is that Jo Coddington, co-star of the American Hot Rod TV show, will be along for the ride.

And if it is racing you're after, be sure to check out the AMSOIL Racing Blog. There's a lot of racing going on this time of year, and it keeps our racing manage Jeremy Meyer pretty busy with his fingers on the pulse of all of it. Check it out. It's a fun read.

In the meantime, take a deep and let's plunge forward. The best is yet to come.

Visit the AMSOIL website for more information on AMSOIL Synthetic Lubricants.

AMSOIL Saddened By Loss of Boyd Coddington

Celebrated Hot Rod Builder Will Be Missed

On Wednesday Feb 27 we were saddened by the news that legendary hot rod builder Boyd Coddington had died. The celebrated American Hot Rod star passed away at the Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital in Los Angeles as a result of complications brought on by a recent surgery. Coddington was 63.

From his earliest days growing up in rural Idaho cars have been his passion, and through cars he expressed his genius. Cars built at Coddington’s garage in La Habra, California have won the prestigious “America’s Most Beautiful Roadster” an unprecedented seven times and the Daimler-Chrysler Design Excellence Award twice. Among other achievements, Coddington has been inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame, the Grand National Roadster Show Hall of Fame, and the National Rod & Custom Museum Hall of Fame. In 1988 he was voted Hot Rod magazine’s “Man of the Year.” Even after a lifetime of designing, building and driving cars, when Boyd Coddington had time off he still went to swap meets and car shows. He loved being around both cars and the people who love cars.

AMSOIL began its relationship with Boyd at the Tulsarama, Oklahoma’s 100th anniversary celebration in mid-June 2007. Coddington and his crew were called upon to bring a ’57 Belvedere to life after fifty years preserved in an underground vault. The intention was to install AMSOIL lubricants and filters in the classic hardtop. Unfortunately, decades of water seepage resulted in the Belvedere being unsalvageable. Nevertheless it was an enjoyable weekend and the beginning of a friendship between the Coddington family and the AMSOIL family.

The relationship with Coddington soon evolved and his next AMSOIL undertaking was a Bonneville build. The aim was to set a new record for the fastest pre-1934 roadster, 3 liter/blown gas/modified with Jo Coddington at the wheel. The building of the AMSOIL/Coddington roadster, dubbed “Salt Fever,” was aired on TLC’s American Hot Rod in September.

AMSOIL appreciated the relationship that had developed with the Coddingtons, the work Boyd did for us and the confidence he had in our products. Our sympathies go out to Boyd’s wife Jo, and his three sons Boyd Jr., Chris and Greg.

2007 Year in Review

It’s been an exciting run for AMSOIL these past ten years, with steady growth and increasing participation in so many great events. This year was no exception with many new partnerships formed with some great people and great organizations.

Beginning in January we became an official sponsor of the National Street Rod Association. The NSRA hosts street rod events in various parts of the country for people who are passionate and nostalgic about cars. The organization is like an extended family of vintage car lovers.

After a chance meeting at the Mid-America Truck Show in Louisville, AMSOIL became affiliated with another passionate lover of street rods, Boyd Coddington. Coddington, whose unique approach to building hot rods had a major impact on the hot rod scene, had been invited to Tulsa to help resurrect a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere at an event called Tulsarama, the 100th anniversary of Oklahoma statehood. The car had been buried in a vault in 1957 and the crew from Coddington’s show American Hot Rod was gathered to get it started. The intention was to install AMSOIL synthetic motor oils and Ea filters on the car as part of the process, but alas, despite the good intentions the car proved to be an unsalvageable rustbucket, having set underwater for years or even decades.

The Coddington / AMSOIL relationship was only just beginning, however, as Boyd and Jo Coddington united their team around a groundbreaking Bonneville build. Their aim would be to set a new record for the fastest pre-1934 roadster, 3 liter/blown gas/modified with Jo Coddington at the wheel. The building of the AMSOIL/Coddington roadster, dubbed “Salt Fever,” was filmed in August and shown on TLC’s American Hot Rod in September.

Another great partnership that formed in 2007 was the AMSOIL sponsorship of the Four Wheeler Top Truck Challenge, a grueling week-long experience in which off-road vehicles and their drivers are pushed to the limits. It was the 14th year Four Wheeler magazine assembled its crew to host this challenging competition which is covered extensively in the magazine as well as online and in a DVD.

The third annual Diesel Power Challenge was conducted in June as well, in Salt Lake City. AMSOIL has been an advertiser in Diesel Power magazine from the first issue, recognizing the growing popularity of the diesel truck market. The Diesel Power Challenge put a group of reader selected diesel trucks through the paces for two days, including a “tie-breaker” event related to fuel economy. It isn’t just about power, though these vehicles have more power than ever.

Yet another new relationship formed in 2007 was our sponsorship of Fred Hayes and the Hayes Diversified Technology (HDT) motorcycles that again set records at Bonneville. Hayes owns numerous world and national speed records on motorcycles. In September HDT set four more records on diesel motorcycles. Hayes’ current aim is a 100 m.p.g. /100 mph diesel motorcycle that is environmentally friendly, economical and potent. HDT is a company on the move.

Last but not least, AMSOIL became sponsor of the Mopar Muscle Engine Challenge this year. The Third Annual Mopar Muscle Engine Challenge featured the 410-inch Small Block engine. Eight engine builders participated in the final competition, first displaying their work at the Mopar Nationals in Columbus, then later having their engines put through the paces at Comp Cams in Tennessee. Ken Lazerri and Fuss Flagle of Indy Cylinder Heads won the competition this year by three hundredths of a point, unseating the two-time reigning champ. This year’s 2008 competition will feature a 440-inch based spec engine.

In the meantime, hope your 2007 was as exciting as ours. And may your 2008 be even better.

NSRA Schedule for 2008

With the street rod scene is as hot as ever the National Street Rod Association is thrilled about its schedule for 2008. AMSOIL is proud to be associated with such a passionate, grass roots organization.

Here are the NSRA Events for 2008. If you love cars, and you're anywhere in the neighborhood, plan to check out a car show next year. You'll be glad you did.

Southwest Street Rod Nationals
April 4,5,6
Oklahoma City, OK

Western Street Rod Nationals
April 25,26,27
Bakersfield, CA

Street Rod Nationals South
May 2,3,4
Knoxville, TN

Mid-America Street Rod Nationals
May 23,24,25
Springfield, MO

Street Rod Nationals East
June 6,7,8
York, PA

Rocky Mountain Street Rod Nationals
June 27,28,29
Pueblo, CO

Street Rod Nationals
July 31, Aug 1,2,3
Louisville, KY

Richmond Nationals
August 22,23,24
Richmond, VA

Street Rod Nationals North
September 12,13,14
Kalamazoo, MI

Northeast Nationals
September 19,20,21
Burlington, VT

Golden State Nationals
October 3,4,5
Sacramento, CA

Southeast Nationals
Oct 10,11,12
Tampa, FL

PRI Show Has It All

Canopies, trailers, racing suits, merchandise, licensing, associations, pistons, cams, gears, engine components, dynos, shocks, engines, wheels, transmissions, bodies, frames, graphics, filters, intakes, cylinder heads, gaskets, brakes, fuels – if it has to do with racing, it’s here in Orlando at the PRI Show, including many of the racers themselves.

The show not only covers every component for racers, it covers every kind and style of racing from go-karts to NASCAR and everything in between.

Boyd and Jo Coddington were impressed by the scope of the racing industry, having their first racing adventures at Bonneville this summer. Yesterday afternoon they presented their story of the Salt Fever Bonneville build and in the evening were the featured speakers at a special AMSOIL Dealer meeting. For all who attended it was a memorable evening with two really influential and generous people. Much like A.J. Amatuzio and AMSOIL re-defined the standards for quality in the oil industry, so Boyd Coddington re-defined the hot rod scene with his creative, passionate approach and love of cars.

If you’re a racing enthusiast, be sure to follow the AMSOIL racing teams on our racing blog or visit the racing section of our site, which is jam packed with racing news, photo galleries, video racing footage, and more. If you are a racer using AMSOIL lubricants and filters, send us your photos and tell us your story. Perhaps we’ll be able to add you to the testimonials section of our site.

Boyd and Jo at entrance of the sunlit Orlando Convention.

PRI Celebrates 20th In Sunny Orlando

Beginning with a warm Exhibitor Reception in the main lobby last night, the 20th Performance Racing Industry Show got underway. Press conferences, seminars, and a convention center filled with anything and everything to do with racing, it’s all here. Exhibitors from every corner of the racing scene can be found putting their best grill forward.

Any number of AMSOIL sponsored racers are in town wearing their AMSOIL colors. In addition, Boyd & Jo Coddington flew in from the West Coast to present a seminar entitled, “Boyd Coddington Builds a Bonneville Hot Rod.” The famed hot rod stylist broke new ground this year with the “Salt Fever” AMSOIL/Coddington Bonneville Roadster. Later today Boyd and crew will re-tell their story at an AMSOIL Dealer meeting in the Convention Center.

Mopar Muscle magazine announced the winners of their 2007 AMSOIL Mopar Muscle Engine Challenge at one o’clock in the press room. After thanking all the sponsors who make it possible, the magazine presented first prize to Ken Lazerri and Russ Flagle of Indy Cylinder Heads who won the competition by three hundredths of a point. Publisher Jim Foos and Editor Randy Bolig also extended an invitation to Mopar engine builders to participate in the 2008 AMSOIL Mopar Muscle Engine Challenge which will feature a 440-based spec engine.


Coddington fans from Oklahoma come over to greet Boyd and express their enthusiasm for his TV show and his work.

Jo shares how cars have been in her blood from her earliest days of go-kart racing at age six. Her father had to put a restrictor plate in the kart because she never took her foot off the accelerator.

AMSOIL Presence at PRI

One of the biggest events in racing is the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show in Orlando. Held each year in the early part of December, the PRI Show is "the place" to see what's new in the racing and performance market. Power, speed, accesories and lots of industry buzz -- this show has it all. The convention hall has more than a million square feet of show floor. The PRI Show bills itself as the largest racing trade show in the world.

Here are just a few of the AMSOIL related events and presentations taking place.

Boyd's Bonneville Car Headed Toward Orlando

The AMSOIL/Coddington Roadster will be on display at the PRI Show next week. Word has it that the car has been loaded into a trailer and is already heading east. On Thursday, Boyd is slated to make a ninety minute presentation on the building of the Bonneville racer and their atempt at a land speed record. The seminar will feature Boyd and Jo Coddington and Harvey St. Mary, their engine builder.

2007 AMSOIL Mopar Muscle Challenge Winner To Be Announced At 1:00 pm on Thursday, December 6, Mopar Muscle magazine will be announcing the 2007 Winner, and presenting the details for the ’08 AMSOIL Mopar Muscle Challenge in the Press Conference area in the rear corner of the main floor.

Paul Sykora's Smokin' Coupe Again On Display

The ’37 Ford Coupe that won a 2007 Hot Wheels Design Award for car with Attitude at last month's SEMA Show in Las Vegas will be ogled throughout the show as it caresses eyeballs in the American Racing Booth. Hailing from Orlando, Sykora undoubtedly enjoys being in his own back yard. It's one beautiful machine and Sykora knows what's needed on the inside to protect this 2300 horse powerhouse.

For sure, this is only the tip of the iceberg as far as excitement goes. There will be a lot to see and a lot to share. And maybe we'll see you there.

Boyd & Jo to Make Appearance at SEMA

The SEMA Show in Las Vegas puts the automotive industry's most advanced technology and best-selling products on display. In addition to the world's hottest cars, you can find tires and wheels, air conditioning, car stereos, lamps, anti-theft, electronic equipment, seat belts, service equipment, vehicle maintenance beauty products, automotive electronics and technology, automotive tools equipment, and maintenance products.

It is also a show where the stars and powerful personalities make their appearance, from Jay Leno and Carroll Shelby to Danica Patrick, the Andrettis and NASCAR's finest. Next week Boyd and Jo Coddington will be signing autographs alongside the AMSOIL/Coddington Model T which Jo raced at Bonneville. Boyd Coddington's innovations have become not just hot rodding touchstones, but influences that have helped the entire aftermarket industry flourish, an achievement that helped get him inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame.

Boyd and Jo will be signing autographs on Thursday, 1:00-3:00 P.M. at Booth 35719 alongside the AMSOIL/Coddington 1927 Model T Ford in which Jo Coddington attempted to set a new land speed record. The fabrication and assembling of the car was featured on three episodes of American Hot Rod.

Fans of the show, or the AMSOIL synthetic lubricant products featured in the car, might want to check out this new AMSOIL/Coddington Race Team T-Shirt at http://www.amsoil.com/products/clothing/coddington_tshirt.aspx

Taking Another Crack at Bonneville

There are actually several Bonneville Speed Weeks, and this week has been one of them as more than 150 race teams, 50 officials, 35 members of the media and a few hundred spectators converged on the Flats. For the first few days the weather has been perfect. Sunny skies, temps in the seventies, minimal wind and hard salt – a week specifically designed for land speed records.

For a second time this year Boyd Coddington brought his rig and crew to Bonneville to take another shot at the record books in their 1927 Model T Ford with AMSOIL the primary sponsor. There was no filming for cable TV. This week the single aim is a land speed record.

Yesterday Jo Coddington qualified for her high speed license to go over 200. At the time of this report, after having achieved a 184 in qualifying, the team was in good position car to attempt its record breaking runs. The record is 199. Weather permitting, we’ll report the final results on Monday.

AHR to Feature AMSOIL/Coddington Bonneville Run Thursday

This week on American Hot Rod, the AMSOIL/Coddington Model T will be completed. This third episode of the Bonneville build will air Thursday evening. With Jo Coddington at the wheel, the AMSOIL/Coddington car made a serious stab at a record run on the Flats. Jo Coddington took the wheel once the build was complete. Though challenging conditions interfered with setting a record, the car proved it had the mustard to accomplish the task.



Catch the action this week on The Learning Channel.
7:00 p.m. CST
(Check your local listings)

AMSOIL/Coddington Bonneville Race Car Build Continues

Thursday night will be episode two of the AMSOIL/Coddington Bonneville race car build. During the shooting for the show, AMSOIL staff were on hand to inspect the progress of the build. This week's show will air Thursday evening 7:00 CST on The Learning Channel. Check your local listings for air times in other parts of the country.

Here's the spec sheet on this car.
Builder & Designer: Boyd Coddington Garage
Major Sponsor: AMSOIL
Minor Sponsors: SOBE, O’Reilly’s, MagnaFlow, Simpson, & DuPont
Body: 1927 Ford Model T - Original Modified Steel Body
Build Date: August 2007
Engine: 2.1 Liter GM Ecotec / D-Stroked 22
Oil: AMSOIL 10W-40 Synthetic Motor Oil
Oil Filter: WIX Racing Filter
Engine Tuner: HMS Performance
Engine Management: Fast Electronics
Horsepower: 1100 +
Torque: 750 +
Top Speed 230 + MPH
Spark Plugs: NGK Racing Plugs
Suspension: Custom Rocker Style Horizontal Inboard Shocks
Frame: Custom full tube frame
Tires Front: 600 x 16 – Blockley Racing
Tires Rear: 250 x 15 – Goodyear Front Runner “Land Speed” Tires
Wheels: Custom Steel Wheels w/Moon Disks
Weight: 3410 lbs
Air Filter: AMSOIL Custom EaAU Filter w/ Nano Technology
Exhaust: MagnaFlow
Intercoolers: Custom Design - Boyd Coddington Garage
Turbo: Precision Turbo – GT 105 mm
Coolant: AMSOIL Antifreeze and Engine Coolant
Transmission: Liberty Gears w/5 Speed Air Shifter
Transmission Fluid: AMSOIL Synthetic Transmission Fluid
Rear End: Winters Quick Change Rear End
Gear Lube: AMSOIL SEVERE GEAR® Lubricant 75W-90
Rear Brakes: Wilwood Racing
Safety Gear: Simpson Racing Products
Fuel: ERC Bonneville Spec Racing Fuel
Of Special Interest: First Race Car Built by Boyd Coddington Garage

This Week on Amercian Hot Rod

The Bonneville racer build was an entirely new chapter for Boyd Coddington and his crew. Thursday night, see part one of three episodes as a 1926 Model T is modified into the AMSOIL/Coddington racer that will feature Jo behind the wheel. A new hire has been added to the team in order to meet the pressing deadlines associated with this build.

Check local listings for air times on The Learning Channel.

Rising Temps Put Stress On Engine Oils

When you think about it, we demand a lot from our motor oil. For example, we all want better fuel economy, so we’re using lighter oils. However, we also want engines to produce more power per cubic inch. To add power, we’re putting in turbochargers which raise the engine temperatures and put higher stress on our oil.

That’s not the only stress. We value cleaner air, so new devices that reduce exhaust emissions place more contamination in the oil and increase engine temperatures. We’ve also cut aerodynamic drag, a plus for vehicle owners, but brutal on oil. By minimizing the air flow over the engine and drivetrain, temperatures also rise.

In fact, the average under-the-hood temperature has increased from 175 degrees Fahrenheit in 1975 to 225 degrees in 2000. Our vehicles are increasingly complex and powerful machines. To keep them running smoothly, we’re demanding that our lubricants do more and last longer.

That is why synthetic motor oils and drivetrain fluids have been increasing in market receptivity over the past two decades. For more information about AMSOIL synthetic motor oils, visit the AMSOIL website at http://www.amsoil.com

If you like racing and have an interest in following our corporate racing activities, be sure to visit and bookmark http://www.amsoil.com/blog/index.aspx

Off-road racing, record chasing on the Bonneville Salt Flats and events like the Diesel Power Challenge can teach a lot about the performance limits of lubricants.

Tulsarama Highlights to Air on American Hot Rod

On June 15, 1957, the city of Tulsa, Okla. buried a new gold and white 1957 Plymouth Belvedere Sport Coupe in a time capsule in downtown Tulsa as part of Golden Jubilee Week, a celebration of Oklahoma’s 50th year of statehood. Before the car was buried, citizens were asked to guess the population of Tulsa in the year 2007 with the promise that whoever turned out to be closest would be awarded the car at Oklahoma’s Centennial celebration in 2007. The entries were sealed and buried with the car inside the vault.

On June 15, 2007, the car was unearthed and transferred to the Tulsa Convention Center as part of Oklahoma’s Centennial celebration. Boyd Coddington, host of the The Learning Channel's American Hot Rod, was on hand with his crew to attempt to get the Belvedere running after spending 50 years buried in the underground vault. Coddington was to install AMSOIL lubricants and filters for the big dance.

Journalists from around the globe were on hand for this truly grand opening. Unfortunately, as Robert Burns once observed, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. In this case, the theoretically watertight vault failed in its mission. Two days before Sleeping Beauty was to be excavated, workers unearthing the Belvedere were shocked at what they found when they removed the cover of the 12 x 22 foot vault. Several feet of mucky water had seeped in. Though shrouded in protective plastic, the evidence of potential disaster presented itself to an array of onlookers who stood aghast at the sight. Some even wept.

To paraphrase Alexander Pope, "To err is human," ...but to be on the air, is still fine.

This Thursday on The Learning Channel at 7:00 PM CST, American Hot Rod will divert its attention temporarily from the finishing of a '59 Corvette in order to be part of the unearthing of Tulsa's '57 Plymouth Belvedere that had been buried in a time capsule for 50 years.

The following week at 7:00 PM Central Coddington's team will begin Part 1 of their Bonneville Racer build, the AMSOIL/Coddington 1926 Model T.

Bonneville: It's a Wrap

Speed Week 2007 is now recorded in history. The 199 mph record for pre-1934 Roadster, 3 liter/blown gas/modified remains intact.

The AMSOIL/Coddington car made one run on Friday as a shake down after the off course spin on Thursday. The car remains strong, improvements will be made, and the team will be back in October to go for it again. The team has learned a lot here. This week's Bonneville efforts featuring the AMSOIL/Coddington car is currently scheduled to air on TLC in October. Stay tuned for air time.

As for the stuck motor home – it is finally out, but during the day three other tow trucks also got stuck trying to assist in the rescue effort. As of Saturday the biggest yellow tow rig still remained stranded and had started to falling on its side in the sand.

The miscellaneous photos here today will hopefully give you a feel for the flavor and flair of Bonneville.

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.