Design: John Buttera Dies -- Hot Rod World Reels With Second Death Of Major Figure in a Week

Lil' John Buttera, an associate of the late Boyd Coddington and a prime mover in the world of hot rodders, has died of cancer. Buttera's designs were as famous on the dragstrip as they were in the garage. His specialties were drag racers and funny cars, though he did some fantastic rods for the street as well. He was integral to the rise of drag racing in the late 60s and 1970s before joining Coddington to work on street rods in the 80s. He was 67 years old.



The 1973 Chevy Vega based "Wonderwagon" built by Buttera



Buttera's mid-70s Ford Roadster revolutionized the rodding world with it's high-tech aluminum fabrication and materials.