Hot rod history

Couple's car turns heads at top shows

The sleek, teardrop-shaped car is eye-popping in its perfection - the closer you examine it, the more perfect it becomes.

And Rich and Paige Udell of Swan Lake have ridden this street rod to fame over the last two years, winning the most prestigious hot-rodding awards in North America. The Udells and "The Instigator" have been featured in hot rodding magazines around the world, along with dozens of television programs.

The highly modified 1934 Chevrolet Sedan, scarlet and black, has appeared in advertisements, on billboards and posters and promotions and even on sporting-event tickets across the country.

"It is a piece of hot-rodding history now," says Rich Udell. "It has had more ink, more television and more exposure than any car in the last 20 years."

The ride culminated last month in Cincinnati, Ohio, where The Instigator was picked as the overall international champion at the International Show Car Association's annual competition.

That was the pinnacle for the Udells, who have been gradually improving on a series of hot rods since the early 1990s.

"This is the fourth or fifth car that we've had," Rich says. "Each one got a little better and a little better, until we got to this one."

For Rich, it was the culmination of a lifetime interest.

"I graduated from high school in 1963, and I was the epitome of 'American Graffiti,'" he said, referring to the classic George Lucas hot-rod movie. "That's all we did was mess with cars. Basically, it's been a passion throughout my entire adult life."

Rich was from Boise, Idaho, while Paige was from Caldwell, Idaho. They met in the early 1970s, and for their first date, they went to see none other than "American Graffiti."

Rich went on to build a successful law practice in McCall, Idaho. The couple moved with their two sons, Ian and Ty, to a home on Swan Lake in 1995, and there the pursuit of hot-rodding perfection got under way in earnest. The couple designed The Instigator, which was put together over an 18-month period in Bristol, Tenn., by Mike Ritter, who is now considered one of the most talented, up-and-coming hot-rod specialists in the country.

"He's made the big time now because of this car," Rich says of Ritter.

The car was put together and taken apart repeatedly, with more than 4,000 hours going into fabricating each and every part.

While the car is a testament to the design and Ritter's talent, Paige says, its success also hinged on relentless promotion.

In 2005, the couple went to 35 events across North America, traveling 57,000 miles.

This year, the couple has traveled 28,000 miles. A customized trailer carries The Instigator, a custom theme motorcycle they exhibit for a Salt Lake City man, and their own Harley Davidsons.

"Hot Rods, Harleys and Hoochie" is the slogan on the side of the trailer, referring to the couple's official mascot, a highly expressive miniature pinscher named Hoochie Mama.

Hoochie has painted toenails, a pierced ear and a spiked collar. Carried in a belly harness, she rode 8,500 miles on a motorcycle last year, sometimes wearing goggles and a leather Harley hat.

"We're really bad," Paige says with a sheepish smile. "That's what happens when your kids go away to school."

But Hoochie gets lots of attention on the hot-rod show circuit.

"People bring her gifts at the shows. She's a hit," Paige says. "She even got her own trophy at one of the shows. It was the 'top dog' trophy."

Hoochie was featured in one ad - pictured in front of The Instigator along with a caption saying, "Security systems come in all sizes."

At every show, Rich says, there are lines of people who want to take pictures of the car and ask questions. While he's willing to answer the most mundane questions, the one he stays away from is how much money the car cost.

"It can get into bragging rights about over dollars rather than bragging rights over quality and the thought process that goes into these," he says. "They end up looking at a car as a dollar value rather than a labor of love."

When he shows the car at smaller venues, he does not compete against others who have worked hard on their show cars.

"We just put it on display," Rich says. "It's just there for people to enjoy."

While the demanding pace of attending shows and competitions may seem to be a full-time job, Rich still maintains a general law practice, handling divorces, wills and probate cases, often from wherever he might be on the road.

"With today's communications," he says, "it doesn't matter where you are."

When The Instigator was unveiled at the Detroit Autorama in February 2004, winning the "Great 8 Ridler Award," The Udells knew they had a car that could compete. As a result of that single show, Ritter was immediately approached for at least four years of work by other hot rodders, Rich says.

The magazine features soon followed, with The Instigator typically appearing on the cover.

And the corporate sponsorships developed, mostly with auto parts and accessories manufacturers.

"There are about 15 companies that we have relationships with," Rich says.

Along the way, the Udells have collected towering trophies and enough award plaques to fill three storage tubs in their garage. But he says that kind of success isn't necessarily the best part of the ride.

"The real fun of this is the personal interest - the people we've met along the way," Rich says. "We've developed some incredible friendships. It's like a fraternity with the people who do these cars. It's basically about cars and car people. The trophies are secondary to that."

"This car has taken us to places we never, ever would have thought to visit," Paige adds. "We never would have gone to Nova Scotia or New Brunswick."

Nor would they have gotten a personal tour of Canada's House of Commons in Ottawa, or awakened in a hotel overlooking the famed Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.

Last year, The Instigator was one of just two cars invited for display in Hollywood's Kodak Theater for the Meguiar's Award.

"It was a black-tie affair," Rich says. "There were over 20,000 photographs taken of the car in just one day."

But the biggest event of all was last month's international championship.

The Instigator was judged against the top 20 vehicles from various categories, such as roadsters and trucks. "It's a head-to-head competition against everything," Rich says.

Seven judges spent 24 hours going over the cars, Rich explains. "They use white gloves, mirrors and high intensity lights," and it's not for the purpose of examining perfection, but for finding the tiniest of flaws.

Since The Instigator came out on top, the Udells are looking forward to a less busy schedule.

"We have chosen not to compete next year."

But the couple likely will travel to events where the Instigator is brought in as a "feature car," with sponsors paying for all expenses.

The car has been driven only a total of 150 miles, at one point reaching a speed of 130 mph. Rich says he has never enjoyed driving a car more, and he may drive it more in the future.

Might there be another car in the Udell's future?

"We don't have anything in the works right now, because we've just been enjoying this car," Paige says. "We'll just have to see what happens down the road."

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com