Vandals hit wooden auto created by Codger carver

In 1991 when the Codger Pole was built in Colfax, Paul Cocking had a carving of his own created for his residence on S. Main in Colfax.

The Codger Pole was made to commemorate the Codger Bowl football game in 1988. The game was a rematch of the 1938 football game between Colfax and St. John.

Cocking said he was involved in getting the Codger Pole and he traded some scaffolding and other materials for the pole to the wood carver and the carver made the car. Cocking’s carving is a half-scale replica of a 1925 Overland, one of the vehicles in his car collection.

Cocking installed a cement slab to mount the car on which is made from a single cedar log. He also added a cover for the car to protect it against the elements. The car, complete with a driver and passenger, stands at the south end of Main Street, beckoning memories of days gone by.

The car was created by Jonathan LaBenne, who came to Colfax from California that summer to do the Codger Pole.

Cocking noted LaBenne had an amazing carving talent.

“He explained he just looked at what he wanted to do and then cut out everything else,” Cocking noted.

Cocking said he had 17 big garbage cans full of sawdust after LaBenne had completed the car carving.

“I had something people could look at and something I could look at,” he said.

Over the years, Cocking said he’s repainted the car carving and kept it looking new.

However, vandals have taken a toll on the car. The latest vandalism involved the head of the woman passenger in the car. The wooden head appears to have been broken off.

First damage to the car was removal of the carved radiator ornament. Then someone broke off the steering wheel.

“I’ve really enjoyed that car. I don’t think anything can be replaced.”

He doesn’t think that anyone has a grudge against him.

“If somebody’s got it in for me, talk to me.”

Cocking to date has not contacted the police.

“I’m hoping they will show up or find out who did it,” he noted.