Reproduction bodies are getting quite popular these days now that the big three are in on the act. Ford has decided to reproduce the iconic 1940s coupe styling with modern steel and assembly techniques. This hopefully means a stronger body that is more rust resistant. This will of course come at a price, with the body starting at $11,900. Ford is also planing a whole host of accessories and trim to go with the body. More details should emerge this week at SEMA, so if anything exciting comes about we’ll let you know. You can hit the jump for the full press release.
Return of a Legend: Iconic 1940 Ford Coupe Body Shell Now Available for Hot Rodders and Classic Car Enthusiasts
-New reproduction 1940 Ford Coupe steel body shell complements Ford’s existing stable of fully assembled classic Mustang car bodies
-The new 1940 body is officially licensed by Ford Restoration Parts and uses high-strength steel and modern welding techniques
-Hot rodders can order the 1940 Coupe with a modified firewall and install a larger, modern powertrain
-SEMA show cars featuring new body show high-quality construction
DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 26, 2012 – One of the most cherished and collected classic cars of the pre-World War II and hot rod era – the iconic 1940 Ford Coupe – is the latest addition to Ford Motor Company’s growing stable of officially licensed all-steel reproduction car bodies.
Available now for ordering, and complementing the 1965-70 Mustang bodies, the 1940 Ford
Coupe body is also constructed of modern, high-strength steel and is assembled using modern
welding techniques. The new body comes rustproofed from the factory and is ready to be
assembled as a custom hot rod or as a faithful tribute to the original.
At the upcoming Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, Ford
will display a custom 1940 Ford hot rod built using a reproduction body and a new bare body
shell that demonstrates the high-quality construction. Prices start at $11,900 plus shipping. The
full body shell as well as individual steel panels are available through Dennis Carpenter Ford
Restoration Parts, http://www.dennis-carpenter.com.
The fully built, copper-colored SEMA show car sports a new 5.0-liter V8 engine, four-speed
automatic transmission and Mustang II front suspension. The roof has also been chopped or
lowered to give the car an even meaner look.
“Like its older 1932 Deuce Coupe and younger Mustang siblings, the 1940 Ford is a bodystyle
and design that represents Ford at its best,” said Dennis Mondrach, Ford Restoration Parts
licensing manager. “The 1940 Ford Coupe has always been highly sought after and collectible.
Unfortunately, good, solid restorable examples have become hard to find and expensive, so this
faithful reproduction is bound to prove popular.”
The ’40 Ford: Part of American culture
The 1940 Ford has had a major influence on post-World War II America, said Detroit automotive
historian Joe Cabadas, author of “’40 Ford: Evolution * Design * Racing * Hot Rodding.”
“Bootleggers down south always wanted to know who had the fastest car,” said Cabadas. “Because of its lightweight V8 engine, they started racing them on Sundays, and that is the beginning of stock car racing.”
After World War II, the 1940 Ford was at the forefront of another major cultural movement – hot rodding. The ’40 Ford got noticed by World War II veterans, who began buying up the cars and turning them into hot rods by adding performance equipment to the car’s flathead V8 engine.
The 1940 Ford has been a fixture in Hollywood, appearing in countless TV shows and movies such as “American Graffiti,” “Bugsy” and “Mulholland Drive.”
“With their big fenders and integrated headlights, the 1937-40 Ford was one of the first
streamlined cars from Ford Motor Company,” Cabadas said. “Edsel Ford had a hand in its style.
He wanted a family look for Ford and Lincoln vehicles, and so you can see some Lincoln Zephyr
in it. The 1940 was also one of the few cars in its price class with a V8.”
Reproduction body: A blank canvas
Hobbyists looking to build a hot rod using the new 1940 body are limited only by their
imagination and budget. The new body is available with a stock firewall that accommodates
the original flathead V8. However, for those looking for greater performance from a modern
powertrain, the new 1940 Ford body can alternatively be ordered with a recessed firewall that
will allow much larger modern engines to be installed.
As with the officially licensed reproduction parts available for the 1965-70 Mustang bodies, Ford
also supports the 1940 Ford with an array of correct mechanical and trim restoration parts. To
see what is available for the 1940, visit www.fordrestorationparts.com.
Dennis Carpenter, owner of one of the nation’s largest classic Ford restoration parts companies,
owes his start in the business more than 40 years ago to the 1940 Ford.
Carpenter was having trouble locating a good used set of dash knobs for a car he was restoring
– and still owns – so he approached Ford and obtained permission to reproduce the knobs using original factory blueprints and designs. Today his company, Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts, produces many Ford-licensed parts for the 1940 Ford. With the body now back in production, Carpenter is gearing up to add even more trim parts for the car.
“When you see a beautifully restored 1940 Ford, it is like a piece of jewelry,” Carpenter said. “People just really love the lines of that car. It is timeless and appeals to all ages.”
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 168,000 employees and about 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.
News Source: Ford