Les véhicules de collection, ou comment l'imperfection rend amoureux

The popularity of the reproduction Mustang body shells, including one for the 1965 Mustang Convertible and another for the ’67 model, has prompted Ford to approve yet another reproduction of one of its most cherished models, this time a 1940 Ford Coupe hot rod. Like the previous Mustang reproductions, the new Ford Coupe comes just as a shell, either with its doors and hood attached or without them should the customer desire.

It is constructed of high-strength steel and is assembled using modern welding techniques. The shell also comes fully rustproofed from the factory and is ready to be assembled as a custom hot rod or as a faithful tribute to the original.

The shell is available with a stock firewall that accommodates the original flathead V-8. However, for those looking to use a modern powertrain, it can alternatively be ordered with a recessed firewall that will allow much larger engines to be installed.

You’ll find that in addition to owners of original 1940 Ford Coupes looking to do some restoration work, there are many in the performance scene looking to build their perfect hot rod from scratch, which this shell would be ideal for. Thankfully, there are licensed versions of all the necessary parts as well.

The shell is available now for ordering through Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts, though it doesn’t make its official debut until next week’s 2012 SEMA show. It is priced from $11,900 for the basic model and ranges close to $15k once all the panels are included.

The story of the how 1940 Ford Coupe reproduction came to be is an interesting one. Dennis Carpenter, the man behind Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts, originally was having trouble locating a good used set of dash knobs for a 1940 Ford Coupe he was restoring--and still owns--so he approached Ford and obtained permission to reproduce the knobs using original factory blueprints and designs. This was more than 40 years ago, and since he then he's expanded the number of parts licensed by Ford, including this entire shell.