Ford is making it easier to build a classic-looking car with the latest addition to its Ford Restoration Parts catalog. It's a steel body shell of a 1940 Ford Coupe and promises to last longer than the originals thanks to modern steel, build, and rustproofing technologies.
To showcase what's possible, Ford brought a fully-built 1940 "Catch Me If You Can" Ford Coupe from the folks at Street Rodder Magazine. The hot rod is powered by a thoroughly modern V8 in the form of Ford's own 5.0-liter Coyote V8 good for 414 horsepower.
The body shell starts at $11,990 and Ford will give buyers firewall options depending on if the buyer wants to install an original flathead V8 or any of the more modern V8s popular with hot-rodders. Many parts for the body can be purchased individually as well.
Other body-in-white offerings include that of the 1965-1967 Ford Mustang convertible and coupe, first-gen Bronco, and many smaller body parts.
The copper-colored SEMA show car also sports a Gearstar four-speed auto and Mustang II front suspension. The roof was chopped for a typical hot rod look. It rides on a Fatman Fabrications chassis. It sports 17-inch up front and 18s in the rear, hiding 13-inch front and rear discs that are cross-drilled, slotted, and squeezed by six-piston calipers.
