1940 Ford Opera Coupe Great 8 Winner at 2018 Detroit Autorama
1940 Ford Opera Coupe
Owned by Reid Hotaling of Mooresville, North Carolina, the 1940 Ford Opera Coupe was in the shop for seven years under development. This is the first time it has been shown. Entered in the Full Custom Rod Coupe category, 1935-1948. Built by Farrell Creations & Restorations, it is beautifully hand fabricated from front to back.
Click the video window below for an interview with Tom Farrell of Farrell Creations & Restorations:
With over seven years in development, this 1940 Ford Opera Coupe was built at Farrell Creations & Restorations in Mooresville, North Carolina. The body laser straight shows perfectly under the intense lighting. The stack injected ZL1 Chevy motor is itself a work of art. Now it is a Great 8 Winner at the 2018 Detroit Autorama. With this high honor, you know it has some of the best custom fabrication in the world.
Although the body remains true to the original 1940 Ford Opera Coupe look, the headlights, the radiator and grille are custom fabricated to look “better” than factory original. There are no drip rails, the door jams are modified, widened rear fenders molded to the body, custom tail lights. It begins with an Art Morrison chassis. The hood has been cut five inches. A custom leather interior is exquisite, all done by Hot Rod Interiors by Chuck. The ’40 dashboard was stretched, all panels are covered in leather.
The owner, Reid Hotaling, has owned the car since he was 16. Now it has won a Great 8 Award for him in 2018.
Photos and video by Bob Boberg of eClassicAutos.com.
See all of this year’s 2018 Great 8 Award Winners featured on the Cars-On-Line.com blog page here.