It is almost a rite of passage for an aspiring hot rod builder to try their hand at a 1932 Ford: For over half a century, the “Deuce Coupe” has been the quintessential blank canvas for customizers both amateur and professional. It is no surprise that designer (and host of TV show Overhaulin’) Chip Foose has worked his magic on many 1932 Fords over the years, and the car offered here shows Foose at his best. Combining a classic stance and traditional feel with modern touches throughout, every square inch of the “Li’l Foose Coupe” has been painstakingly refined and reworked—yet it all contributes to a cohesive whole that looks great on display and even meaner on the street.

In an earlier incarnation, wearing a matte black coat of paint with flames, this 1932 Ford appeared in the Fox TV show Titus (for which Chip Foose served as hot rod consultant) and appeared briefly in the 2000 film Gone in 60 Seconds. Next, it was fully built by Foose for owner Chuck Svatos of California, envisioned as the three-window coupe counterpart to a “0032,” a 1932 Roadster also once owned by Svatos and customized by Foose.

No part of the coupe went untouched during this no-holds-barred project, which saw the roof chopped, the hood stretched, the cowl smoothed, the front fenders stretched, and the rear fenders reshaped. Power comes from an LT4 Corvette 350 engine, mated to a 700R4 Hydra-Matic. The chassis is from SAC and sports independent coil-over-shock suspension all around, rack-and-pinion steering from a Fiat, and Wilwood four-wheel disc brakes. The interior, by Jim Griffin, is done in brown distressed leather; the steering wheel and instrument binnacle are from a 1951 Ford. Power windows and air conditioning complete the creature comforts.

Fully reborn, the “Li’l Foose Coupe” entered the 2006 Detroit Autorama and was honored as one of the “Great Eight” finalists for the coveted Ridler Award—a testament to the creativity of the design and the quality of the work performed on the car. That same year, it was displayed at the Petersen Automotive Museum as part of a Chip Foose exhibition. Acquired by the Dare to Dream Collection in 2013, the Ford now rides on five-spoke Foose wheels but otherwise looks very much like it did under the Automrama show lights.

It is hard to go wrong with a 1932 Ford, and this Deuce Coupe is a compelling example built by one of modern hot rodding’s best-known names.