The classic 1932 Ford five-window coupe, better known as “the Deuce,” has been, and always will be, the ultimate hot rod. An American icon, the ’32 Ford was immortalized in the early 1960s by the Beach Boys’ “Little Deuce Coupe,” and in 1973, George Lucas’ American Graffiti reintroduced old-style hot rods to a new generation.

Among hot-rodders and customizers, the popularity of the 1932 Ford has always remained strong. In the early days, Deuces of any body style were plentiful and inexpensive, and being simple cars made them easy to strip down and modify. A cultural phenomenon, and an entire industry, was born from these humble beginnings, and today a new generation of enthusiasts has embraced “the Deuce.”

This custom ’32 “five-window” was acquired by the current consignor nearly 50 years ago, in 1967. It was not until 1979 that the customization began, when he sent the Ford out to have the top duly “chopped” by two inches. The coupe was then sent to noted street rod builder Boyd Coddington in 1984, to complete the transformation.

The five-window coupe was fitted with a Chevrolet 350-cubic inch small-block engine with Edelbrock aluminum heads, a Crane camshaft, four-barrel Weber carburetor, and finished with long-tube headers. The suspension is set up with a dropped tube axle up front along with a Ford nine-inch rear axle. Appropriate to the style at the time, the body was “smoothed” with a clean cowl, firewall, hood sides, doors, and a filled grille shell for a very attractive and unadorned look. A dropped headlight bar and period aluminum wheels with radial tires complete the look. The interior has been fitted with bucket seats, tilt steering wheel, air conditioning, and a simple aluminum gauge insert with period-correct gauges. According to the consignor, the engine was recently disassembled, blueprinted, and dyno-tested.

A hot coupe from one of the most famous modern builders, this sexy street rod would be an ideal addition to any performance collection – just as it has been for its current owner of 50 years, who has watched its transformation into the best of modern customization.