One ’40 Proof – Goodguys Breaks Out the Strong Stuff with their 2026 Grand Prize Giveaway 1940 Ford Coupe Built by Roseville Rod & Custom
A West Coast bias often colors hot rod history. There’s an emphasis on the early days of hopped-up street roadsters in Southern California, dry lakes speed trials, and the birth of drag racing. Those are strong, legitimate roots in our hobby, but we should also remember the influences from other regions.
On the East Coast, particularly Appalachia and the Southeast, fast cars and hot rod history are closely linked to the bootleggers and moonshine runners who skirted the law and evaded police while delivering high-value cargo: alcohol. Moonshine-running machines weren’t like the stripped-down or dolled-up West Coast hot rods. They were stealthy – what we’d call sleepers today. Stock bodies and muted colors helped them blend in, while modified suspensions concealed the weight of illicit cargo and hopped-up engines provided the means for quick getaways. From this tradition came the seeds of early NASCAR racing.
When Ben York from Roseville Rod & Custom signed on to build a 1940 Ford coupe as the Goodguys 2026 Grand Prize Giveaway car, he immediately pitched the idea of a sleeper-style hot rod modeled after vintage moonshine runners. The style perfectly fits his shop’s penchant for crafting subtle hot rods. Ben and artist Eric Black traded ideas and drew on that inspiration, which is evident in Black’s illustration that guided this project. It looks like something that could have flown under the radar back in the day – minimal flash, steel wheels, black-wall tires. Only the slightly lowered, nose-down stance offers a hint of what lurks beyond the surface.
With the concept for a covert coupe established, Ben located a clean, original ’40 Ford as the starting point. He says the extra money invested for a nice car up front paid huge dividends in avoiding time-consuming metal work during the build. Disassembly and stripping revealed minimal hidden damage, allowing work to commence almost immediately.
Bottoms Up
Moonshine runners back in the day had all kinds of home-brewed tricks for stiffening suspensions on their stealthy speed machines. Today, we have the benefit of a robust hot rod aftermarket that builds precision parts to deliver performance few could dream about back then. One such company – Total Cost Involved, or TCI – provided the sturdy foundation for our modern bootleg build.
The company’s chassis consists of a purpose-built frame with 2×6-inch boxed rails, a sturdy center x-member assembly, and a modern independent front suspension with tubular control arms, Ridetech coil-over shocks, and rack-and-pinion steering. Additional Ridetech coil-overs work with a four-link setup to position the Currie 9-inch rearend. Wilwood disc brakes at all four corners deliver sure stopping power.
That fresh TCI chassis supports something any law-evading coupe should have: a formidable power plant. Taking a cue from early sleepers, Ben wanted to use a Cadillac V8, one of the most highly regarded V8s of the early-’50s. Cadillac introduced its powerful 331c.i. overhead-valve V8 in 1949, and hot rodders were quick to leverage its performance potential in lighter cars.
We turned to veteran vintage engine builder Tony Lombardi at Ross Racing Engines to build a strong-performing Cadillac V8. Tony started with a later-’50s 390c.i. block and fitted it with a forged crank, Eagle connecting rods, Ross Racing forged aluminum pistons, and a custom-ground hydraulic roller camshaft. Rebuilt and upgraded heads were topped with custom-machined Ross Racing valve covers that resemble stamped steel originals.
The engine’s crowning touch was a vintage Cragar blower manifold and a GMC 4-71 supercharger, which were topped with throttle bodies from Autotrend EFI modeled after Stromberg carbs. Support components like a Holley HP ECU and an MSD distributor and ignition box helped make the combination work along with a Powermaster PowerGEN alternator for consistent voltage though with vintage style.
We called on Johnson’s Radiator works to provide a high-quality, classic-style copper and brass radiator to keep the engine cool. On the other end, Ross Racing Engines supplied a transmission adapter that allowed Ben to bolt up a Tremec TKX five-speed transmission from American Powertrain.
FULL-BODIED FLAVOR
As we already noted, this project began with a clean, original ’40 Ford. Following teardown, the body went to American Stripping in Sacramento for a multi-stage media blasting process. Thankfully, no dirty secrets were revealed after stripping, which meant the Roseville team could quickly get to work refining the metal and preparing for paint.
Most of the custom metal work involved making minor firewall alterations, building a custom transmission tunnel, and making some precision cuts and adjustments to the hood to achieve a good fit. The Roseville team also made the necessary nips and tucks to ensure good panel alignment and tight gaps.
From there, the bulbous body was treated to the bodywork and block sanding necessary to deliver an outstanding finish. In keeping with the moonshine-runner theme, Ben sought out a stealthy hue that would keep this coupe under the radar. The medium gray color achieves that objective – it’s the sort of finish that can help a car hide in the shadows. Ben calls it Still Gray, in reference to a moonshine still. It was applied using PPG Envirobase materials from Martin Auto Color.
The primary color was complemented with a classic black finish on the dash and other interior parts, as well as on the steel Wheel Vintiques wheels, which wear Excelsior tires from Coker Tire. The minimal exterior brightwork consists of restored original side trim, original bumpers and grille replated by Sherm’s Custom Plating, and Deluxe hubcaps.
GROUP RECIPE
The coupe reached the finish line this summer thanks to a collaborative effort on the interior. Danny Williams at DJ Designs led a coalition of trimmers that included Ricky Howard at Built by Ricky, Dave Vos from Customs by Vos, and Tracy Weaver from Recovery Room. Tracy made the headliner and sun visors and shipped them to Danny for installation, while Ricky made the folding wood rear jump seats before assisting Danny in building the door and side panels. The duo also made a vintage amplifier box for the rear that was filled with Kicker speakers. Oxblood-colored leather from Eureka Leather was the upholstery material of choice, and matching hides were sent to Dave Vos, who stitched up the cover for the bench seat.
These custom elements are complemented by an original dash that’s updated with Dakota Digital instruments and an Ididit steering column fitted with a Limeworks wheel and column drop. A custom under-dash panel houses switches for the Vintage Air system, and everything is connected using a Painless Wiring wiring harness. Additional upgrades include Nu Relics power windows and an E-Stopp emergency brake actuator.
Adding extra sauce to this recipe are some surprises in the trunk. True to its bootlegger theme, the Roseville Rod & Custom team built a wood sub-floor with hidden compartments to fit mason jars, plus a compartment for the Kicker amps and Optima battery. These compartments are concealed with a rubber floor mat. Meanwhile, Ethos Brewing, led by Jesse Greening from Greening Auto Company, bottled some of its craft whiskey with Goodguys labeling, which fits nicely in custom wood racks crafted by Built by Ricky.
HAPPY HOUR
This covert coupe was officially unveiled in July at the 27th Summit Racing Nationals in Columbus. Following some shakedown work later in the summer, it got its first true road test in September on the Hall of Fame Road Tour, where it logged more than 3000 miles without a hitch. In other words, it’s already road proven, and it’s destined to log many more miles before we hand over the keys at the 2026 Summit Racing Nationals in July.
It’s sneaky. It’s stealthy. And it’s built to deliver Goodguys Good Times wherever it goes. The Goodguys 2026 Grand Prize Giveaway ’40 Ford coupe is a salute to the sly, covert side of hot rodding history, and it’s sure to put a big grin on one lucky rodder’s face next summer.
Win This Coupe!
One lucky enthusiast will fire up and take home this covert coupe at the Goodguys 2026 Summit Racing Nationals in Columbus, Ohio. Until then, you can see it at Goodguys events through the end of 2025 and first half of 2026.
Registered Goodguys participants have a chance to qualify as finalists to win the coupe through the Goodguys Sunday Lucky Ticket program. Just fill out the Sunday Lucky Ticket from your registration packet and drop it in the yellow barrel prior to the Sunday awards ceremony at any Goodguys event. We’ll qualify one finalist at each event leading up to Columbus. Online entry is also available at www.good-guys.com – look for the form under the Promotions tab. One current Goodguys member will also be randomly selected as a finalist prior to the 2026 Goodguys Summit Racing Nationals.
Want to learn more about what this ol’ hot rod under its skin? Check out the entire build series – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 or Part 7 !
