The Bespoke Custom Speedster is inspired by an American Legend and “Holy Grails” of Car Culture; the “40 Special Speedster.” Iconic Auto Sports is now exploring the story behind the upcoming SP40 Restomod Speedster, a modern interpretation handcrafted in tribute to Edsel Ford’s legendary 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster, inspired by the extraordinary true story of its disappearance and rediscovery. The original 1934 Ford Model 40 Special Speedster disappeared for many years before reemerging in 1999, when Bill Warner displayed the car at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. In 2008, the Speedster was sold at auction for $1.76 million. Following the untimely death of its collector-owner in 2010, the car returned to Edsel Ford’s former home, now preserved as the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House. In 2011, Edsel Bryant Ford’s 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster made its debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
The story of the original 40 Special Speedster barn find, often described as a treasure hunt for the ultimate Ford, inspired SP40 Restomod. The muse is such a unique masterpiece that no example exists for a restomod. Instead, the SP40 was built from scratch, honoring the legacy of the original while leveraging modern engineering. Every detail of the SP40 echoes Edsel Ford’s refined sophistication in taste and his belief that an automobile could be both a machine and work of art. Each custom SP40 Restomod is tailored in the spirit of an atelier, where design expresses art and engineering, creating automobiles that reflect their owner’s character and exceed the highest expectations.
The SP40 is a high-performance automobile built around a lightweight spaceframe and a high-power engine, with an emphasis on handling and acceleration. Wide track dimensions, optimized weight distribution, and large tires deliver a responsive driving experience on winding roads. The Ford Coyote engine delivers strong acceleration, while the Brembo braking system, featuring six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers, ensures consistent braking performance on mountain roads and racetracks at high speeds.
The SP40 features a carbon fiber body mounted to a fully triangulated steel tubing spaceframe designed for exceptional torsional and bending stiffness. Power comes from a 480+-horsepower Ford Coyote V8 with an aluminum block, four camshafts, variable valve timing, 32 valves with sodium-cooled exhaust valves, electronic fuel injection, and a stainless-steel exhaust system, paired with a five-speed manual gearbox and limited-slip differential in a front longitudinal, rear-wheel-drive layout.
Independent suspension is employed at all four corners, with a double-wishbone setup at the front and a rear configuration featuring a torsion-resisting pyramid lower arm and camber control upper link. Helical springs and single-tube aluminum shock dampers provide precise control, while electric-assisted rack-and-pinion steering delivers quick response in tight corners. The SP40 rewards expert throttle modulation, particularly during transitions from braking to lateral acceleration and at corner exit, where power oversteer becomes part of the driving experience. The wheelbase measures just over three meters, mirroring that of the original 40 Special Speedster and contributing to excellent dynamic behavior. Its length helps the car absorb inertial forces effectively, while the wide track minimizes lateral load transfer, enabling the SP40 to corner with remarkable stability and composure.
All of the racing experience of the SP40 team was poured into the construction and fine-tuning of the Restomod. Development began at the racetrack, where the bare chassis was tested extensively without bodywork, enabling refinement of mechanical systems while the exterior design was still in progress. The prototype was equipped with custom-designed coilover shock absorbers, adjustable for ride height as well as compression and rebound stiffness. Countless testing sessions followed, experimenting with spring rates, shock settings, torsion bars, camber, and toe until the optimal balance was achieved. Test drives and setup work were carried out by drivers from the Sport Prototype category alongside the racing team, whose feedback was crucial in shaping the car’s final behavior. The result is a chassis that feels alive yet composed, transmitting confidence at the limit and carrying that balance directly into the production SP40 Restomod Speedster.
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