Here’s the latest gift for the car enthusiast on your Christmas list -– a brand-new body shell for a 1967 Ford Mustang convertible. 
 
 Even better, this car body will match or improve on the fit, finish and quality of the original, said Dennis Mondrach, Ford Restoration Parts licensing manager. 
 
 The $15,995 auto part is the fourth reproduction classic Mustang body available to restorers, joining the ’65 convertible, the ’67 fastback and the ’69 fastback. 
 
 Made by Dynacorn International, the body panels are stamped from modern automotive-grade steel that is slightly thicker than the original, according to Jim Christina, Dynacorn’s general manager. There are also newly engineered reinforcements in known stress areas to add strength and rigidity to the body, he said. 
 
 “These days, the chances are fairly slim of finding a restorable, rust-free ’67 Mustang that has never been wrecked,” said Mondrach of Ford. “As the value of classic Mustangs has increased over the years, garages, barns and scrap yards have been picked clean.” 
 
 The automaker said the body can be built into a functioning car using one of the six engines the original vehicle was offered with or with a modern powertrain. It is rustproofed and primed and is otherwise ready for painting and assembly, Mondrach said. 
 
 More than 90% of the parts needed to restore a 1967 Mustang convertible are available new as Ford-licensed reproduction components, allowing enthusiasts to basically build from scratch a new Mustang of that era. 
 
 RELATED: 
 
 End of road for Saab 
 
 Drivers change motor oil too often 
 
 Insurance group lists safest vehicles 
 
 -- Jerry Hirsch 
 
 twitter.com/LATimesJerry 
 
 Photo: A brand-new body shell for a 1967 Ford Mustang convertible. Credit: Ford Motor Co. ||||| Follow Viknesh Add to circle 
 
 
 
 Remember the brand new 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible body shell unveiled at the 2011 SEMA show? 
 
 Well, now you can add this 1967 Mustang Convertible body shell to the growing stable of Ford-licensed restoration parts as well. 
 
 This means that classic Mustang fans can now build or restore the ’65 convertible, ’67 and ‘69 fastbacks and the ’67 convertible versions of the iconic muscle car with the safe knowledge that their vehicles have a body that’s literally good as new. 
 
 To qualify as an official Ford-licensed restoration part, the ’67 body shell has to meet or exceed the fit, finish and quality of the original. That challenge was met once again by the guys at Dynacorn, which have not only replicated the original ’67 convertible, but made it better. 
 
 The body panels, for example, are stamped from modern automotive-grade ‘virgin’ steel that’s slightly thicker than the original. Then, to further add strength, the panels are assembled using modern welding techniques. 
 
 To build up a Mustang using the body shell, the powertrain, suspension and brakes, the electrical systems, the interior and trim can either be bought new or transferred from an existing car to the new body. The good news is that more than 90 percent of the parts needed to restore a 1967 Mustang convertible are available new as Ford-licensed reproduction components. 
 
 This means that the ’67 convertible body can be built to just about any specification that was available when the car was new. Ford’s big-block engines from that era, including the 390, 427 and 428-cubic-inch motors, bolt right in with no modifications necessary. Also, the ’67 body can be used as a basis to build a replica of the Shelby GT350 or GT500 convertibles. 
 
 The 1967 convertible body shell is now available to order from the Ford Restoration Parts catalog and is priced at $15,995. And while this may seem steep for what is essentially an empty shell, the chances of finding a rust-free ’67 Mustang that’s never been wrecked will be next to impossible. As the value of classic Mustangs has increased over the years, garages, barns and junkyards have mostly been picked clean.
– The 1967 Ford Mustang is no longer an endangered species. Just in time for classic car buffs' Christmas, Ford has added a brand-new shell for the '67 Mustang convertible to its Ford Restoration Parts line, giving enthusiasts a chance to build their own from scratch, the Los Angeles Times reports. The $16,000 auto part is built with modern techniques that make it stronger than the original, Motor Authority notes. "These days, the chances are fairly slim of finding a restorable, rust-free ’67 Mustang that has never been wrecked,” a Ford exec says. “As the value of classic Mustangs has increased over the years, garages, barns, and scrap yards have been picked clean.”