Oh, I'm aware that there are French parts available -- I've got a 1972 UO-8 myself -- but he said he wanted to upgrade to modern components. You're not going to find something like French-threaded outboard bottom brackets for Hollowtech II cranks. Putting a 7+speed indexed shifting system on a bike with no integral derailleur hanger isn't ideal. He'd need to invest in a new wheelset, not only to get rid of the heavy, poor-braking steel ones, but to get to a freehub to run a modern cassette. UO-8's aren't bad bikes, but there are lots of reasons they're not ideal for a modernization project.

And just for the heck of it, here's mine: