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The AutoGuide News Blog is your source for breaking stories from the auto industry. Delivering news immediately, the AutoGuide Blog is constantly updated with the latest information, photos and video from manufacturers, auto shows, the aftermarket and professional racing.

10/08/2011 | By: Jason Siu

Galpin Auto Sports, also known as GAS, has been building some of the industry’s wildest Ford Mustangs since it opened shop. The tuner’s newest project is a collaboration with specialty manufacturer SPX, and will be a 1969 Mustang Boss 429-inspired ‘Stang featuring 700-hp, Candy Apple Red Pearl paint, a custom one-off metal widebody and Forgiato three-piece wheels. The completed project will be auctioned off at the 2012 Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona with the proceeds benefiting St. Jude Hospital to fight cancer.

With everything going towards a good cause, the fortunate one to win the Mustang will get themselves one hell of a machine. The 5.0L V8 will be a whole new monster thanks to Ford Racing’s supercharger, camshafts from Comp Cams and a Bassani exhaust system. All 700-hp will feel nice and snappy through the transmission thanks to a Hurst short-throw shifter while the Eibach lowering springs give the Mustang better handling and a nicer stance. Speaking of stance, GAS will be outfitting the one-off custom with a staggered set of 21-inch (front) and 22-inch (rear) Forgiato wheels, wrapped with Pirelli P-Zero rubber. Peeking behind each custom three-piece wheel will be a set of Wilwood 14-inch rotors, with 6-piston calipers in the front and 4-piston calipers in the rear.

On the outside, the Candy Apple Red Pearl PPG paint will be accented by the previously mentioned one-off metal widebody. A Roush billet aluminum grille will give the front end a bolder look while the original 1969 Boss 429 hood scoop pays homage to a true classic. For the rear, a Boss 302 Laguna Seca rear spoiler will be added.

Once it’s completed the car will tour several shows across the country, including the 2011 SEMA Show.

20/10/2010 | By: Jason Siu

Recently Tony Hawk hosted an event dubbed Stand Up for Skateparks that featured a ton of today’s stars including Johnny Knoxville (Jackass 3D!), David Beckham and even Jane’s Addiction on stage. The event was basically a family-centric action-sports carnival and shows just how strong motorsports ties in with action sports.

DUB and Galpin Auto Sports teamed up to build a custom Tony Hawk 2011 Mustang GT 5.0 that was auctioned off. Stand Up for Skateparks focuses on fundraising for the Tony Hawk Foundation so everything went to a good cause. We’re digging the clean and conservative style of the Mustang, that still gives it a rugged, action sports-style to it all. It’s clear that DUB is making good friends with Ford, having first debut the DUB Edition Ford Mustang and now teaming up with GAS for this product.

[Source: DUB Daily]

15/10/2010 | By: Colum Wood

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Ford has just announced the remainder of its SEMA lineup of custom cars, which will joint the eight Fiestas on display at Ford’s usually huge presence at the aftermarket expo. Along with a mishmash of other customized Fords, the Blue Oval will use the show to put the focus on its new 2011 Explorer crossover, showing off three modified versions of the “truck” in three different styles: Urban, Luxury and Adventure.

Not surprisingly the Urban Explorer was created by Funkmaster Flex, while Galpin Auto Sports built the Luxury model (above), complete with 24-inch wheels. Finally there’s the Lifestyle model built by CGS Motorsports with some up-scale touches while also highlighting the adventurous side of the crossover with items like carbon fiber bicycles.

In addition to the Explorer, Ford will also have on hand two Taurus SHOs, including one built by H&R Springs and another by Rick Bottom Designs with a 16,000 watt audio system. A pretty-tacking looking Ford Edge by K-Daddy Kustomz will also be a part of the display, as will a Ford Fusion Sport by Steeda Autosports with plenty of suspension upgrades. And finally, there’s the Lincoln MKX by the ID Agency. Normally a custom Lincoln isn’t worth much of a mention, but this one looks impressive and is described as a “Urban Assault Vehicle.”

Check out all the pictures of Ford’s 2010 SEMA Lineup in the gallery below, especially the Lincoln and check out AutoGuide’s complete 2010 SEMA Preview page, which will be updated with live coverage from the show starting November 2nd.

GALLERY: Ford’s 2010 SEMA Show Lineup

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Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

05/11/2009 | By: Colum Wood

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There was no doubt that the focus of Ford’s SEMA Show booth was the all-new 2010 Mustang, with a total of nine modified Stangs, plus the all-new Cobra Jet model. Ford originally scheduled eight cars, but it looks like Galpin Auto Sports snuck in a second entry. The cars were built by tuner shops, race shops and even in-house, with most of the cars featuring parts available to the public – rather than one-off custom items made just for the SEMA Show. After all, the Mustang continues to be the most popular car to modify in the world.

First up is the 3dCarbon Mustang, which recreates the “Boy Racer” Mustang that the shop first built back in 2005, based on the previous generation car. Bright red with white stripes, this car takes take the Stang’s classic lines and add some wild sport compact-themed aerodynamics. Still, in person it was somewhat underwhelming. What is more impressive, however, are the rest of the car’s modifications with a complete Steeda suspension setup, a Brembo brake upgrade and NC Forged three-piece 22-inch wheels.

The only convertible of the bunch is from Galpin Auto Sports and as much as we mocked the Ford Vehicle Personalization Mustang when we first heard of this lineup of cars for SEMA, the Galpin car is our new whipping boy. It’s not all bad, with a pretty aggressive widebody conversion although as much as we like the wheels (a set of massive Forgiato rollers), they just don’t seem right on a Stang. The real travesty, however, is out back where an overly ornate rear diffuser just makes us nauseous. Under the hood there are 550 ponies thanks to a Ford Racing super pack, and as silly as those wheels might look, the rear 345 tires will be needed with all that power.

For more on Ford’s 2009 SEMA Show Mustangs and galleries of each car, follow the jump:

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26/10/2009 | By: Colum Wood

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The 2010 Mustang is here and its only fitting that the most customized car in the world will be the focus of attention at the 2009 SEMA Show. Ford will have eight Mustangs, modified by tuning and race shops on display. Plus, there are certain to be  numerous others at the show. Tuners like 3dCarbon and Galpin Auto Sports will showcase their creative sides, using the 2010 Mustang, while dedicated performance shops like Steeda Autosports and Paul’s High Performance will cater more to the performance traditionalists, focusing on making power and putting it to the ground.

Ford is also using the show to promote its 2010 Mustang Customizer, where alread one million people have visited to create their own custom Stang. Make your’s here:

http://www.fordvehicles.com/the2010mustang/

For a full list of the 2009 SEMA Show Mustangs, see after the jump:

Continue Reading…

04/06/2009 | By: Colum Wood

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The U.S. Air Force has teamed up with Galpin Auto Sports to create two fighter-jet inspired pieces of American muscle.

Based in Van Nuys, California, Galpin is best known for taking horrible cars and turning them into abominations on MTV’s Pimp My Ride. The group at Galpin also built the KITT Mustang for the widely unsuccessful 2008 Knight Rider series.

While arguably both the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger under these Galpin creations have been ruined, there is a undeniable coolness to both. And that is what the U.S. Air Force is hoping young men and women (although we suspect mostly men) will think, as it uses the vehicles to show the technical and mechanical job opportunities available in the Air Force.

Called the X1, the modified Mustang gets a complete aerodynamic overhaul and a stunning coat of matte-white paint. Under the hood there’s a 4.6-liter V8 that’s been pumped up to 500hp thanks to some Ford Racing heads, new cams and long tube headers.

The real changes, however, are inside where a single fighter-jet seat sits front and center and is surrounded by numerous screens and jet controls. The screens have the ability to show objects ahead through both night vision and thermal imaging.

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As for the Dodge Challenger, it’s been transformed into a stealthy machine and has been given the name Vapor. Along with a wider set of fenders and plenty of other body work it gets matte-black paint that actually absorbs radar. Also included are a set of carbon fiber wheels, a proximity sensor and a 360 degree camera that can see a full quarter mile.

Inside the Challenger also gets plenty of screens and aircraft controls, as well as a full heads up display on the windshield that can show both thermal and night vision.

And to complete the stealthy look, the Vapor also gets a special exhaust setup that allows it to run silently.

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GALLERY: Galpin Ford Mustang X1

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GALLERY: Galpin Dodge Challenger Vapor

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[Source: egmcartech.com]