Written by:
SPEED Staff
SPEEDtv.com
06/04/2009
North Hills, CA
A pair of custom cars will be used as recruiting tools by the Air Force, in a collaboration with Galpin Auto Sports, in a mobile marketing campaign called the 2009 Super Car Tour.
A custom Ford Mustang loaded up with high-tech enhancements will travel as part of the East Coast recruiting tour. (Photo: Galpin Auto Sports)
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The white Ford Mustang X-1 and black Dodge Challenger Vapor are Air Force-inspired designs that will travel across the country this year to educate young people on the mechanical and technical career opportunities available within the Air Force.
Southern California based Galpin Auto Sports is widely known for its corporate and one-off vehicle designs, through its involvement with various movies and TV projects, including the 2008 “Knight Rider” series’ KITT car, the upcoming movie car in the thriller “The Red Mist” and the acting-home base of MTV’s “Pimp My Ride”.
“For Galpin Auto Sports to be commissioned by the most technologically advanced organization on Earth is truly an honor” said Beau Boeckmann, chief designer for Galpin Auto Sports. “This is one of the most extraordinary and important projects that we have ever done.”
The Air Force looked to Galpin to create two unique hyper-styled vehicles with the most technologically advanced features available. The vehicles are a combination of form, function and futuristic entertainment all fueled together. This week, the U.S. Air Force launched a 22-minute documentary that captures the making of the X-1 and Vapor, two highly-customized cars with Air Force technology. Check out: http://www.airforce.com/supercar/.
Representing the muscle of the Air Force, the X-1 Mustang is a heavenly matte-pearlescent painted supercar with a jet cockpit that includes a single-driver ejection seat in the center of the vehicle, short shifter, flight stick, and advanced instrumentation panel. The X-1 also has a concealed motorized steering wheel, custom foot pedals and GPS transponder, and the innovative dash is equipped with a touch screen monitor and sensor pack that displays night and thermal vision.
The 4.6 liter engine includes 3-valve Ford Racing heads, cold air intake, hot rod cams, and long tube headers creating 500 horsepower, and it is maintained by a custom Ford Racing Tuning Program. The vertical doors feature interior panel fabrication to complete the “jet-like” feel of the X-1, which will appear on the East Coast portion of the Air Force recruiting tour.
