Galpin Auto Sports recently modified a Ford F-450 pickup truck for police and military equipment manufacturer 5.11 Inc., based in Modesto The truck, called The BEAST, carries a display of tools in a specially-designed storage area and a 600-pound security door developed by North Hills-based Galpin. The vehicle is traveling the country to display 5.11’s new line of breaching tools. The F-450 was chosen because it has the right image of toughness and ruggedness that meshes with 5.11’s products, and it was able to handle the payload, said Ted Mengiste, director of Galpin Auto Sports. The interior of The BEAST uses materials in the seats, headlines, dashboard, and doors that 5.11 uses in its products. Galpin also created custom flashlight, knife and accessory pockets, and custom, diamond-plate floor mats that were hand-formed to fit in the foot wells. The project demonstrates how Galpin can meet a customer’s specific goals, Mengiste said, noting the feedback has been “phenomenal.” A Louisiana state trooper even called to compliment the firm on the truck, he said. “That, for me, meant the world,” Mengiste said. “You always want people to admire your work.”
Galpin Unleashes The Beast
