Best of Both Worlds: Galpin Auto Sports 2011 Mustang Convertible Hardtop

By Mustang Forums - January 17, 2012

Article courtesy of MustangsDaily.com, your source for all the latest Ford Mustang news and articles

We’ve seen plenty of custom Mustangs over the years, but one of the most fascinating is this 2011 convertible you see here. Built by Galpin Auto Sports, this bright orange Mustang made its debut at the 2010 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, and while the bright orange paint job might be the first thing you notice, a closer look reveals its most interesting feature – a retractable convertible hardtop. Obviously, Ford doesn’t produce or sell a convertible hardtop Mustang, so to see one with an OEM look is pretty intriguing.

While it’s been more than a year since Galpin Auto Sports first built the car, they still have the car on display at their showroom and recently let us take it out for a quick spin. Walking around the car, the first thing we noticed is the impressive build quality of hardtop. While some many not like the overall look of the car, the way the top is integrated into the car is well done. The seals and mechanical aspects could easily be mistaken for coming from the factory, and it clamps into the top of the windshield frame just like the stock Mustang convertible. GAS has also added suede to the interior of the roof as a nice touch.

The functionality of the roof is impressive as well. Press a button near the rear view mirror and the the hardtop folds into two pieces, eventually sliding under the rear decklid. In total it takes just 24 seconds for the hardtop to change from a convertible to a coupe, including bringing the side windows up. On the road the car has significantly less interior noise than the standard Mustang convertible, especially at lower speeds, and the blind spot is actually much better than the standard Mustang, both coupe and convertible.

While the particular car you see here is purely a concept, those Mustang owners who are interested in a convertible hardtop system are in luck. Adjwok Design, the company that designed the roof system on this car, recently announced that they will be offering a limited number of the convertible hardtops for existing Mustang owners. The package also includes new interior trimming, and customers can also opt for a roadster look and custom paint.

Want to see the Galpin Mustang Convertible Hardtop in more detail? Browse through the photo gallery that highlights the main features of the car over at Mustangs Daily.