1974 Ford Mustang II “Major” by Galpin Ford
Galpin’s Mustang II Major had a nose job that was meant to turn heads.
Herbert F. “Bert” Boeckmann, II, didn’t lead Galpin Ford to the position of the #1 Ford Dealership in the World by accident, nor by not having an eye -- or nose -- for cars. He grimaced when he got his first glimpse of the new-for-1958 Edsel. When the Mustang came out a half-decade later, he knew it was Ford’s next winner. He was one of the first Ford dealers to take on Carroll Shelby’s new GT350 and Cobras. Galpin owned and operated a four-time NASCAR West-series championship racing team, right out of the dealership’s service shop. Today, he’ll still tell you that his favorite Mustang is a 1965 GT convertible, red with a red interior, thank you.
He also wasn’t initially impressed when Ford brought out the Mustang II for 1974. Fortunately, Bert’s instincts were off about the new smart-sized Mustang, since the II turned out to be the right car for the time, as lighter, better-handling and more fuel-efficient imported models were really beginning to gain a foothold in the American market. And that’s not to mention the growing importance of increased fuel economy, reduced exhaust emissions and improved vehicle safety. As we know, this new type of Mustang was a sales success from the get-go, earning the title of Motor Trend Car of the Year for ’74.
Boeckmann and his innovative staff and sales teams didn’t invent the notion of dealer-level personalization and customizing, but they certainly crystalized if not perfected it. They called it “Galpinizing.” Galpin virtually launched the custom surfer-van movement in Southern California, and had a big hand in pushing Ford trucks, Broncos and vans to the forefront of the ever-growing off-road, 4x4 and recreational vehicle movements, too. So even though Mr. Boeckmann wasn’t immediately in love with the new Mustang II — if Ford produced it, he would Galpinize it.
The idea behind the Mustang II “Major” was a relatively simple, primarily front-end styling kit. Southern California was brimming with boat and dune-buggy body producers that were able to turn out custom fiberglass body piece kits with relative ease and at moderate cost. In the case of the Galpinized Mustang II, the mods were limited to a bespoke nose-cap piece which encompassed a revised grille shape, with a thin, faux intake scoop running laterally just above the grille and in front of the hoodline. The factory hood and bumper were unchanged. The turn signals were somewhat repositioned, and the galloping horse badge was relocated to the driver’s side of the blacked out grille.
