“Project Mustang” started out as a dream. It started with the idea of putting together a drag race car that could be taken to high schools, elementary schools and shopping malls to promote Conestoga College. It would be something to draw attention to the automotive program. The extra hope was that the car would actually be entered into drag race competitions.
It started out as a bare shell that had been completely stripped by its previous owner and then put on the back burner. It was purchased in May of 2000 for $400.00 by Jim Palmer, an instructor in the automotive program at Conestoga who had previous experience building and driving drag racers. It was taken to a body shop where body prep and paint were completed and then off to the college auto shop for a drive train, suspension, steering, brakes, fuel and electrical systems.
Most of the work done on the car was and is being done by various levels of automotive students who are very proud of what the Mustang has become. All levels of students are excited each week when they come to class and ask “how did the Mustang work on the weekend?” and “what kind of times did you run?” It is continually being worked on to improve acceleration, horsepower and especially safety. We consider it to be a rolling test bench. It started out at about 230 horsepower and is currently at about 500 horsepower. It has done the quarter mile in a best time of 11.37 seconds at 121 miles per hour. A new engine is in the works that will make blast out 650 horsepower and drop their quarter mile time well below 11 seconds.
The performance of the car is admirable doing very well in competition but it should be pointed out that it is also used to promote safe drag racing at a sanctioned track. One of our goals is to get kids off the streets and away from street-racing and onto sanctioned tracks where they can have a whole lot of fun that is legal and safe.
From the time the Mustang was first purchased until it made its debut at St.Thomas Dragway was a brief 14 months, an amazing task in itself. That is proof enough that a lot of enthusiasm was poured into the project. Conestoga students from the Welder Fitter, Machinist and Graphic Design programs also became involved. Every student who worked on “Project Mustang” deserves credit for what the car has become and we are sure that it will continue to improve and draw attention for many more years.