Students in SUNY Morrisville’s auto body technology program unveiled the revamp of the college’s iconic Mustang drag car, bringing new life to a longtime symbol of the automotive program’s hands-on learning tradition.
The project was completed by students in Refinishing & Structure Management and Auto Body Structural Repair, under the guidance of Matt Polak, assistant professor of automotive technology. The restoration and refinishing effort included extensive body preparation, cosmetic upgrades and a fresh new paint job.
“This was a tremendous and much-needed effort to bring the automotive program’s mascot up-to-date,” Polak said. “I am proud of the students’ effort, working through challenges to see their image come to fruition. Projects like this give students real-world experience while allowing them to leave their mark on a vehicle that has become part of the program’s history.”
Originally built by SUNY Morrisville automotive students years ago, the Mustang has long served as a showcase vehicle for the college’s automotive programs at events, parades, exhibitions and community outreach opportunities. Students transformed the 1988 Mustang into a 550-horsepower dragster capable of covering a ¼ mile in 10 seconds.
SUNY Morrisville’s automotive programs are known for immersive, hands-on instruction that gives students opportunities to work on real vehicles using industry-standard equipment and techniques, giving them experience that prepares them for careers throughout the automotive industry.
The following students were involved in the project:
Juliana Kucera, of Elma
Simarah Samson Davall, of Augusta
Noah Heath, of Liverpool
Aiden Davies, of Dolgeville
Baw Hser, of Utica
Manuel Melendez,of Brooklyn
