Courtney Waters
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After having worked at Autodesk as an intern for about four months, I heard about the Mustang Project. I met with Chris Behier and he informed me as to what the project entailed. I was (and still am) very interested in cars, and my major in college would be Mechanical Engineering, so this was the perfect opportunity to learn about the things I was most interested in. The project was to be split up into a number of different parts, namely Engine, Suspension, Chassis/Interior, and the Track. A team of two people would work on each part of the project. I chose to work with the Suspension since I've always enjoyed racing along a curvy road (where a good suspension is necessary) rather than in a straight line. So, I was the second recruit for the project (and would later prove to be the only member for a number of months).

Because our ultimate goal was to have some sort of animated/intereactive program that accurately represented a real Mustang, we chose to first model the components in AutoCAD, and later to export them to 3D Studio Max for animation. My AutoCAD skills were limited, but not completely non-existent. I had learned the basics in my pre- engineering course in high school. I could draw some simple objects, and knew the commonly used commands. That was about it. I was given a rear upper control arm as my first part. These are manufactured by pressing them out of a flat piece of metal, which creates some "interesting" shapes that can be very difficult to model on computer. I had never modeled anything that complex before. It was like being told to swim a mile when you only know how to dog-paddle. The next month or two was a rigorous course in self-taught AutoCAD. Fortunately, I was working in the same office as Chris, who was well-versed in AutoCAD, so I used him as a reference more often than the manuals.

I spent a couple of hours every day after school, for about nine months, working on modeling the rear suspension systems of both a stock Mustang, and Chris' highly modified Mustang. Only a few parts of the front suspension were modeled since we could only measure what spare parts Chris had on hand, or whatever was (relatively) easy to measure. My most memorable moment would be when Chris backed up his Mustang onto a curb in the Autodesk parking lot so I could crawl under the car and take measurements of the rear axle.

As the school year was nearing its end and summer approached, more students like myself were becoming interested in the project since they would have time to work on it during their summer break. The project team had expanded, since I joined it in the beginning, to include Aaron Addleman, Brian Hansen, and Chris Arbini working on modeling the body and interior in 3D Studio Max, and Jonathan Hess working on animating the suspension components (which I had done in AutoCAD) in 3D Studio Max. Since I was going to be leaving for college at the end of the summer, the new recruits we were bringing on needed to learn the various programs (specifically AutoCAD) in order for the project to continue. Chris had left Autodesk and though he was still keeping us supplied with parts and giving us direction, someone was needed to manage the new members of the team and give them the help they needed. I was appointed project lead, so I was responsible for coordinating the team, checking on everyone's progress, and giving people help when needed (especially those learning AutoCAD). The rear suspension setups were done, so for the summer, I modeled some engine components and managed the team.

Diana Rothschild
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I started at Autodesk in April of 1996. I wanted to work at Autodesk because I was interested in architecture and I knew that it would be helpful to learn AutoCAD if I were to pursue architecture as a career. I began working on the Mustang Project and I was told that I would need to learn about cars and working with guys; I didn't know anything about cars nor had I been the only girl on a project before. When I started I didn't have any AutoCAD skills, but with determination and a great dealof teamwork with the other guys on the project, I learned the basics of AutoCAD and now I am even teaching other students how to use it. I began by digitizing a wheel in R13, then I drew the rear brake caliper, which holds the brake pads.

I learned that there are two different aspects of drafting a car part. First, there are the skills and technical knowledge involved in realizing your parameters and options in AutoCAD. The second part of creating an object in CAD is knowing how to use the commands and options appropriately to recreate the object accurately. For example, I had to know that I should draw a face of an object and then extrude it into three dimensions.

I worked on the Mustang Project for approximately eight months and then decided that although what I had learned was very useful, I didn't really enjoy the technical aspects of the program. I also spoke with many architects and discovered that it was a difficult field to gain experience and a level of understanding in order to ultimately start my own firm.

With the skills I gained in using AutoCAD, I was given the opportunity to use them in creating the floor plan of Terra Linda High School for the Autodesk Foundation's Fifth Annual Project Based Learning Conference. I enjoyed using my skills to aid others in a practical and timely project. I learned about the importance of deadlines and accuracy by working on this project.

Stefan Broadbent, Manager
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In September 1997 I joined the Mustang Project as Assistant Manager after studying Mechanical Engineering for a year at Chico State University. I also spent two years with Sir Francis Drake High School's Engineering Academy. At both schools I attended AutoCAD training courses and have now been using AutoCAD for more than three years. As the Assistant Manager of the Mustang Project, my job involves helping other interns aquire the skills/experience they will need to be able to draft with precision. I draft Mustang parts in Autocad R14 and help keep our computers up and running, as well.

I first learned to use computers in the fourth grade and they have since been a major part of my life. I originally started playing video games and using BBSes(electronic bulletin board systems) to communicate with friends. At that point, I had no idea of the advantages in life I would aquire from something I previously viewed as only a form of entertainment. Over the years I have become proficient with a variety of programs and operating systems, and have found that there is a vast amount of opportunity available in the computer industry.

John Toews, Assistant Manager
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N o information available.

Kevin West
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Last summer I read an article in the Marin Independent Journal discussing the Autodesk Foundation and what exactly was involved in the Mustang Project. I immediately became interested in the fact that the project dealt with a '92 Mustang GT 5.0, the same car that I owned at that time. I contacted Judy Morgan and Aaron Carlson to see if they would be interested in having another intern around to help out on the project. Both were enthusiastic about having me join the project and within a couple of weeks, I got on my way.

The first thing for me to do, was to learn the very complicated three-dimensional drafting capabilities of AutoCad R14. To help me get situated with the computer, I was loaned a copy of the two-dimensional program AutoCad LT, which helped orient me with using the computer and get the idea of what I would be doing. From there I was loaned R14 to try to learn this program. With Aaron�s assistance I have started completing the tutorials, and learning the basic commands and techniques of digitizing mechanical parts & assemblies.

From this project I have learned both a great deal about CAD software, mechanics, and the automobile industry. Before getting into this project, I was intimidated by the technology and massive array of things that can be done with modern computing power. I no longer avoid using them and often spend endless hours using computers to research information, produce reports, and explore on the Internet. I have also learned a great deal of technical information about how and what goes on inside the engine and how the transmission & other parts work together.

Besides providing me with loads of information, this project has given me with the opportunity to get a step ahead for my next years at college. Majoring in materials engineering allows me to work with such programs as AutoCAD and through this project I will have a huge advantage over the rest of my class. After college I hope to be employed by a major car company as a materials/mechanical engineer. With this project teamed up with Ford Motor Company, I already have a head start in trying to fulfill my goal. Autodesk and this project have provided me with the recommendation for a job after I have graduated from college.