UNDER THE HOOD

Mellow yellow

A Car Meant for Adventure

Story & Photos by Rushton Skinner

As overused as it is, the term “they don’t make ‘em like they used to” couldn’t apply more to this month’s feature. Sold in 1965, this Ford Galaxie was put together by Seguin High School senior Stephen Garza with his father and grandfather. It harkens back to the days of easy riding and the freedom of the open road. Compared to cookie-cutter beige-mobiles, this bright yellow landyacht sticks out. Christened Mellow Yellow by the previous owner, its name is made official by the rear window decal that came with the car.

Modern cars having higher standards of safety, it’s pretty amazing Stephen’s parents allowed him to get such a cool, albeit less safe, car as his first. There are, however, lessons that can be learned from less computer assistance. Deeming it “the metal coffin,” he explained driving it makes him more aware.

“It taught me to relax and pay attention,” he said. “My dad and I were looking for my first car. We saw this one up in Dallas and it was like three thousand bucks, so we went to get it, and my dad drove it home.”

It ran, yes, but it needed a little TLC. To get Mellow Yellow ready for daily driver duty, Stephen and his dad picked up a Galaxie 500 of the same year as a parts car.

“That one came with a 352ci. and I wanted a bigger engine, ya know, just for fun,” he said. “My grandfather rebuilt the engine. I think it was his fifth time, he said it was his last time.”

Along with the powertrain, they pulled the headlights, chrome trim, and any other odds and ends they needed. A new coat of paint, and interior done in Mexico, completed Stephen’s build on a budget. Of course with a car this old, no amount of fixing will stop the problems, the only thing you can do is learn to live with them. It’s these kinds of cars that teach someone like Stephen, who previously knew nothing about cars, more than enough to help them for the rest of his life.

The interior of Mellow Yellow is a reflection of Stephen’s youthful personality. It’s seats were custom crafted in Mexico, and it sports an old school wheel with leather trim. Of course, the most unique items in the cab is the rubber chicken that hangs from the rear-view mirror, ready to be the copilot on whatever adventure Stephen and Mellow Yellow get up to.

Rusthon Skinner

“In the beginning, I didn’t know why it was eating through belts so fast,” he said. “I would get stranded for hours. It would become a half-day adventure. I’m not an expert in cars, but now I have a deeper understanding of what’s under the hood.”

Breakdown after breakdown, problem after problem, Mellow Yellow forced Stephen to adapt or die. But how does it drive –– like a boat out of water; stiffer suspension to accommodate for the larger than stock engine helps, but it’s really not a canyon carver. It looks nice, sounds nice, and floats over every bump in the road without a second thought. It’s not for hot rodding, racing or really anything other than cruising the countryside on a lone-star evening.

The most important part of this car is also what makes it unique. Mellow Yellow has character, and character goes a long way. The official song of this car is “Blue Sky” by The Allman Brothers Band; it’s a car for a Texas sunset after April showers turning damp, sunbleached fields into green. Hopping in for a ridealong is as nostalgic as skipping the final period math class on Friday, rocking and rolling out of town with school behind you, and the dog days of summer ahead.

I"m not an expert in cars, but now I have a deeper understanding of what's under the hood.

Every first car is a major stepping stone. It represents the fact that you aren’t dependent as much as you used to be, and that massive hunk of Detroit iron in the driveway proves it. There is a duality to the phrase “they don’t make ‘em like they used to.” On one hand, what’s newer is, in most cases, better. New technology, especially in cars, improves most everything about driving — but on the other, there is value in what is outdated. As something grows older, disadvantages and downsides become character which, while worth its weight in gold, doesn’t weigh very much. It seems that time and time again, people want to connect with something, even if the alternative is objectively better.

So with Garza’sStephen’s last year of high school behind him, he’s ready to cruise over anything the open road throws at him, especially if he’s behind the wheel of Mellow Yellow.