Under the hood of a sunshine-yellow 1973 Plymouth Road Runner lies a symphony of wires creating a puzzle waiting to be solved by both self-taught mechanic and chemist Dr. Ricardo Rodriguez.  

By day, Rodriguez oversees the School of Arts and Sciences at Texas Wesleyan University. But when the sun dips below the horizon, his own passion ignites in the garage. Here, he transforms into a dedicated car enthusiast, his hands not wielding a pen, but a wrench. 

Rodriguez found his 1973 Plymouth Road Runner in a field. The car was missing the top, the radiator, had an old engine and was full of grass and weeds. 

“We had to clean the car by hand. We sprayed it out, cleaned it all, scraped it out, shot some paint on it,” he said. 

Together with his son, Rodriguez slowly collected all the parts to finish the car, which he’s owned for 12 years. He worked on the engine, brakes, pipes and had the trim put on by hand. He even found the front grill in a box of a storage shed.  

“The trim is very unique to some cars,” he said. “It took me a long time to find, and my uncle put it on for me. The stripes are very unique as well, the body had to be straightened out and painted. Once it was dry, the stripes were put on. It takes a real heart to do it.”  

It took about five years for the car to be able to run. 

“I have a love-hate affair with it,” he laughed. “When it’s running, I’m in love. When it’s not, I’m not so happy.”  

Ricardo’s had an affinity for cars since he was a teenager and says it runs in his family. 

“My favorite part is getting them going,” he explains, a hint of pride in his voice. “The passion I have is taking something that’s not working, fixing it up and making it work. I’ve always loved cars, so most of the cars I get, they last forever.”  

Over the years, his garage has housed a collection of automotive beauties, from his first car, a '64 Chevy, to a '74 Barracuda, a '49 Chevy truck, and even a '64 Nova SS. "Too many to count," he laughs, his eyes twinkling. Except for a few he sold to get through grad school, each car represents a story, a testament to his dual passions: education and the thrill of the open road.