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Not So Mello Yellow
Bob Dron's '52 Chevy Hardtop
By Rob Fortier
Photography: Eric Geisert
Anyone remotely familiar with Oakland's Bob Dron, whether it be through his Harley-Davidson dealership or his deep involvement with hot rods and customs, knows that he's a real gearhead, period. And, even though he's been involved since the late '50s, his tastes haven't evolved with the times--and that's a good thing. Like his '56 Buick or even his recent project, an early Ford COE, Bob tends to lean towards the nostalgic style.
Three years in the building (and, at least, now on the road), Dron's DeLuxe hardtop Chevy is the epitome of a show-quality driver, regardless of how contradicting that may sound. Just take a look at the car's immaculate detailing inside and out, but take into consideration that it's no trailer queen or garage ornament-- it's driven hard and put away dirty! Greg Westbury (Concord, CA) tackled the chassis, first outfitting it with a Mustang II frontend with Air Ride Technologies 'bags. Out back, a Currie 9-inch Ford rearend with disc brakes was mounted using airbags, as well. A GM Performance Parts 454 crate engine was used in a pretty much "as-is" condition (cast Chevrolet valve covers, stock exhaust manifolds, etc.) and teamed up with a 700-R4 overdrive trans, giving the '52 not only reliability, but some balls, too!
The exterior, stock as it may be, is striking due to its custom-mixed PPG yellow and white two-tone. Concord, California's, Darrel Hollenbeck sprayed and rubbed the Chevy, while all the plating and polishing was handled by Sherm's in Sacramento. A quartet of 15-inch chrome-reverses with Bow Tie caps and Coker radial wide whites--tucked up nicely in the wheelwells--give the '52 a nice old-timey look without distracting any drivability.
Unlike the exterior, the interior is anything but stock- looking. Contra Cost Vinyl did up the seats and door panels with white leather, faux snakeskin, and black inserts. A Colorado Custom steering wheel, two-tone rimmed in black and white on an ididit tilt column, Vintage Air A/C, and CD sound system all contribute to the Chevy's road-friendly factor, as well. Speaking of which, to better maintain his airbag system's consistency, Dron had the Heon brothers install an AccuAir ride-leveling sensor setup (activated by the ignition) to ensure the perfect ride height each time.
If you have a hard time believing this car's a real driver, just check out any of the bigger NorCal events-- if Bob's not there with his Chevy, odds are he'll be there with his Buick, or his Chevy pickup, or his COE, or...
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