Have you ever met a guy who seems to have all the right stuff? Well, ever since I met Ron Segal, a general contractor from Desert Hot Springs, California, I have come to the conclusion that he is that guy. Ron is a humble, generous, youthful 59-year-old Vietnam vet who enjoys life to the fullest. He shares his life's journey with his wonderful wife Susan and their four children: Brent, Larry, Sadie, and Audra. His latest flavor of the month is this incredible 50/50-bar '56 Chevy Gilmore Racing Panel. He is a true blue jeans, boots, and ten-gallon hat-wearin' cowboy. Ron is also a serious rodeo competitor who has retired to more comfortable saddles - wild street rods and custom trucks.
Driving up to his unique, gated residence, you are attracted to the beautiful desert rock and cactus landscape accented with unique original western-ranch yard art. Years ago, the house was occupied by actor Bela Lugosi, who played Dracula in the 1931 horror movie of the same title. The western and cowboy theme includes countless pieces of memorabilia and priceless western antiques, not to mention the fullsize buffalo hide stretched out on the floor and the 6-foot horn-spanned Texas longhorn steer head mounted on the wall. Ron is also a serious collector of vintage metal toys, such as Tonka trucks, western books and artifacts, taxidermic (stuffed) livestock, and wild animals, which contribute to his true-grit, cowpoke lifestyle. Out back is a spacious corral and stable that houses four hay-burners (horses) next to a four-bay garage.
Ron has been involved with custom cars and trucks for 40-plus years and his keen eye for speed and beauty has done him well. He has also been a member and president of the prestigious Over The Hill Gang out of San Bernardino, California. It's been a long-time dream of Ron's to one day own a Gilmore Racing delivery panel truck, and on the following pages, you will see Ron's dream has come true.
A second-generation Camaro IFS (independent front suspension) front clip was grafted to the original '56 frame, replacing the original straight-axle leaf-spring front suspension. A pair of Camaro front disc brakes and power booster with drum brakes in the rear are linked with stainless steel brake lines responsible for wooing the cool '56. Richard Lindy of R.C. Classics has been building customs, classics, and racing machines for the past 40 years, from the Pebble Beach De Elegance to the Indianapolis 500. Lindy has been Ron's personal wrench on all his many past custom rides. Lindy installed an Air Ride Technologies Shockwave pneumatic system up front, allowing the nose of the '56 to be gently lowered and lifted with the flip of a switch. A set of four 15x7-inch (front) and 15x10-inch (rear) Wheel Vintiques billet aluminum Lakester kidney beans with knock-off wheels are wrapped with P195/60R15 BFGoodrich rubber up front and chunky P265/50R15s in the rear.