ALL THE WAY

  Photography: Scott Killeen  

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Bobby Alloway’s single-minded approach to building cars has brought him his fair share of praise and a strong following of customers who appreciate his attention to detail, and there’s no end in sight. Over the years, Alloway has built a lengthy succession of exciting cars, each with its own style, and all with a level of detailing that is a trademark of Alloway’s creations. This kind of finish work has earned him the coveted Ridler Award, along with every honor and title that one could garner from this hobby. For those of you familiar with the cars Alloway has built, there’s little question that his creations stand out, both in how they look and in the way they take to the pavement. In fact, the extreme detail that is always a key ingredient of Alloway’s cars gives some critics the idea that there is little function, only form. The reality is, that’s the Alloway style, and there could be nothing further from the truth. He has achieved what others find difficult to master. Although their owners may not always chose to do so, Alloway’s cars are built for the road, and they continue to fill the needs of those who test their metal.

The latest in this succession of special Alloway creations is the SpeedStar II roadster, a wild machine based on a Rat’s Glass ’33 body. In this case, the body has been fitted with a trick-looking removable hardtop designed by Alloway and Chris Jarreau. It definitely changes the entire look of the car, while adding its own flavor to the mix. Of course, this is just one of the many evolutionary changes incorporated into this latest-generation Rat’s Glass body, and to find out more, we asked Alloway what had been done.

He told us of the lengthened body, which gained interior room thanks to the addition of a 4-inch segment between the back of the seat and the front of the trunk lid. While this didn’t seem like a considerable change, it actually opened up the interior nicely, allowing even the largest of passengers to ride in comfort. It also “speeds up” the car’s design by lengthening the overall package, making it longer and lower looking, while allowing the added comfort. This alteration on the 116-inch wheelbase especially improves the ride over those individual Interstate segment strips that make our Interstates so much fun to drive on. 

Further modifications can be found inside, including a custom console built in collaboration with upholstery wiz Paul Atkins. Having worked on similar projects in the past, Alloway realized that if the upholsterer were in on the plan from the beginning, these changes could be more easily integrated through what Atkins refers to as an “upholstery friendly” design. This same approach was applied to the black cloth headliner, which is removable to ease the cleaning process. As it turns out, this teamwork approach came off extremely well, as can be seen in the accompanying photos. This is a leading-edge interior sculpted in beautiful red leather, and while it is wild, it’s perfect for this application, and that was the Alloway plan. It looks stunning, sits comfortably and is built to enjoy for a long time to come.

To bring further prominence to the interior, the optional Rat’s Glass console drops down from the reveal around the rear of the seat and rises again to meet the custom dash, which flows into the adjoining door panels. A Carriage Works billet bezel has been packed with Auto Meter “Special Edition” instruments, and still more detail comes through other items such as the Lokar shifter and pedals, an ididit billet steering column and a Billet Specialties steering wheel that completes this rare environment. Of course, to fully appreciate the comfort and beauty of these surroundings, they should be enjoyed firsthand, although you probably already know that. 

To connect all this finery to the road, Alloway looked to a favorite combination of elements that have proven themselves in the past. It begins with a pair of mild steel framerails from R&S Classics to create the overall wheelbase of 116 inches. In front, a combination of components from Heidt’s Hot Rod Shop has been utilized, including its tubular A-arms, spindles and rotor covers. A Sweet rack-and-pinion steering box and coilover shocks maintain control of the 215/50-17 BFGoodrich rubber on Torq-Thrust rims. Disc brakes can be found at each corner, with pressure supplied by an ’87 Mustang SVO master cylinder.

At the back, a polished Winters quick-change rearend maintains its position through a triangulated four-bar, a Panhard rod and a pair of coilover shocks. Needless to say, all this is necessary to keep the fat 295/40-20 BFGoodrich rubber and wide rims in place when the power is applied. In fact, just seeing all the hardware hanging out the back is enough to keep most enthusiasts smiling, especially when the pedal is down and the tires are smoking.   

As you might have figured, there’s plenty of power, and when you lean the top of the hood over on the Valley Auto Accessories hinges, you will discover where it originates. A Ford Racing 514ci V-8 gives this roadster everything it can handle and then some, with still more ponies coming onboard with an Edelbrock Performer manifold and its 750cfm carburetor. In all, this engine produces well over 600 hp, although its smooth-running nature belies its true potential, which is only hinted at by the note from the hand-built headers and 2-1/2-inch stainless exhaust system. The C4 automatic from Performance Automotive multiplies the immense torque of this engine before passing the power through a driveshaft from Sonny’s Driveline, and, of course, there’s plenty of detailing here, too. 

Once all the mechanical work had been completed, Alloway and his crew prepped the body for paint. DuPont’s deep black (an Alloway favorite), accented with beautiful multicolored flames by Wade Hughes, is just awesome. Add a custom grille from Jim Rench along with other shiny bits and pieces, and you have the absolute essence of a modern-day street rod. It’s visually impacting, even at a standstill, and absolutely awe-inspiring at anything above an idle. 

As we mentioned, Alloway builds his cars his own way, and he is thankful to have a talented crew of devoted individuals who love this hobby as much as he does. Together they create standout cars, with special details and extremely high levels of fit and finish. And despite the righteous and radical nature of his latest roadster, it is fully ready to live up to Alloway’s elevated expectations. To us, though, the test is in the driver, and no matter who it may be, he will need to reach deep in his soul before turning the key on this car and selecting a gear. Then he will fully understand what this car means, what it is capable of and what it gives in return. That’s what this creation is all about. Whoever that lucky person is, he will find that it goes all the way, and then some!