Sometimes less is more. Bobby Alloway is no stranger to hot rodding or building award-winning cars. Oftentimes we hear others utter, “He has the eye.” A “gift” many of us think we have or at least wish we did but in reality we are “normal” and can come close on a good day.
Bobby is “right” more often than not, proving it time and time again when he rolls out the latest build from his shop—Alloway’s Hot Rods in Maryville, Tennessee. Truth be told, precious few of us build our cars from initial framerail to the last rub of the polish rag. That’s where the talent pool at Alloway’s filled in with their individual expertise, like Joe and Josh Bailey (father and son), Scott Emert, Scotty Troutman, Toby Caldwell, and Dustin Ford.
The Rats Glass chopped ’32...
The Rats Glass chopped ’32 five-window body was sprayed at Alloway’s in PPG Speedway Blue that’s closely aligned with the ’09 Toyota Tundra pickup color. Filled roof, windshield frame, and door handles give the car an early look. A 3-inch stretched Rootlieb hood was used with a Brookville grille shell and Jim Wrench insert.
The Rat’s Glass ’32 Ford highboy five-window project initially was the result of a late-night dinner (local grab and drive) where Bobby and I had time, followed by an idea. In our conversations we acknowledged any hot rodder can have a good-looking traditional car while utilizing readily available parts. For the average rodder the key was precious little fabrication to make the project attractive to those of us who are talent challenged. The idea behind this coupe is to show off an entire build where you or I could substitute many of our own parts gathered from years of swap meet meandering, trading with fellow car club buddies, or purchased from our wish lists. We took the “what’s readily available” approach but it is expected most rodders will substitute their thoughts on accessories, powertrain, etc., and the means by which to come up with said parts and pieces. Of course, a liberal supply of sweat equity is required in any build. Bobby spent many a late night working on this project as the days were filled with, well, his day job. (Since I was involved, there was precious little help provided. Besides, I live far, far away—for which Bobby is thankful!).
The foundation of this hot rod was a pair of framerails from LRS Chassis utilizing Pete & Jakes crossmembers arriving at a stretched 109-inch wheelbase. Other components used in conjunction with the Deuce ’rails are a Currie 9-inch rearend, 3.70 gears, drum brakes, and Aldan coilover shocks all positioned by a P&J ladder and Panhard bar combo.
The custom-made bench seat...
The custom-made bench seat was built and stitched with black leather by Steve Holcomb and his staff at Steve Holcomb Interiors. The ’32-style fiberglass dash came from Rats Glass and is filled with a Billet Specialties insert and Classic Instruments gauges. Other interior appointments include the Vintage Air heater, defroster, and A/C system, along with the Sony stereo, ididit steering column, Lokar pedals, a Lecarra TransAm wheel, and Juliano’s seatbelts.
In front the chassis’ suspension is centered on a P&J drilled and plated 4-inch drop I-beam with accompanying P&J early Ford spindles, steering arms, kingpins, and their Super Stopper disc brake package, utilizing Wilwood calipers and finned and polished backing plates. The dual reservoir master cylinder replete with three-pedal assembly comes by way of P&J with Lokar pedals and e-brake assembly; the clutch is cable operated. Shocks are chromed monotube P&J with dust covers. Steering is based on a Borgeson Vega-style box with accompanying U-joints, supports, and steering shafts attached to an ididit steering column, topped with a Lecarra TransAm wheel.
Big ’n’ littles give the highboy its rubber rake, working the corners in the guise of BFGoodrich Long Trail T/As and ET-IIIs Dragmaster wheels. The rubber measures 155/80R15 and 275/60R17 with the 15x5 (4.5-inch back spacing) and 17x9.5 wheels (5-on-4.5-inch bolt pattern).
The hot rod music emanates from the Ford Racing headers, dumping into the Alloway-built exhaust system running through the Flowmaster Series 40 mufflers, but that’s not the root. The epicenter of this earthquake is the Ford Racing Boss 302 sporting a modern 347ci producing 450 hp and 400 lb-ft, giving this five-window a whopping 6 hp per pound. Getting the power to the rear falls to a Ford Tremec TKO five-speed with 17 percent overdrive (2.87, 1.89, 1.28, 1.00, 0.82 First through Fifth gear split) hustled along by a Hurst shifter. Turns out this is plenty of power to move a 2,730-pound hot rod at a retina detaching pace. (Weight bias is front 1,261 pounds; rear 1,469 pound.)