Although it might sound more like a drink you'd find in a bar (and quite possibly a concoction you'd want to stay away from!), Johnny Freund's Southern Dazzler is one of the sharpest SpeedStar roadsters to come down the pike in recent years. Johnny's street rod is the result of a combination of forces: Rat's Glass (makers of the 'glass body); Alloway's Hot Rod Shop (builder of the car); and Hunter's Custom Automotive (suppliers of most of the rod's parts and, coincidentally, a company owned by Johnny!).

In fact, Hunter's is the reason he had the car built in the first place. Intended to be a rolling billboard for the parts store, it seems to be working because there's nothing subtle about the message! You could probably find this car in the dark! Of course, being pals with hot rod builder Bobby Alloway didn't hurt either‹they've known each other for almost 20 years. For Johnny, it all started when he began working at Hunter's at the ripe old age of 14. Growing up in the rod business gave him an insight on what's hot and what isn't, and when the business went up for sale in 1990, Johnny jumped up, grabbed the brass ring, and became owner of the shop where he used to sweep up and change tires!

Having nice cars isn't new to Freund‹he has had two previous rods published in STREET RODDER. But nothing sits in your driveway quite like a SpeedStar roadster, so when he decided on owning one, he gathered all the parts up in a hurry. Most of the SpeedStar roadsters that come out of Alloway's shop use a Heidt's independent front suspension (although there is talk of a SpeedStar coupe with a straight axle under it in the works!), and Johnny augmented that set-up with a Corvette independent rear. All of the SpeedStar chassis are made using special rails by Frames 'n' Thangs (Pelahatchie, Mississippi).

For power, a 454 Chevolet motor was shoehorned between the Alloway-built aluminum hood sides. It's dressed up with all the chrome goodies that Hunter's carries on its shelves, plus a set of smoothed big-block valve covers that were painted the same as the rod's exterior: red with flames. Other tiems, such as the Lokar air cleaner, the Sanderson headers, and the chromed alternator all add to the engine's exceptional visual package. Power for the big V-8 goes through TH350 trans and is shifted via a Lokar foot mounted shifter.

The DuPont paint sprayed at Alloway's shot is topped with a set of licky flames, taped and sprayed by the two of the best: Wade Hughes and Bill Roell. To set off the interior, Johnny tured to Paul Atkins, who not only made the custom swoopy bench seat and center consolve, but also covered everything (including the door panels and half-wrapped steering wheel) with red leather. A set of five Auto Meter gauges is grouped into an aluminum dash insert, which provides about the only amount of glem in the otherwise red interior. The Sony stereo is hidden in the truck and operated by remote.

But if the normal building of a street rod car isn't enought of a stress-test, while Johnny's roadster was being built he got a call from Bobby while Alloway's shop was on fire (after being struck by lightning). The shop burned to the ground and, of all the tools and cars that were lost, only Johnny's ride survived. In the middle of the fire, Bobby and three buddies were each able to get on a corner of the car (there were not wheels on it at the time) and physically carry it out of the shop and into safety. And two weeks before the fire, a tornado came through and ripped the roof off of Hunter's. Normally, anybody who has a car this nice should consider themselves lucky, but, for Johnny, it goes double!

Johnny and his wife, Linda, are happy with the roadster, and he's having Alloway build him another car; a Hercules two-door woodie. After that's completed, he's been talking to Bobby about doing a SpeedStar coupe to match his roadster (the coupe's new design is in the Rat's Glass advertisements). It seems that when you're on a roll like Johnny, you should roll with it.

FACT & FIGURES
JOHNNY AND LINDA FREUND
Nashville, Tennessee
SpeedStar Roadster

CHASSIS
Rails/Manufacturer—SpeedStar/Frames 'n' Thangs
Wheelbase—116"
Modifications—chassis built at Alloway's Hot Rod Shop, Louisville, TN
Rearend ratio—3.73:1
Rear suspension—Corvette IRS
Rear brakes—Wilwood disc
Front suspension—Heidt's IFS
Front brakes—disc
Steering box—rack by Sweet
Steering column—Ididit
Front wheel size—15 x 6
Rear wheel size—17 x 11
Front tire make, size—BFG, 195/50R15
Rear tire make, size—BFG, 275/60R17
Gas tank—Tanks

ENGINE
Make—Chevrolet V-8
Displacement—454
Machinging/Assembly—Miller Race Engines, Maryville, TN
Cooling fan—Spal
Alternator—Chromed
Valve covers—Flamed
Manifold/Injection—'70 Chevy LS6/Holley 750 w/Lokar air cleaner
Ignition—MSD
Headers—Sanderson
Exhaust—2-1/2"

TRANSMISSION
Make—TH350
Converter—B&M
Shifter—Lokar
Trans mods—Borings, Maryville, TN
Driveshaft—Sonny's Driveline, Knoxville, TN

BODY
Body style/material—roadster/fiberglass
Body manufacturer—SpeedStar
Hoodsides—aluminum by Alloway
Radiator—Steve Long
Grille—Jim Rench, Jerseyville, IL
Bodywork—Alloway's Hot Rod Shop
Paint type/color—DuPont/red
Painter—Alloway's Hot Rod Shop
Graphics—Flames by Wade Hughes & Bill Roell, stripe by Howard Horn
Headlights/Taillights—halogen/LED

INTERIOR
Insert/Gauges—aluminum/Auto Meter
Stereo/Speakers—Sony
Wiring—Painless Wiring Kit
Steering wheel—Billet Specialties
Seat—custom bench
Upholsterer—Paul Atkins, Cullman, AL
Material/Color—leather/red Carpet red wool

Article Copyright 1999—Reprinted by permission of Street Rodder Magazine—Photos by Eric Geisert