Image credit: © conceptcarz.com (Reproduction Or reuse prohibited).
Bill Devin built a car that had the style, sophistication, and performance of a Ferrari but sold for less. The prancing horse demanded a high price due to its pedigree; Devin decided to exploit the market and offer a nearly identical vehicle at an affordable price.
Bill had a history of racing that included a win at the first Pebble Beach race in 1949 while driving a modified Crosley Hot Shot. Later he entered the fiberglass body business where he sold hundreds of lightweight but durable bodies at just under $300 a piece. Near the close of the 1950s, his company was producing nearly 100 bodies per week and shipping them throughout the world.
Irishman Malcolm MacGregor approached Devin with a sports car that he had built. It was complete without a body. Devin was impressed with the design and soon chassis development was taking place in Ireland. The rolling chassis were then shipped to Devin in Elmonte, California, where he would finish the assembly. It included an independent suspension in the front and a De Dion tube setup in the rear. Steering was through a rack-and-pinion unit. 12-inch Girling disc brakes provided ample stopping power while the Dunlop wire wheels held the car firmly in place under heavy cornering.
Around fifteen chassis were sent to Devin, who finished them with Chevrolet V8 power, Borg Warner transmission, chromed exhaust pipes, and lightweight bodies. Ferraris of the day were fetching around $12,000, while a comparable Devin racer cost just under $6000.
On the racing circuit, the vehicles quickly proved their potential. One of the Devin racers was driven by Pete Woods who won the C-modified Championship. Many of the others were converted into road-friendly vehicles and purchased by customers who were looking for a car that could get them noticed.
Road & Track got their hands on one and recorded a seven-second zero-to-sixty time with the quarter mile in 14 seconds. The top speed was just over 130 mph.
The example shown carries chassis SR2-06 and has no known period racing history. It is believed that this is one of the road cars. It was found in a barn in California and has since had a complete frame-up restoration. In recent times it has been entered in the Monterey Historic Races, Coronado Festival, and the Wine Country classic.
It is powered by a 339 cubic-inch Chevrolet V8 engine with Rochester fuel injection and produces 375 horsepower. It is matted to a Borg Warner T-10 four-speed manual gearbox.
At the 2006 RM Auction in Monterey, CA, it was expected to sell between $285,000 - $385,000 with no reserve. The winning bidder found a bargain at $247,500.By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2007
Bill had a history of racing that included a win at the first Pebble Beach race in 1949 while driving a modified Crosley Hot Shot. Later he entered the fiberglass body business where he sold hundreds of lightweight but durable bodies at just under $300 a piece. Near the close of the 1950s, his company was producing nearly 100 bodies per week and shipping them throughout the world.
Irishman Malcolm MacGregor approached Devin with a sports car that he had built. It was complete without a body. Devin was impressed with the design and soon chassis development was taking place in Ireland. The rolling chassis were then shipped to Devin in Elmonte, California, where he would finish the assembly. It included an independent suspension in the front and a De Dion tube setup in the rear. Steering was through a rack-and-pinion unit. 12-inch Girling disc brakes provided ample stopping power while the Dunlop wire wheels held the car firmly in place under heavy cornering.
Around fifteen chassis were sent to Devin, who finished them with Chevrolet V8 power, Borg Warner transmission, chromed exhaust pipes, and lightweight bodies. Ferraris of the day were fetching around $12,000, while a comparable Devin racer cost just under $6000.
On the racing circuit, the vehicles quickly proved their potential. One of the Devin racers was driven by Pete Woods who won the C-modified Championship. Many of the others were converted into road-friendly vehicles and purchased by customers who were looking for a car that could get them noticed.
Road & Track got their hands on one and recorded a seven-second zero-to-sixty time with the quarter mile in 14 seconds. The top speed was just over 130 mph.
The example shown carries chassis SR2-06 and has no known period racing history. It is believed that this is one of the road cars. It was found in a barn in California and has since had a complete frame-up restoration. In recent times it has been entered in the Monterey Historic Races, Coronado Festival, and the Wine Country classic.
It is powered by a 339 cubic-inch Chevrolet V8 engine with Rochester fuel injection and produces 375 horsepower. It is matted to a Borg Warner T-10 four-speed manual gearbox.
At the 2006 RM Auction in Monterey, CA, it was expected to sell between $285,000 - $385,000 with no reserve. The winning bidder found a bargain at $247,500.By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2007
2006 Monterey Sports & Classic Car Auction
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $285,000-USD $385,000
Sale Price :
USD $247,500
Recent Sales of the Devin SS
(Data based on Model Year 1958 sales)
1958 Devin SS Sports Racing Car Chassis#: SR2-6 Sold for USD$178,725 2010 RM Auctions - Sporting Classics of Monaco | |
1958 Devin SS Sports Racing Car Sold for USD$247,500 2006 Monterey Sports & Classic Car Auction |
Devin SSs That Failed To Sell At Auction
1958 Devin SS's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
Vehicle | Chassis | Event | High Bid | Est. Low | Est. High |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1958 Devin SS Sports Racing Car | 2002 Monterey Sports and Classic Car Auction | $120,000 |
Vehicles With Comparable Market Values
Similar sales to the $213,113 range.
1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Chassis#:bs23r0b146392 Sold for $214,500 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1971 CHEVROLET K5 BLAZER CUSTOM SUV Chassis#:KE181S653852 Sold for $211,200 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Palm Beach | |
1967 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible Chassis#:194677s113796 Sold for $214,500 2024 Mecum : Glendale | |
1963 CITROEN DS19 LE DANDY Coachwork by Chapron Chassis#:4266904 Sold for $212,800 2024 Gooding : Amelia Island | |
1957 Aston Martin DB Mark III Coachwork by Tickford Chassis#:AM300/3/1362 Sold for $212,413 2024 Bonhams : Les Grandes Marques du Monde a Paris | |
1964 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 327/365 BIG TANK COUPE Chassis#:40837S116133 Sold for $214,500 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale AZ | |
1962 CHEVROLET CORVETTE CUSTOM CONVERTIBLE Chassis#:20867S111117 Sold for $214,500 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale AZ | |
2011 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG Chassis#:WDDRJ7HA7BA004673 Sold for $211,200 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale AZ | |
1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 427/390 BIG TANK COUPE Chassis#:194376S110958 Sold for $214,500 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale AZ | |
2023 CHEVROLET SILVERADO LEGENDARY EDITION CUSTOM PICKUP #001 Chassis#:3GCUDEEL5PG102051 Sold for $214,500 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale AZ | |
2019 LAMBORGHINI URUS Chassis#:ZPBUA1ZL3KLA01753 Sold for $214,500 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale AZ | |
1955 CHEVROLET BEL AIR CUSTOM COUPE Chassis#:VC55F169196 Sold for $214,500 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale AZ | |
1990 Land Rover Santana Chassis#:vselb1ml8az119946 Sold for $214,500 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | |
1970 Plymouth Hemi Road Runner Chassis#:rm23r0a223874 Sold for $214,500 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | |
1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible Chassis#:5762111755 Sold for $214,500 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | |
1967 Shelby GT500E Chassis#:7t02s227953 Sold for $214,500 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | |
1970 Plymouth Cuda Convertible Chassis#:bs27u0b266648 Sold for $214,500 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | |
1963 Chevrolet Corvette Split Window Coupe Chassis#:30837s105966 Sold for $211,750 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | |
2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 Chassis#:2c3cdzl99ph101239 Sold for $214,500 2023 Mecum : Kansas City | |
1954 Mercedes-Benz 220 Coupé Chassis#:187.012.4500304 Sold for $213,981 2023 RM Sothebys : Munich |