1958 Devin SS Roadster

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