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1959 Devin SS Special

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.

1959 Devin SS Special photo
Roadster
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 apiece. 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 was then shipped to Devin in Elmonte, California, where he would finish the assembly. The tubular chassis was similar to the ones used for the Shelby Cobra. 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 fetched around $12,000, while a comparable Devin racer cost just under $6000.

1959 Devin SS Special photo
Roadster
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.


by Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2009

Related Reading : Devin SS History

There were 15 Devin SS models built at the DEVIN factory in El Monte, California between 1957 and 1959. These cars were sold as complete cars ready to race or for street use. The rolling chassis with a 92-inch wheelbase were built in Belfast, Ireland. The front suspension was fabricated with equal length parallel A-arms, Coil-over springsshocks were fitted between the A-arms with 13-inch Girling....
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1959 Devin SS Special Vehicle Profiles

1959 Devin SS Special vehicle information
Roadster

Chassis #: DSS-001

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