1958 Devin SS

American Bill Devin was an influential figure in the West Coast sports car movement, and the founder of Devin Cars, a company that produced racing cars and bodies throughout the 1950s and 1960s. The Devin SS was the top-of-the-line model, designed for competition in the SCCA C-Modified big-bore class. The SS wore a one-piece, hand-laid fiberglass body with fixed cockpit sides and integrated seats. The aerodynamic design featured rounded bodywork in the back and fenders that protruded slightly in the front. The mold was from an aluminum-bodied Scaglietti-designed single-seater Ferrari that was modified as a two-seater sports car. The cars were built on an imported 92-inch chassis, powered by a small-block Chevrolet engine with disc brakes at all four corners. 12-inch discs were in the front, with 11-inch inboard-mounted units in the back. The entire package weighed under 2,000 pounds, and zero-to-sixty mph was accomplished in 5.7 seconds (other sources state 4.8 seconds).

The stock Corvette 283 V8 engine was modified with a low-profile manifold to clear the very low hood. In stock form, the engine offered around 220 horsepower with 300 lbs-ft of torque. With no fan, a radiator was added to provide cooling. Again, clearance issues were a problem, so it was tilted backward at a 40-degree angle. The engine was backed by a Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed manual gearbox with a 3.70:1 gear ratio. Weigh distribution was rather impressive, with around 53% resting over the rear wheels.

The chassis was built in Ireland by Malcolm MacGregor and Noel Hills before they were shipped across the Atlantic and to El Monte, California. They were built using lightweight 3-inch diameter, 14-gauge mild steel tubing for the main structure and 2-inch tubing for the substructure at both ends, with the suspension comprised of double-wishbones in the front (later forged aluminum setup) and a de Dion tube axle in the back with parallel trailing links. Girling disc brakes provided the stopping power and steering via a BMC (British Motor Corporation) racing-and-pinion setup with 2.5 turns lock-to-lock.

SCCA requirements required 100 examples to homologate the car for racing. This was Bill Devin's goal, however, the initial figure of 100 cars was never met. Roughly 15 to 20 examples of the Irish-chassis-built cars were created. Around ten chassis were later built in California, still far short of the 100-car target. Estimates vary, from as low as 15 to as high as 30 completed examples were built. Along with the complete packages, hundreds were also built as kits.

Most of the Devin SS cars were built for the track, but a few were used as road-going vehicles. Other cars that bore the Devin name included the Volkswagen/Porsche powered 'D' and a Corvair-engined Model 'C.'

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster
Chassis number: SR2-06

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 Dan Vaughan

Roadster
Chassis number: SR 4-9

Bill Devin was an automotive pioneer in the truest sense of the word. For his first car, the 1954 Devin Panhard, he modified a 2-cylinder Panhard engine using Norton Manx heads and created the first-ever belt-driven overhead cam engine. The cars were not only innovative but had significant racing success. In 1956 Jimmy Orr piloted a Devin Panhard to the SCCA National Championship in the H-Modified class.

In 1958 Devin built the Devin SS, a dual-purpose sports car with Chevy V8 power. Like his first car, the SS was inventive. The car was built on a tube chassis which Devin sourced from engineer Malcolm MacGregor of Northern Ireland - giving the car deep European roots. Although Devin's initial idea was to build the best sports car possible, some found their way to the racetrack. In fact, Pete Woods won the 1959 Cal Club C-Modified Championship in a Devin SS.

Devin SS #SR 4-9 was raced at the 2006 Monterey Historic Races by Andy Porterfield, who was the original Devin factory driver in the late 1950s. Porterfield is also the winningest driver in SCCA history.

Roadster

Bill Devin owned and raced Ferraris in California in the 1950s. Not unlike others, he was intrigued with a new material called fiberglass and set about developing his own powerful, lightweight sports car.

An independent enthusiast constructed the 1958 Devin Special, combining attractive styling, European suspension, and handling with American V8 horsepower coupled to a four-speed synchromesh transmission. Bill Devin's lightweight fiberglass bodies were built in California, emulating a 1952 Ermini designed by Scaglietti. The Austin-Healey running gear, coupled with a modified Corvette engine, exemplifies 1950s sport racer design and construction. The engine utilizes the era's 'hot rod' technology: a high lift camshaft plus three Rochester carburetors that sit atop the only known Devin '3 x 2' intake manifold. Devin valve covers, gauges, steering wheel hub, etc., join innovations like a generator that runs backwards to reflect American sports racers' creativity in the 1950s.

With over 300 horsepower propelling the 1800-pound Devin/Chevrolets, Specials were potent. One achieved 0 - 60 in 4.4 seconds and another reached 202.72 MPH at Bonneville. This level of performance made Devin Specials competitive road racers well into the 1960s.

Roadster
Chassis number: 01

Bill Devin was considered one of the best home builders creating fiberglass bodies to fit over a variety of chassis. This SS was a competition model that mimicked Italian sports racers of the era. With a Corvette engine and lightweight construction, it was a potent competitor at an affordable price.

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 springs/shocks were fitted between the A-arms with 13-inch Girling disc brakes. The rear axle was located by a pair of parallel trailing arms on each side with a 3-inch de Dion tube connecting the rear hubs and disc brakes that are mounted inboard.

The chassis were shipped to California for completion by adding a stock 283-cubic-inch Corvette motor, T10-4speed Corvette rear end. The bodies were molded from fine translucent tan fiberglass and placed on the frame.

The DEVIN's raced successfully in SCCA C-modified class against Ferrari's, Lister's, and Maserati's.