Featured Cars
Devin Drag Racer
"My Brother Dick raced a very meticulous and very competitive '62 Corvette in A/sp with appearances at Indy. Within a couple of years, he moved up to C/msp with a Jack Merkel Hilborn injected 327, small front wheels with aluminum front end spacers. It ran on the 11.40 national record on the first pass and more trips to Indy. By about '65, Dick and my dad Savin wanted to step up some more and they knew that would mean cutting the 62's wheel wells for bigger slicks, installing a roll bar, etc. As it already was, they had obtained another hood from in back of a body shop to make the individual holes for the Hilborn stacks so as not to cut the original hood.
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You wouldn't do this today but even back then, they seem to have the mind to not molest the 3 or 4 year old Vette, So Dick easily put the Vette back to stock and began to search for a similar car that was already cut up. My Dad spotted a classified in the back of the National Dragster for a B/msp Devin body roadster down south. My Dad saw that it was the NHRA Record holder in B/Modified Sport. He contacted the owner Marion Walton and all we had to go by was that picture in the ad and what ever Mr. Walton had described plus it was a successful car. A deal was made and Walton made the long trip with the open trailer from Louisiana to Connecticut. When it arrived at my brother's house, both he and Dad nervously looked the Devin over at great length and disappointment. I don't want say anything too bad but it would be polite to say that the car was extremely rough!!! My Dad told me later that he almost told Walton to take it back it was so bad but he felt sorry for him and didn't have the heart to send him all the way back home! So he paid the man for the car and trailer and the big restoration project began! Dad owned a successful manufacturing business, building custom plating racks for the plating & metal finishing industry so we always had access to welding, forming and fabrication, through that we breathed new life into that Devin." -Ron Zavarella To be continued...
Mangham-Davis Special by Steve Miller
A close friend of the family in Texas knew Stormy very well. Just a classic, old time airline pilot. Cool and laid back. He owned a small private airstrip in North Richland Hills where the Devin car was built. He and Frank took some old hot rod parts and crafted the chassis. As I remember, the Devin body was widened a bit to fit the wheel track. Frank had a Chevrolet dealership, or was connected to one, in Dallas. A modified small block was built for the car. I did long ago have a magazine article that featured the car, pictures were taken at Stormy’s airport. I saw Frank drive the car at the Eagle Mountain National Guard Base in 1958. It was not pretty, but won races.
Built by Stormy Mangham (North Richland Hills, TX) and raced by Frank Davis (Dallas, TX). It won many SCCA Southwest races from 1957-1959. The team of Mangham-Davis had one of the most feared home built sports cars in the mid-late 50s. Chevy powered, Devin bodied, white with a red/white checkerboard painted rear section. It too beat many of the Euro sports cars in SCCA sanctioned races around the southwest. I once saw the car race at the 1958 Eagle Mountain National Guard Base near Fort Worth, Texas. -Steve Miller It was even featured in an automobile magazine in around 1958-1959 and now the car seems to be lost. Stormy Mangham was a former American Airline pilot, hence the red/white checkers on the tail of the car. He was also known for building a record setting motorcycle that held Bonneville records for many years.
Stormy is better known for the “Texas Cigar” motorcycle he built and ran at Bonneville salt flats. It was Triumph powered and held the record of 214 MPH for a number of years. It was a successful attempt to defeat the BMW team from Germany. I recall that it was one of the first, if not the first, attempts to use a “drag chute” to slow cars at Bonneville. On one occasion I recall the chute being sucked into the back wheel of the bike and it slid on its fiberglass side quite a distance before coming to a rest on the salt. Again, the bike had the red/white checker pattern on the tail, characteristic of vehicles used at airports.
There is a small museum and a plaza as memorials to Stormy. Also, a mention of the Mangham-Davis Special in “Vintage American Road Racing Cars 1950-1970” by Motorbooks. Stormy also built a small go-kart track when the Eagle Mountain Base, an old seaplane facility on the north end of Eagle Mountain Lake, was reactivated for reserves and sports car racing was halted. I had the chance to run my go-kart out there a couple times when I was in Junior high school. At a reunion a couple years ago, I mentioned the car and asked if he knew where it might be to a classmate that is building cars for sports car racing and he immediately responded; “Wouldn’t everyone like to know!”.
There is a small museum and a plaza as memorials to Stormy. Also, a mention of the Mangham-Davis Special in “Vintage American Road Racing Cars 1950-1970” by Motorbooks. Stormy also built a small go-kart track when the Eagle Mountain Base, an old seaplane facility on the north end of Eagle Mountain Lake, was reactivated for reserves and sports car racing was halted. I had the chance to run my go-kart out there a couple times when I was in Junior high school. At a reunion a couple years ago, I mentioned the car and asked if he knew where it might be to a classmate that is building cars for sports car racing and he immediately responded; “Wouldn’t everyone like to know!”.
Ben Russell's "The Veness Special"
My car "The Veness Special" The car was built in 1957 and 1958 by Renton Washington body shop owner Tom Veness. The car has a custom large diameter tube frame, Tube front axle, and DeDion rear suspension with inboard brakes. The engine is Small block Chevy with BW T-10 transmission. The car features a quick change center section. The body is the rare "Wide body" that Veness lengthened by 8". The car was featured in the February 1961 issue of "Car Life".
Tom won the NW regional C-mod title with the car in 1959, 1960, 1961, and 1962. My uncle Chris Russell acquired the car in 1967 and won the NW regional A-sports title in 1968.
For the 1969 Chris modified the car extensively. Disc brakes, Wide blue streaks, fender flares and a big power bump.
Unfortunately the new mods were never fully developed. Lap times were down but a tie rod failure sent the car off track at Westwood early in the season.
My uncle died in a road accident that fall and my dad sold the car in 1972. In 2000 we found the car in a warehouse in British Columbia. I worked with my dad on a slow restoration until his passing in 2010. Much of the work is done and we have parts to complete it as a late fifties drum brake car or a late sixties disc brake car.
Cheers,
Ben
Tom won the NW regional C-mod title with the car in 1959, 1960, 1961, and 1962. My uncle Chris Russell acquired the car in 1967 and won the NW regional A-sports title in 1968.
For the 1969 Chris modified the car extensively. Disc brakes, Wide blue streaks, fender flares and a big power bump.
Unfortunately the new mods were never fully developed. Lap times were down but a tie rod failure sent the car off track at Westwood early in the season.
My uncle died in a road accident that fall and my dad sold the car in 1972. In 2000 we found the car in a warehouse in British Columbia. I worked with my dad on a slow restoration until his passing in 2010. Much of the work is done and we have parts to complete it as a late fifties drum brake car or a late sixties disc brake car.
Cheers,
Ben
Dave Taylor's Devin race special
Here is a great looking car from Dave Taylor:
I just finished a three year restoration of a special that was raced in CA in the late 50's by David Brian Lott from San Diego. It then went to Bruce Fosdike and next to the Toy Shop in San Diego.
Originally it was raced with a coventry climax, 3" custom tube frame, Triumph TR3 front suspension and rear end. The color was white with a blue stripe. When I got it, it had a Triumph GT6 engine partially installed.
I installed a 3.9 Rover/Buick V8, T-5 trans and Ford 8.8 rear end.
I would like to hear from anyone with more information about it's history.
Thanks,
Dave Taylor
[email protected]
Asheville, NC
I just finished a three year restoration of a special that was raced in CA in the late 50's by David Brian Lott from San Diego. It then went to Bruce Fosdike and next to the Toy Shop in San Diego.
Originally it was raced with a coventry climax, 3" custom tube frame, Triumph TR3 front suspension and rear end. The color was white with a blue stripe. When I got it, it had a Triumph GT6 engine partially installed.
I installed a 3.9 Rover/Buick V8, T-5 trans and Ford 8.8 rear end.
I would like to hear from anyone with more information about it's history.
Thanks,
Dave Taylor
[email protected]
Asheville, NC
Charles Fitzgibbon's Devin SS bodied special
1959 Devin SS Project Car was started in September of 2009 after finally finding a good Devin SS body in North L.A. not far from Bill Devin's original enterprise in El Monte California, a British friend of mine here in Wisconsin has about six barns full of British car parts and I bought a good 1960 MGA rust free frame from him and other suspension and sports car components, the MGA frame set up okay with the Devin body wheelbase, thus started the basic build up. The engine and transmission came out of a 1990 Mustang from a big junkyard down the street from our car shop, it is a 302 C.I. V-8 with a Borg Warner T-5 transmission, there were countless frame modifications that had to be done to mount the 302 engine in the MGA frame, frame cutting, building engine mounts, etc...from there the fun part started fabricating the fiberglass Devin body and making aluminum parts for the cockpit and interior, all major sub frame steel was made with 1 1/2" square steel (Easier for Welding). All other parts and accessories were bought from vendors, E-Bay, swap meets, and car part companies like Moss Motors, Summit Racing. The goal was to make the Devin look period correct with a combination of British and American car parts from the early 1960's and keep the build under a strict budget. I put on about 500 road miles on the Devin late last summer when I finally had it road ready before cold weather sets in here in Wisconsin, the car was also shown at Road America, Elkhart Lake Vintage races and gathering in early September 2012 with much appreciation. The car handles well, extremely light, (probably under 1,800 pounds), and very powerful. I still need to get a Tonneau cover and a couple of other things but it runs well and it is licensed and insured. If you have any questions about this car you can e-mail me at [email protected]..... Chuck Fitzgibbon Menasha, WI.
Archie Gadbois' Devin "The Gadfly"
This is my dad's Archie Gadbois' Devin. He put the body on a Fairthorpe Electron with a Coventry Climax engine and raced it on Midwestern track around the years 1958-1960, then sold the car. It was destroyed in it's first race at the Milwaukee Fairgrounds with it's new owner. -Jeff Gadbois
Chris Wright's 1957 Devin "Gary Special"
I have learned that my car is actually a 1957
built with the help of Bill Devin, for James Gary, esq.
It was campaigned as the "Gary Special" in the 1957 race season.
driven by Dan McQuilken Kelly for Gary Racing
Then sold to Donald Shaw in Ontario Canada who drove and raced it for several seasons up until 1966
the car was retired until i found it in Nova Scotia
built with the help of Bill Devin, for James Gary, esq.
It was campaigned as the "Gary Special" in the 1957 race season.
driven by Dan McQuilken Kelly for Gary Racing
Then sold to Donald Shaw in Ontario Canada who drove and raced it for several seasons up until 1966
the car was retired until i found it in Nova Scotia
Darren Alexander's "State Fair" Devin
I bought this from a guy who had it for 40 years and didn't do much with it. It is a 1962 Devin (Triumph Frame) and the actual car used in the Movie "State Fair" with Pat Boone and Ann Margaret. The race scenes were shot in OKC at the fairgrounds for the movie and after the scenes were shot, a guy bought it that lived in Midwest City, OK. and sold it to the 2nd owner in 1971 while he was still going to OU. It now resides in Norman, OK. Some alterations were made on the hood and the rear end by an owner that wanted to make a race car out of it. They also added a roll bar behind the headrest. It has a Chevy motor (which runs) and they replaced the 2 speed transmission with a Mustang Automatic tranny. The interior was stripped and used in a Corvette, so I will have to replace it and the windshield. If anyone has more information on this car please contact me. [email protected]
Thanks,
Darren
Mike Mulcahy's Devin Drag Special
Constructed by Dean Bontrager and Jay Wilbeck
In 1962 Hot Rodding was still a relatively new phenomenon in the US. Factory Hot Rods like the Super Stock Dodges, Chevrolet 409’s, the Pontiac 421 and Ford had their FE 427 tearing up the drag strips all across the US. And then there were the drag “specials”, built from scratch, by Hot Rodding enthusiasts that knew that weight was the enemy for a fast E.T. and a big mile per hour number.
Names like Anglia, Thames, Willys, Austin, MG and Devin were rarely thought of as big V8 Hot Rods and certainly alien to the emerging drag racing “cult” community. But for those in the know, names like Devin meant light weight, flexible platforms to go fast…and the few that were built are coveted by the historic Drag Racing Community today. Notable Devin-bodied Drag Specials were the Dean Moon “Moon Beam”, Joe Lunati’s (and later owned by Ed Neal) “Trouble Maker”, Robert Bailey’s “Mr. Went”, “Old Grand Dad” (owner unknown), “Gangreen” (owner unknown), and Marion Walton’s Un-named Chevy Powered Devin Drag Race Special to name only a few.
This story is about the Devin known as the Dean Bontrager-Jay Wilbeck Special. Built from scratch with $4,000 of hard earned cash and countless hours of “free” labor, this Devin Drag Special tore up the make-shift drag strips on the converted airports in the Hutchinson, Kansas area during the early 1960’s.
Dean was part owner in a gas/service station and Jay a college student studying business. But the two young men’s real passion was Drag Racing. Dean had a connection with HMB Fibreglass where he purchased a Devin Body, widened it to accommodate a set of big pie crust M&H Slicks, built a ladder style frame with a straight axle, installed a 426 Dodge Max Wedge/Dual Four Barrel Mill with a 727 push-button automatic transmission and a MOON Fuel Tank. The result…high to mid-11 second quarter mile runs at 118 Miles per hour! By today’s standards that may not seem fast…but by 1960 standards E.T.’s like that were astonishing…especially given there was little attention paid to any safety concerns like seat belts, blow-proof transmission blankets or driveshaft loops!
So who piloted these radical drag racers? In this case Dean and Jay would flip a coin to decide who would drive each run. Every weekend was a test to improve E.T. and top speed over the last outing. More money was invested in speed parts. The dual four barrel carburetion was changed to Hilborn Mechanical Fuel Injection. Lighter parts were researched and installed whenever possible. By the time the car evolved from the original build to its last configuration E.T.s were in the low 11’s/129MPH!
As the war in Viet Nam boiled over the draft called up Dean. Jay went into the family agricultural implement business after college and the Devin Special was sold. The car changed hands a few times until it landed in the hands of the current owner Mike Mulcahy.
Mulcahy saw it on a trailer in September of 2007 at a Good Guys Swap Meet in Joliet, IL. “When I saw it pull into the swap meet I knew it was a Devin.” “I’m a road racer…and I worked on a Devin for a client a few years ago and became fascinated with its pedigree. After seeing the Bontrager Drag Special on that trailer I just had to have it…even though at the time I didn’t know anything about the history of the car other than the seller’s tall story!”
Names like Anglia, Thames, Willys, Austin, MG and Devin were rarely thought of as big V8 Hot Rods and certainly alien to the emerging drag racing “cult” community. But for those in the know, names like Devin meant light weight, flexible platforms to go fast…and the few that were built are coveted by the historic Drag Racing Community today. Notable Devin-bodied Drag Specials were the Dean Moon “Moon Beam”, Joe Lunati’s (and later owned by Ed Neal) “Trouble Maker”, Robert Bailey’s “Mr. Went”, “Old Grand Dad” (owner unknown), “Gangreen” (owner unknown), and Marion Walton’s Un-named Chevy Powered Devin Drag Race Special to name only a few.
This story is about the Devin known as the Dean Bontrager-Jay Wilbeck Special. Built from scratch with $4,000 of hard earned cash and countless hours of “free” labor, this Devin Drag Special tore up the make-shift drag strips on the converted airports in the Hutchinson, Kansas area during the early 1960’s.
Dean was part owner in a gas/service station and Jay a college student studying business. But the two young men’s real passion was Drag Racing. Dean had a connection with HMB Fibreglass where he purchased a Devin Body, widened it to accommodate a set of big pie crust M&H Slicks, built a ladder style frame with a straight axle, installed a 426 Dodge Max Wedge/Dual Four Barrel Mill with a 727 push-button automatic transmission and a MOON Fuel Tank. The result…high to mid-11 second quarter mile runs at 118 Miles per hour! By today’s standards that may not seem fast…but by 1960 standards E.T.’s like that were astonishing…especially given there was little attention paid to any safety concerns like seat belts, blow-proof transmission blankets or driveshaft loops!
So who piloted these radical drag racers? In this case Dean and Jay would flip a coin to decide who would drive each run. Every weekend was a test to improve E.T. and top speed over the last outing. More money was invested in speed parts. The dual four barrel carburetion was changed to Hilborn Mechanical Fuel Injection. Lighter parts were researched and installed whenever possible. By the time the car evolved from the original build to its last configuration E.T.s were in the low 11’s/129MPH!
As the war in Viet Nam boiled over the draft called up Dean. Jay went into the family agricultural implement business after college and the Devin Special was sold. The car changed hands a few times until it landed in the hands of the current owner Mike Mulcahy.
Mulcahy saw it on a trailer in September of 2007 at a Good Guys Swap Meet in Joliet, IL. “When I saw it pull into the swap meet I knew it was a Devin.” “I’m a road racer…and I worked on a Devin for a client a few years ago and became fascinated with its pedigree. After seeing the Bontrager Drag Special on that trailer I just had to have it…even though at the time I didn’t know anything about the history of the car other than the seller’s tall story!”
Richard Herriott's Devin D
I acquired it in 1973 and have had a "Barn Find" car that I have shuttled from garage to garage for nearly 40 years. I always had desire but either had not enough funds, not enough time or whatever. A lot of life has gone by and now that I have more time, I don't fit between and under the Derrington Steering wheel. (This has an etched signature of STERLING MOSS)
I have contacted Jeff Snook of SnooksDreamCars that campaigned a Devin in Vintage Car racing to help me with preparing this authentic "D" for sale.
It is Devin D serial number "DD-7-8" and the odometer has 1139 miles. The "D has fiberglass encapsulated tubular frame and has 1959 Porsche Normal donor parts with 1600cc motor and Porsche aluminum finned drum brakes and wheels. I still have the 5 original tires and wheels for the car and they are remarkably well perserved.
I acquired the car in Pittsburgh, PA and the previous owner was very mechanically inclined and had campaigned the car in area, which had a great deal of hillclimb, gymkhana and autocross activity in the 60's and 70's. I am seeking my photos and data on the use of this car in these events.
The car had been raced in original red with black interior and also with Porsche silver with burgundy accents. The car had been being prepared to re-paint when I bought it. The instruments, wipers, windshield and other components where remove to sand and refinish. The car has remained in this condition to this day. I have additional windshield glass from 1956 Porsche Speedster, full top, bows and sidecurtains. There are other additional parts, such as exhaust and muffler and other sundry parts.
The car handles like it is on rails and even though it is not as beautiful as it some day may be, it was been a "GAS" to tool around the neighborhoods when moving it from garage to garage. In the last few years I could not drive it for too reasons: I can not fit in the cockpit and the Porsche brake cylinder(s) have deteriorated rubber seals and the brakes are not safe.
We hope to find a new home for my lovely car in November of this year. Snook and his team are familiar with Devins’ and Jeff Snook's head mechanic Terry had a Devin "D" and has been quite helpful to me. Snooks’ are doing a complete assessment so we can have a professional presentation of the "D" to the automobile world.
Richard Herriott
Huron, Ohio
I have contacted Jeff Snook of SnooksDreamCars that campaigned a Devin in Vintage Car racing to help me with preparing this authentic "D" for sale.
It is Devin D serial number "DD-7-8" and the odometer has 1139 miles. The "D has fiberglass encapsulated tubular frame and has 1959 Porsche Normal donor parts with 1600cc motor and Porsche aluminum finned drum brakes and wheels. I still have the 5 original tires and wheels for the car and they are remarkably well perserved.
I acquired the car in Pittsburgh, PA and the previous owner was very mechanically inclined and had campaigned the car in area, which had a great deal of hillclimb, gymkhana and autocross activity in the 60's and 70's. I am seeking my photos and data on the use of this car in these events.
The car had been raced in original red with black interior and also with Porsche silver with burgundy accents. The car had been being prepared to re-paint when I bought it. The instruments, wipers, windshield and other components where remove to sand and refinish. The car has remained in this condition to this day. I have additional windshield glass from 1956 Porsche Speedster, full top, bows and sidecurtains. There are other additional parts, such as exhaust and muffler and other sundry parts.
The car handles like it is on rails and even though it is not as beautiful as it some day may be, it was been a "GAS" to tool around the neighborhoods when moving it from garage to garage. In the last few years I could not drive it for too reasons: I can not fit in the cockpit and the Porsche brake cylinder(s) have deteriorated rubber seals and the brakes are not safe.
We hope to find a new home for my lovely car in November of this year. Snook and his team are familiar with Devins’ and Jeff Snook's head mechanic Terry had a Devin "D" and has been quite helpful to me. Snooks’ are doing a complete assessment so we can have a professional presentation of the "D" to the automobile world.
Richard Herriott
Huron, Ohio
Jim Melton's 1959 DeMar Devin MKII www.blacktievintageracing.com/demar.html
Originally built, owned and driven by Jack DeMar Stewart. It raced in Southern California at Del Mar, Pomona, Santa Barbara and Palm Springs beginning in 1959. It also, raced at Grand Bahama during Speed Week in 1984. The car has a Devin body and a tubular frame. It utilizes a Triumph front suspension and a Jaguar Rear. The engine is a small block Chevrolet with Hilborn mechanical fuel injection. The wheels were also designed and built by Jack Stewart and are DeMar Racing wheels. They were cast at the Hank Thorp Foundry in York Town, PA.
Owen Gibson's "Body For A Beetle" Devin
www.t2vrestoration.com
I have acquired the SCI "Body For A Beetle" The car has a 1949 VW chassis and a 1956 VW engine. The welds and body panel / repairs all match the 3 part article.
After doing some searching, I have found a 40 year long owner. The car ran a Porsche 356 for a few races in the 1956-58 period. Then, it had a Judson supercharged 1500 for racing in San Diego for many years. In 1961 Ralphs drove the car all over Mexico and then used it at Redstone Arsenal. He sold it in 1999 just as I found it . -Owen Gibson
"What makes the car historic is that it was Devin's first attempt at building a Devin bodied VW and that the story was covered by Sports Cars Illustrated. I believe this was an owner project, with Bill's help. The times I saw the car it was unpainted, primer only. I got the impression, possible wrong, that the owner lived in the Lancaster Cal. area. The problems with the air cooling fan shroud probably led to much later Devin D body with a raised bustle, in the rear, to clear all of the VW motor's components." -Ron Cummings
After doing some searching, I have found a 40 year long owner. The car ran a Porsche 356 for a few races in the 1956-58 period. Then, it had a Judson supercharged 1500 for racing in San Diego for many years. In 1961 Ralphs drove the car all over Mexico and then used it at Redstone Arsenal. He sold it in 1999 just as I found it . -Owen Gibson
"What makes the car historic is that it was Devin's first attempt at building a Devin bodied VW and that the story was covered by Sports Cars Illustrated. I believe this was an owner project, with Bill's help. The times I saw the car it was unpainted, primer only. I got the impression, possible wrong, that the owner lived in the Lancaster Cal. area. The problems with the air cooling fan shroud probably led to much later Devin D body with a raised bustle, in the rear, to clear all of the VW motor's components." -Ron Cummings
John Priddy's Devin C
This is DC9-936. I purchased it from Ernie Rollston in 1993. I don't know who the original owner was but it must have been a kit because it didn't have Devin seats when Ernie was racing it and, more importantly, it was painted yellow. That's significant.
I asked Bill if he remembered building any yellow cars and he scoffed and said no, he wouldn't paint any of his cars yellow because Max Balchowsky painted his 'junkyard dog' cars yellow - they later became known as Ol' Yaller I, II, and III etc (and did quite well in competition). He didn't particularly like Max because he would always come over to Bill's shop and snoop around, ask Bill how to build some part and Bill didn't think Max was smart enough to figure it out himself. But he had a good-looking wife, so, as long as she was there he tolerated Max!
The other significance of the yellow paint was that there was a charcoal primer underneath. I asked Ernie what color yellow it was and he said "Caterpillar Yellow, like the tractors". Nowadays Caterpillar uses a yellow that is more mustard-like, but in the 60's it was more prime-yellow. I sanded all over the original body and the only color underneath was more yellow and a charcoal primer. Ernie told me he did not take time to strip the paint, he was more interested in racing.
Bill used a gray primer on his cars when he sold a complete car but in talking to various owners if a charcoal primer is under the paint, that's the way the car was usually delivered as a kit. So I've come to the conclusion that my car war probably delivered as a Devin C kit. That meant that the purchaser would have to supply the engine, transaxle, wheels and tires, brakes, and steering wheel and gauges. John Priddy
I asked Bill if he remembered building any yellow cars and he scoffed and said no, he wouldn't paint any of his cars yellow because Max Balchowsky painted his 'junkyard dog' cars yellow - they later became known as Ol' Yaller I, II, and III etc (and did quite well in competition). He didn't particularly like Max because he would always come over to Bill's shop and snoop around, ask Bill how to build some part and Bill didn't think Max was smart enough to figure it out himself. But he had a good-looking wife, so, as long as she was there he tolerated Max!
The other significance of the yellow paint was that there was a charcoal primer underneath. I asked Ernie what color yellow it was and he said "Caterpillar Yellow, like the tractors". Nowadays Caterpillar uses a yellow that is more mustard-like, but in the 60's it was more prime-yellow. I sanded all over the original body and the only color underneath was more yellow and a charcoal primer. Ernie told me he did not take time to strip the paint, he was more interested in racing.
Bill used a gray primer on his cars when he sold a complete car but in talking to various owners if a charcoal primer is under the paint, that's the way the car was usually delivered as a kit. So I've come to the conclusion that my car war probably delivered as a Devin C kit. That meant that the purchaser would have to supply the engine, transaxle, wheels and tires, brakes, and steering wheel and gauges. John Priddy
New 'old' pictures
I recently found the two copies of original photos of my Devin. That's Ernie Rollston in both of them. The one where he's standing next to the car, dated Dec 67, was taken at an autocross somewhere he in the Phoenix area shortly after he bought it. He added the black stripe and the number 4. When I asked why 4, he said "That's the only number I could make with masking tape!"
In the other photo he's behind the wheel of his newly acquired Formula Vee. He went on to become an SCCA Formula Vee National Champion.
In the other photo he's behind the wheel of his newly acquired Formula Vee. He went on to become an SCCA Formula Vee National Champion.
Devin "McCluskey" Special by Jay Moody
In the late fifties a young man in Tucson, Arizona was recovering from a motorcycle accident that had put him in a wheelchair. Like most young men, he liked great cars, and his accident did not change that. As the result of the accident, he had some money to make things possible, so he called local racer, and someday Indy 500 racer, Roger McCluskey.
Together they planned a custom sportscar. As the plans for the car came together, it would be a gas welded tubing space frame, including roll bar and custom nerf bars, with some of the front suspension parts that Roger was using in his sprint cars. The engine would be a 1959 Corvette crate engine, with an undrilled Edelbrock 3X2 manifold modified to mount another circle track item... three Fish brand floatless single barrel racing carburetors. Because of his accident, the car featured a custom fabricated hand control for the throttle and power brakes, mounted on the steering column. The transmission was a Buick Dynaflow, with custom adapter to the Corvette engine. The rear axle was also a Corvette item. The rolling stock was a set of knock off wire wheels from Dunlop. The choice of a body went to the largest version from fiberglass pioneer, Bill Devin, which was spit, and lengthened another 3 inches to make room for a wheelchair to be stored behind the Austin Healey seats.
It was at this time that the demands of school work, and lack of funds stopped the construction. The car sat for many years, and the owner eventually decided that the proceeds of a sale would now be better for his future. The problem was that it was a half -finished car, and would not sell well. A good friend of his was telling the story to his own father, who offered to help finish the car, with the understanding he would be reimbursed when the car sold. Eventually the car was given to Jay Moody of Tucson to be completed. Jay stretched the doors to fit the longer body, hinged and latched the panels, built the flooring and firwall, modified a boat windshield to fit, molded in some '61 Corvette tail lights, then finished the car in 25 coats of red lacquer with classic racing stripes. To that were added many hand fabbed trim and exhaust pieces, and the interior done in leather. Of course all of the items a car needs to function...wiring, fuel system, linkages an such, were carefully fabricated... including standard foot controls for the next owner. Upon completion.... and after the local newspaper featured the car.... it was put up for sale. Today, the location of the car is unknown.... but someone is enjoying a kickin' '50s-style sportcar! Jay Moody
Together they planned a custom sportscar. As the plans for the car came together, it would be a gas welded tubing space frame, including roll bar and custom nerf bars, with some of the front suspension parts that Roger was using in his sprint cars. The engine would be a 1959 Corvette crate engine, with an undrilled Edelbrock 3X2 manifold modified to mount another circle track item... three Fish brand floatless single barrel racing carburetors. Because of his accident, the car featured a custom fabricated hand control for the throttle and power brakes, mounted on the steering column. The transmission was a Buick Dynaflow, with custom adapter to the Corvette engine. The rear axle was also a Corvette item. The rolling stock was a set of knock off wire wheels from Dunlop. The choice of a body went to the largest version from fiberglass pioneer, Bill Devin, which was spit, and lengthened another 3 inches to make room for a wheelchair to be stored behind the Austin Healey seats.
It was at this time that the demands of school work, and lack of funds stopped the construction. The car sat for many years, and the owner eventually decided that the proceeds of a sale would now be better for his future. The problem was that it was a half -finished car, and would not sell well. A good friend of his was telling the story to his own father, who offered to help finish the car, with the understanding he would be reimbursed when the car sold. Eventually the car was given to Jay Moody of Tucson to be completed. Jay stretched the doors to fit the longer body, hinged and latched the panels, built the flooring and firwall, modified a boat windshield to fit, molded in some '61 Corvette tail lights, then finished the car in 25 coats of red lacquer with classic racing stripes. To that were added many hand fabbed trim and exhaust pieces, and the interior done in leather. Of course all of the items a car needs to function...wiring, fuel system, linkages an such, were carefully fabricated... including standard foot controls for the next owner. Upon completion.... and after the local newspaper featured the car.... it was put up for sale. Today, the location of the car is unknown.... but someone is enjoying a kickin' '50s-style sportcar! Jay Moody
Warren Harrison's '57 Devin Drag Special
I purchased the Devin as a basket case for $100 in 1979. A section of front body was missing from an accident (just above the top of grill & to bottom of valance) and the rear deck lid was missing. I Fabricated a deck lid and took a mold off a narrower-bodied Devin to repair the front end (normally a wide-body Devin body would have a taller grill opening). The one-piece hood has a small scoop, but it still will not clear most intake set-ups. So, I don’t run it. It's chassis is custom using 2” x 3” tubing. The transmission is a TH350 with a 4,500 stall converter and the front suspension is a tube axle with a 4” drop & parallel leaf springs. Steering is fore/aft with a Corvair steering box. Rear suspension has coil springs, 36” long traction bars & a Panhard bar. Rear end is a 12-bolt Chevy posi with 3.31 gears. The rear tires are 30 x 13.5 MT ET Street tires with 11” wide tread. It weighs 2400 lbs with 50 lbs ballast and 210 lb driver. The 385ci Chevy engine only has 520 HP + 150 HP N2O. The build was completed in 1982 and it's best ET in the ¼ mile is 9.67 @ 136 mph at 4800’ elevation. Won “Colorado’s Fastest Street Car” award 1991, 1992, 1994 running 9.9 ET @ 140 mph with treaded street tires & mufflers. -Warren Harrison
Phil Fleming's 1958 Devin Special
A very clean Devin Special based on a 1954 Austin-Healey chassis. The engine is a 301ci Small Block Chevy. This car was featured in the 2010 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. It has many rare original Devin parts, including the gauges, Monza gas cap, steering wheel, valve covers, and a extremely rare Devin "3x2" intake manifold.