1958 Devin SS #SR4-1
SPECIFICATIONS
- Year1958
- MakeDevin
- ModelSS
- Serial NumberSR4-1
The Offering:
We are pleased to offer 1958 Devin SS s/n SR4-1, a race-proven and extremely-well-documented racer from the late 1950s and early 1960s; the “Golden Era” of sports car racing in America; a time when ingenious, well-equipped privateers such as Bill Devin, Bill Thomas and Carroll Shelby, (all based in Southern California), could successfully compete against the best that European and domestic automobile manufactures could offer. Devin was in the right place at the right time, and with the help of chassis builder Malcolm MacGregor, used an Irish built chassis featuring an independent front suspension and a De-Dion rear suspension to build a successful racer. The only major component borrowed was the engine and trans, a Chevy small-block V8 backed by a 4-speed, giving the Devin SS the power and reliability to match its sleek, lightweight body, delivering a car that raced successfully in SCCA C-modified class against Ferraris, Listers, and Maseratis.
Devin had been producing attractive, durable, light weight fiberglass bodies which were sold as a kit, fitted to a variety of chassis by their owners. Towards the latter half of the 1950s, MacGregor, a very gifted engineer, who later worked for Ford of Europe, produced a tubular chassis for Devin, very similar to those later used by Carroll Shelby on the legendary Cobra. These new chassis incorporated every desirable late 1950’s race car specification into a state-of-the-art design. That included an independent, equal-length “A” arm front suspension and a De-Dion tube setup in the rear with a Devin cast aluminum diff housing and four wheel Girling disc brakes with inboard rear brakes. Steering was through a rack-and-pinion unit and twelve-inch Girling disc brakes provided ample stopping power, while the Dunlop wire wheels put the power to the ground. For those deep into automotive trivia, the SS in the Devin’s nomenclature stands for Super Shillelagh, named after both the chassis’s Irish heritage and after a Shillelagh, an Irish walking stick and, if needed, a handy club! See the reprinted article from Road & Track magazine, April 1959 in the photos. Around fifteen SS chassis were sent to Devin who finished them with 283 cid Chevrolet V8 power, a Borg Warner T-10 trans, and his very own lightweight bodies. These cars that had the style, sophistication, and performance of a Ferrari, but sold for less than half the price, ($5,950), and the Chevy small block and T-10 trans was bullet-proof, easy to maintain and affordable to replace or upgrade
The Early Race History:
In 1958 Devin SS s/n SR4-1 was sold by Evans Industries, the exclusive distributor for Devin cars, to Dr. Phil Kondratief of Orange County, CA. In competition, Devin SS s/n SR4-1 was an immediate success with Pete Woods driving this car to the 1959 Sports Car Club of America C-modified Regional Championship. In April, 1960, Devin SS s/n SR4-1 was raced at the LA Times Grand Prix at Riverside, again driven by Pete Woods with race # 170. In June 1961, Devin SS s/n SR4-1 was raced at the Laguna Seca Invitational, driven by Lew Spencer with race # 45. Later, in Oct., 1961, Devin SS s/n SR4-1 was raced at the LA Times Grand Prix at Riverside, again driven by Lew Spencer, with race # 45. In 1962 Devin SS s/n SR4-1 was sold to Ken Force and modified for drag racing, eventually becoming yet another old 1950s race car in storage in southern California. In 1979 Devin SS s/n SR4-1 was sold to Sam Grasso, a Ventura County Orange Grove farmer and was partially restored by Hill & Vaughn with Bill Devin consulting, before being put into storage because of a dispute with Mrs Grasso over the restoration costs.
Lots of Documents:
We love documentation and Devin SS s/n SR4-1 comes with not one, not two, but three loose leaf binders. There is a large binder filled with original Devin sales docs, notes on the long term history, very rare 1950s and early 1960s race programs (or copies of race programs) from the Del Mar Road races , 02-03 May, 1959; the 1st Kiwanis Grand Prix at Riverside, 18-19 July, 1959; the United States Grand at Riverside, 10-11 Oct., 1959; the Herald-Express Grand Prix at Riverside, 2-3 April, 1960; the Laguna Seca Invitational, 10-11 June, 1961; the Grand Prix for Sports Cars at Riverside, 13-14 Oct., 1961; plus dozens of pages of articles and reports on Bill Devin and Devin race cars. The two smaller binders are filled with more current pre-race check lists; lap times; qualifying sheets; suspension setup sheets and multiple Dyno sheets that show a stump-pulling 458 ft lbs at 5,300 rpm and 500 hp at 5,900 rpm climbing to 545 hp at 7,300 rpm!
Historic Racing in the 1980:
In 1985 Devin SS s/n SR4-1 was discovered by Bat Masterson and sold to Art Evans, the former Devin distributor. Between 1985 and 1990, Devin SS s/n SR4-1 was raced in various vintage races at Palm Springs; Willow Springs; Riverside; Pikes Peak; the Tacoma Grand Prix and the La Carrera Classic by Jay Chamberlain; Art Evans; Andy Porterfield; Alex Quattlebaum and Bobby Unser. In Oct., 1997, Devin SS s/n SR4-1 was sold to Tom Hollfelder of Tiger Racing, in Covina, CA, and treated to a total cosmetic and mechanical restoration, painted blue with a white stripe with race # 77. In Aug., of 1999, after restoration, Devin SS s/n SR4-1 was first raced at the Monterey Pre-Historics and the following week at the Monterey Historics, driven by Tom Hollfleder on race # 77, finished 4th with a street engine. We have the DieHard Racers Vintage logbook listing all the dates, drivers and track names from 1985 to 1990 on file and the 1986 California title or “Pink Slip” in the name of “Arts Cars Inc, Redondo Beach, CA”. We also have Tom Hollfelder’s HMSA Log Book on file.
Historic Racing in the 2000s:
On 27 Nov., 2007 Devin SS s/n SR4-1 was sold by Tom Hollfelder to the current owner in Seattle, WA. There are currently seventeen tech stickers on the roll bar documenting the many races at the Coronado Speed Festival in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014; the Monterey Historic races in 2009, 2010 and 2011; the Sonoma Motorsports Festival in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 ; The Pacific Northwest Historic races in 2020 and more. Today Devin SS s/n SR4-1 is approved for racing in CSRG, HMSA, and General Racing sanctioned events and, with a competent driver, should easily and consistently place in the top four, beating much more expensive and heavy duty machinery including Maserati Birdcage/300S/450S, Listers, D-Types, and Aston DBR2. There are multiple Dyno sheets that show the 327 Chevy small block putting out a stump-pulling 458 ft lbs at 5,300 rpm and 500 hp at 5,900 rpm climbing to 545 hp at 7,300 rpm! There are also multiple setup sheets for those who want to fine tune their driving for every track plus qualifying and race result sheets that that show Devin SS s/n SR4-1 qualifying or finishing at or very near the top in every race entered!
Current Condition:
Devin SS s/n SR4-1 is an excellent example of one of the most attractive and competitive American-built sports racing cars of the 1950s, beautifully finished and prepared with period correct dark blue livery with a wide white racing stripe. The paint is very high quality, and the body panel fit and finish is to a much-higher-than-the-usual “vintage racer” level. Details are expertly fabricated, and where appropriate, have been updated with systems or components that enhance safe high-performance operation. Multiple air ducts direct outside air to the radiator, front brakes, the rear differential and the rear brakes. Stunning body design and exterior detail features include the the tall rear haunches, and dramatically side profile and cut-down doors. The seventeen scrutineering decals on the roll bar reveal a sampling of the many vintage racing events this car has run. The competition stance is perfectly positioned on the later period 15 x 6 front and rear MiniLite Racing magnesium wheels wearing 6:50 x 15 Dunlop vintage racing tires, tucked under the smooth contoured wheel arches. The engine compartment side air vents in the front fenders; a dramatic hood scoop; huge side exit exhaust and the high rear fender haunches complete the amazing profile of a serious 1950s race car! Low, elegant yet potent, with dark blue paint; side # 77 race numbers and chrome roll bar with big American Mags, this Devin SS looks and is built to win!
What Makes It Go:
The interior is all business with a period-correct Devin Logo-ed speedo and tack mated with Stewart Warner gauges to monitor MPH, RPM , oil pressure and water temp. A pair of matching contoured bucket seats, a driver’s side headrest with Sabelt competition seat belts and a built-in roll bar complete the sparse cockpit. The row of gauges, the exposed Richmond T-10 5-speed Hurst gear shifter, a wood-rimmed steering wheel, and wide entry sills show just how potent and competitive this Devin is!
Under the hood the engine bay is prepared with historic reverence and modern safety elements to bring out as much performance as possible from the 327 CID Chevy V8 engine. The engine bay shows very well with Devin Logo-ed aluminum valve covers, tube headers exiting to twin side exhaust and very tidy plumbing and wiring. The 327 small block engine is topped off with a Holly 4BBL double pumper carb, mated with an Accusump oil system with a baffled oil pan and remote oil radiator, cooled by an aluminum radiator fitted with an electric cooling fan. The multiple Dyno sheets show a stump-pulling 458 ft lbs at 5,300 rpm and the jump from 500 hp to 545 hp as the engine climbs from 5,900 rpm to 7,300 rpm!
The underside of the car is remarkably clean and the Malcolm MacGregor designed and built chassis is both very sturdy and very stiff, giving a great platform to mount the “I” sectional equal length upper and lower front “A” arms and the De-Dion rear axle with its sliding centering pin and trailing arms. The fit and finish is exceptionally nice, add in the Devin built cast and machined aluminum rear housing and the inboard rear brakes with the Koni coil-over shocks plus the Devin built camber and toe adjustment plates and you have a state-of-the-art late 1950s chassis and suspension that looks as good as it handles!
What’s It Like To Drive:
Getting in is easy, you simply step over the door and slide down into the seat, which fits my 5’9″ and 165 lb frame like a glove. Once in the seat click on the power switch just behind the passenger’s seat; turn on the Accusump by twisting the knob 90*; switch on the fuel pump toggle switch and twist the key to start. Thanks to its race-tuned Chevy the Devin doesn’t so much start as it explodes into raucous, thundering life. The clutch is amazingly light and the Hurst shifter is easy to use. The steering is heavy at low speed but is just right once at speed. The Dunlop racing tires don’t have date codes but are at least five year old, probably much more and so are as hard as hockey pucks. Because we’re in an industrial area there’s lots of traffic so we kept it under 5,000 rpm and short shifted for the video. Once mildly on the gas any traffic in front seems to be coming at you in reverse gear and you’re quickly well over the speed limit! Thanks to the four wheel disc brakes stopping was hands-off straight, quick and easy. At any vintage racing event or series Devin SS s/n SR4-1 will almost certainly be one of the most powerful car with the most rubber on the ground and so easily amongst the fastest in the class.
Priced To Sell:
Beautifully restored and ready for further combat, Devin SS s/n SR4-1 is historically important and one of about fifteen built, making it one of the the most exciting competition sports cars ever produced, backed by excellent documentation, recent long-term ownership and years of professional preparation and race sorting. It is drop dead gorgeous in a Playboy centerfold kind of way, which is to say that it has all the “curves and characteristics” to make a man’s palms sweat. Our warehouse is surrounded by dozens of other automotive shops so exotic cars are common, but in making our video, just starting up Devin SS s/n SR4-1 and heading down the road brought them out to watch. Even better, Devin SS s/n SR4-1 has both headlights and tail lights plus brake lights, an electric cooling fan plus the vintage California “Pink Slip” or title and a current Montana title and plates are in the works, making Devin SS s/n SR4-1 an ideal street car for occasional drives or tours, a true dual-purpose Cars and Coffee Sunday driver and a race track friendly sports car of the type that make 50s and 60s sports cars collectable and usable.
