Does any other oldster remember how replicas started

[jon@harrison.ne]

It all started about 1955. There were a few companies that built fiberglass sportscar bodies (Kellison,Byers,Almquist, and others) but as far as I know they only supplied a body. Bill Devin in the LA area started making high quality bodies in 1956 but he also supplied various hardware to help you build a really nice car. His bodies were based on a Ferrari Monza but were not close replicas. He had a clever mold system that allowed a variety of track/wheelbase combinations. They were one piece with hood,trunk,and doors and sold for $295. Many were installed on shortened VW pans, MGA's, and Triumphs. Lots of them also went on full size Ford chassis but they were pretty bad-the wheelbase ended up too long and it was hard to get the ride right with so much weight removed. Bill also built three kit or turnkey models - the D,C, and SS, although most were supplied turnkey complete with a nice soft top. The D and C bodies were identical but the mechanicals were quite different. The D had a VW or Porsche engine,and 15" wheels and the C had a Corvair engine and 14" wheels.The C was nice looking and performed incredibly (think about 1200 lb,150-200 hp, and all that rear engine traction). I've been told it was Bill's favorite. A nice C can go for $35k now and they often show up at Corvair meets. Then there is the Holy Grail-the SS. No I'm not talking about what a lot of people are pawning off as an SS but one of the original 15 cars whose rolling space frame chassis was built in Ireland and sent here to have a body and 283 and T-10 installed.(the BJ auction has even sold imposters that don't come close to looking like a real one). Only a couple survive today in original street form-most have been mucked up for vintage racing.If you can find one be prepared to spend over $200k. Since there is a lot of info on them online,including a You Tube test drive of the car that won it's class at Pebble this year, I won't describe it in detail, but here are some of the features: 92" wb, 283 Chev (Bill bought new fuelie engines and threw away the injector to install his own 4 barrel manifold to allow hood clearance),Dunlop wires,independent rear similar to the Jag unit, and a beautiful large face speedo and tach of Bill's own design and manufacture.These were used in the C also. The generator was mounted next to the rear driveshaft u joint and was belt driven from a pulley on the driveshaft.