Bill Devin

Bill Devin was an American businessperson, automotive entrepreneur and racing driver. He is primarily known as the founder of Devin Enterprises, a company that built fiberglass body-kit conversions and complete automobiles. He lived from 1915 to 2000.

William Elbert Devin Junior was born in 1915 in Rocky, Oklahoma, USA. Devin’s father ran an auto repair shop and later a Chevrolet dealership, giving his son an early exposure to cars and their workings. The first "vehicle" often credited to Devin was a small open-top child's car built for his younger brother Gene out of an old metal sign and powered by a motor salvaged from a gasoline-powered washing machine.

Devin became the only gas-welder in his town and kept busy working on oil rigs, farm equipment and cars. He also used his welding and fabricating skills to salvage several motorcycles.

The family left Oklahoma during the third drought of the Dust Bowl years in 1939 and moved to California. Some time after arriving in California Devin went to work for the Douglas Aircraft Company. His first job was to build and maintain the jigs and fixtures used to manufacture the aircraft. Later he became a crew chief on the flight line for the Douglas A-20 Havoc light bomber. In this job he gained experience in electrical and hydraulic systems as well as aircraft engines and structures.

After this Devin spent 31 months in the United States Navy. He worked as a machinist's mate until being assigned to an assault transport unit where he became a motor mechanic responsible for maintaining the landing craft.

By 1945 Devin was out of the Navy and had returned to California with the intention of establishing a car dealership of his own. When he could not arrange financing in California Devin relocated to Montour, Iowa where he opened a Chrysler-Plymouth dealership, a Crosley dealership and two farm equipment dealerships. These ventures were successful but in 1949 Devin returned once again to California and established a Chrysler-Plymouth dealership in Fontana the following year.

1949 was also the year Devin bought one of the just-released Crosley Hotshots and began to modify it. He installed a cam ground by Clay Smith (the original Mr. Horsepower) to get more power from the car's CIBA SOHC 750 cc (45.8 cu in) engine. The first auto race that Devin attended was also the first ever race at Santa Ana in 1950. In August 1951 Devin took the modified Hotshot to Buchannan Field California and won in the novice race on his first outing as a racing driver. He placed fifth in the main race that same day. Devin would go on to race the Hotshot at tracks like Pebble Beach, Palm Springs, Torrey Pines and elsewhere, competing and often winning against larger MGs and Jaguars.

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