By Dean Larson

Photos: Seller, eBay

When Bill Devin and Devin Enterprises designed their “295 body,” taking inspiration from Scaglietti’s Ferrari 750 Monza and the Ermini 375 Sport 1100, it’s safe to say this wasn’t quite what they had in mind. And while many of Devin’s 295s would be finished as sports car specials of all sorts, a fair few Devins did find their way into hot rodding circles.

Dean Moon of MOON Speed Equipment built a Devin-bodied strip car called the Moonbeam, which held all sorts of records at local West-Coast strips. Joe Lunati, who would go on to start Lunati Cams, built one of my all-time favorite fiberglass cars — a ratty looking Devin called the Trouble Maker. Under the enormous, bulbous hood, lived a Hilborn-injected, 377 ci Chevrolet that could push the car deep into the 9-second range. While the Devin 295 for sale here doesn’t have the notoriety of a well-known personality attached to it, the car is a nicely preserved original with some two decades of drag racing history behind it.

Called the 295 body for its original selling price of $295, Devin was able to move a lot of bodies thanks to their low price, design flexibility and quality. Customers could order the body in different sizes, and it could be spec’d with a Devin ladder frame as well.

This example was fit on a 1956 Chevrolet frame that was shortened, narrowed and speed-holed to reduce weight. A Chevrolet 409 ci engine and Turbo-400 transmission pushed the car through 4.11 gears and a Triumph rack and pinion system kept the car on track. The seller has photos and documents showing the car’s racing history through the 1960s and ’70s, and says the car was also raced under the names Red Dragon and Ziggy Too.

The car was recently acquired by the seller, who found it to be well preserved as it was raced in the 1970s. It still wears its Porsche India Red paint, flame job, 293 numerals and vintage wheels. Without going into detail, the seller says that he removed the existing engine and installed a 355 ci Chevrolet along with charging and cooling systems. The chassis is said to carry its original 1956 VIN, which the seller has a title and California black plate for.

"I have driven this car, and it is pretty thrilling," says the seller, a statement we do not doubt. While the car runs and drives, the seller has left it up to the eventual buyer to make street legal.The lighting is 50-percent there as is, there wouldn't be any need to cut original fiberglass to incorporate some headlights, so we say why not? Wouldn't you want to be seen rolling into cars and coffee with this thing?

Check it out here on eBay, where the seller is asking $19,500.