<VV> Devin C

Wed Aug 16 08:56:52 EDT 2017

My thanks to all who responded to my question on Devin C weight distribution.  I do have the Art Evans book and all the various info from Corsa.  It was this information that made me start thinking about the weight distribution and stability at speed.  But I had not looked for the info from Wikipidia.  I enjoyed the video of one racing at the national convention, and the Devin website.  Thanks again.

Like a few others I used to have all my old auto magazines, but got rid of them a few years ago.  If anyone has a copy of the road test article in Sports Car Graphic, or any other, that gives the weight distribution that would answer the question.

Mt simple issue remains that an early has a weight of about 2500 lbs with a 38/62 weight distribution.  If the Devin C weights only 1400 lbs and also has the Corvair engine mounted behind the rear wheel, its weight distribution must be even more tail heavy.  And the shorter 82" wheelbase would seem to make the problem that much worse. I wonder what the tire sizes and pressures were to help offset this.

Someone responded that one particular C was weighed with 1104 lbs of weight on the front and 952 lbs on the rear.  So this car is about 650 pounds heavier that Bill Devin's car and actually a little front heavy.  Was this someone's solution - add lots of weight to the front?

Thanks again for everyone's help.

Art Linden

-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Loving via VirtualVairs <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
To: VirtualVairs <VirtualVairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Fri, Aug 11, 2017 4:48 pm
Subject: Re: <VV> Devin C

The Devin that was ran at the Salt flats with an "extimated" 167 mph top
speed was not officially timed.

The car was running much taller tires than stock, in the pictures they look
like 15" rim and plently of sidewall.

The Devin also had a 3:08 diff...but even doing the math with a really tall
tires they would have had to have the tach well past 5000 to achieve 167.

I have never seen a weight distribution front to rear listed in any
publiciation and I am not sure if any of the owners have scaled their cars.

The Devin C was reported to be a little more tail heavy than the Devin D due
to the Corvair powertrain in the Devin C weighing about 200 more lbs that
the Devin D.

This was the initial issue with the handling, but approproiate front caster
and rear camber settings, paired with better rubber in the rear dialed the
car in to be very neutral.

Rick Loving

-----Original Message-----
From: VirtualVairs [mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org] On Behalf Of
James P. Rice via VirtualVairs
Sent: Friday, August 11, 2017 4:52 PM
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
Cc: 'McGowan, Mike'
Subject: <VV> Devin C

Art:  There are several Devin C's within the CORSA membership.  If you
contact CORSA Communique editor Mike (CC above) he can probably aid you in
getting your hands on the Nov/Dec Communique which had several articles on
the car. 

I also have the Automobile issue you mentioned.  I have seen several of
Devin C's autocross at CORSA's convention and none of them went sideways.
My guess is the VW front suspension washes out in understeer before the back
can go crazy.  At the Venture CA convention some years ago, Tom Keosababian
had his there.  In the course of talking with him, he said the front starts
getting light at about 100 and feels like the wheels are off the ground at
about 120.  So a front spoiler is needed if you really want to go fast.  Or
may be a lot of rake in the chassis.   

Art Evans, who worked with Bill Devin, wrote a softcover 60 pg "book" on
Devin's.  ISBN 0-9797219-2-X    You can probably find one on line if you
want to.  

I read the 167 at Bonneville claim.  I want to see the size of the rear
tires, 'cause that is flying speed.  Someplace in one of my file folders I
have the road test Sports Car Graphic did way back when.  Since I cannot
quickly put my hands on it, I cannot tell you the weight distribution. Tail
heavy probably doesn't do it justice...! 

Historically Yours,
		James Rice

Message: 6
Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2017 10:33:25 -0400
From: arthurwlinden at aol.com
To: VirtualVairs at corvair.org
Subject: <VV> Devin C

Does anyone have any experience with the Devin C?  A recent issue of
Automobile magazine has a nice article on Bill Devin's personal car.  Says
it weighs 1,400 pounds with a 180 hp engine with what look to be Weber carbs
- three per side.  Also that they once put a supercharger on it and went 167
mph at Bonneville.  My question is - What is the weight distribution?  How
did they prevent it from swapping ends at even moderate speeds?  They did
say when they drove it: "This car lives to change direction."

Art Linden

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