1958 Devin Echidna

The 1958 Devin Echidna is a distinctive American sports car as only three were ever made and their construction was highly specialized. As Berkley One Classics celebrates the big 5-0, we’re hosting an exciting virtual car show for collectors and enthusiasts alike. We’ll share our love of classic cars by spotlighting 50 cars for 50 years that have been chosen and beloved by our employees. Each will showcase the evolution of design and engineering and provide a nostalgic journey through auto and pop culture history. Read on as Daniel J. Cleveland, Risk Management Virtual Consultant, tells us why he loves the 1958 Devin Echidna.

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The Car

The 1958 Devin Echidna is a rare and distinctive American sports car. It’s known for its lightweight fiberglass body and powerful V8 engine. A standout in competitive racing, it has a sleek design and impressive performance on the track as it reached speeds of 150 mph (thanks to its lightweight construction). It typically produces around 360 horsepower and is a highly sought after car by collectors today.

The Collector

Only three Devin Echidnas were ever made as their construction was highly specialized. Their development focused on building competitive race cars for a small group of privateers (three road racers in Minnesota). As they built the cars, many parts were supplied by Chevrolet, and the body came body from Devin Enterprises of California. The cars’ development was also costly and focused on the niche needs of the builders, which limited future production. The Echidna cars were ultra-rare specials consisting of curvaceous fiberglass bodies made by Devin, modified 1955-1957 Chevrolet passenger car frames, and Chevrolet small block V8 engines. All three Echidna cars survive today.

The Love

As a kid, I was lucky enough have a neighbor who was an amateur road racer in the Sports Car Club of America’s Vintage Racing classes. He owned and raced one of the 1958 Devin Echidnas. I can remember many afternoons of my childhood, feeling the ground shake in our home as the Echidna’s Corvette V8 roared to life in his garage. He often told us, “If it’s too loud, you’re too old!” He regularly welcomed my brothers and I over to watch him tinker on the car, help him push the rolling chassis around, or listen to his plans to experiment with brake materials made for construction cranes. Sometimes, we’d watch him race in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin at the Road America track, and would even get to ride in the car between events. His Echidna was not only fast, loud and unique, but it inspired a life-long automotive passion for my family and for many who saw him race it.

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Contributed by Daniel J. Cleveland, Risk Management Virtual Consultant

Photo: Alamy

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This car feature is part of our 50 Cars for 50 Years campaign in honor of Berkley One Classics celebrating 50 year of insuring collectors and their vehicles. See the other cars we love here:

Spotlight #1, Spotlight #2, Spotlight #3, Spotlight #4, Spotlight #5, Spotlight #6, Spotlight #7, Spotlight #8, Spotlight #9, Spotlight #10, Spotlight #11, Spotlight #12, Spotlight #13, Spotlight #14, Spotlight #15, Spotlight #16, Spotlight #17, Spotlight #18, Spotlight #19, Spotlight #20, Spotlight #21, Spotlight #22, Spotlight #23, Spotlight #24.

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Berkley One Classics is a Berkley Company who recognizes that classic cars are unique and require insurance that’s equally distinctive. Let us help you protect your beloved vehicle so you can enjoy it for years to come. Learn more here.