Gull-Wing Project: 1975 Bricklin SV-1
Before the DeLorean, there was another gullwing sports car that had a limited production run and a lack of financial success. That was the Bricklin SV-1 (short for “safety vehicle one”), built and imported from Canada by Malcolm Bricklin. The car used a fiberglass body with color-embedded acrylic resin. Fewer than 3,000 were produced before the SV-1 rode off into the sunset. This one, from 1975, hasn’t been running in 20 years and resides in a garage along with all sorts of odds and ends. Located in Eustis, Florida, this interesting project is available here on craigslist for $8,000. Hats off to Rocco B. for another clever find!
For those who might not remember businessman Malcolm Bricklin, he brought Subaru cars to the U.S. in the 1980s and the Yugo sub-compact to our shores in the 1980s. The SV-1 was only around for the 1974 and 1975 model years (although some are thought to have been titled as ‘76s). They were built in New Brunswick, Canada with the help of a provincial loan of $4.5 million. Malcolm’s goal was to produce a small, affordable gull-wing door sports car, but it became less affordable as time went on (doubling in price from beginning to end).
The SV-1 ran into all sorts of problems, including the technology used for the body panels, quality control issues, shortages from suppliers, and a workforce that was inclined to work less than more. Fortunately for anyone wanting to restore one of these cars, the engines and transmissions came from AMC or Ford. As is the case with the seller’s car, it’s a 351 cubic inch Ford Windsor V8 with an FMX 3-speed automatic. Using a 2-barrel carburetor, these were not barnburner performers. And if you bought one new, it didn’t come with a cigarette lighter or spare tire.
We’re told this example has less than 57,000 miles on the odometer yet has been squirreled away for two decades. The motor spins, so perhaps the V8 doesn’t have a terminal issue that led to the car’s dormancy. Maybe it was once someone’s pride and joy and an heir has been left to dispose of it (just a guess). The seller admits that it will need a lot of work, but the body and paint look okay. The interior may only need a thorough cleaning. But anything else is up to the buyer to diagnose.
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Comments
Gak! It’s winking at us,,,the Bricklin always lived in the shadow of the DeLorean. Fact is, many that saw a Bricklin thought it was a DeLorean. I had very little, if any contact with one. We rarely saw a DeLorean. I thought, the Bricklin was a much nicer car, maybe for the AMC motor, but never got off the ground. In the 70s, we, as Americans were pretty smug, and a car from Canada just didn’t seem cool. 4 door Pontiacs with odd names and different grills, maybe, but a gull wing sports car, not likely. It shows, back then, cool cars came from anywhere, if the public goes for it, that is. You would definitely give some parts place employee something to talk about. Great find.
Bricklin (‘74-‘76) went out of business five years before DeLorean (‘81-‘83) started production.
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Sold!!
I remember seeing one in the parking lot at a Cam AM race at Mosport in 1974. Left an indelible image in my head.
I had just turned 10 (tickets were birthday gift) Jackie Oliver won in a UOP Shawdow. My pants still get tight when I think of the soundcthose things made.
Bricklin or Shadow?
I had a red 75 for a few years, mine was crazy hot inside, even in the winter. Had my fun and sold it. They also do not have a glovebox.
If it was that hot you shouldn’t need gloves anyhooo..
I worked on these cars back in the 70’s at a Buick dealer who tried to market them.
To say the least they were quite challenging.
I remember lots of water leaks, body delamination, door problems ( if the door failed to open, you pulled a pin to disconnect the cylinder & had to attempt to raise a very heavy door to squeeze out.
Not a easy task even when I was in my early 20’s)
Watch Derek Beri’s episode of Vice Grip Garage, when he got one of these evil things. It’s a hoot.
Let’s see if we can get through this without the usual stupid “car eating an 8 track” joke lol.
We have two in our collection, and a third that we parted-out due to horrendous abuse by the prior owner. Yes, they’re quirky cars that have their own special needs, but when all is good they are a blast to drive, handle well and are surprisingly good performers that sound great. The biggest issues with these cars from the factory is the door hydraulic system, which is nicely cured with the replacement air system, and over-heating in the engine compartment. Many Bricklins have unfortunately suffered unnecessary modifications such as the front cosmetic-only louvers behind the front bumper being opened to try and cure the heat issue, but the real answer to it is not bringing more air in, it’s getting trapped hot air out. Also, imperfect sealing of the firewalls is the cause of heat in the cabin which many have noted.
There are relatively easy cures for all of this and when done they are a very fun car. Yes, the body panel acrylic is prone to hairline cracks here and there but prices for quality examples are rising, and for right now they are a bargain piece of automotive history.
“if you bought one new, it didn’t come with a cigarette lighter or spare tire”. Funny, most new cars today don’t have a cigarette lighter or a spare tire either.
In 1976 I worked for a VW dealer in Champaign, IL. The owner of the dealer had a 75 Bricklin on the lot, it was orange as I recall. It sat there, and while I admired it for it’s style at the time, it was way more money that I would ever spend on a car back then. The dealer finally had the body shop paint it a tan or beige color, thinking that might sell better than the original orange. When I left to go work for Chevrolet in early 77, it was still there and I have no idea what happened to it.
I didnt know about the lighter omission but knew there was no ashtray no one mentioned, as not ‘safe’ to smoke & drive! These were sold back in ’75 at Winer Chevrolet in Stratford, CT as well as many others. The owner Harold, was an old friend of my gramps & dad & Harold went to show my dad the resilience of it getting scratched, that he took a welding flux chipper hammer off dads welding truck, banged it on the fender,saw a nice scratch/mark left, he took out his handkerchief & rubbed over it a dozen times till any mark that WAS there, was gone. I was 15 then, so was like a magic trick lol. I think harold told my dad he’d sell it to him for $6k, $1500 off his retail of $7500. Dad had no interest,was an every other yr Cadillac Coup De Ville guy since ’61 & in ’75, switched to Lincoln Mk IV’s after test driving a friends ’74, so, every other yr from there on it was a mark…till the VIII he passed on for then, the town car.
i thought of these like the TRVs (I guess the Viper is a lill similar?, not sure) an offshore bomber. Over powered, impracticle, lill utility (esp @ my house). They need to work for their keep here. But I would NOT mind drivin, eh? Asa kid I could run them (& did w/lots of 50s/60s/70s “Italian”).