Buying a kit car can be something of a lucky dip. Some of these vehicles are sadly lacking in the quality department, but the Blakely Bernardi was one of the better examples available on the market at the time. This 1983 model is a clean and tidy vehicle, although it does have a few minor rough edges that will need addressing. It is ready and raring to go, and is said to have a genuine 5,500 miles showing on its odometer. The Blakely is located in Robbinsville, North Carolina, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has reached $5,100, but the reserve hasn’t been met. There is also a BIN option available, which has been set at $9,500.

When compared to other kit cars, the Blakely featured a few notable differences to the majority of such vehicles. The most obvious of these was that they were available as a turn-key proposition from the factory. This car is one of the factory finished vehicles, which makes it rarer than most. The other significant difference revolves around its construction techniques. I don’t know just how many kit cars utilized the ubiquitous VW Beetle frame as its basis, but that number would be somewhere around “a lot.” The Bernardi was based on a bespoke box-section steel frame, with the majority of the mechanical components sourced from a Ford Pinto or Mustang II. The body was also constructed of a sandwich of fiberglass and plastic, and while this made it heavier than most kit cars, it also made it more durable. The color finish is embedded in the gel-coat, which also means that they tend to age well. When you look at this car, it does present reasonably well for a 27-year-old kit car. There are several marks around the front of the car and on the front bumper. It is hard to tell whether these are chips, or whether these are bugs that didn’t get out of the way fast enough. Interestingly, this car features powder-coated bumpers, as the vast majority wore chrome. The Bernardi is fitted with a beige convertible top, although a hardtop was also available as an optional extra. The wire wheels appear to be in good condition, and the same seems to be true of the glass.

One of the features that set the Blakely apart from other kit car offerings, when new, was the quality of the interior finish and upholstery. This was something of a necessity, as the Bernardi was not a cheap investment. When it was new, its price in turn-key form was perilously close to that of a brand new Corvette. That meant that a new Bernardi cost somewhere between $21,000, and $23,000, depending on options. This was the main reason why very few completed cars rolled out of the Blakely factory. The interior of this car is looking quite tired for a vehicle with only 5,500 miles showing on its odometer. The owner only identifies some minor and repairable upholstery issues on the driver’s seat in the listing. However, there are some other problems that will need to be addressed. The most obvious of these is the fact that the vinyl has become unglued from the lower dash on the passenger side. I believe that this should be able to be glued back into place, so it shouldn’t be a huge problem. However, that is just the tip of the iceberg. The upholstery on both door caps is wrinkled and will need to be stretched back into shape. The vinyl on the console has also begun to come unglued, and this will need to be repaired. There is also a seam separation of the console vinyl on the passenger side. The next owner would need access to a heavy-duty sewing machine to correct this, so I suspect that a trip to the upholsterer might be on the cards. The carpet looks tired, and this might present a bigger problem. The next owner will need to hope that it will respond to a deep clean because finding replacement carpet sets is virtually impossible. If it can’t be revived, then it might also need the attention of an upholsterer or carpet professional.

The owner supplies no engine photos, but we do know that the Bernardi is powered by a 2.3-liter Pinto 4-cylinder engine, which is backed by a manual transmission. The transmission is a bit of a mystery because the owner indicates that this has recently been changed. Usually, the Bernardi would have featured a standard 4-speed Pinto transmission, but I get the impression that there might be something different in this car. The owner mentions improved performance. This may suggest that the vehicle has either been fitted with a close-ratio 4-speed, or possibly even a 5-speed unit. Regardless of what is there, the owner states that the car runs and drives exceptionally well. It has recently been fitted with new tires, along with new belts, new brakes, fresh fluids, and the vehicle has also recently been rewired. The 2.3-liter engine was the unit that Blakely recommended for the Bernardi, but they did acknowledge that there were other options available for individuals with a sense of adventure. These included the 2.8-liter Cologne V6, or for those who were seeking a real thrill, it was possible to shoehorn a small-block Ford V8 into the engine bay. In a vehicle that tipped the scales at around 1,800lbs, that would have provided some mighty fast motoring!

This 1983 Blakely Bernardi is a nice car that promises to deliver an enjoyable motoring experience. However, it isn’t perfect and will need a few rough edges smoothed-out to be at its best once again. My biggest issue here is that I believe that the BIN price is a bit optimistic. However, the fact that it is one of the few factory-finished cars is a point in its favor. I wrote about another Bernardi in this article last year, and that had a BIN of $7,250. The owner also doesn’t mention the inclusion of a hardtop, which is a factor that is worth considering. What do you think?