What is the Bricklin SV-1? What even is Bricklin? It’s not exactly a name everyone is familiar with. Only being produced for 2 years, the Bricklin SV-1 is the only car to ever be produced by the Canadian company. All 2,906 of them were made from 1974 through 1975 in St. John, New Brunswick before the company folded due to financial struggles. The car was a bit of a mystery and its two most prominent features were its gull-wing doors and large bumpers. Perhaps the most interesting feature on this car was in its name where SV stood for “safety vehicle”. A sports car who’s first priority is safety? Maybe its not wonder why this has such a short run…
Maybe even odder then being a a safety sports car is the town where this SV-1 is being sold–Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, which is one of only a handful of hyphenated town names in America. May I also mention that it is in the middle of freakin’ nowhere and was at one point listed as the most boring town in Maine. Plenty of stiff competition for that title up there. However, they do have a Bricklin SV-1, something very few other towns can claim. How a rare piece of motor vehicle history ended up out there is beyond me.
The SV-1 was truly an anomaly. Originally powered by an American Motors engine, it switched to the Ford 351 Windsor engine in ’75 and produced only 175 horsepower. The Ford powered SV-1s only came with a 3 speed automatic transmission, while the AMC powered models offered a manual (rarely). Built on the AMC Javeline’s suspension, this car has been falsely referred to as a muscle car since it was often compared to the Chevy Stingray during its production. According to Malcolm Bricklin himself, his creation is a sports car, ya know, because it looks like one. Mr. Bricklin also happens to be the man that brought everyone’s favorite Yugoslavian engineering endeavor to the States, the famed Yugo.
As for its focus on safety, the SV-1’s prominent bumpers were designed to protect the vehicle from sub 10mph collision damage. An air pocket behind both the front and rear bumpers allowed for a few inches of travel when hit, preventing damage. Also, unlike many cars in the 1970’s, there was no ashtray, nor cigarette lighter inside as Mr. Bricklin considered smoking and driving to be unsafe. This wholesome touch made the “safety” interests of this car just a little more genuine.
One last feature unique to the Bricklin was its acrylic plastic over fiberglass body. Like a Lego brick, the body panels are one color through and through. This meant that scratches or scrapes were easily buffed out or hidden. However, time has shown that the plastic warps, especially in areas like the trunk lid and the hood causing them to curl at the edges.
At $12,500, this seems to be right around market value for a clean SV-1. Show room models float around the low to mid 20’s and ones that need a little work usually go for under 10k. The seller does not offer up much on this specific example. I am not sure what he means by “upgraded gull-wing doors”, which may or may not be a red flag. This has the potential to be a nice addition to any car collection without breaking the bank. If you have been dying to have your own SV-1, Dover-Foxcroft “the most boring town in Maine” may be worth the visit.
Craigslist Finds 