1975 SV1  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |
1974 Bricklin SV1 news, pictures, and information | ||
| Tweet | ||
Before the age of 25, Malcolm Bricklin had made his first million in franchising his Florida based plumbing and hardware supply stores.
He later became the Subaru importer for North America, his first automotive related endeavor. He later - created his own automotive company, and produced a revolutionary sports car named the SV1.
The SV1 was not only a sports car, it was a safety car; thus named the Safety Vehicle 1 (SV-1). With it's built in roll cage, shock absorbing 5-mph bumpers, and side guard rails, it greatly exceeded the safety requirements of its day.
It featured Gullwing doors, fiberglass body, tubular frame, and an AMC engine. 780 vehicles were produced with the AMC V8. The 360 cubic-inch engine was capable of producing 220 horsepower. AMC was unable to meet the demand for the engine so Bricklin began using a Ford power-plant. The Ford V8 engine produced 175 horsepower.
The SV-1 was plagued with build-problems. Most of the parts came from Detroit while the assemble transpired in Saint John, New
Brunswick, Canada. The electro-hydraulic door system, made famous 20 years earlier by the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, were not reliable. The weather-stripping leaked.
The goal was to build an inexpensive sports/safety car. When the vehicle was finally ready for sale, the price had skipped from an initial $4000 to $7490. In 1975 it increased again to $9980. There were many reasons for this spike. Since the vehicle was plagued with poor quality and high scrap count body panels, production was lower than expected. There were problems with the suppliers of the drive-train, suspension, and other components. Bricklin requested financial support from the New Brunswick government, but due to the lack of production, they were unwilling to help. So the cost of the car continued to rise.
In the end, the high cost to build, rising fuel prices, and low production drove Bricklin into a debt of $23 million.
During its production life span with ended in 1976, 2854 examples were produced, far from its goal of 50,000 units. Just like the DeLorean, a vehicle that had similar styling and features and was produced a few years after the Bricklin, it was a popular and revolutionary vehicle. Unfortunately, neither was able to be produced in large enough quantities to be profitable.
By Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2005
He later became the Subaru importer for North America, his first automotive related endeavor. He later - created his own automotive company, and produced a revolutionary sports car named the SV1.
The SV1 was not only a sports car, it was a safety car; thus named the Safety Vehicle 1 (SV-1). With it's built in roll cage, shock absorbing 5-mph bumpers, and side guard rails, it greatly exceeded the safety requirements of its day.
It featured Gullwing doors, fiberglass body, tubular frame, and an AMC engine. 780 vehicles were produced with the AMC V8. The 360 cubic-inch engine was capable of producing 220 horsepower. AMC was unable to meet the demand for the engine so Bricklin began using a Ford power-plant. The Ford V8 engine produced 175 horsepower.
The SV-1 was plagued with build-problems. Most of the parts came from Detroit while the assemble transpired in Saint John, New
Brunswick, Canada. The electro-hydraulic door system, made famous 20 years earlier by the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, were not reliable. The weather-stripping leaked.
The goal was to build an inexpensive sports/safety car. When the vehicle was finally ready for sale, the price had skipped from an initial $4000 to $7490. In 1975 it increased again to $9980. There were many reasons for this spike. Since the vehicle was plagued with poor quality and high scrap count body panels, production was lower than expected. There were problems with the suppliers of the drive-train, suspension, and other components. Bricklin requested financial support from the New Brunswick government, but due to the lack of production, they were unwilling to help. So the cost of the car continued to rise.
In the end, the high cost to build, rising fuel prices, and low production drove Bricklin into a debt of $23 million.
During its production life span with ended in 1976, 2854 examples were produced, far from its goal of 50,000 units. Just like the DeLorean, a vehicle that had similar styling and features and was produced a few years after the Bricklin, it was a popular and revolutionary vehicle. Unfortunately, neither was able to be produced in large enough quantities to be profitable.
By Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2005
 |  |  | Coupe Vin Num: 00041AB4S000441 |
 |  |  | Coupe Vin Num: 00051AB4S000222 |
The Bricklin was given the designation SV-1, for Safety Vehicle 1.It had a built-in roll cage, side guard rails and shock absorbing, 5-MPH bumpers that receded into the car. It was not only safe in an accident, but had the power and handling to avoid one. The Bricklin far exceeded safety requirements of the time. It was America's first safety sports car.
This particular Bricklin was the 222nd of the assembly line Its frame was built on 10/1/74 and was launched down the line on 10/3/74. VIN 222 was the pilot 4-speed production car and the first 4-speed built. Bricklin only assembled 144 4-speed cars, making it extremely rare and the most desirable option. VIN 222 was also the Road & Track test car featured in the April 1975 Issue of Road & Track magazine. It graced the cover and the subject of a detailed 8 page article.
This particular car was not only dealer ordered, it was ordered by general vehicle as a promotion car for Bricklin Northeast and shipped to Whippany, New Jersey on 11/21/74. VIN 222 went through a ground up restoration process in 2007 and was restored to its original factory condition in June of 2008.Source - Vehicle Owner| MINI CONVERTIBLE BOAT TO JOIN DAD VAIL REGATTA | |
 | Visitors to the 2013 Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta on May 10-11 will experience an intriguing sight that they won't be expecting… a Chili Red MINI Convertible appearing to 'drive' on the water along the Schuylkill River during this famous annual festival of university and college rowing. It will be the first time that the specially-created MINI Convertible 'boat' has visited Philadelphia and it can be seen throughout Friday and Saturday cruising on the river. This one-of-a-kind boat was the brai...[Read more...] |
| Raw Power Has a Stamp of Its Own Muscle Cars Roar at Spring Classic Auction | |
 | What do you get when you bring the U.S. Postal Service and Dana Mecum's Original Spring Classic Auction together at the State Fairgrounds — a Muscle Car Extravaganza! Since it began 26 years ago, Mecum's Spring Classic auction in Indianapolis has featured the largest auction of muscle cars in the world. This year, the Postal Service will celebrate the raw power of the performance vehicle at the Spring Classic event by dedicating five, limited edition stamps featuring iconic muscle cars...[Read more...] |
| Corvette Shines in the Big Apple | |
 | All-new Corvette Stingray comes to New York City 60 years to the day after Motorama debut 2013-01-16 Sixty years ago tomorrow, spectators lined New York City's posh Park Avenue, waiting to get a glimpse of the ground-breaking Chevrolet Corvette on display at the General Motors' Motorama show. On Thursday, the Corvette will be back in The Big Apple, marking the historic milestone with the all-new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. The all-new Corvette Stingray debuted earlier...[Read more...] |
| 1967 Can-Am Road America: The Beginning of the 'Bruce and Denny Show' | |
 | While Formula One will be forever considered the pinnacle of motorsport, from a period between 1966 and 1986 there existed a series that would likely be the closest to 'anything goes' as any motor racing series could truly get. Based upon the FIA Group 7 cars but allowed to showcase unlimited engine sizes and unfettered aerodynamics, the Can-Am cars would have to be considered the pinnacle of motorsport technology and power of their era. And for more than a couple of years there would be one tea...[Read more...] |
| Carroll Shelby, Ford Family for More Than Half a Century | |
 | Carroll Shelby was a member of the Ford family for the better part of 60 years, producing stunning performance vehicles from concepts to production models. He once said his energy and passion for performance products were always strongest when he was working with Ford. Shelby most recently collaborated with the company on the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang, the most powerful production V8 in the world. Working with SVT engineers at Sebring and the Arizona Proving Grounds, at times he drov...[Read more...] |
| Similar Vehicles | |
 | 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 |
 | 1972 DeTomaso Pantera |
| Similarly Sized Vehicles from 1974 |
| Ferrari 246 Dino |
| Ford Pinto |
| Puma GTB S2 |
| Bricklin: 1971-1980 |
| Similar Automakers |
| Other models by Bricklin |
| Related Articles and Event Coverage |
| Lingenfelter Collection |
| 32nd Annual Ault Park Concours d'Elegance |
| PVGP Car Shows |
| 2005 PVGP Car Cruise at the Waterfront |
| SV1 |
| 1975 SV1 |
