1974 Bricklin SV1

Before age 25, Malcolm Bricklin had made his first million by 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 Safety Vehicle 1 (SV-1). With its 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, a fiberglass body, a 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 could not meet the engine's demand 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 assembly transpired in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The electro-hydraulic door system, made famous 20 years earlier by the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, was unreliable. 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.

Ultimately, the high cost to build, rising fuel prices, and low production drove Bricklin into a debt of $23 million.

During its production life span, which 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 could be produced in large enough quantities to be profitable.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe

The Bricklin is a gullwing sports car designed by legendary designer Herb Grasse and manufactured in St. John, Canada, for exclusive sale in the United States by General Vehicle Corporation. Production at the plant began in mid-1974 and continued through late 1975 with 3 model years resulting (1974, 1975, & 1976). There were 2,854 cars built before Bricklin went bankrupt. There were 772 produced in 1974 with a 220 horsepower AMC 360 cubic-inch V8. The 1975 model year saw 2,062 cars come off the assembly line. Bricklin went into receivership in September of 1975 with 12 cars left on the line. These had 1976 VIN plates and were considered 1976 models.

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 the 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 2008.