Hemmings Find of the Day – 1975 Bricklin SV-1

Published by Mike on June 25, 2013

The idea of building an aerodynamic and safe sports car with gullwing doors, assembled on foreign soil but specifically targeted to buyers in North America, did not originate with John DeLorean. In 1974, Malcolm Bricklin, founder of Subaru of America, began assembling his Herb Grasse-designed Bricklin SV-1 (for Safety Vehicle 1) at a factory in Minto, New Brunswick, Canada. Like the De Lorean, the Bricklin would have a short production life, with only 2,854 cars assembled before the factory shut down in the fall of 1975. Today, a little more than 1,100 Bricklins remain, and few are in as pristine a condition as this 1975 Bricklin SV-1 for sale on Hemmings.com. As a second-year model, it’s powered by 351-cu.in. Ford V-8, which came bolted only to an automatic transmission. Unlike many brightly hued survivors, this example is molded in a tasteful and subdued white acrylic. The seller says that 1997 updates by Bricklin Parts and Services included air doors and a coil tower brace, but the car hasn’t been driven since 1999 (though it has been started regularly). From the seller’s description:

I have owned this car for 33+ years. It is # 2763 of 2854 factory-built cars. The actual mileage is 30,093 miles. The engine is a Ford 351 W, V8 paired with a Ford automatic transmission. I had many things updated in 1997 by Terry Tanner, including air doors and a coil tower brace. I have the receipts. The car was last on the road in 1999. It has always been started every few months and ran on the farm. I’m willing to sell for a reasonable price to see the car reintroduced to the road and enjoyed again. Must see to appreciate.