14k Original Miles: 1975 Bricklin SV-1

It’s a two-door Sports Car featuring unusual body material and gullwing doors. It sounds like we should be discussing the DMC DeLorean, but the car in question is the Bricklin SV-1. The other thing that the SV-1 has in common with the DeLorean is that it sent the company into bankruptcy. This 1975 Bricklin was recently discovered after spending forty years in storage. It has a genuine 14,000 miles showing on its odometer, with the seller describing its condition as “mint.” It may need a few tweaks before the buyer considers it roadworthy, but the ready availability of mechanical components should make that straightforward. The seller has listed the Bricklin here on eBay in San Antonio, Texas. Bidding sits below the reserve at $4,550 with plenty of time remaining on the auction.

Had Malcolm Bricklin’s original vision become reality, the SV-1 would have been a very different beast from the one that eventually rolled out of the company’s factory in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. Conceived as a lightweight Sports Car with a four-cylinder engine under the hood, it would have been similar in concept to the Opel GT. Gullwing doors were always part of the plan, but the car eventually grew in size and received a V8 under the hood to appeal more to North American buyers. The story behind this 1975 example is unclear. The seller discovered it hidden away in a garage in Dallas, Texas. It had occupied that spot for over forty years, and the hibernation hasn’t hurt it. Finished in Safety Orange, the color-impregnated resin coating the fiberglass panels exhibits no evidence of deterioration. I can’t spot signs of delamination or fatigue requiring specialist attention. The underside shots reveal only spots of dry surface corrosion, with no penetrating rust that might compromise the car’s structural integrity. The glass and trim are in good condition, and the distinctive wheels should sparkle if the buyer spends a few hours attacking them with a high-quality polish.

The SV-1 was unusual by the standards of the era, because beyond the exterior paint shades, buyers received no factory options. Every car left the factory equipped with air conditioning, a rear defogger, a tilt wheel, and an AM/FM stereo radio with a distinctive “roll-over” digital clock. This Bricklin’s interior retains those items, with the seller stating that the trouble-prone clock functions correctly. There are a few faults requiring attention to achieve perfection, but the winning bidder won’t have to endure the trauma of an interior retrim. The wheel exhibits oxidation that should polish away, and someone has drilled four holes in the console. There also appears to be gauge fascia deterioration, but due to the image quality, it could be an optical illusion. I believe that a weekend spent deep cleaning this interior should produce satisfying results.

As with other cars of its type, the SV-1 was a “parts bin special.” Bricklin initially sourced its motors and transmissions from AMC, but switched to Ford’s 351ci V8 and three-speed automatic transmission in 1975. Unlike the later DeLorean, the company opted for a conventional approach, placing the V8 at the front and sending its power to the rear wheels. That year’s Sales Brochure quotes a power output of 175hp, and with the SV-1 tipping the scales at 3,470 lbs, the car’s performance could best be described as adequate. The mechanical specifications proved to be one of the many reasons why the SV-1 was a sales failure. Had it remained true to the original four-cylinder concept, the oil crisis would have made life difficult. However, with a V8 under the hood, the impact was devastating at a time when buyers were focusing more on fuel efficiency. The seller revived this classic after its forty-year slumber, but the brakes require attention, and the buyer needs to install the supplied replacement radiator before the vehicle is genuinely roadworthy.

This 1975 Bricklin SV-1 is an interesting discovery, and I’m sure I am not alone in wondering about its backstory. It would be fascinating to discover why a previous owner parked this car, because it is a relatively rare vehicle. The overall condition suggests that, once revived, its potential value could exceed $40,000. That is the figure commanded by high-end examples in recent successful sales, and this car ticks that box. Apart from its history, the other great unknown is the seller’s reserve. What would you be prepared to pay for this SV-1 as-is? Monitoring the auction could be worthwhile for a couple of reasons. First, we will hopefully discover what that reserve is. Secondly, we will learn if any readers can successfully guess the sale price. So, it’s over to you.