This pair of classic Bricklin SV1s has been unearthed in the Netherlands, a long way from their origins as a Canadian-built car sold largely in the USA. One bears Dutch registration while the other still sports UK documentation and both are available as a package deal. The seller notes that one car does not roll but both are largely complete otherwise. The asking price is €7,500 for the pair, which works out to be just under $9,500. Is this gull-winged pair worth shipping stateside? Find the Bricklins here on eBay UK in a classified listing.
The Bricklin story is fairly well known around these parts, as a failed attempt to convince American shoppers that safety could be sexy. It’s not to say the cars weren’t attractive, but they were heavy and the driving experience didn’t align with the racy exterior and exotic gullwing doors. Still, as an automotive curiosity that inspired some of the safety features we see in modern automobiles, I’ll always find the Bricklin an intriguing project car buy. One of the two looks far more complete, with wheels, door assemblies and a motor still installed.
The Bricklins were stored for close to three decades, according to the seller, and we’d love to know the story of how they ended up in the Netherlands (with one of them evidently stopping in the U.K. first). When we look at U.S. vehicles exported with some regularity to the U.K, it’s usually rust-free Porsches and Jaguars or classic muscle cars not sold there in large quantities. The SV1 isn’t even particularly popular in the U.S., so finding two in the Netherlands has got to be a once-in-a-lifetime find.
Here’s the less complete car, which has no means of rolling and apparently stored in the rafters! There are photos showing seats and at least one door panel, but the more complete car is lacking its driver’s side skin – so who knows what’s included. Finding out the totality of the spare parts and panels list is a must for any prospective buyers, and given the potential value in parts for a collector, we wonder if this Dutch duo won’t find its way back to the U.S. Would you pay to ship these classic Bricklins home?
We manufactured all the hard trim interior panels for these back in the day, they were cool at the time. Not so sure now, but I have a bad taste, old Malcom (remember the Yugo) skinned us for a large sum of money. We tried to go and grab some cars from the factory to recoup some of are losses, let’s just say Canada has very strict laws concerning that.
We did have a great party burning and destroying all the tooling, thinking good luck getting service parts! Probably not real smart business wise, but it felt good & the memories bring a smile to my face today. Oh yea, alcohol was involved.
It seems a commonality amongst all small-volume manufacturers to inevitably leave some supplier ( or suppliers ) hanging out to dry: Saleen, Vector and Fisker come to mind….
@Derek F
It never happened again! Lesson learned.
Are there really any Briklin enthusiasts in the world who value these junkers? I see them pop up every so often and am left wondering if anyone really aspires to do a restoration???
Looks similar to the DeLorean
What a sad sight. I would be nice to see them both properly restored
I think they are properly “stored” in the Nederlands. Really can’t think of any better place.
These are a very difficult body to restore and get right! Don’t even attempt to is what I took away from a restorer 15 years ago.
These were pretty much “project cars” when they left the factory in St Johns. I can’t even summon a fantasy about taking them on. But, if someone else had already suffered the headaches, and emptied their bank accounts? Sign me up. The SV-1 was one of the coolest cars of the mid-70s (which admittedly isn’t saying much)
Saint John.
And when the battery went dead you had to climb out through the hatch!
Correct! And there was no lighter since Malcolm Bricklin was not a smoker and states that you should not smoke while driving.Only 3,000 cars were made, and with 351 ford engine and 360 AMC engines. Price seems right. Even if you can’t restore both you will have one for parts if parts are hard to find. looks like one is missing wheels which would be hard to find!
…..and second prize is TWO of them!
There were some decent ones recently on eBay, one sold for less than $9,000, the other, with less than 40,000 original miles has been a no-sale multiple times at $15,000.
Steve R
More interested in the ramp truck there on.
Why on earth getting them back to the US/CDN.. when there are quite a few good ones there.. at decent prices.. 2 with less than 1000 miles both sntan and original in detail.. another with less than 1500 miles and slightly modified.. Bricklin club winner regularly..a d parts.. wow.. what do you want.. in Michigan you can get most.. same in Calif.. and in Ontario, Canada as well.. so even tho i Live in denmark, europe.. i get mine from CDN…
Do you own a Bricklin?
My guess is probably not but I do.
So you don’t know what you are talking about.
That would explain your comment.
and that’s saying something considering all the other stuff of that era!