Frequently Asked Questions about Classic Bricklin

Who founded the Bricklin car company?

Bricklin was founded by Malcolm Bricklin, an American entrepreneur who had co-founded Subaru of America in 1968. He set out to build a sports car under his own name with safety as its selling point, and it went on sale in 1974 as the Bricklin SV-1, a gullwing coupe built with financial backing from the government of New Brunswick, Canada.

What does SV-1 stand for on a Bricklin?

SV-1 stands for Safety Vehicle One. Malcolm Bricklin promoted the car on the idea that safety did not have to be ugly, and it was built around a steel perimeter frame with an integral roll cage and impact-absorbing bumpers front and rear. The cars were also delivered without ashtrays or cigarette lighters, because Bricklin considered smoking while driving unsafe.

Where were Bricklin cars built?

Bricklin cars were built in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. Final assembly took place at a plant in Saint John, while the body panels were made at a separate factory in Minto. The provincial government of Premier Richard Hatfield financed the venture, hoping to bring industry and jobs to two areas with high unemployment.

How many Bricklin SV-1s were made?

Fewer than 3,000 Bricklin SV-1s were made, and sources differ on the exact count. Totals of 2,854, 2,897 and 2,906 all appear in print, with Classic & Sports Car giving 2,897 and Old Cars Weekly giving 2,906. The car went on sale in 1974 and the last examples were finished in early 1976, a few of them completed from leftover parts after the company had failed.

What engine does a Bricklin SV-1 have?

The Bricklin SV-1 used two different V8 engines. Cars built for 1974 had an AMC 360 cubic inch V8 rated at 220 horsepower, offered with an automatic or a four-speed manual transmission. For 1975 the company switched to the Ford 351 cubic inch Windsor V8 rated at 175 horsepower, and those cars came only with a three-speed automatic.

What is the body of a Bricklin SV-1 made of?

The Bricklin SV-1 body is made of acrylic bonded to fiberglass. The color is in the acrylic itself, so the panels were not painted at the factory. Five colors were offered, each with a safety name: Safety White, Safety Suntan, Safety Green, Safety Red and Safety Orange. Specialist accounts report that the panels could crack.

Why did Bricklin go out of business?

Bricklin went out of business because it ran out of money and the New Brunswick government stopped funding it. Trouble bonding the acrylic body panels and other quality problems held back production, while the money owed to the province grew to about $20 million, a figure some accounts put at $23 million. When the government refused further aid, Bricklin went into receivership in September 1975.

What problems do Bricklin SV-1 gullwing doors have?

The powered gullwing doors are the most widely reported weak point of the Bricklin SV-1. The heavy doors were raised by a hydraulic system that Classic & Sports Car describes as problematic from the start, slow to open and prone to failure. Some cars have since been converted to a compressed-air door system developed by Bricklin specialist Terry Tanner.