Before he was even 25 years old Malcolm Bricklin had already made his first million thanks to his plumbing and hardware supply franchise located in Florida. Bricklin decided to pursue his love of automobiles and founded Subaru of America. However, Malcolm Bricklin would soon tire of this exercise and, being the kind of person capable of making a million at an age where most of us were just beginning to pay off our student loans, he set off to create an all-new car company to carry his name.

Fortuitously, at that time the small Canadian maritime province of New Brunswick wanted to diversify its fisheries driven economy. It provided Bricklin the financial backing and land to build a plant in its largest city (population 60,000), Saint John.

The car Malcolm Bricklin built was called the SV-1, which stood for Safety Vehicle 1. Far exceeding safety regulations of the day, the car had a built in roll cage, side guard rails, and special bumpers that receded into the car enabling the car to absorb the impact of a five mile per hour collision without sustaining damage. More than just a safety vehicle, the car was initially powered by a 220 horsepower V8 by AMC and later by Ford’s Windsor V8 rated at 175 hp, and by any measurable standard was a formidable sports car for its day. Through a vacuum forming process, the body of the Bricklin SV-1 was made entirely of color-impregnated acrylic over fiberglass. Thus, the vehicle was rust proof, it had no paint, and any minor scratches or imperfections could be easily buffed out.

Certainly a design well ahead its day, the Bricklin was, from the outset, plagued by supply and build quality issues, resulting in massive financial losses and very limited production. Forecasted to sell for $4,000, by the second year of production the sticker price had been jacked up to $9,980; despite this, by the time Bricklin shut its doors in 1976, the company had amassed a debt of over $23 million.

This vehicle belonged to a Bricklin dealer. It has been repainted as the dealer felt the original paint was not done to his satisfaction. This car has always been kept in a heated garage or showroom. With only one previous owner and low miles it would be a great addition to any collection. Only 2,854 Bricklin’s were ever made and this is one of the approximately 1,000 that remain today.