Rods and Classics – Not Safe Enough
The rise and fall of the Bricklin SV-1
Story by Budd Stanley
Malcolm Bricklin, a millionaire entrepreneur from New York, had an exceptional dream in 1972 – to build the world’s safest and most economical sports car. If anyone could do it, it was Bricklin. He was on the A-list for LA’s hottest parties, called Hugh Hefner a good friend and was blessed with both ambition and showmanship qualities to get what he wanted. Previously, he was instrumental in bringing Subaru into America, but was now looking to build a car of his own despite having virtually no experience in the automotive manufacturing industry. His dream was to build a futuristic looking sports car that would not only be incredibly fast, it would also be one of the most efficient and safest cars drive.
Designated the SV-1, standing for “Safety Vehicle 1,” Bricklin threw together a team of designers and engineers to make his dream a reality. However, this was where the problems already began to start. In an effort to increase profits while keeping the cars lightweight, Bricklin wanted the cars’ body panels to be built from fibreglass bonded to acrylic plastic. This plastic coating on the outer surface would act as a smooth surface while also giving the cars their colour without the use of paint. It was a good idea at first, and meant the colour would never fade while scratches really could be buffed out with a little polish. But at the time, bonding acrylic to fibreglass had not been perfected, and there were huge faults in the manufacturing process.
While the fibreglass bodies were light, they did not produce the safety Bricklin was looking for. So a heavy steel roll cage was integrated into the fibreglass structure, along with a massive amount of steel reinforcement to the body and chassis. The car was also built with 5-mph bumpers front and rear that featured shock absorbers to protect from impact, while the very cool gullwing-styled doors weighed 90 pounds each to protect from side impacts. The car was even designed without a cigarette lighter or ashtray, as Bricklin himself was a non-smoker and felt that smoking while driving was a dangerous act. Soon, Bricklin’s dream of a lightweight sports car was dashed with all the safety measures and, ironically, the SV-1 would become the heaviest sports car of its time, weighing in at a hefty 1,574 kg (3,470 lb.)
Despite manufacturing its own bodies, the rest of the SV-1 would be a collection of parts pulled from other manufacturers. The first engine used would be an AMC-sourced 360 V8; in fact, pretty much the whole front end was AMC. Bricklin signed a deal with AMC to buy 1,000 360s. However, with the popularity of the Javelin, AMC kept all remaining 360s for themselves, forcing Bricklin to look elsewhere. In the second year of production, the SV-1 would be powered by the popular Ford Windsor 351 V8.
Production would begin in 1974 at an assembly plant built in Saint John, New Brunswick, with a manufacturing plant in Minto, New Brunswick. Bricklin had made a deal with New Brunswick Premier Richard Hatfield for the government to help finance the project. Both men were ambitious and looking to make a name for themselves. So with that, the government would invest $2 million to build what should have been one of the greatest car concepts, while at the same time creating employment for locals.
The second set of problems arose when the manufacturing process began. Bricklin’s inexperience in the industry began to shine through as design and manufacturing problems meant that the production line could not produce enough cars to actually make a profit. With problematic vehicles leaving the factory, the dealers were finding it hard to sell the cars. The doors, in particular, had a tendency to fail. The heavy gullwings were operated by compressed air, and opened with the touch of a button. Electrical problems and leaks plagued this setup and the factory did little to correct the problems.
With the company experiencing so many difficulties, the New Brunswick government was routinely called in to throw money at the problems. Their initial $2 million investment rose to $4.5 million, ballooning to $23 million by the end of 1975. In all the mess, it was said that it cost Bricklin $16,000 to build each SV-1, which then retailed for $5,000. With the company losing money hand-over-fist, and scandal plaguing Premier Hatfield, the government cut funding in 1975, sending Bricklin into receivership.
Once the assembly line was shut down, Consolidated Motors, an automotive liquidator, bought the company, used spare parts to finish whatever chassis were still on the assembly line, then sold them all off as 1976 models. In total, 2,854 SV-1s were built between ‘74 and ‘76, 137 models from 74 featuring four-speed manual transmissions. At the time, Malcolm Bricklin was cursed for his mismanagement of the company, while the New Brunswick government suffered for losing over $23 million of taxpayers’ money.
Today, the SV-1 is a classic collectors car, thanks to its eccentric history and low numbers, despite the difficulty of maintaining such a car and the lack of parts. And what about Malcolm Bricklin? Well, he’s gone back to what works best for him, importing Asian vehicles. With Subaru being as successful as it is, Bricklin is now working with the Chinese carmaker Chery. Bricklin has signed a contract to bring the controversial low-cost cars to both Canada and the USA. With Chery’s questionable designs and build quality, we will have to wait and see if this business adventure blows up in his face as badly as the SV-1 did.[PSGallery=6xgkpy9db]
Related Posts
© Copyright RPM Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Site Designed by JC Design