corsia logo

The story of a Canadian native – 1975 Bricklin SV-1

The story of a Canadian native – 1975 Bricklin SV-1

The world of classic cars can spin you around like crazy. One moment you are looking at your favorite classic Corvette, and next… You are down the rabbit the hole, researching more and more obscure vehicles.

Recently, Corsia Logistics shipped one very peculiar automobile – the 1975 Bricklin SV-1. This is a car with an interesting history. Everything around it is veiled in controversy, marketing issues, staff problems, and a bunch of other misfortunes. Honestly, the fact that it even exists is somewhat baffling on its own.

Considering that Bricklins are scarcer than most classic models, transporting one is definitely a big deal. The car itself may have had its problems, but through the lens of time perhaps we can all learn a thing or two from it. So we figured it would make an interesting read. Let’s dive in!

The peculiar route to founding a car company

There are not many car manufacturers that have only come up with a single vehicle. Or at least we do not hear much about them. Considering how expensive of an endeavor car development is, it is no wonder that only a few people can afford such a costly mistake. That is why we have to start our story with the name behind the car – Malcolm Bricklin.

Born in 1939, Bricklin began experimenting with entrepreneurship at the age of 19. Although his first endeavor was a failure, he did not give up. In fact, shortly after that, he saw another interesting opportunity – importing Subaru vehicles to the States.

Many people claim that Bricklin is one of the pioneers who has seen the potential of Japanese vehicles on the US market. And even though the first imported models were not a giant hit, success still followed. With his “Subaru of America” company Bricklin made a fortune. The company went public only 6 months after its formation.

But Bricklin had a grander vision. After another failed business venture he tried to develop on the side, he decided to try something new. Instead of always playing the middleman, he took up the challenge to create the product itself – a fully-fledged vehicle to compete with the industry leaders.

How the Bricklin SV-1 came to be

It all started with the founding of General Vehicles – the company to manufacture the car Bricklin had in mind. The entrepreneur wanted to create a vehicle that would offer something different. So he bet on safety features. Actually, the name itself – Bricklin SV-1, stood for “safety vehicle one”, implying it was the first of many to come.

However, it would be wrong to assume that the SV-1 was purely focused on safety. You can hardly sell a car on such merits alone. Malcolm Bricklin knew that; which is why he also combined his idea with another one – an affordable sports car.

While his dreams were obviously great, designing and building the vehicle was easier said than done. So much so that the initially hired designer did not handle the task. And throughout the course of coming up with a proper concept, many things had to be changed over and over.

Still, by the end of 1972, a functional prototype was built. It is known as the Grey Ghost and was truly one of a kind car. It housed parts from a variety of other manufacturers, including Chrysler, Opel, Datsun, Toyota, and even the would-be rival Chevrolet. Sadly, it did not receive the green light, because Bricklin decided to go with a redesigned and re-engineered model, scrapping much of what had already been done.

In the end, three working prototypes were built. They served as the basis of what the Bricklin SV-1 was when manufacturing started. And thus in 1974 began the production of the notorious model. Sadly though, it soon became apparent that if you dream big, you might fail big as well.

The manufacturing mess

As I have said, one of the main goals of Malcolm Bricklin was to make an affordable car. But safety, affordability, and actual quality are tough to fit together. For example, Bricklin opted for plastic bodywork on the vehicle, which drove the cost down but was also much more brittle.

The acrylic and fiberglass materials presented other problems as well. They did not handle temperatures well, with the acrylic resin even blistering during tests. On top of that, the composite material could not be held together properly, because the sun would damage the bonding resins as well.

This plethora of persistent issues hit the manufacturing process hard. Losses started piling up, making the sales projections worse by the day. The company was not able to handle that even at the end of the manufacturing cycle. Up to 25% of the materials went to waste during production.

But despite the glaring issues during production, Malcolm Bricklin decided to go ahead and release the car anyway. Thus in June 1974, the Bricklin SV-1 officially hit the market. Sadly though, you cannot make it in business just by crossing fingers. Especially when more problems come knocking on your door.

How the Bricklin SV-1 ultimately failed

While there were only 800 units manufactured during the first year of production, the people who got them were impressed at first. The sports car of Malcolm Bricklin’s dreams would actually hold up against the famous Corvette, at least in performance. This was quite the big compliment at the time. So what led to the failure of Bricklin SV-1? Well, everything else.

The first thing that comes to mind when you hear “sports car” is speed, sure. But then comes comfort, attention to detail, and reliability. Here the Bricklin did incredibly bad. A whole new set of issues came to light as soon as people started driving the model a bit more.

For example, sometimes the powered gull-wing door mechanism would break, trapping people inside. Problems with certain details around the car were also present, and many saw the car lacking in the comfort department too. All in all, things were not looking great for the model.

Taking all of that into account, Malcolm Bricklin decided to shut down the operation as a whole in 1976. It was later acknowledged that there were many limiting factors to Bricklin’s project, with lack of both capital and experienced professionals being at the forefront.

But even though the car was a business failure, there is still a cult following around it. With just 3000 Bricklins out there you can imagine the model is not exactly common. Which is why we were genuinely interested in it when a client approached us to ship it for them.

Shipping the classic Bricklin SV-1

1975 Bricklin-SV1

This car is indeed a sight to behold. It may have had a bunch of problems, but that does not mean it is any less spectacular. The gull-wing doors, the acrylic finish, the odd shape – this is not something that you see in the 21st century. Actually, you did not see that back in the 80s all that much either.

Naturally, such a car should only be treated with great care. For such occasions, we have classic car shipping services that are reserved for the most special of vehicles. Throughout the years we have transported plenty of luxury models and vintage autos, but the Bricklin SV-1 was something else.

Here is some good news – you can have such a car in good condition for somewhere around 20 grand. The question is are you willing to get one? I really think that owning a piece of history is awesome. Even more so for a model that is as controversial as this one. Do you?

Share our experience:
Are you ready to ship a car?
Recent posts
car shipping quote

Truckers Can Fight Sex Trafficking

If You See Something, Say Something! This is the slogan of the nonprofit group Truckers Against Trafficking, the organization’s main goal is to have more

Shipping a Rivian

Shipping a Rivian

Shipping an electric vehicle like Rivian requires several considerations. Here we will share some key aspects to keep in mind when you need to ship

Read more

Corsia Logistics team works hard every day to ensure reliable expedited car shipping service. Our customer reviews prove that.

5-Star Rated Car Shipping Company

5/5
5/5
5/5

they trusted us

and here's what they say

Simon Moore
Great company
Read More
Looking for a logistics company, to ship my car, from California to Illinois,my first search, then Corsia showed up, skeptical. Call and a very friendly secretary: Elena. She guided me through, I scheduled and as she explained, all when smooth as scheduled Very happy I did the right choice. I'll recommend this great Company to anyone that is thinking to relocate a vehicle. Thanks Corsia logistics for your honesty and professionalism!
Elizabeth Woodward
High five's all around!
Read More
Corsia was highly recommended by a friend in the automobile industry. We needed to transport a cargo van from Seattle to Florida. We contacted Corsia who quickly arranged transport within just a few days. Communication was outstanding! Just a few email confirmations and we were all set. Mike was great and arrived right on time and delivered to Florida on schedule. Tip-avoid the hornets nest of auto brokers on line and just contact Corsia for a truly great experience!
Carrol Tiffany
Amazing
Read More
Corsia has been amazing. Their prices are really competitive but more importantly their customer service has been 5-Star. Elena followed up with me every step of the way, making sure there was no miscommunication between me & the driver. We are using them to ship a 2nd vehicle & would not hesitate to use them again!
Tony Boyd
Definitely recommend
Read More
I have recently used Corsia for long time family car with sentimental value that was moved I have recently used Corsia for shipment of my vehicle from Oregon to Arizona by recommendation from other family member who also used Corsia in the past. I am very pleased on the service and the communication throughout shipment. Ken was my direct contact and kept me informed along the move The car was picked up and delivered as communicated. I did use a enclosed mover and the driver was also clean cut professional and treated car as his own. I would definitely recommend Corsia again with the experience I have had. Thank you. T
JW
Top notch
Read More
Top notch Transport - Porsche 997 Top notch! As easy and efficient as one could possibly imagine. Great customer service.. thank you Luke. Great prices. Check. Timely communications. Check. Clean transport trailer. Check. Supremely careful driver. Check. Timely arrival. Check. Don't mess around elsewhere, just call Corsica and feel confident your transports needs are going to be exceeded. My Porsche 911 rode like a Queen in her enclosed chariot. I've never needed a transport company before, and I surely will use them every time. Do yourself a favor, seriously. Call now.
Geet Mp Haryana
Reliable, efficient
Read More
Corsia rep (Elena) was very proactive. Helped ship a car from CA to GA. She checked in with me via email quote and several phone calls to find me the best possible quote for the fastest available service. After several communications, Corsia was able to schedule a vehicle pickup the next day. The driver communicated well, and the vehicle arrived in final destination faster than we expected in perfect condition. I highly recommend using Corsia's reliable, efficient service.
Cay Liptak
Clean, efficient, wonderful
Read More
Thanks, Corsia! Pickup was so clean, efficient, and wonderful -- my only recommendation is to make sure you schedule it during the day so you can fully review the car in the daylight. Drop off was equally wonderful, and the whole trip went down without a hitch (pun intended!). Seriously, Corsia delivered my Jeep from CT to California with no issues or bumps in the road!
Csaba Kovesdy
Truly positive experience
Read More
Corsia Memphis to LA, mid-size SUV. I looked at 4 different companies amd Corsia was the most responsive of them. While being responsive, they were not unduly aggressive: when I indicated that I need to wait a month before making a decision they stopped contacting me and only came back with a reminder when I really needed it. Once I decided to engage Corsia they found me a transport within two days and the car was delivered (from Memphis to LA) in another two days. I had a truly positive experience.
Kelly Torres
Highly recommend
Read More
Working with Corsia Logistics was a great experience. Working with Corsia Logistics was wonderful. They were able to find a driver right away to transport our car. They were in constant communication as to when the car was getting picked up and dropped off. The driver also communicated with me as to when he would arrive. I would highly recommend Corsia Logistics.
Amy Nelson
Excellent Organization
Read More
Corsia was an excellent company to work with while I transferred my car across the US. A friend of mine suggested I use them as they had been very organized and trustworthy with her own car. I researched a few different place but decided to go with Corsia and I'm so glad I did! Any questions I had throughout the process they answered quickly and clearly. I would definitely use them again in the future and recommend them for others to use.
Previous
Next