Canadian Barn Find: Man Finds Rare and Obscure Vintage Sports Car Hidden in Warehouse
The Bricklin SV-1 was kind of the precursor to the DeLorean. They are fiberglassed bodies over a steel frame with gullwing doors. What really sets this obscure car apart, besides its small production numbers, is the V8 powering this fiberglass car. Much like the Corvette at the time, the Bricklin SV-1 was a cool, sporty ride that grabbed people’s attention. However, this “barn find” hasn’t grabbed anybody’s anything in many years since it was hidden away in a Canadian Warehouse.
Where did this rare barn find come from?
This barn find Bricklin SV-1 will need a bit of love before returning to its former glory. However, finding this rare bird in any shape is a treat. This example is from 1974, making it the first production year for Bricklin. This tiny car is powered by an AMC 360 cubic-inch V8 and has an impressive 220 hp and 315 lb-ft of torque.
Although it’s in pretty rough shape, this Bricklin SV-1 only has 33,154 miles on the clock. However, that doesn’t mean that mileage is correct.
Why is this Bricklin SV-1 such an obscure barn find?
According to Silodrome, Bricklin, like DMC, didn’t last long. By 1975 Bricklin had only managed to build 3,000 SV-1s. That puts this car well into rare territory. Even more to the point, only 1,700 examples have been accounted for today.
Besides the low production numbers and fairly impractical design, these cars weren’t the most reliable either. Silodromes explains that the gullwing doors (too cool) weighed approximately 90 lbs each. The weight of the doors required hydraulics to lift. These hydraulics often broke, causing Bricklin owners to lift 90-lb doors overhead to exit the car. Since the early cars, Bricklin and its owners have worked out better systems for the doors.
Is the Bricklin SV-1 fast?
The Bricklin SV-1 drew power from the AMC 360 ci V8. That motor eventually gave way to the 351 Windsor V8 before the company closed its doors. Although every official production car should have had a V8 originally, Bricklin did use inline-sixes, like popular Japanese muscle from the time. These six cylinders never made it to production, but it’s certainly worth keeping an eye out for one, just in case.
Bricklins weren’t particularly fast. Cool, and fast-looking, sure. But actually fast? Not so much.
The Bricklin SV-1 took 9.9 seconds to hit 60 mph. If left to run long enough, it would eventually top out at a brave 111 mph.
How can the Bricklin be made of fiberglass, have 220 hp, and still be slow? Well, it turns out that fiberglass isn’t light enough. The curb weight of a 1974 Bricklin SV-1 is approximately 3,555 pounds. To put it in perspective, the 2022 Toyota Tacoma clocks in at just under 4,000 lbs.
How much is this barn find worth?
This one is hard to say. The condition is rough, but it is a very rare car. The owner of the Bricklin SV-1 has listed it on eBay, where the current bid is only at $4,050.00 with nearly four days left. Finding one of these on the market is tough, making prices a little elusive. Oddly enough, eBay (photos) seems like a smart play given the confusing nature of the car’s condition and obscurity paired with its rarity. We’ll have to see which way this rare Bricklin SV-1 “barn find” (warehouse) sells for. Regardless of value, this is an exciting find. Hopefully, this will leave to one more rescued Bricklin.
