A restored Bricklin SV-1 typically sells for $18,000 to $30,000 in 2026, with concours examples reaching $50,000+ depending on condition and provenance.
What is a Bricklin car worth today?
As of 2026, a Bricklin SV-1 is worth between $18,000 and $30,000 in average condition, with concours examples fetching $50,000 or more.
Prices shift based on originality, paperwork, and paint color — silver cars usually bring the highest offers. Check current auction results on Hagerty, Bring a Trailer, and Kelley Blue Book for real-time market data. A pre-purchase inspection by a Bricklin specialist is strongly recommended before buying.
What is the value of a 1974 Bricklin?
A 1974 Bricklin SV-1 ranges from $14,000 to $28,000 depending on mileage and condition.
The original sticker started at $7,900 in '74 and climbed to $9,995 by the final run. Rust eats more value than anything else — pay special attention to floors, rocker panels, and rear quarters before you buy. Verify the AMC 360 V8 is original to the car, as some early models had Ford 351W engines.
What is a 1975 Bricklin worth?
A 1975 Bricklin SV-1 is valued between $20,000 and $35,000 for solid examples.
Top-tier cars have cracked $45,000 at recent auctions, with Hagerty's 2026 Guide listing a #1-condition 1975 SV-1 at $48,500. Always confirm the build sheet — 1975 cars received different interior materials and revised safety bumpers. The 1975 models are generally more desirable due to improved build quality.
How many Bricklin cars were manufactured?
2,854 Bricklin SV-1 cars were built from 1974 to 1975, with roughly 1,700 believed to survive as of 2026.
That survivor count comes from the Bricklin Owners Club registry and includes cars in various states of repair. Corrosion and crashes have thinned the herd over the decades, making complete examples increasingly scarce. The registry is a valuable resource for verifying a car's history before purchase.
How fast is a Bricklin?
A Bricklin SV-1 accelerates from 0–100 km/h in 9.9 seconds and tops out at 179 km/h (111 mph).
| Performance | Metric | Imperial |
|---|
| 0–100 km/h | 9.9 s | – |
| ¼-mile ET | 17.8 s | @ 76 mph |
| Top speed | 179 km/h | 111 mph |
The AMC 360 V8 (220 hp) paired with a three-speed automatic gives strong low-end punch, though top-end speed feels leisurely by modern standards. Quarter-mile times run around 17.8 seconds at 76 mph. These figures come from period road tests published by Car and Driver.
What happened to the Dale car?
The Dale car project, launched in 1974, folded in 1978 after it couldn't land enough funding or secure production.
| Dale Automobile Company | Detail |
|---|
| Founded | 14 June 1974 |
| Defunct | 26 July 1978 |
| Fate | Dissolved |
| Headquarters | Burbank, California, USA |
Only six prototypes were ever built before the company dissolved and its assets were sold off by 1980. The three-wheeled, two-seat design promised 70 mpg and a $2,000 price tag but never reached production. It remains a cautionary tale in automotive history about the difficulty of launching a new car company.
What engine was in the Bricklin?
Most Bricklin SV-1s used a 360 cu in AMC V8 (5.9 L, 220 hp), though a handful of early 1974 cars left the factory with a 351 cu in Ford Windsor V8.
Look for the engine code on the block — AMC engines say "AMC 360" on the front pad, while Ford units carry standard Windsor markings. The AMC engine was chosen after supply issues with Ford, and parts availability is generally good today through AMC specialty suppliers. Verify the engine matches the build sheet for authenticity.
Who made the Bricklin?
Malcolm Bricklin founded Bricklin Canada Ltd. to build the SV-1 in Saint John, New Brunswick.
Design work was handled by Herb Grasse, who had previously styled the 1970 Dodge Challenger. Earlier, Bricklin had brought Subaru to the U.S. through Malcolm Bricklin Enterprises in the 1960s, establishing the brand that remains today. The New Brunswick government provided significant financial backing that ultimately led to political controversy.
What car is the Back to the Future car?
The Back to the Future time machine is the 1981 DeLorean DMC-12, complete with gull-wing doors and brushed stainless panels.
It's now in the Petersen Automotive Museum's collection and was added to the National Historic Vehicle Register in 2025. With only about 9,000 DMC-12s ever made, originals are hard to find and command premium prices. The DeLorean and Bricklin are often compared due to their gull-wing doors and short production runs.
Is a Bricklin a kit car?
No, the Bricklin SV-1 was a real production car, not a kit.
It came together on an assembly line in Saint John, New Brunswick, using stamped steel bodies with acrylic resin panels and factory-sourced parts. Malcolm Bricklin's plan was a safety-focused grand tourer priced at $4,000 at launch — before costs crept up to $9,995. The integrated roll cage and energy-absorbing bumpers were genuine engineering innovations for the era.
What vehicle line is Bricklin responsible for bringing to the United States in the 1960s that is still here today?
Malcolm Bricklin introduced Subaru to the United States in 1968 through Malcolm Bricklin Enterprises, and the brand remains a major player today.
He secured the distribution rights for the Subaru 360 and later models, establishing a dealer network that laid the groundwork for Subaru's current success. Bricklin sold his interest in the late 1970s, but his early advocacy brought the first Japanese cars to many American buyers. Subaru of America traces its roots directly to this arrangement, as noted by Wikipedia.
What car was built in Nova Scotia?
No Bricklin cars were built in Nova Scotia — the SV-1 was manufactured in Saint John, New Brunswick, at the former Minto Industrial Park facility.
This is a common misconception; the plant was in New Brunswick, not Nova Scotia. The facility was built specifically for Bricklin production with government backing. Today, the site has been repurposed, but the Bricklin legacy remains a point of regional automotive history.
What were some of the operational issues of the New Brunswick plant that were contributing factors in the failure of the SV-1?
The New Brunswick plant suffered from chronic quality control problems, supply chain disruptions, and labor disputes that drove up costs and delayed production.
Workers had little automotive experience, leading to inconsistent panel fit and electrical issues. The acrylic resin body panels cracked in cold weather and warped in heat, requiring costly rework. Government funding ran out after $23 million in subsidies, and the province seized the assets in 1976, ending production after just 2,854 cars.
