Abandoned 1975 Bricklin SV-1 Gets First Wash in Years, Becomes Rare Survivor

Seemingly in better shape than the previous Bricklin, this car was bought out of a barn at an estate sale. I don't know how much time it spent off the road, but it came out of storage covered in dust and debris. Luckily, the folks over at WD Detailing gave it a thorough cleaning, a process that turned the SV-1 into a cool survivor.

There's no info as to whether the engine still runs or not, but it's safe to assume that it needs a bit of work after so many years without a sip of gasoline.

Granted, this SV-1 won't hit public roads anytime soon, but let's hope that it will get the mechanical attention it deserves in the future. It should be out there flexing its unique design.

Built from 1974 to 1976 in Canada, the SV-1 was developed by Malcolm Bricklin, the guy who created Subaru of America and imported the Yugo to the SUV.

A rather unusual car for its time, the SV-1 featured a composite body of color-impregnated acrylic resin bonded to fiberglass, an integrated roll-over structure, and energy-absorbing bumpers.

The Bricklin debuted with an AMC-sourced, 360-cubic-inch (5.9-liter) V8 engine under the hood. Rated at 220 horsepower, the mill was swapped out for a 351-cubic-inch (5.8-liter) V8 of the Ford Windsor variety in 1975. This engine came with 175 horsepower on tap.

Actual production numbers remain a mystery, but most sources claim Bricklin put together around 2,500 cars. It's believed that fewer than 1,700 are still in existence today.