Question of the Day: Bricklin SV-1 or DeLorean DMC-12?
Both gull-winged, iconoclastic, and doomed almost from the word ‘go’, Malcolm Bricklin’s SV-1 and John DeLorean’s DMC-12 are about as natural as rivals as two automobiles can be. We learned a little earlier today about the claims and counter claims made by the auteurs behind the vehicles, but we’d like to know which car WINDING ROAD readers believe is best. You can take ‘best’ however you’d like in this context (most important, better to own, more desirable), but you’ll have to defend your decision. Give us your pick, in comments.
(Having a bit of trouble? Check out galleries of both cars, in strange trims, below.)
Comments
corco16446
Delorean, and it's not even really a question. It's like asking if I'd rather buy a puppy or a rabid wolf for my kids
Paul In Jersey
DeLorean, without a doubt. It weighs less. It's got a tidbit of "star power," and at least nobody is going to think it's a kit-car. The PRV six is the wrong engine for this car, but the engine does have its merits, provided you stay on top of the oil changes. Plus, later PRV 6's were up to turbo standards.
chartguy
Not sure I'd want either one. Both were big dreams that crashed on the rocks.
Daniel Coté
The DeLorean for me as well although I'm not a fan of the painted version shown here.
The Bricklin might have stood a chance if it weren't for the cheesy paint job and those over-the-top wheels.
Zelman
My neighbour owns a Bricklin. Ugly, safe, and actually rather quick, considering it is a bastard car with a Ford Cleveland engine and a frame built by GM.
ash
What are you talking about? First of all -they came stock with one of two motors depending on the year. 1974 had a 360 AMC engine, and 1975 had a 351W ford- not a cleveland. Second, they built their own frame- not GM. It's one of a kind, with a bolt on roll cage that supports the doors. Someone else mentioned the "paint job." They were not painted. They had 1/8" acrylic plastic molded to fiberglass panels. The idea was they never had to be painted- the color was impregnated into the panels. No paint- sounds like Deloreans 5-years-later-stainless steel idea wasn't so original. Years later the acrylic starts cracking- Oh Well! Get a ding in a stainless steel panel and there's not much fixing that either. Bricklin has the unique body design, and Delorean just ripped out a bastard half lotus-half bricklin hybrid.
Good2go
As a New Brunswick taxpayer, I'm pretty sure I'm still paying for the Bricklin fiasco.
Ducati Minor
Though I like the Bricklin, I have to say the DeLorean. The Bricklin was just too bad.
fstst56
Well, I'll have to go with the Bricklin. Why? I would think it'd be much easier, cheaper and convenient to keep the mechanicals running. You will be able to get parts at any NAPA store for years to come. PRV, not so sure.
Jeff
Delorean. I don't think I've ever seen a painted one before, and I'm not sure how I feel about it yet..... I'm so used to seeing it in stainless, ha. Looks kind of cool in yellow. Of course, the first thing I'd do is drop a Porsche Flat 6 in there, Back to the Future style. At least then the car could go over 88.......
Sean
The DeLorean. I like the way it looks 100x more than the Bricklin.
94 Taurus owner
DeLorean.
Joe
Obviously a Delorean. You can't travel back in time with a Bricklin. Duh.
X3 SoB
Really stupid Question.
DanD
Let's see now, both cars were failures in the market (although they apparently didn't fail to pump up the egos of their makers), both cars had lousy quality, lousy performance and lousy reputations. Oh yeah, and both were purportedly "safety" vehicles that didn't advance the cause of safety one iota. And then there were the financial scams underlying both operations. Which one was worse would seem to be the better question. Forego the gullwing doors and rescue an Avanti or Pantera instead if you absolutely must have a car with a wonky history.
Post new comment