The 1970s brought with it a wave of new automotive safety and emissions regulations which served a one-two punch to the industry, adding weight while diminishing performance. It was only under these conditions that the sporty-looking but safety-conscious Bricklin SV1 could have been conceived. Less than 3,000 Bricklins would ever be built, and the car holds more value as a novelty than a true collectible, at least in most cases.

There are exceptions however, and Malcolm Bricklin’s personal SV1, the first one ever built, might just bring a respectable bid when it crosses the auction block this weekend. While that won’t repair Bricklin’s legacy of high costs and low build quality, at least his legacy will be preserved for future generations.

The Canadian-built Bricklin SV1 was plagued with issues and cost overruns from the very beginning, and Bricklin’s obsession with safety defused any semblance of performance, even from the AMC-sourced 225 horsepower V8. Bricklin made the switch to even less powerful Ford engines in 1975, even as prices rose from $6,500 to nearly $10,000. First year production of the SV1 was about 780 vehicles, and altogether just 2,900 were built by the time the company went into receivership in early 1976.

Besides the high costs and low performance, build quality was questionable at best, and a dead battery could trap owners inside due to the dubious design choice of using electronically-controlled hydraulic gullwing doors. It was a short but wild ride for Bricklin, and of the 2,900 SV1s built, only about 1,100 are estimated to have survived. Most SV1s seem to sell for between $10,000 and $20,000, though Malcolm Bricklin’s personal SV1, presented in unrestored condition and with just  41,000 miles on the odometer, could bring a bit more than that.

It’s the best Bricklin’s legacy can hope for at this point.