1975 Bricklin SV-1 Supercharged Pro-Street

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Trevor Freeman

American entrepreneur and businessman Malcolm Bricklin saw an opportunity in the US auto industry in the early 1970s. He had a goal of building a small, affordable sports car with a focus on safety, which was a novel approach for the time.

The Bricklin SV-1 was quite advanced for its day, with a lightweight fiberglass body instead of conventional steel or aluminum. 1974 models were equipped with a 5.9L AMC V8 making 220 hp and a 3-speed auto or 4-speed manual option. 1975 models had a 5.8L Ford V8 engine with a 3-speed automatic.

Despite the car’s innovative safety features and construction, the cars suffered quality control problems and were generally regarded as underpowered. The Bricklin company faced bankruptcy very quickly, ending production with only 2,906 total units built from 1974-1976. According to Wikipedia, approximately 1,700 vehicles were still around as of 2012.

This SV-1 is in better shape than most. I caught up with it at the Hot Wheels Legends car show in Gilbert, Arizona on 10 September 2022.

Finished in Safety Orange with black accents and chrome wheels, this Bricklin SV-1 is a head-turner. Stuffed in the engine bay is a 496 cubic inch big block Chevy V8 engine with a supercharger, making a reported 835 horsepower. It’s hard to ignore the massive Blower Shop Billet 871 blower and air cleaner sticking up out of a hole in the hood.

A 2014 Autoweek feature on the car saw it for sale on eBay for $45,000.

A 2019 article on The Drive shows the car for sale in Colorado with wheelie bars installed. The car was advertised for sale on craigslist for $45,000.

I caught up with the car wearing Arizona plates in September 2022. I believe I heard the owner say that the car was a former drag racer in Michigan.

The car looks like a real life Hot Wheels car, and it was very appropriate to be at this show!

Xclutch Brings Supercharged Holden VE Commodore Ute to SEMA 2018

Posted on November 12, 2018 by bryan lusk

The SEMA Show in Las Vegas brings together thousands of manufacturers of automotive equipment and accessories from around the world. Out of all the thousands of show vehicles on display at the 2018 SEMA Show, perhaps none traveled a further distance to attend than the Holden SS-V from Xclutch.

Xclutch is based in Adelaide, South Australia and shipped this right-hand drive Ute over for the SEMA Show. According to a post on the company’s Instagram account, the vehicle traveled 3,000 miles on the road, 10,000 miles on the water and another 1,500 miles on a train. What a journey!

The SS-V is a high-performance Ute that was sold in Australia from 2007-2013. In stock configuration, the 6.0L L98 V8 engine puts out 362 hp (250 kW) and 391 ft-lbs (530 N-m). However, this one has been upgraded with a Harrop FDFI1900 supercharger kit, which boosts the power output to 603 hp (450 kW) and 626 ft-lbs (850 N-m). The included air-to-water intercooler helps keep temperatures under control.

The vehicle includes a number of additional performance upgrades. Of course, it includes a high-performance 9″ triple plate ceramic clutch and 4140 chromoly flywheel from Xclutch. This setup is capable of handling up to 2,000 ft-lbs of torque (2750 N-m).

The car is equipped with a full stainless steel exhaust and headers, and X Force Varex mufflers. There is also a Varex SmartBox which allows the user to easily adjust the exhaust sound level via a wireless remote.

Stopping power comes from Disc Brakes Australia 5000 series disc brakes in the front, and DBA T2 series disc brakes in the rear. The whole car rides on a set of 20×10 ROH RF1 wheels wrapped in Achilles ATR Sport tires.

Australian vehicles aren’t commonly seen here in the USA, particularly Utes. It was a real treat to see this one at the 2018 SEMA show and in the SEMA Cruise. Thanks to Xclutch for bringing it over. Be sure to check out Xclutch USA for high performance clutches to fit street, racing, and off-road applications worldwide.

SEMA 2017: 1972 Corvette C3 “Menace” by Heartland Customs

Posted on November 10, 2017 by Trevor Freeman

Jeff Page from Heartland Customs shows us around their 1972 Corvette C3 “Menace” at the 2017 SEMA Show. This wild restomod features a Roadster Shop chassis, supercharged 427 engine making 860 horsepower, an active wing spoiler, and a full custom supercar-style interior. Be sure to check out their site for build photos and more information.

SEMA 2014: 1968 Chevelle ‘Blue Eyed Devil’

Posted on August 21, 2015 by Trevor Freeman

It was late afternoon on the last day of the SEMA 2014 show. My feet were tired and I was looking forward to heading back to the hotel. I had spent all day looking at hundreds of custom cars and I was sure that after seeing all of these amazing rides, there was little else that could impress me that day. Well, I was wrong.

Outside of the Central Hall I took a walk past the Magnaflow Exhaust booth and spotted this gorgeous blue 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle. The combination of blue with nickel-plated chrome really grabbed my attention and I spent a few moments admiring the car. This Chevelle belongs to Steve Edling and was built by Pin Did It in Corona, CA. Continue reading →

1981 Chevrolet Camaro NastZy LS9

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Trevor Freeman

There was an abundance of second-gen Camaros at SEMA, but this one had something special about it. Perhaps it was the $22,000 LS9 crate engine under the hood! Or maybe it was the ultra-deep 20″ rear wheels. Whatever the reason, I paused for a moment to check out this car in depth.

A small sign indicated that this 1981 Camaro Z28 was built by Classic Performance. It did not mention where their shop is located or who owns this car, and I was unable to find that information after searching online.

Continue reading →

1930 Cadillac Coupe LSA Swap ‘Ruby’

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Trevor Freeman

There’s quite a trend in the hot rod industry to pair up an old car with a new engine. Most folks are doing this with 1960s or 1970s cars and modern crate engines. The guys at Rooster’s Rod Shop in Gaffney, South Carolina have taken the concept a bit further. What they’ve done is dropped a Supercharged 6.2L V8 engine from the Cadillac CTS-V into this 1930 Cadillac coupe! How’s that for a resto-mod?!