The first Bricklin rolls off the assembly line at 245 Industrial Avenue in Saint John. August 6, 1974

Heralded as an engineering marvel, the first Bricklin rolled off the assembly line at 245 Industrial Avenue in Saint John on August 6, 1974. The New Brunswick Museum is pleased to mark this historical moment with a pop-up display of select Bricklin artifacts from the Museum’s collection at Saint John’s McAllister Place shopping center on August 2 and 3, 2024.

The exhibition features the “Grey Ghost”, the original 1972 concept car named for its colour and the fact it went missing for years until finally tracked down in a Colorado barn.

As Bricklin’s vision for a safe and sexy sports car, the Grey Ghost sparked a brief but dazzling era in which Bricklins were featured as prizes on game shows like “The Price is Right” and “Let’s Make a Deal” and appeared on “the Today show”, “Chico and the Man”, and other top-rated TV programs.

Manufactured in New Brunswick in 1974 and 1975, the Bricklin was a gull-wing-door sports car constructed with an acrylic body. The SV-1 (Safety Vehicle 1), its only model, far exceeded the safety standards of the time. 2,854 cars were manufactured before the company ceased operations in September 1975.

The New Brunswick Museum’s pristine 1975 Bricklin SV-1 in Safety Red

Also on display will be a pristine SV-1 model in Safety Red, as it rolled off the Saint John assembly line in April 1975.

Other 50th anniversary events include a Bricklin International Owners Club Car Show along Saint John’s Water Street (in partnership with the Saint John Newcomers Center and Area 506) where over 30 Bricklin automobiles will be on display Saturday, August 3.

The New Brunswick Museum display at McAllister Place Shopping Center runs Friday, August 2 from 10:00 am to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, August 3 from 10:00 am to 5:00 p.m. Find directions here.