Blakely Auto Works facts for kids
Blakely Auto Works (later called Bernardi Auto Works) was a company that made cool sports cars and car kits. They built these cars in the US Midwest during the 1970s and 1980s. Blakely made a few different models, like the Bantam, Bearcat, and Bernardi. These cars were known for being small, light, and fun to drive.
History of Blakely Cars
Blakely Auto was started by Dick Blakely. He wanted to make sports cars that were affordable and exciting. His goal was to create cars like the famous British Lotus Seven. These cars were small, very light, and handled really well. The Bantam was the first car Blakely offered. Later came the bigger Bearcat, and then the Bernardi.
Dick Blakely was an engineer and loved racing. When he designed the Bantam, he wanted it to go fast and handle great. So, he made it small and light. He also left out things that weren't needed for speed, like heavy accessories. He got ideas from another British car company called Dutton Cars.
After building the first car for himself, Dick Blakely found that other car fans wanted one too. So, he teamed up with Denny Myelle. They started making the Bantam as a kit car. They also began working on a new, larger car. This new car would be more useful for everyday driving. This second model became the Bearcat, which later turned into the Bernardi.
Building Blakely Kit Cars
For both the Bantam and Bearcat, a main design idea was to use parts from just one "donor car." A donor car is an older car that you take parts from to build your new kit car. Using parts from only one type of car makes building the kit much simpler. Blakely chose the Ford Pinto as the main donor car. You could also use parts from similar cars like the Mercury Bobcat or the Ford Mustang.
Using these Ford cars meant Blakely cars got good steering and front disk brakes. They also had many engine choices. Blakely Auto provided a strong steel frame for the car. They also gave special parts for the suspension. Plus, they included instructions on how to use the rest of the parts from the donor car. Blakely Auto also supplied the entire new body. This included the main body, doors, hood, fenders, trunk, and the windshield. You could choose a convertible (soft top) or a hard top.
Around 1979, Art Herschberger took over the company. In the spring of 1979, he moved the production from Davis Junction, Illinois to Princeton, Wisconsin. In the early 1980s, they developed the Bernardi. This was a big update to the Bearcat model. In 1985, the company changed its name to Bernardi Auto Works. The business seems to have closed down in the late 1980s. You can still find Blakely cars for sale sometimes, but no new ones are being made.
Main Car Models
- Bantam. The Bantam was similar in size to the Lotus Seven. It used a strong ladder frame instead of a space frame. It was mostly made for racing on a track. It was designed to be very light. This meant it didn't have things like doors, a roof, or adjustable seats. The small body and frame worked well with small, four-cylinder engines. These included Ford's 1.6, 2.0, or 2.3 liter engines. The Bantam was made into the 1980s. Later, this model was renamed the Hawk.
- Bearcat. This model looked unique. It wasn't copied from other classic sports cars. It was bigger and about 20% heavier than the Bantam. But it was much better for driving every day. It had more space inside and adjustable seats. It also had doors, removable hard and soft roofs, and a trunk. You could use a wider variety of engines with this model.
- Bernardi. The Bernardi was as big and comfortable as the Bearcat. But its outside look was changed to resemble the British MG TD cars from the 1950s. Engine options included the four-cylinder engines from the Bantam. You could also use the Ford 2.8 liter V6 engine. The wider hood even made it possible to put in the larger 5.0 liter V8 engine. This V8 engine was used in the Ford Mustang II.
