Blakely (United States) - AllCarIndex

Blakely Auto Works was an American manufacturer of kit cars, founded by Dick Blakely around 1972. The company initially operated from Love Park, Illinois, before relocating to Princeton, Wisconsin, in 1980 after being acquired by An Hcrchcnbcrger.

The first model produced by Blakely was the Bantam, a kit car based on the Lotus 7 design, which utilized Ford Pinto running gear and featured a steel tube frame. In 1975, the company expanded its offerings with the Bearcat, a more refined version of the Bantam that included doors and a more comfortable interior. The Bearcat was designed to be longer and heavier, resembling the character of a Morgan sports car.

In the early 1980s, Blakely introduced a restyled version of the Bearcat called the Bernardi, which featured a chrome grille with horizontal slats inspired by the Oldsmobile Cutlass. Both the Bearcat and Bernardi models were available with various engine options, including V6 Ford engines, Mazda rotary engines, and the standard Pinto 4-cylinder engines. During the 1980s, the Bantam was renamed the Hawk, and the Bernardi was offered in a fully assembled form. In 1985, the company rebranded itself as Bernardi Auto Works. The Blakely and Bernardi kits gained popularity, resulting in significant sales during their production years, which lasted until 1987.