time warp X 1/9

I've been looking for one that's rust free and in good shape just for the fun of it. I had one just like this.

Way too pricey but fun to see.

1978 Fiat X1/9 for sale | Hemmings Motor News

 

I dunno, is the price really all that crazy?
It looks very clean and if everything works properly, it's not a "car has been sitting too long time bomb" then it might not be that crazy. It does say negotiable.

If you want a nice looking clean car that hasn't been F'ed with?

I like the Lancia Scorpion better but then I don't fit in that one and probably not this one either.

Love the seats is that original? Reminds me a bit of the Espada VIP optional interior.

 

I agree it's priced right for what it is.

 

I agree with you because to restore one, it would probably cost more. But, it's still pricey for what it is.

I was thinking of getting one in a little worse shape and fixing it up just for the fun of it. I would hate to drive a survivor. I'd rather drive something that isn't a time capsule. You are only original once.

The big problem is finding one without much rust. Every one I see has that as a major issue. I think Fiat made the steel "pre-rusted" in that era to speed up the process!

 

This one might have been a much better deal!

Black and Silver x 19 Nice Shape and Low Miles | eBay

 

I have one of the 1300 Lido models. the guy before me spent £40,000 that is about $64,000 restoring it! I have the receipts!
The problem with the X1/9 is it is double skinned. It was done to give rigidity and the 'hoop' was put in to meet 1973? proposed US roll over regulations which never came into force. Hence the car was a lot heavier than necessary. Still light by modern standards and still a 'safe' car to have a crash in from front or back! Colin Chapman of Lotus, daughter had a head on crash in one and he praised the car! High praise indeed!

I paid a lot more for my car. If you want the best then you need to pay! Whilst there was about 160,000 made, i would be surprised if 10% were still about! The restoration costs are too high for a car of this value.

To me, still one of the best handling cars ever made. Light nimble, safe, predictable and fun! people often ask me which is my favourite car and I usually say my X'y's!

There seems to be a few rust issue with the car advertised all in typical areas.

Paul
Scotland
UK

 

:eek" Paul!

Wow he was a nutter wasn't he. I hope it's really nice?

Which one has the rust issues Hemmings or the eBay one. I didn't look that carefully.

 

I've seen that one. Too far away to go. That was a good price though.

 

"Added lightness", no extra charge.

 

Being in the west your in the right area to find a rust- free or low rust car. A lot of italian cars during that era used cheap Russian steel. But sub 10 K is pretty cheap for a original car. I would buy and enjoy it, how many time capsule X1/9's does the world need?

 

Mine rusted pretty badly from the ocean mist. Unless the X 1/9 lived in Palm Springs, it has rust on it.

I keep looking in Vegas but all that I have seen are completely trashed well beyond saving.

Poor little things...

 

I guess I'm pretty lucky, mine is an '82 and has original paint, virtually rust free less one spot below the windshield. Although it's not perfect, it's by far the best X1/9 I've owned. I've owned this one for 24 years, and I love it.

It's not really a time capsule, as I've altered a few things on it - but they're period correct mods and I think they look tasteful. I love the car, a little too much to part with it - although that "was" going to be my plan. I was going to sell her to make room for a 308, instead, I'm going to keep it and find storage to keep the car I'm not driving at that moment. (I have a nice single garage, Ferrari ready).

The 'last' mod that's being readied for my car is a Fiat Uno turbo transplant. I have the engine and am rebuilding it and sorting it out. The Uno engine is a direct swap, it's basically the same block with oil galleries specific to the turbo and it's a 1.3L instead of my current 1.5L injected engine.

I've raced a Fiat X1/9 for many years here in Canada and won a championship with it. The thing was essentially a slot car - point and shoot. So much fun.. In all, I've owned over 14 X1/9s.


Good ones are out there - and luckily they haven't climbed in value like Dino 246's .. ha speaking of which.. I recall looking at a Fiat Dino Spider @ Gentry Lane Ferrari here in Toronto around 23 years ago. I paid $8500 for my X1/9 some 24 years ago.. that Dino was $30K and mint.. Now they're worth over $100K - my X1/9?!?! I don't even want to know. One guy offered me $3K - I spent $1200 restoring the wheels, $1000 importing tires from the UK and thousands here and there (I imported the turbo motor from the Netherlands).. ugh.. $3K? I'll keep it forever! I just need to find "my" 308..


There are always a few for sale over at xwebforums.org

FS&W Forum - Xweb Forums



You have great taste Mr. Mayor! Good luck in your search. There are plenty of good ones around.
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Myron,

Your X looks great!! Had 3 back in the day. A 74, 79 then a Bertone 83. The Bertone was so much better than the earlier ones. How about a 1.4 Abarth turbo out of the new 500. Would that work>?

 

Thanks Dave! - makes sense that you had X1/9s and went to a GT4!

I love the bumpers on the '74 X1/9, nice and tidy. You're right, the later cars had a lot better assembly, and there were leather seats available then. Mind you, the '82 is very similar to the '83 except mine still says Fiat of course and no leather. The final assembly was at Fiat, but your car was most likely already 100% assembled by Bertone - better fit and finish. Unfortunately Bertone was never sold in Canada.

Hmm, there is a guy not far from me that's doing that very conversion! I bought my UnoTurbo engine in 2007, so a bit before the 500 was sold here. The Abarth would be the better conversion, but it's a lot more work. I don't want to cut anything on my car to make anything fit, as almost everything I've done can be reverted back to original.. just in case X1/9's become very valuable in original condition (ha!)

UnoT engines are getting to be rare, but I can't wait to see an X1/9 with an Abarth conversion. my car weighs 1950lbs.. Uno T is about 135hp at 1bar boost - should go a little quicker than stock.

 

$9,000? Seems reasonable to me... isn't that about the cost for the iPod cable for a 458?

I say "buy it" and have fun! (Or one like it)

Jedi

 

Or half the price of a cup holder..

 

Well said ..... just buy it

 

We had one - I think a '77, fun car though.

 

My dad's friend owned 3 of these. Had pretty horrific wrecks in all three, yet he survived mostly unscathed (with just one brief hospital stay). I'd say that's pretty good for the car! Don't know what that says about my dad's friend though...

 

great little sports cars, not super fast, and not exactly lightweight for the dimensions, but they had a strong steel perimeter chassis, which is a problem with many being rust infested

personally loved them, and really wish the Fiat group would consider a newer variation of the X-19, like in this photo ....they have a production carbon-fiber composite chassis in the Alfa 4C, and take the strongest engine from the Fiat 500 series, with this body design, in GRP or some such inexpensive composite = a great little car!
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So exactly what is that photo?

 

+ 1.

I've been toying with Fiats since the 80s, and at 9800$, it's well within the ballpark.

 

Saw a white X1/9 with black graphics last week -- they're just great (little) cars...

 

I've toyed with the idea of selling my '82 X1/9 and although it's super clean, some guys on the X1/9 forums only thought it was worth $2500-$3000.. ?!?! WTF? My car has original paint, new suspension + bushings all around, new this, new that, almost completely rust free survivor with an engine bay cleaner than most 308's I've been looking at.. $3K? ouch....


I'm going to keep it, and buy a 308 instead of one or nothing.. The X1/9 is just wayyyyy too much fun - albeit slow, it's still fun.


and my Uno Turbo transplant will at least fix the anemic right pedal.

 

pure concept photoshop - apparently done by a European magazine. I like it... and want it!

I believe it was originally from autobild.de