1974 Fiat X-1/9

Clear

Up for sale, a 1974 Fiat X-1/9 that has been sitting in a Texas garage since 1978-79. I am adding information as it comes in and is digested. If you viewed this listing prior to this revision, some of our thoughts on why it was parked have changed. We originally thought it was a dead battery and engine cover release cable. Then we found that the battery is not tucked in with the engine! Read further to see our current ideas. (I have a lot of pictures that didn't make the eBay cut of 24 - hopefully the ones you see will somewhat give the story of condition.) This car belonged to my uncle and it was his daily driver for a few years. He purchased it in August 1975 so this is a 2 owner vehicle. We now think the clutch cable broke (in addition to the engine cover cable, rendering it difficult to repair and move it out of the garage for repair). The clutch pedal is on the floor (discovered today). Having a second car, it got moved to the back burner, then time just ran away and it was never touched again. We have now knocked a bit of the dust and dirt off of the car, it appears the paint still looks pretty vibrant. It ought to clean up rather well with some effort invested. Several enthusiasts have asked us to photograph the rust prone areas of the car which we have tried to do. With the exception of a small rust spot around the windshield trim, it appears this is a very good survivor with no major concerns. The tires now appear to hold air so it can likely be rolled onto a trailer without too much trouble. The tires are rotten and will need replacing, they are not roadworthy. The entire car will need to be gone through before anyone attempts to put it on the road, it has been sitting almost 40 years. Car has 43k miles. There are no known mechanical defects outside of the obvious clutch cable, the car was running and driving prior to parking. At this stage, I expect the fuel system will need total refreshing (and likely fuel pump). Brakes should not be trusted until fully examined and refreshed. Etc. etc... A few weekends of work ought to bring the car back to a running state. The body looks straight, the driver's door clicks and fits perfectly, looks to be a straight (non-rusty) original car that mostly needs attention to bring it back. In addition to being a storage platform, the trunk lid has a ding somewhat centered above the license plate (can be seen in photo's). I don't see any other body damage or issues after a brief inspection. One headlight was lazy and had to be helped up. Seats are torn on the side bolsters under the covers. Interested parties are invited to ask questions and the car can be viewed if you are in the Dallas/Tx area for serious lookers. Will need to be removed by a trailer unless you bring fresh tires and want to tow the vehicle. The car has a clean Texas title. Car will need to be removed in a somewhat timely manner, say 2-3 weeks. There is some flexibility here but payment will need to be made in order to ensure commitment. The house is being sold and the car needs to be vacated. I am in the Austin area (and listing this for my family). I will coordinate all viewing/purchase arrangements with my father who lives in the Dallas metroplex and serious inquiries can speak to him directly to view/tow. Note: I would like to thank the enthusiast community, they have been very helpful in giving me insights into what a Fiat X-1/9 shopper needs to see to make an informed decision to purchase. Additional Note 1/8 - My dad just informed me that there is a new speedo cable in the floorboard of the car (or new circa 40 years ago). I expect this will put into debate the mileage. If the odometer is in fact defective I would think the true mileage may increase slightly but likely not significantly.