1974 Fiat X1/9

Convertible

4-Cyl

4-Spd. Manual

Clear

Gasoline

This is a NO RESERVE auction! See 200 more pictures on Flickr by clicking HERE Watch a video tour by clicking HERE History of this car: This car was not a hand-me-down from dad, brother, sister, uncle, wife, etc. I have owned it for 35 years. I purchased this car in 1978 from its original owner. The color was Red. Through the years that I have owned it, a couple of paint transformations took place. The latest white and blue theme came from the cover of PBS Engineering’s Project X1/9 manual. The last time the car was in the paint shop was approximately 1983. Since owning the car, I have never been in an accident, but the first owner did tap the nose on something. I’m in Illinois and Midwest winters are hard on cars, but this one always hibernated in the garage and was rarely driven during winter. Any corrosion on the car is the same that was present in the 1980s. It has not progressed. Engine modifications: In the early 1980s with 62,000 miles on the odometer I added PBS parts including their Big Valve Head, a B-3 Cam, 4-to-1 Exhaust Header, and two (2) Weber 40DCNF downdraft carburetors. Sitting on top of the Webers are solidly-made Redline air cleaners which clear the factory engine lid and have washable K&N elements. The drip tray has been removed from the engine lid. Fuel is provided by a Mallory Series 110 electric pump, wired on a relay to the ignition switch. I have always used regular gas. Miscellaneous parts such as the alternator, thermostat housing, valve cover, oil fill cap, etc. were also chrome-plated in the 1980s. I believe the ignition coil is original. In the spare tire compartment, there is a Delta Products Mark 10B high-capacity discharge system (more info available on Google). It was very popular in the 1980s. The concept was to save the wear and tear on the points but have a big charge go through the coil and spark plugs. From what I remember, the system provides higher voltage and lower-amperage compared to a standard ignition setup. It was the predecessor to today’s electronic ignition systems. There is a pushbutton switch on the Delta unit to bypass it and get back to an OEM spark. The vacuum advance mechanism was removed from the distributor when I upgraded the engine components. In its present powertrain configuration, the car was Autocrossed in Tri-State Sports Car Club (TSSCC) and was pitted against everything from Datsun 240s, to Camaros, Mazdas, and many more. This car did very well for many years and in 1983 it was not only Class Champ, but also won No. 1 Driver; 9 Events and 9 First Place Finishes, garnering the trophy you see in the picture. The car was also club-raced at Blackhawk Farms and Road America. Suspension: There are stock springs on all four corners. The front KYB sealed struts are just a few years old. The rear struts are Koni adjustable strut inserts – old school design. To adjust you need to compress the spring. There is a rear sway bar installed – brand unknown. There used to be a front sway bar – but it has since been removed and discarded. Most X1/9 owners seem to prefer having both bars or just a front. The interior: The original carpet was replaced by a professional shop with a nice dark grey carpet. The stock seats were also recovered in black suede with black vinyl edges and piping. There are no tears on either seat. Both passenger and driver seat belts have been replaced with 4-point Simpson belts. Front floor mats are black. The car has a 1-3/4” diameter competition roll bar that is firmly mounted at four points. I do not remember the brand, but it was made specifically for the X1/9. Amazingly, even though the roll bar extends higher than the targa bar … the hardtop still fits perfectly. The dash board has some scuffs but does not have any cracks on the top surface. The front console has been replaced with a powder-coated ¼” thick aluminum plate that has custom switches to control most OEM functions plus some spare switches. There is a built-in 4” LCD that was used as a video monitor with a roll bar-mounted camera. The camera is not included but the monitor is functional via video line-in cord located in spare tire compartment and is powered by a console switch. The sides of the console are of the same material and finish and each side has a flush-mount interior light that goes on (along with overhead map light) via usual entry switches or center console override switch. The windows have been upgraded to power with a Vitaloni add-on motor system. This system went on externally, in place of the handles, so they didn’t affect any of the mechanics of the window internals. The steering wheel is very nice Racemark 13” diameter with working horn button. The factory horn is still connected as well as a set of air horns mounted in a front headlight compartment. The standard rear view mirror has been replaced with a multi-panel Wink racing mirror- great for eliminating blind spots. The heater box is still intact and the valve is non-remotely operated. There is a cluster of four (4) driver-angled VDO Cockpit Series gauges where the speaker grill once was. They are for a) Engine oil pressure, b) Engine oil temp, c) Transmission oil temp (helpful for road racing), and Voltage. They are backlit and on parking light circuit. Sound system: The radio is a Jensen CH4001 AM/FM which has a removable 5-disc CD changer cartridge. An additional cartridge is also included. Below the radio is a Power Acoustik PEQ65 flush mount, 5-band equalizer. In the front trunk is a Thump! 300 watt amplifier. There are two 5”-dia flush-mount Pioneer speakers in the door panels and two small bookshelf speakers on the rear deck. There is a power antenna on the rear driver’s fender. The amp and antenna are operated by switches just below the equalizer. The Xterior. Besides the obvious paint, the OEM rear taillight assemblies were removed, the openings were welded up and three holes were created for a custom taillight array that was influenced by Corvettes and Bradley GT cars of the 1980s era. A few years ago, they were upgraded to LEDs, as were the side and front marker lights. An electronic flasher relay was installed (in the original socket) to eliminate the need for LED load resistors. There is a really bright, 10-LED discreetly-mounted third brake light attached under the targa. All four bumpers are original and in good condition with good mounting studs on each. The corner blades have all been removed (long gone) and mounting holes were filled. It’s one of the cleanest bumper looks that you’ll find on an X that still offers some body protection. The 30-year old paint is in decent condition. In front of the passenger door there is some body damage due to an unintentional off-road adventure at a local track. There is some paint bubbles near exhaust from when an old muffler came loose. The pin striping and artwork on the back ducktail are all done in paint. The bathing beauty says “I’ve got a pair of 40s” referring to the twin Webers, of course. There is some cracking, checking, and chips in the paint due to having to share a garage with garden tools, lawnmowers, bicycles, and other items associated with raising three kids and 30 years on same paint job. Both headlights mechanisms are operating and work off original switch. Parking lights operate from a switch on the center console. There are two Cibie driving lights located in the front grill that are currently not aimed well (a better mounting system needs to be made). The driving lights are on their own relay and operated by a console switch. The front headlights are also Cibie halogen. High and low beams are each on their own relay. The relays are located in the front trunk, driver’s side. There is also an auxiliary fuse panel in the front trunk. The wipers move slow due to either needing to be R&R or wired modded. The wiper fluid bottle/bag has also been removed. Neither of which bothers me because I don’t drive the car in the rain. The smooth-finish targa top was painted white but has some chips/scratches on it and could use new weather stripping … which hasn’t been a concern for me because I only use the car in nice weather. The top rarely comes along for the ride. A new, unpainted top will be included with this car for free as long as you have a way to transport it to its new home. I have no way to ship the top separately. Within the last 10 years: The steering column switches (lights, turn signals) were replaced. The rear trunk and engine lid cables were replaced. A rebuilt starter was installed. Headlight relays (see info above) were added. Within the last five years: Front suspension items were removed, sandblasted and painted. New KYB sealed struts were installed as well as top strut mounts and Plaia pivot plates. Both L&R front bearing carriers were replaced with rebuilt units from Midwest. A new steering rack was installed as well as front tie rods. Changed the front wheel mountings over to studs with new acorn nuts. The ignition switch was replaced with an OEM SIPEA switch with two, black-capped keys. This is a quality switch, not like what is being sold online today. A fairly-new Sears Die-Hard battery is included with a safety disconnect knob on the ground connection. The reverse light switch was also replaced on the transmission. Last year: The transmission was removed due to an oil drip from input shaft seal. New parts installed included an OEM Valeo clutch disc, clutch cover, and release bearing (Midwest-Bayless), an SKF 9-ball input shaft bearing (C.Obert), and input shaft rubber seal and paper gasket. A new lower transmission mount was also installed. New 90W GL-1 Mineral oil (NAPA) was put in. While the transmission was out, many of the driver’s side suspension/brake items were sandblasted and painted to match the fronts. The rear passenger side suspension has not been cleaned and painted. Important to note: All the transmission and suspension work (front and back) was done without use of any pneumatic tools. As I stated before, the car was stored and not driven during 35 winters … so not only has that kept possible corrosion at bay, but also makes pulling things apart for resto/repair much easier. The 185/60 R13 Sumitomo HTR200 tires were purchased in 2010 and have less than 1500 miles on them. The tires are mounted on Epsilon 3-piece aluminum rims with center caps. A spare center cap is included, as well as the OEM spare tire and rim. The rims are not hub-centric (I don’t even know if that term was around back in the 1980s?) The main operational problem with the car right now is shifting from second-to-third. It does not want to do that without making a thud … so I don’t do it. It shifts from second-to-third if you release the clutch pedal in between shifts. It drives fine once in third. The Four-speed is fairly simple. I just didn't have the time to have it looked at. I wanted to replace the input shaft seal and get it back on the road before it got too cold, or salt got on the roads. UPDATE July 2014: Describing the shifting problem to Matt Brannon at Midwest-Bayless, who I believe knows more about these transmissions than anyone else … says he thinks (without inspection) that the problem is most likely “the 3rd gear set-up: Gear, synchro ring, or synchro dogs under the ring.” That being said, remember, the car is fully functional and will drive in all gears in its current condition until you have the time to fix the shift issue. This car has a lot of potential- whether you drive it as is, paint it, or restore it. It’s always been a reliable car. Since 1978, this car has never been on a tow truck and always garners attention and generates questions wherever it goes. The engine is strong. Driving at 2500-6000rpm is a blast in this car. Fix the shift problem and you’ll increase the fun-factor by 500%! For as long as I can remember, the car has had new engine oil and filter every season. I run Castrol 20w50 conventional oil and FRAM PH5 filters. I’ve owned this car for a long time. Most of the stuff done to the car was done in the 1980s. Listing details are as accurate as I can remember. I believe all the electrical items are working, but if you plan on changing anything or want to diagnose any problems in the future, be handy with a multi-meter and 12v test lamp. As with all car auctions you are advised to arrange for an independent inspection prior to bidding. The car is being sold as-is with absolutely no warranty. This car does NOT have safety features found on more modern cars such as, but not limited to air bags, ABS brakes, traction control, etc. The car is located about 75 minutes North of Chicago. Though the suspension is stock height- all Fiat X1/9s sit pretty close to the ground. Please keep that in mind if making transport arrangements. I have receipts for many of the parts and modifications listed above. PAYMENT TERMS: $500 deposit within 48 hours of auction end. Full payment is required within 7 days of auction end. Car must be picked up within 14 days of auction end. Additional indoor storage iafter 14 days is available for a pre-paid cost of $25/day. If you’re not picking up the car in person, all payments must clear bank before car can be released to anyone.