Today’s Nice Price or No Dice X1/9 is the epitome of a gradual automotive that’s a barrel of inebriated monkeys to drive quick. Let’s see if this seemingly well-sorted instance is priced to promote simply as quick.
We all know that Mustangs supply a number of the greatest bang to your buck of any automotive on the market. But that begs the query of which model is essentially the most banging. Well, primarily based on yesterday’s feedback, it isn’t the mid-’70s Mustang II. We had been contemplating a restomodded 1978 Mustang II Fastback, and whereas it did look effectively put collectively, few of you had been considering it in any respect. That aversion prolonged to its $9,500 asking value, which ended up with a 54 p.c No Dice loss and supplied additional proof that the Mustang II continues to be the marque’s final favourite mannequin.
One honorific we are able to lay on the Mustang is for having created a completely new automotive area of interest, that of the eponymously named Pony Car. That’s a reasonably large feather within the Mustang’s cap. While the identical can’t be mentioned about Fiat and its X1/9 sports activities automotive, it’s protected to say that if it hadn’t existed, it’s extremely unlikely that later sports activities automobiles just like the Pontiac Fiero, Toyota MR2, and even the Lotus Elise would have come to cross.
Introduced in 1972 as a substitute for the rear-engined 850 Spider, the X1/9’s mid-engine structure leveraging the transverse drivetrain of the FWD 128. However, it wasn’t simply progressive within the repurposing of a secular structure into one thing thrilling and new. Until the appearance of the amazingly space-efficient packaging of Tesla’s automobiles, it was additionally seemingly the best-packaged automotive on the planet. Not solely does the little Fiat put its engine over its occupant’s shoulders, however it finds room to deal with its gas tank and spare tire there as effectively. That’s all whereas nonetheless permitting for each entrance and rear boot area and room to retailer its Targa high when doffed. All this on a diminutive 86.7-inch wheelbase and wrapped in distinctive Bertone bodywork that also seems jaw-droppingly good right now.
Balancing all that out had been reliability points, an inside seemingly made out of tissue paper and good intentions, and Fiat’s faustian pact with the rust gods that tended to show X1/9s into powder if a lot as a sweaty man walks inside ten toes of them.
This 1975 Fiat X1/9 appears to be the exception to the rule. Not to being sassily styled and effectively packaged, thoughts you, however to being poorly constructed and corroded past perception. Amazingly, this 40K Fiat is claimed to be largely unique. And all the components that aren’t have been both up to date or improved in a method or one other.
The automotive wears California Yellow paint over a chocolate vinyl inside. The paint seems to both be a respray or to have had some touching up performed, a minimum of primarily based on the slight overspray evident on the windscreen trim. Regardless, it seems to be in nice situation. Adding to the great seems, the automotive’s unique U.S. spec battering ram bumpers have been eliminated and changed by the smaller bumperettes from an earlier mannequin. Extremely good-looking and period-correct Chromodora magazine wheels underpin and look to be sporting fairly new Nexen rubber.
According to the advert, the cabin is nearly as new, which is wonderful contemplating that the standard of the supplies on these automobiles was by no means one of the best, and on these fashions, they endure the added onus of sitting out within the solar when the Targa is off. This one seems wonderful, proper right down to the odd inverted shift boot. The carpet does seem to have suffered some fading, however contemplating the age, we may give it that. Another problem; Does it look odd to anybody else that the Fiat emblem on the steering wheel just isn’t sitting in the course of the hub? Weird.
While the inside is perhaps all unique, the automotive’s mechanicals are usually not. The 1290cc SOHC 4 has apparently had quite a lot of work performed, together with pistons, a brand new ported head, and the substitute of the unique 2-barrel carburetor with a pair of 36mm twin-choke Webers. On the opposite facet of the home, the exhaust has been upgraded to an aftermarket header, muffler, and pipes. Stock this engine made 61 horsepower and 67 lb-ft of torque, giving the automotive a considerably lackadaisical 15-second zero to sixty time. These updates ought to assist it break that 12-second barrier.
Other upkeep gadgets of notice embrace varied hydraulics, the clutch, and timing belt. All in all, this appears to be a sorted and tidy turn-key automotive. It additionally comes with a clear turn-key title.
Before we get into the dialogue of the automotive’s value, I want to offer discover that I shall be sitting this one out. You see earlier than I found women, the Fiat X1/9 was my past love. I obtained to experience in a single once I was 11 or 12 years previous, which was across the time I used to be simply getting actually rabidly into automobiles. That expertise sealed the deal for me. Your mileage might range.
Ok, with that out of the best way, let’s check out this Fiat’s $24,700 asking value. Yikes! That is quite a lot of cabbage for an previous X1/9. But is it a foul deal for a largely unique (the place it counts) version with some sensible mods (additionally the place it counts) already undertaken? Or is {that a} whole lot contemplating the automotive’s situation and the present market?
You determine!
Monterey, California, Craigslist, or go right here if the advert disappears.
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Source: jalopnik.com