Want to buy a Fiat?
05-05-2015, 10:26 AM
#11
My thoughts on the interior.
By the way, Rob, GLWTS. If it has to go I hope you get a great price for it.
Speaking of rust, my aunt owned the predicessor to the X, a Fiat 850 spyder, in upstate New York. She drove it year-round. Shortly after she sold it, the engine "fell out" of the rusted engine bay.
By the way, Rob, GLWTS. If it has to go I hope you get a great price for it.
Speaking of rust, my aunt owned the predicessor to the X, a Fiat 850 spyder, in upstate New York. She drove it year-round. Shortly after she sold it, the engine "fell out" of the rusted engine bay.
05-05-2015, 10:53 AM
#12
Thread Starter
My thoughts on the interior.
By the way, Rob, GLWTS. If it has to go I hope you get a great price for it.
Speaking of rust, my aunt owned the predicessor to the X, a Fiat 850 spyder, in upstate New York. She drove it year-round. Shortly after she sold it, the engine "fell out" of the rusted engine bay.
By the way, Rob, GLWTS. If it has to go I hope you get a great price for it.
Speaking of rust, my aunt owned the predicessor to the X, a Fiat 850 spyder, in upstate New York. She drove it year-round. Shortly after she sold it, the engine "fell out" of the rusted engine bay.
The real reason I'm selling it is that my wife, Liz, is afraid of it. I bought a brand new X-1/9 in 1978 right before I met my wife. We had it for about 4 years. In those 4 years it was the most unreliable car I'd ever owned. We were stranded on the side of the road more often than I care to remember and put more money into repairing it each year than I put into the Honda's that came after it in 5 years. It was purely and simply a piece of junk. It was great fun to drive when it was running, but it wasn't running very often. Unfortunately, living in the city it was my only car so I found myself relying on a most unreliable car. It might've been better than a Yugo, but not by much. When I got rid of it I swore I'd never buy another Fiat or another Italian car, it was that bad.
I fell into this X. I was looking for an old MG but this came my way. It was a very sad story. The wife of the owner came home to find her husband dead. Because of the circumstances of his death, she and her kids couldn't stand to live in their house anymore, moved out of the house and had to sell the X. I bought it, towed it around the corner to my house and got it to run again (a new fuel pump). I won't take it far, and Liz won't drive it.
Probably we're going to buy something with a little more utility just to have as a spare vehicle. We're probably going to look at a small 4 wheel drive pickup, like a Toyota Tacoma, just to have around as a spare. And the 4 wheel drive to get up the driveway when it snows.
I have mixed feelings about selling it (not because of the money). I like it and liked driving it. It's a very simple car. No power steering, no power brakes no power anything. Tiny engine, small lightweight car. My kind of car. Still, while I'm sorry to see it go (so is Adam) I think it might be a good thing to do also.
Who knows, I might just stumble into the MG that I was really looking for.
05-05-2015, 01:02 PM
#13
Registered User
Rob, last chance, if you buy my practice and my house, I'll throw in the Toyota truck you are looking for for FREE. I have a 1988 4X4 with 65K miles I bought new in 1988.
Of course if you move to my house, you won't need the truck for the snow in your New Jersey driveway. Oh well.
Of course if you move to my house, you won't need the truck for the snow in your New Jersey driveway. Oh well.
05-05-2015, 01:09 PM
#14
Thread Starter
Rob, last chance, if you buy my practice and my house, I'll throw in the Toyota truck you are looking for for FREE. I have a 1988 4X4 with 65K miles I bought new in 1988.
Of course if you move to my house, you won't need the truck for the snow in your New Jersey driveway. Oh well.
Of course if you move to my house, you won't need the truck for the snow in your New Jersey driveway. Oh well.
05-05-2015, 04:37 PM
#15
Thread Starter
My older son and I took the Bertone (Fiat) out for its "last hurrah" tonight. Liz is working so we went to the mall. I drove the car the way it was meant to be driven. It really is a fun car. I'm sorry to see it go.
05-05-2015, 05:37 PM
#16
I'm with Bill on the mileage. I think it might just be only 15K given what you DO know.
I helped a friend pull the engine from an X a few years ago. In a gravel driveway. Without a hoist. We just jacked the ass end way up and dropped the engine onto a heavy piece of cardboard, then dragged it out from under the car. The rebuild was along the same shade tree lines but upon reassembly the car has run fine for a couple of years now. It's up for sale because what started as "a little bit of rust" is slowly consuming the body.
I helped a friend pull the engine from an X a few years ago. In a gravel driveway. Without a hoist. We just jacked the ass end way up and dropped the engine onto a heavy piece of cardboard, then dragged it out from under the car. The rebuild was along the same shade tree lines but upon reassembly the car has run fine for a couple of years now. It's up for sale because what started as "a little bit of rust" is slowly consuming the body.
after restoring multiple cars over the years, I fell out of my chair with the "a little bit of rust" comment, if I see any now - I run screaming.........................
some from the past:
28 model a pickup - loved it, restored it with my dad
56 sunliner convertible - tbird 312 slushbox
58 ford hardtop retractable - pita
64 tbird - no ac - aack!
66 bug convertible - loved it
66 stang 289 - good car
69 stang cleveland - fun
72 stang built 351 cj - insane / 4.56 rear, would pull front wheels off ground
74 midget - drove it all over the country
74 tr-6 rust king, lucas electronics -need i say more
74 vette - LT1 transfer - horrible car except for motor
76 celica st - fun little car
78 vette pace car - looked good w/o decals
80 zx - daily driver for a long time
84 911 - fun, built like a tank
85 xj6 - chevy 350 swap, good car
88 xj12 - silver/beautiful/ nightmare / still wake up in cold sweats
95 vette - blah
95 850 ci - how much $$$$$$ you got? it wants more
95 SC400 - great car, put 200k on it with NO maintenance, didn't even change the timing belt
01 E55 AMG - 230k and counting, outruns a C5 in luxury
05-05-2015, 06:19 PM
#17
Almost the same story here, but we had a sheet of plywood instead of cardboard.
05-05-2015, 06:24 PM
#18
Rob, your X1/9 is the exact twin to the one I had. I believe the mileage may be accurate. I also suspect the struts have never been replaced. You have the original rubber covers and plastic caps on the mounting studs. Those are very rare and were usually tossed when the struts were replaced. The front spoiler is in very good shape. Usually, the tabs are broken and the spoiler sags in the middle. Seats appear to be in very good original shape too. The rust and general condition under the hood tell me it sat outdoors for quite awhile.
I always thought I'd want to buy it from you when the time came, but I think my Fiat days are over.
I always thought I'd want to buy it from you when the time came, but I think my Fiat days are over.
05-05-2015, 06:47 PM
#19
Thread Starter
Rob, your X1/9 is the exact twin to the one I had. I believe the mileage may be accurate. I also suspect the struts have never been replaced. You have the original rubber covers and plastic caps on the mounting studs. Those are very rare and were usually tossed when the struts were replaced. The front spoiler is in very good shape. Usually, the tabs are broken and the spoiler sags in the middle. Seats appear to be in very good original shape too. The rust and general condition under the hood tell me it sat outdoors for quite awhile.
I always thought I'd want to buy it from you when the time came, but I think my Fiat days are over.
I always thought I'd want to buy it from you when the time came, but I think my Fiat days are over.
Considering the cars age and history the body and interior are both in very good shape. The engine runs strong and the Trans seems fine. The car probably needs new struts an overhaul of the brake system a paint job and some love. As I said I've got mixed feelings about selling it. I drove it tonight and fell in love with it again.