WTB '79-82 FIAT X 1/9

I have a couple cars I am looking at right now...but why do 90% of them have luggage racks when the car has two trunks?

Also, why are so many painted brown? Geez...I know it was the 70s, and I'd love a silver, gold, red, blue, green, orange or yellow one...but so many are brown.

This will take a while...finding my X 1/9...
 
I have a couple cars I am looking at right now...but why do 90% of them have luggage racks when the car has two trunks?

Also, why are so many painted brown? Geez...I know it was the 70s, and I'd love a silver, gold, red, blue, green, orange or yellow one...but so many are brown.

This will take a while...finding my X 1/9...
When the X1/9 came out, the dealers were looking for accessories to add to the cars for more money. The luggage rack was a common addition as was the terrible center mount radio with the antenna on the A pillar along with two garbage 4 inch speakers in the doors. That is why it is hard to find a 74 - 78 without a hole in the middle of the dash and holes in the door cards. They also tended to push some questionable after market wheels, often the universal fit type mags which came with I guess you could call wobble holes. The wheels had holes much larger than bolt holes and there would be different inserts for different size bolts and spacings. Evidently designed to reduce inventory requirements.

A friend of mine bought his X about a month after I did. He could not find one without a luggage rack but managed to avoid the other stuff. Since my car was one of the first two at the dealer, it must have got there before the luggage racks did, so I lucked out
 
When the X1/9 came out, the dealers were looking for accessories to add to the cars for more money. The luggage rack was a common addition as was the terrible center mount radio with the antenna on the A pillar along with two garbage 4 inch speakers in the doors. That is why it is hard to find a 74 - 78 without a hole in the middle of the dash and holes in the door cards. They also tended to push some questionable after market wheels, often the universal fit type mags which came with I guess you could call wobble holes. The wheels had holes much larger than bolt holes and there would be different inserts for different size bolts and spacings. Evidently designed to reduce inventory requirements.

A friend of mine bought his X about a month after I did. He could not find one without a luggage rack but managed to avoid the other stuff. Since my car was one of the first two at the dealer, it must have got there before the luggage racks did, so I lucked out

Yes, the luggage racks clutter the lines on the car. There is no questioning that they can add some utility---but at that rate, might as well add a Thule ski rack to the roof!

The lines of the early X 1/9s would do well without such "additions", IMO.
 
If you are painting the car, unmodified rear trunks are easy to find.

Yes, eventually I want to repaint the car----unless I find a car that is nice enough to keep as-is.

Ideally, I want a nice driver, and brown (or white or black) isn't a color that exactly gets my blood racing like the bright reds, yellows, oranges, greens (especially), silvers and golds that the X 1/9 came in from new.

I'd like a more vivid hue for my X 1/9. I think it befits the vehicle's personality.

Everyone's mileage may vary, of course.
 
There are a couple of other nice things associated with the Bertone era cars not yet mentioned. One of my personal favorites is the improved 5-speed implemented as a running change in late '84. It beefed up the reverse idler shaft after reports of them getting bent popping the stick into reverse while rolling forward. It replaced the keyed 5th gear with a spline after some sheared. My favorite change was the shorter ratios for 1st and 3rd gears. It really improves the giddyup 0 to 60mph imo.

Somewhere in or around '83 the leather interior option was implemented. I really like X1/9 leather interiors but they are very rare and often in terrible shape.
00E0E_7dVZuKsZvKm_1200x900.jpg
 
I'd like a more vivid hue for my X 1/9. I think it befits the vehicle's personality.

My 85 was champagne over black from the factory. Not a favorite color combo of mine at all. Fortunately, it was a project when I bought it and was already 90% in primer. I went with the 2016 500X Arancio color.
20161024_121502.jpg photoshopped_85.jpg

My 78X is black with a chrome luggage rack. Don't discount the utilitarian value of the rack. It makes a great handle for pulling the car backwards out of parking spots when reverse wont engage. Not that I have ever had to do that... just sayin'. :oops::rolleyes:
1978_X_JimD.JPG
 
Ok, I will probably get shot for this but the 78 bumpers are may favorites. I would like to find a set and stick them on my 79. I hate the 79 bumpers but there is no way I'm driving my X without bumpers. I also have a spare trunk lid I got to practice welding sheet metal on because of the rusty luggage rack. My dad added the luggage rack to his X way back in about 85. I told him not to, he didn't listen. He also had the seats recovered in light beige/dark brown and they looked fantastic. To me, it's all about rust.. Everything else is easy.
 
Ok, I will probably get shot for this but the 78 bumpers are may favorites. I would like to find a set and stick them on my 79. I hate the 79 bumpers but there is no way I'm driving my X without bumpers. I also have a spare trunk lid I got to practice welding sheet metal on because of the rusty luggage rack. My dad added the luggage rack to his X way back in about 85. I told him not to, he didn't listen. He also had the seats recovered in light beige/dark brown and they looked fantastic. To me, it's all about rust.. Everything else is easy.

At the risk of derailing this thread even more, I wasn't a fan of the '79+ bumpers either until I bought my current X. My car was originally two tone, black/champagne. The PO resprayed it all black and in the process painted the bumpers and mouldings black as well.

IMHO it came out great! '79+ bumpers painted body color transform them from something that looks tacked on and out of place to something that looks like it belongs on the car. It gives the car a Jalpa/late Countach note to it with the boxy bumpers complimenting the wedge body . . . But it only works if the bumpers are painted body color.

Having the Bertone spoiler adds to the aesthetic too.

Xn2Cb0W.jpg
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20181117_133623.jpg
 
Ok, I will probably get shot for this but the 78 bumpers are may favorites. I would like to find a set and stick them on my 79. I hate the 79 bumpers but there is no way I'm driving my X without bumpers. I also have a spare trunk lid I got to practice welding sheet metal on because of the rusty luggage rack. My dad added the luggage rack to his X way back in about 85. I told him not to, he didn't listen. He also had the seats recovered in light beige/dark brown and they looked fantastic. To me, it's all about rust.. Everything else is easy.
Omg!!!! The FIRST thing I did when I got my ‘78 X was to remove those hideous bumpers!!! I never ever drove the car with those bumpers on. This year I finally splurged and bought a set of Matt’s euro bumpers as I think they suit the car best! He also told me they were the last set he would be making! I don’t mind the ‘79 on bumpers, but the ‘78’s??? Really?? Lol!!! That’s just my opinion! The heart wants what the heart wants!! To each his own! Love is blind!! I didn’t even try to sell them!!! Just tossed them out as I thought NO ONE would ever want them!!!!? Lol!!!
 
I'm with aarpcard on the '79 bumpers. Same ones or very close on my '80. I have them pulled off right now as I was planning to go bumperless. But have been recently thinking about painting them body color (black) based on some of the black bumper later models I've seen. Then Matt's latest offering pushed me that way even harder. I think it's a good look.

I hope WantanX1/9 finds the discussion helpful in clarifying what he is looking for.
 
At the risk of derailing this thread even more, I wasn't a fan of the '79+ bumpers either until I bought my current X. My car was originally two tone, black/champagne. The PO resprayed it all black and in the process painted the bumpers and mouldings black as well.

IMHO it came out great! '79+ bumpers painted body color transform them from something that looks tacked on and out of place to something that looks like it belongs on the car. It gives the car a Jalpa/late Countach note to it with the boxy bumpers complimenting the wedge body . . . But it only works if the bumpers are painted body color.

Having the Bertone spoiler adds to the aesthetic too.

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Bumperless to euro bumpers;
 

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Omg!!!! The FIRST thing I did when I got my ‘78 X was to remove those hideous bumpers!!! I never ever drove the car with those bumpers on. This year I finally splurged and bought a set of Matt’s euro bumpers as I think they suit the car best! He also told me they were the last set he would be making! I don’t mind the ‘79 on bumpers, but the ‘78’s??? Really?? Lol!!! That’s just my opinion! The heart wants what the heart wants!! To each his own! Love is blind!! I didn’t even try to sell them!!! Just tossed them out as I thought NO ONE would ever want them!!!!? Lol!!!


That seems to be the general consensus. And that is the response I expected lol!
 
I'm with aarpcard on the '79 bumpers. Same ones or very close on my '80. I have them pulled off right now as I was planning to go bumperless. But have been recently thinking about painting them body color (black) based on some of the black bumper later models I've seen. Then Matt's latest offering pushed me that way even harder. I think it's a good look.

I hope WantanX1/9 finds the discussion helpful in clarifying what he is looking for.

It is...thank you all! I love it.

My plan is to convert to Euro bumpers...even if I have to purchase the replica set for $1k, which is what I see them going for usually. That is if I cannot find an original set (won't hold my breath).

I have just fallen in love with the look of the earlier 1300cc X 1/9s...so clean, so elegant, so uncorrupted by the stupid regulations that were to come later...so sporty. However, I really want the 1500cc engine and 5th gear (even though the 5-speed transmission is weaker)...which gives me the cow catcher bumpers I just...really...adore.

Thanks, Feds.

I shall remove the giant bumpers day 1 when I get my X 1/9.

I'll sell them in the FS&W section, cheap.

Gotta get my own X 1/9 in the meantime, which is the rub...

I check BAT, CL, Ebay, and here...many times...every day...I have cash in hand for a good, solid car that is complete and has the right look and foundation I can build upon.

I look forward to having my own X 1/9.
 
I have just fallen in love with the look of the earlier 1300cc X 1/9s...so clean, so elegant, so uncorrupted by the stupid regulations that were to come later...so sporty. However, I really want the 1500cc engine and 5th gear (even though the 5-speed transmission is weaker)...which gives me the cow catcher bumpers I just...really...adore.

My 1985 X is wearing the MWB replica bumpers. I plugged all the trim holes from the late bumper surround trim pieces before I sent the car to paint.
 
My 1985 X is wearing the MWB replica bumpers. I plugged all the trim holes from the late bumper surround trim pieces before I sent the car to paint.

Looks incredible. Your car is 90% of the look I am aiming to attain.

There is also a set of Compolagno wheels I think look incredible on the X 1/9...

new-wheels-for-my-x-19

https://hitthewave.wordpress.com/2009/10/14/new-wheels-for-my-x-19/#jp-carousel-60

I'd like these wheels, small bumpers...and a nice color.

Can't wait to get started!
 
Much easier to get a later X with the 1500 and convert to early style bumpers than to convert an early car to 5-speed and 1500. A popular bumper mod is to modify the 75-78 bumpers to single rail. Very easy to do with simple hand tools

IMG_0522[1].JPG
 
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