What did you do to your X1/9 today ?

I synced the carbs, set the idle mixture, and checked the timing. I went out for another test drive and I think the car is now ready for prime time. I've got about 85 miles on it now with no trip longer than ~15 miles. The oxidized rubber seems to have worn off the tire treads as it now seems to be generating some pretty serious corning forces without being squirrely. On the way home I stopped at a scenic view turnout to check the wheel temperatures and looked in the engine compartment to make sure all was well. Two European tourists came up to me, and one, with a heavy French accent, exclaimed "That's an X1/9.":

View attachment 24304
View attachment 24305

It is impossible to see due to my crappy cell phone camera, but downtown San Francisco is roughly above where the radio is on the passenger side about 40 miles north.

A couple of guys on motorcycles were leaving the same time I was so I followed them on a spirited ride for about 5 -6 miles until I turned off for home. By that time, the red light on the fuel gauge was full on. I guess the 5 gallons I poured in many months ago is just about gone in 85 miles. Must be all those acceleration tests, although I don't think I got much over 22 mpg when those DCNFs were on the 1300.

A lime green early X 1/9...what a dream.

Those early cars had such delicate, lovely lines. Gandini truly is a genius.
 
well my 128 coupe has a set of cromodora CD30s from new, they are superlight and really period correct wheels for the car, but for some reasons i like the slotted mags, they got that muscle car look, you now.. are they made in magnesium alloy?
 
so what "mags" stay for?
For some unknown reason, in the USA the term "mag" has become a standard term for pretty much any custom, aftermarket, optional, or even stock wheel. It no longer has any relation to "magnesium" unfortunately. Just a slang term now.
 
The term is also used for the type of mounting hardware that was typically used for "mag style" wheels - shoulder bolts or nuts and flat washers. Below is a MAG style bolt for my X1/9:

M12x1.25 Mag Lug Bolt.jpg


A thick flat washer goes between the head and the wheel where the clamping force is applied.

Unfortunately some idiot with an impact wrench cross threaded the one in the photo decades ago when I got new tires. Back then it was easy to find replacements. Now, they don't seem to make the bolts in M12x1.25 any more. I've got a couple that could use replacement but I may have to switch over to nuts/studs.
 
Picked up my new Uno Turbo engine today. Fully overhauled and in good condition but the block needs new paint. This conversion project will keep me busy during the winter. Not much information about UT conversions in the forum. I thought this is a common conversion, at least in EU. If you have any experience please share it.
upload_2019-8-22_14-5-33.png
upload_2019-8-22_14-6-58.png
 
Look forward to raiding how you get on!


Door stays replaced today. I now have doors that stay open!

Left is the new pattern part, middle came from the passenger side and the right hand one was the drivers side, an original item. The passenger side was a doddle to fit but the drivers side was a pig as the door is slightly distorted around the mounting point meaning the two hooks didn’t line up with the eyelets on the car body.

 
Not much information about UT conversions in the forum. I thought this is a common conversion, at least in EU. If you have any experience please share it.

The UT in my X was installed by a previous owner a long time ago, and I don't fully understand the installation yet so I can't really give any advice. But you can take a look at the far from perfect solutions in my X' engine bay if you want. You don't live that far away from me after all.
 
Not much information about UT conversions in the forum. I thought this is a common conversion, at least in EU.
I like it Bjorn. :)
Unfortunately we never had the Uno here so they aren't available as parts sources, and therefore few conversions into X's. But there have been a couple (sorry, I don't have any direct links).
Maybe look through the "turbo" thread. It is based on using a UT exhaust manifold and turbo on a X1/9 1500 engine (at least the beginning of it so far). I seem to recall a couple of UT engine swap guys commented in that thread:
https://xwebforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/turbo-systems-for-x1-9s.34766/
 
Picked up my new Uno Turbo engine today. Fully overhauled and in good condition but the block needs new paint. This conversion project will keep me busy during the winter. Not much information about UT conversions in the forum. I thought this is a common conversion, at least in EU. If you have any experience please share it.
View attachment 24487View attachment 24488

This is an engine swap I can really get behind! Should be awesome!
 
But you can take a look at the far from perfect solutions in my X' engine bay if you want. You don't live that far away from me after all.
That would be very interesting. I've got some pictures from other people but would like to look into the details how it has been done. Where do you live? You can PM me on messenger to keep the thread clean.
 
This is an engine swap I can really get behind! Should be awesome!
Yes, Honda, Hayabusa swaps etc. are impressing and I've been thinking about going that route, or even get an Alfa Romeo V6. But finally I decided to keep my X 100 percent FIAT. An Abarth 500 engine would have been nice but too expensive and complicated. This is the second best choice and is cheaper than rebuild/upgrade my current 1500.
 
This is the second best choice and is cheaper than rebuild/upgrade my current 1500.
I am compromising even more; adding the UnoTurbo exhaust manifold and turbo to my existing X engine. It is definitely a compromise but I chose that route only because getting a complete UT engine here is almost impossible and relatively expensive. However the project keeps growing and getting more involved, as always.
 
Yes, Honda, Hayabusa swaps etc. are impressing and I've been thinking about going that route, or even get an Alfa Romeo V6. But finally I decided to keep my X 100 percent FIAT. An Abarth 500 engine would have been nice but too expensive and complicated. This is the second best choice and is cheaper than rebuild/upgrade my current 1500.

I also read years ago (take a grain of salt) of a guy in Germany who bought an X 1/9 and a wrecked 20V Turbo Coupe and did a transplant and was known locally to pick on turbo MR2s and non-Turbo 911s. Car was supposed to be extremely fast, but I also heard it involved a LOT of cutting/fabbing to make it all fit.

An Uno Turbo is as close as a factory bolt-in upgrade as we are ever going to get...but if money were no object, that turbo 5 cylinder engine...that must be insane.
 
Back
Top