1985 $500 X on CL LosAngeles, 'ALMOST' running.

Mechanogeek

Mechanogeek

True Classic
Not my circus, not my giraffe...

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/ant/cto/d/palmdale-1985-fiat-bertone-x1-9/6782918008.html

"This is a mid-engine 1.5 liter inline four, 5-speed manual Rear Wheel Drive vehicle. It does not run, but it is close. I don't have time to work on it anymore so I need to let it go.

I have recently replaced the fuel pump, fuel filter and the fuel lines up to the rail. It is fuel injected and there is power at the injectors. I just replaced the spark plugs and spark is good from all four. I'm also getting fuel pressure at the rail and I fixed the cold start valve so it sprays fuel now. I also changed the oil filter and then flushed and refilled the engine oil, transmission fluid, and coolant.

$500 OBO and I'm willing to negotiate. Good project car and very close to running. Feel free to call or text with questions. I can tow it to you depending on how far and what price we agree on."
 
If it spent most of its life around there it probably doesn't have much rust. The paint looks a little sun bleached and weathered. Pretty much the look that the rat rod guys go for. If it was 300 miles closer and I didn't already have another vehicle in the "project car" que after I get my existing X back on the road, I'd be tempted.
 
I think I recall this one listed on Craig'sList off and on for awhile. If it's the same one, he has sold some critical items off of it already, making it a 'parts car' at best.
Palmdale is a desert region, so maybe it's not as rusty as from some other parts of the country. However the myth of Calif cars being rust free is misleading. There is a large portion of the state that has as much rain/snow as many other states. And there is a large portion of the state that is along the coast line, with severe salt air decomposure. And even desert cars can be rusty depending on the circumstance. Also desert cars may not be as rusty, but they suffer sun rot that can be as bad as rust (in its own way). In fact, they are often plagued by both sun rot and rust; the sun destroys the paint to the point of zero protection and the body rusts from even mild/occasional water exposure.
 
A rust free, or mostly rust free, car is gold to folks in the rust belt. It's easy to find a rusted away donor to provide all the parts you need to bring a rust free tub back to life, but it's not easy to fix extensive rust (though many have!).
If you are looking to do a nice paint job on an X this might be a good tub to prep/paint.
 
Mike I agree. One point I was trying to make is don't necessarily assume it is rust free just because it is from Calif. Having spent my life there building too many cars to count, I will attest they aren't all rust free. But this one does not look to be too bad. Another issue however is the cost to ship a car from Cal to the rust belt. Especially for a car with only a couple hundred dollar value.
 
I’d buy it in a second. No rust on the access hatch in the rear trunk generally portends pretty rust free.
 
On the topic of rebuilding rusted cars. I don't watch much TV, pretty much only certain automotive related programming. Recently there was a show from a Texas customization shop where they wanted to redo a truck that was made from a Suburban and a pickup of some sort; maybe some of you saw it. By the time they cut away all of the rusted and otherwise damaged areas, they were left with literally nothing but a dash/cowl section. What got me was they continued to build it from just that, when there are millions of trucks in Texas that could have been used as a basis to start from.
 
kmead said:
No rust on the access hatch in the rear trunk generally portends pretty rust free.
Click to expand...
While typically I agree, the parts car I got not long ago has no rust around the access hatch area, but it has extensive rust through out the rest of the car. It's the one I showed a few pics of in the "rat/outlaw" thread.
 
I would tell Todd to buy it for all the non-AC heater parts he needs but I don't think he wants to pay to have it shipped to Maryland.
 
He could just buy it, let me pick it up, ship him the heater stuff he wants, and I'll find uses for the rest. :)
 
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