lookforjoe
True Classic
2450 US
650 CDN
650 CDN
A person named Dierk in Germany used to maintain a list of USA serial # / VINs. The lowest number is 4823 dated 11/73, which would make sense as FIAT first brought the X1/9 to the USA as a 1974 model. If one assumes that FIAT started X1/9 serial numbering with 000001, then cars #1 thru #4282 were the first '72 and '73 models made for the home market and Europe. The highest recorded USA market serial #/VIN on Dierk's list was 166034 from 5/88. That also pretty much jibes with the last cars to be brought in thru Miro Kiefert's MIK Motors.
Again looking at the list, if you assume sequential numbers, then a VIN occurring in a gap between the numbers on the USA list could either be a VIN assigned to a car sold somewhere other than USA, or could be a USA VIN that was never specifically captured by the list as a USA VIN.
The point of this ramble is to say that it's a fair assumption to think that the highest known serial #/VIN number should represent the total number of cars built. Since the highest known VIN is 166034, one could say with reasonable accuracy that around 166,000 X1/9s were made over its lifetime. If there exists a still-higher VIN say in Italy, Germany, or the UK, then that car's VIN would tell us the ultimate quantity of X1/9s built.
I think most guesses are far too low. For fun I checked numbers of X1/9 in Sweden and here are 402 of them, and I assume 50% are in traffic. Sweden is a tiny country compared to US and the car was not very popular here. I thought X1/9 was rare here but obviously it's not. A different story with my other classic, a Ford Probe GT with only 70 cars left.
Yeah, I agree in a way. I bought it new 1993 so it is only 27 years old, but it feels like yesterday so I must be getting old too. But it is still looking modern in a way compared to most other American made cars from the early 90's.hah...interesting world in which a Ford Probe is considered a "classic" I must be getting old.
Yeah, I agree in a way. I bought it new 1993 so it is only 27 years old, but it feels like yesterday so I must be getting old too. But it is still looking modern in a way compared to most other American made cars from the early 90's.
I think there are more Mitsubishi Eclipse's still on the road here than the Ford version of the platform.
You are mixing it up Huss. The Probe is built on the Mazda MX6/626 platform. Very little Ford tech in it (which I appreciate). The MX6 never came to Sweden.I think there are more Mitsubishi Eclipse's still on the road here than the Ford version of the platform.
You are mixing it up Huss. The Probe is built on the Mazda MX6/626 platform. Very little Ford tech in it (which I appreciate). The MX6 never came to Sweden.
I think most guesses are far too low.
It’s worse than you think - the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association has a vintage Miata class.hah...interesting world in which a Ford Probe is considered a "classic" I must be getting old.
We definitely can’t let Daniel win by default! LolWell....we certainly have a wide divergence of opinions here.......
And thanks for playing along Bia. Up until your guess a couple of minutes ago, Daniel was the only Canadian who ventured into the fray...and would have won by default. Much as we all love Daniel.....we did not want to see that !!
I'll announce results...even broken down by year....and winners at 10 am Eastern time Friday morning.
Keep guessing til then.. Stay tuned.
I will win anyway...Well....we certainly have a wide divergence of opinions here.......
And thanks for playing along Bia. Up until your guess a couple of minutes ago, Daniel was the only Canadian who ventured into the fray...and would have won by default. Much as we all love Daniel.....we did not want to see that !!
I'll announce results...even broken down by year....and winners at 10 am Eastern time Friday morning.
Keep guessing til then.. Stay tuned.