Looking for X 1/9 mechanical expert (in their minds or others) in Orange County, Ca.

tvmaster

tvmaster

True Classic
Hi there. I’m hoping to become a new owner of a X 1/9. Currently drive a 500 Abarth. But being a newbie, I’m looking for someone who feels comfortable giving a technical/mechanical opinion on a particular one I’ve found to purchase.
If anyone knows such a wizard in the Orange County, Ca. area and can offer that support, either as a favor or a fee, that would ease my mind that I’m not purchasing a car with hidden problems beyond my non-existent expertise with these beauties.
Actually, I don‘t mind a car with problems that need fixing, but it’s always good to know what your getting into at the start, right?
Can anyone help? Looking forward to being an owner :)

EDIT - thanks for moving? I just thought this was a 'mechanical' question as opposed to 'general discussion'. I'll keep learning as we go along :)
 
Last edited:
tvmaster said:
Hi there. I’m hoping to become a new owner of a X 1/9. Currently drive a 500 Abarth. But being a newbie, I’m looking for someone who feels comfortable giving a technical/mechanical opinion on a particular one I’ve found to purchase.
If anyone knows such a wizard in the Orange County, Ca. area and can offer that support, either as a favor or a fee, that would ease my mind that I’m not purchasing a car with hidden problems beyond my non-existent expertise with these beauties.
Actually, I don‘t mind a car with problems that need fixing, but it’s always good to know what your getting into at the start, right?
Can anyone help? Looking forward to being an owner :)

EDIT - thanks for moving? I just thought this was a 'mechanical' question as opposed to 'general discussion'. I'll keep learning as we go along :)
Click to expand...

Welcome!

I'm no pro, but I'm sure when the X'perts do chime in, the single most important thing they're likely going to advise you to be truly hawkish about before "investing" in an X.. is.. .. RUST, RUST, RUST.. BODY, BODY, BODY.

Oxidation of the metal, sometimes deep within pockets of the unibody "skin" and near mounts and supports, has probably been the single greatest achilles heel that has landed most Xs in junk yards over time, rendering them too cost prohibitive for most to justify repairing. Later models tend to have somewhat better rust resilience, but they all can be vulnerable.

Do a search on here (and in the archives) for "rust" or "rust check", and you will find posts about the key areas of the car to throughly inspect for rust. Some of them are quite hidden.

Also search for "buying" or "buying checklist". It's valuable knowledge.

If it's a life long Cali car, or car that has only been primarily in the arid South West, you may be fine. But check it carefully nonetheless. But if it's been just about anywhere else and has been outside a lot, be especially vigilant. Find out as much about the car's history (especially related to location) as you can.

Beyond the body, if is a reasonable price relative to overall condition, and assuming most of the systems are still functioning reasonably well, you almost can't go wrong. Almost every system in the car can be gone though and rebuilt for "relatively" low cost in parts.

Most here do this "refresh" of the various systems themselves. You can get help with almost any DIY repair or upgrade related to the X here, from this great knowledgeable group, and from various manuals and guides. If you plan on doing that, it's relatively affordable to be in the X game -- at least compared to owning other classic vehicles. (Any vintage car ownership can be costly, of course. And keep in mind you will have to invest in some tools, which can add up, though they don't need to be expensive ones.)

But if you know you aren't going to put the time in to doing your own hobbyist wrenching, which is part of the satisfaction and joy of X ownership, then that's when you really want to take extra time (and/or spend a little more) to make sure the car is in more of a "turn key" ready to drive condition. Then you can take it to a specialist mechanic and throw money at it when you need to.

I certainly recommend taking the DIY route when possible. You learn a lot, it's satisfying, and saves $. But everyone has their priorities.

Beyond that, find out as much about the car as you can, and post that detailed information here. Take photos all around, under the car, then engine bay, and of all the compartments, if the owner will allow it, and share them here.

Or better yet take a thorough tour video of all of the above, including starting and riding in the car if it's operable, post on YouTube, and share the link here.

That might help for starters, short of someone going with you to see the car.

I have a feeling you might find someone here to go with you anyway. But this is a start.
 
Last edited:
adream8 said:
Welcome!

I'm no pro, but I'm sure when the X'perts do chime in, the single most important thing they're likely going to advise you to be truly hawkish about before "investing" in an X.. is.. .. RUST, RUST, RUST.. BODY, BODY, BODY.

Oxidation of the metal, sometimes deep within pockets of the unibody "skin" and near mounts and supports, has probably been the single greatest achilles heel that has landed most Xs in junk yards over time, rendering them too cost prohibitive for most to justify repairing. Later models tend to have somewhat better rust resilience, but they all can be vulnerable.

Do a search on here (and in the archives) for "rust" or "rust check", and you will find posts about the key areas of the car to throughly inspect for rust. Some of them are quite hidden.

Also search for "buying" or "buying checklist". It's valuable knowledge.

If it's a life long Cali car, or car that has only been primarily in the arid South West, you may be fine. But check it carefully nonetheless. But if it's been just about anywhere else and has been outside a lot, be especially vigilant. Find out as much about the car's history (especially related to location) as you can.

Beyond the body, if is a reasonable price relative to overall condition, and assuming most of the systems are still functioning reasonably well, you almost can't go wrong. Almost every system in the car can be gone though and rebuilt for "relatively" low cost in parts.

Most here do this "refresh" of the various systems themselves. You can get help with almost any DIY repair or upgrade related to the X here, from this great knowledgeable group, and from various manuals and guides. If you plan on doing that, it's relatively affordable to be in the X game -- at least compared to owning other classic vehicles. (Any vintage car ownership can be costly, of course. And keep in mind you will have to invest in some tools, which can add up, though they don't need to be expensive ones.)

But if you know you aren't going to put the time in to doing your own hobbyist wrenching, which is part of the satisfaction and joy of X ownership, then that's when you really want to take extra time (and/or spend a little more) to make sure the car is in more of a "turn key" ready to drive condition. Then you can take it to a specialist mechanic and throw money at it when you need to.

I certainly recommend taking the DIY route when possible. You learn a lot, it's satisfying, and saves $. But everyone has their priorities.

Beyond that, find out as much about the car as you can, and post that detailed information here. Take photos all around, under the car, then engine bay, and of all the compartments, if the owner will allow it, and share them here.

Or better yet take a thorough tour video of all of the above, including starting and riding in the car if it's operable, post on YouTube, and share the link here.

That might help for starters, short of someone going with you to see the car.

I have a feeling you might find someone here to go with you anyway. But this is a start.
Click to expand...
I may be able to learn some basic things, but as an older guy who’s better with TV / computer tech, I doubt I’ll be rebuilding engines or carbs. Would you say, as a mid engine, they’re easy or difficult to work on for the average, trained American mechanic (aka “FIAT? Haven’t seen one of those in years...”) :)
 
tvmaster said:
Hi there. I’m hoping to become a new owner of a X 1/9. Currently drive a 500 Abarth. But being a newbie, I’m looking for someone who feels comfortable giving a technical/mechanical opinion on a particular one I’ve found to purchase.
If anyone knows such a wizard in the Orange County, Ca. area and can offer that support, either as a favor or a fee, that would ease my mind that I’m not purchasing a car with hidden problems beyond my non-existent expertise with these beauties.
Actually, I don‘t mind a car with problems that need fixing, but it’s always good to know what your getting into at the start, right?
Can anyone help? Looking forward to being an owner :)

EDIT - thanks for moving? I just thought this was a 'mechanical' question as opposed to 'general discussion'. I'll keep learning as we go along :)
Click to expand...
I know that Snow's auto repair in Orange used to have several X1/9's in the back. Been a while since I've been by there, but probably a good place to say hi.
 
tvmaster said:
I may be able to learn some basic things, but as an older guy who’s better with TV / computer tech, I doubt I’ll be rebuilding engines or carbs. Would you say, as a mid engine, they’re easy or difficult to work on for the average, trained American mechanic (aka “FIAT? Haven’t seen one of those in years...”) :)
Click to expand...

First things first -- what year is the car?

'74-'80/81 are carbed; '80/81-'89 are FI. The Weber carbs on these cars are very well engineered and actually aren't super hard to work on, but the FI car are probably overall easier to keep running well and more "layperson" driver friendly. They stay running efficiently quite well.

You don't have to go so far as to rebuild the engine, but replenishing the fuel system, cooling systems, suspension, swapping alternators, fuel pumps, thermostats, brakes, electric connectors, etc. is all within reach for average peeps.

But if you don't want be bothered with any of that, or a lean budget is not a primary concern, -- ie. if you ARE going to take it to a mechanic, you DEFINITELY want to take it to someone who is well familiar with the car. There are a few (though they're becoming scarcer) good professional X mechanics around SoCal. You want to take it to one of them. It's worth it. If you hear, "Haven't seen one of those in years," I suggest you GENTLY slide the trans in reverse and ease right outta there. Too many things to break or go wrong when those who don't well know the quirks, pitfalls, and specs on the car. Yes, even with professional mechanics.

Check out Allison's Automotive in Upland. He's been working on these cars forever. He knows them in and out and will do things right.

And he's pretty much just a straight shot north from you. Not too far, depending on where in the OC you are. So that could work out well.

In fact, short of finding someone here to go with you to look at the car, you could ask the owner to drive it to Allison's and pay Mark to do an inspection before you buy it. That would be ~$100 well spent. He'll be able to tell you exactly what needs to be done, and maybe even give you some indiction if the car's worth the asking price.
 
Last edited:
tvmaster said:
I may be able to learn some basic things, but as an older guy who’s better with TV / computer tech, I doubt I’ll be rebuilding engines or carbs. Would you say, as a mid engine, they’re easy or difficult to work on for the average, trained American mechanic (aka “FIAT? Haven’t seen one of those in years...”) :)
Click to expand...

Also be sure to peruse the X1/9 Wikipedia page thoroughly. It will give you a general broad understanding of the car's history, design, engineering, evolution, etc.

en.wikipedia.org

Fiat X1/9 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

And then check out the X1/9 Wiki. The link is on the Xweb home page.

Otherwise, practically ever question you can think of, or any information you could want, is buried in these forum pages and archives.

Do searches liberally.

Take notes. And then ask questions here if/when you get stuck.

Good luck!
 
I recommend Snows. I can't tell you what they have been doing the last 10-15 years, but for a long time before that they were racing X1/9s. First dad, then John and Dan. If they're still around they know X's inside and out.
 
Rust on the exxe is not simple or can ever be generalized. Pre 1980's exxe have much the same if not identical rust problems as any mass production moto car built from that era. None are exempt from rust issues. There are plenty of restoration images of all brands with absurd amounts of rust... if the moto is a Porsche, Mercedes, or etc remarkable resources and $ will be applied to "save" it due to their market value. Watch this video of a "rusty" TR6, body looks rust good, frame.../

Later production exxe after 1980's and specially after mid 1980's have the same rust treatment as any high quality moto from that time.
Keep in mind Bertone built limited production cars for many other brands which mandated specific corrosion treatment with Bertone installing the facilities needed to support this customer specification... which Bertone applied to the exxe as it was their product.

Having said this numerous times in the past, the all rusty exxe myth needs to die as it is FAR more complex than the widely believed myth of rusty Fiats and Italian cars in general.

Bernice

adream8 said:
I'm no pro, but I'm sure when the X'perts do chime in, the single most important thing they're likely going to advise you to be truly hawkish about before "investing" in an X.. is.. .. RUST, RUST, RUST.. BODY, BODY, BODY.
Click to expand...
 
Rupunzell said:
Rust on the exxe is not simple or can ever be generalized. Pre 1980's exxe have much the same if not identical rust problems as any mass production moto car built from that era. None are exempt from rust issues. There are plenty of restoration images of all brands with absurd amounts of rust... if the moto is a Porsche, Mercedes, or etc remarkable resources and $ will be applied to "save" it due to their market value. Watch this video of a "rusty" TR6, body looks rust good, frame.../

Later production exxe after 1980's and specially after mid 1980's have the same rust treatment as any high quality moto from that time.
Keep in mind Bertone built limited production cars for many other brands which mandated specific corrosion treatment with Bertone installing the facilities needed to support this customer specification... which Bertone applied to the exxe as it was their product.

Having said this numerous times in the past, the all rusty exxe myth needs to die as it is FAR more complex than the widely believed myth of rusty Fiats and Italian cars in general.

Bernice
Click to expand...
Wow, that’s enough to scare anyone away who can’t disassemble the entire car before deciding. Yikes. Oh, what is ‘exxe’ short for?
 
addictedpunk said:
I live in central Los Angeles. I’d be willing to lend a hand and provide an opinion on said car.
Click to expand...
Great, thanks. I take it from your list you’ve done some work on these cars, engines, transmissions etc.? If you have a fee/rate can you PM it to me here? Shouldn’t take more than an hour in Costa Mesa if needed, plus your travel time. :)
 
Rupunzell said:
Rust on the exxe is not simple or can ever be generalized. Pre 1980's exxe have much the same if not identical rust problems as any mass production moto car built from that era. None are exempt from rust issues. There are plenty of restoration images of all brands with absurd amounts of rust... if the moto is a Porsche, Mercedes, or etc remarkable resources and $ will be applied to "save" it due to their market value. Watch this video of a "rusty" TR6, body looks rust good, frame.../

Later production exxe after 1980's and specially after mid 1980's have the same rust treatment as any high quality moto from that time.
Keep in mind Bertone built limited production cars for many other brands which mandated specific corrosion treatment with Bertone installing the facilities needed to support this customer specification... which Bertone applied to the exxe as it was their product.

Having said this numerous times in the past, the all rusty exxe myth needs to die as it is FAR more complex than the widely believed myth of rusty Fiats and Italian cars in general.

Bernice
Click to expand...

I want to clarify that I wasn't suggesting that rust isn't an issue on other cars of that era, nor was I attempting to perpetuate the myth of rusty Fiats.

I was pointing out that checking for rust thoroughly throughout the frame should be priority number one for any newbie contemplating buying a stock average X, if they want to be fiscally prudent, and if they have any intention of keeping it and investing any money into it over time.

I don't think that's a point of contention.

As someone who somewhat naively bought his first X in WI, I know something about dealing with hidden rust pockets years later. I have no regrets -- I had a ball with that car. But now it's hard to justify the high cost of restoring the body all these year later. Budget is an issue for me, so it's cheaper to buy another one. So it's worth considering right from the start. A note to my younger self, as it were.

That said, Bernice is brilliant about these cars. I've learned a lot from her. Read every post she's ever written. 😎
 
Last edited:
Italian cars can have some special rust issues. These cars are getting old, so just understand what you are getting into.
 
ted83x said:
Italian cars can have some special rust issues. These cars are getting old, so just understand what you are getting into.
Click to expand...
Thanks. We’ve been led to believe by the seller that rust is not an issue on this vehicle, but yes, we are on the lookout for sure
 
MikeHynes said:
I recommend Snows. I can't tell you what they have been doing the last 10-15 years
Click to expand...
Wow, I hadn't thought about them for decades. Are they even still around? If so then they should be a good resource.

Someone mentioned another well known Fiat specialty repair shop in SoCal (I won't name names). I have been hearing very poor things about that shop for several years now. Besides I've always felt their expertise was with 124's and not x1/9's. Personally I wouldn't recommend them but that's only my view.

Sadly there aren't too many options. I don't recall the names at the moment but there were two Fiat shops up toward the north side - around Pasadena or the valley I think? Although I believe they are no longer in business. Try asking Papa Tony (@Black-Tooth) if he knows if they are still around. I never had any personal experience with either.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top