My 1974 X19

M

moretti124guy

Daily Driver
OK so I was selling my bumpers but some questions were raised as to what it is. The car is titled as a 1974, the car is a manual choke 4 speed car. It was a med green color, with what looks like red interior, and it has one Red floor mat that has white Bertone logo on it. The front bumper I was told is custom and the rear bumper is from a later model. But I can't find any info. The car was poorly painted sometime in the 80's to a golden brown color, brown seat covered. There is green paint under all the gold including on the front spoiler.

The front and rear bumpers are Aluminum including the one piece front bumper. The front spoiler is steel and molded in. The rear bumper brackets don't look like the have been changed. But in 35 years a lot can happen.


A few of you asked for photos.

x192001.jpg


x192004.jpg


x19003.jpg


x19002.jpg





Here is the aluminum rear bumper: It looks different then the other bumper I have seen online.
new001.jpg


Here is a pic of a car almost the same color mine is painted and the rear bumper looks different.

x19rear.jpg
 
The double rail bumpers with the 'small' rubber ends (like your first picture) indicates that your car is a '75 with a build date in '74. Since it has a manual choke, I would guess a very early '75.... I'm sure others more knowledgeable will chime in.
 
Clearly a '74...

...no doubt about it.
Numerous '74 specific cues.

Rear bumper is definitely '76-78,
having shorter rails and different ends than '75.
Has OE '74 bumper mounts in body,
with '76-78 bumper adapted to those.

The " '76-78 X with white plate" bumper may appear different,
since it retains black inserts on the rails,
and has bumper pads relocated from OE,
but is same as bumper adapted to blue plate X.

Front spoiler looked molded in FS post.
If so, removing radiator could be challenging.

Looks like nice solid car.
'74s have many unique to the year features,
and are the holy grail of Xs to many X-heads.
Thx for pics.
 
The rear bumper mounts don't look modified at all, and they have a spacer plate and matching hardware. The front spoiler is all metal and is part of the body panels. So here is the question is the car worth restoring to "stock" whatever that is or am I going to be hated by the X-community for modifing this car?

I had already planed on some fairly major body mods.

Also does anyone havd a photo of the correct rear bumper that should be on my 74?

Anyone have any info on that front bumper? It is made out of one solid aluminum bar that is contoured to the body of the car with a peak in the middle point of the nose, it looks like factory brackets or someone did some amazing fab work to CNC this bumper and then mount it.
 
i have a 74. found in fontana, completely stock and all there. drove it. it was fun, back lacked real fun, so i rapped it. heres the pic u asked for. im changing alot but not on the outside, since it is a 74. thats basivly the road i took with my 70 spider. outside is period correct, under the hood is totally unique. my son lives in fontana, has a 74 doing almost the same thing as me, but with more ponies. i have an 80 also, kind of a throw away car, so im toying with different things to the body on that one, it it dosent come out the way i like, ill scrap it
fiatx19010.jpg

heres the front
x19048.jpg
 
I wonder where this front bumper came from. I would love to find a set of the original rear bumpers like that but I am guessing they are few and far between.

As far as body mods, I have built a number of custom cars, and some cars for SEMA show etc... I was thinking some fairly radical changes, venting the rear with round tail lamps like a Ferrari 360, one peice rear deck lid/engine cover with a Abarth style scoop, fender flairs, etc... Kind of a modern version of the Abarth rally car.
 
I think the front bumper is a custom job. Nice, but custom. Probably inspired by a local policeman's "encouragement". :whistle:
 
No worries about mods...

...X-heads aren't slaves to virgin stockness.
No one hates anyone...even the few 'tudes that turn up
are met with kindness and forgiveness until the
peaceful vibe of Xweb guides behavior naturally.
Ergo...either the 'tude, or the dude, will disappear
and all live in harmony.

Hence, feel free to do what turns your crank.
Mild, wild, in-between...it's all what YOU prefer.
No Bloods vs Crips when it comes to Xs.
We all are bretheren.

If'n it were me, I'd keep the unique front bumper,
and see about creating a matching rear bumper.
You won't find a mate...it's a one-off fabbed piece.

OTOH, if I were going in radical direction you propose,
I'd be bumperless.
 
Last edited:
budgetzagato said:
I think the front bumper is a custom job. Nice, but custom. Probably inspired by a local policeman's "encouragement". :whistle:
Click to expand...

I got pulled over the first week i owned my car and a day after I removed the bumpers. The cop asked for my license and my friends, ran a warrent check, asked if the car was mine, and then sent us on our way. I think he wanted to get a closer look at it. Didn't care one bit that it had no bumpers, or no front plate. :nana:
 
Your right you old Rascal, I can't think of one X here in Oregon that still is running and driving on a regular basis and is still 100% percent stock. Probably a few around, but overwhelmingly most X's have been tweaked a little. Just to make you jealous, I am taking advantage of the nice day to paint my new 20x10ft cement floored addition I built onto my garage this week. Room for an X for sure, but will probably fill it with non-essentials to the hobby like power equipment and gardening stuff, to free up my main garage to be more X-friendly. Also adding another 18ftx25ft of gravel parking for the horde of vehicles.

Jed Clampett
(Couple of Fiat's, nothing fancy)
 
I ain't no Old Rascal...I'm olerascal...

...just for rubbing my nose in your new facilities,
you can come help me lay pavers in 19x55 area.
Approx 4400 of 'em...
 
here some pictures

here is a 98% original 74 US specs, needs some parts on the engine and wrong size tires or brand but this is the right one for your pourposes.












This is an Ad for X1/9 i don't know the year but is 1975-1978 US specs, front side lights change a little bit thru this years.







Your front bumper is custom and back were adapted, see the bracket on the car, the rear bumper came from 75-78 models

extrasmallrbrbadgezv7.jpg

Ricardo
X19/79
 
The green is the color I am planning on painting mine, the original color was a darker green from what I can see in the engine compartment.
 
Casting a Vote for Originality

My opinion is that those who have stewardship of a '74 car have a higher calling to strive to keep their cars original as much as possible, and certainly not do anything to the car that cannot be undone.

In fact, I think there is :innocent:Reserved Parking:innocent: in the heavenly cosmos for such people who have acquired a '74 and work toward righting the wrongs that may have been done to the car in its lifetime.

If you have the mod bug, Rey's technique of working that out with a second car seems to be a great idea:)
 
Oh Lordy...forgive me for ending the lives of 2 '74s...

...sent to be recycled into Kias.
Fact is...neither were terminal.
Simply more resto than I wanted deal with.
Virtually valueless to pass on intact.
Grim reaper summoned as more intact Xs were found.
A decision not made lightly.
A decision made under duress of no options.
Other than passing on more saveable,
tho' less desireable, later models.
However, VIN's live on as "rebodied" '74s.
As such, and with prayer that my contribution to saving many more Xs,
will allow forgiveness by Heavenly Father.
 
Ok so lets say I spend a ton of money "restoring" this 1974 back to 100% stock, its still worth what $4,000 dollars? I am not disparaging the cars, but X1/9 are not valuable, we all buy them because they are cheap to buy and cheap to run compared to anything else that is Mid-Engine and Italian.

I am planning to do some major mods, my main interest in the car as a 1974 I don't have to smog it in the Peoples Republic of California, and besides bad repaint to brown, and the bumper of unknown maker, the car is largly stock. I see how the project evolves, and keep everyone posted on my progress. I just don't see the value in spending thousands to build a car that looks like everyone elses, and is not worth any more for the effort.
 
Geez Mike

I guess I can see your point.... BUT....
Many of us have spent nearly that on our cars just to make them look pretty -
Wheels, 'accessories', stereo, :bla::bla::bla:

Nevermind the restoration part.

I think it's more the passion than the value.
 
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