My first X1/9 what should I know

Dine

Dine

Nico
Acquiring my X:

I was in the market for my first car, being almost 17 it was about time to actually find a ride to call mine. Switched up my mind a whole lot, was looking at classic stangs, then Nissan 300zx's, and even some Porsche models. I didn't even know of the existence of the X1/9 until I came across one randomly, and that's all she ****ing wrote. Once I saw that **** I had to have one, so I ended up winning a bid on BaT but reserve wasn't met and the owner wasn't going lower so I had to let that one go (https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1977-fiat-x1-9-2/) <- link to auction go to comments scroll down and eventually you'll see the bids and see my tag "Dine" as the last one before it says reserve not met. I was pretty annoyed since I had yet to see one with such nice looking cognac-colored leather seats but oh well I'm not bovvered cuz I've just finished purchasing another X1/9 anyways (pics included are this one).

Actual topic of the post:

But anyway, the point is I'm a new member here, and a fairly young one at that, any bright ideas I should know about owning an X, anything considered sacrilege I should know about? I hear a lot about engine swaps for K20's, is that chill or what cuz I know there's got to be some Italian purists out there who don't want JDM hearts in an Italian body. And other than that just any little details or advice I should know before she gets here!
X.jpg X Ass.jpg X beauty.jpg InteriorX.jpg X engine.jpg
 
Dine said:
I hear a lot about engine swaps for K20's, is that chill or what cuz I know there's got to be some Italian purists out there who don't want JDM hearts in an Italian body.
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The car you are buying has already been modified a lot, so at this point there is no harm is taking it as far as you desire. It is your car after all, so let'er rip tater chip! K20 swaps are extensive and expensive efforts and not to be undertaken lightly. My advice would be to live with the car for a while before you dive into any more mods.

Good luck with your project Dine. I think you will definitely enjoy the car. It is especially nice to roll into a Cars'n'Coffee without running into a bunch of other cars identical to your own. I think the all the local guys in STL with Dodge Challengers are reduced to comparing billet oil cap designs to find some exclusivity to their ride. ;)
 
Jim,

Is there any billet oil caps for x19 ?

oups,maybe out of my range actually...:(

Dine, we have seen this car on this forum and there were many positive comments. Feel free to ask any questions here, we have a bunch of knowledgeable owners, even if most are old crooks! And there is NO stupid questions!
 
JimD said:
The car you are buying has already been modified a lot, so at this point there is no harm is taking it as far as you desire. It is your car after all, so let'er rip tater chip! K20 swaps are extensive and expensive efforts and not to be undertaken lightly. My advice would be to live with the car for a while before you dive into any more mods.

Good luck with your project Dine. I think you will definitely enjoy the car. It is especially nice to roll into a Cars'n'Coffee without running into a bunch of other cars identical to your own. I think the all the local guys in STL with Dodge Challengers are reduced to comparing billet oil cap designs to find some exclusivity to their ride. ;)
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Yeah keeping it as bought for a while was my initial plan just incase I fall in love with how it is when it arrives. Plus even if I decide I want to do mods, it's gonna be a minute til I can afford them. And I'm super excited to pull up to a show in it, simply from talking with mates and all that I've started to notice people who know about the X seem to absolutely adore it (even non-owners) and those who don't know the first thing about it seem to say a multitude of annoying things like assume it's expensive cuz of the design, or assume it's unsafe cuz of the size, assume it's unreliable cuz of the Italian heritage, etc. I'm just excited to get around more people who will know about it so I can talk about real **** and not explain why it's more affordable, safer, and more reliable than they think over and over again.
 
DanielForest said:
Jim,

Is there any billet oil caps for x19 ?

oups,maybe out of my range actually...:(

Dine, we have seen this car on this forum and there were many positive comments. Feel free to ask any questions here, we have a bunch of knowledgeable owners, even if most are old crooks! And there is NO stupid questions!
Click to expand...

Glad to know I'll be driving a known car in this community! Especially puts me at ease to know it's gotten positive reviews. And thanks for the tip I won't hold back any questions! I always feel the need to understand the attitudes on forums I'm new to, this one honestly seems like one of the best communities I've seen. Sounds like you all are very happy to help anyone out for even the most obvious questions. Some forums absolutely bash new users until the new users just don't say anything and only read threads to understand how they need to act. I don't feel that pressure here even in the slightest.
 
Dine said:
But anyway, the point is I'm a new member here, and a fairly young one at that, any bright ideas I should know about owning an X, anything considered sacrilege I should know about? I hear a lot about engine swaps for K20's, is that chill or what cuz I know there's got to be some Italian purists out there who don't want JDM hearts in an Italian body.
Click to expand...

My experience is that K20 and other swaps are well accepted by about 90% of the people on this forum. Of the other 10%, 9% would be kind enough to say nothing, or say something benign like "it's not to my taste". The other 1%... well you just have to ignore them. It's your car, yours to do with as you wish. One thing I love about Fiats and Lancia's is that they are not tremendously valuable, so few hesitate to modify them.
 
Pete Whitstone said:
My experience is that K20 and other swaps are well accepted by about 90% of the people on this forum. Of the other 10%, 9% would be kind enough to say nothing, or say something benign like "it's not to my taste". The other 1%... well you just have to ignore them. It's your car, yours to do with as you wish. One thing I love about Fiats and Lancia's is that they are not tremendously valuable, so few hesitates to modify them.
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That was the overall vibe I've been getting, seems to me like the community likes it as long as the owner is happy with it and having fun.
 
what do you need to know? #1 you already know it. you joined this community. #2 any even slight hesitation about how to do something, ASK here first. we are all looking for easier, quicker, better ways of doing things and most of us have been through most things you can do in these cars. one very quick example. Changing the clutch slave, although visually you can just change it out in place. 99% of us will agree that it is WAY easier to drop the pedal assembly AND do the brake master while you are in there. #3. even though I said ask here first, dont take that as dont try things on your own. most of what I know about cars I learned on an X19. they are actually very easy to work on. other than sometimes some things are a little tight. (small hands, or a friend with small hands is a good thing)
Welcome to the addiction. I have had an X19 in my possession (not the same one) since 1986.

Odie
 
autox19 said:
what do you need to know? #1 you already know it. you joined this community. #2 any even slight hesitation about how to do something, ASK here first. we are all looking for easier, quicker, better ways of doing things and most of us have been through most things you can do in these cars. one very quick example. Changing the clutch slave, although visually you can just change it out in place. 99% of us will agree that it is WAY easier to drop the pedal assembly AND do the brake master while you are in there. #3. even though I said ask here first, dont take that as dont try things on your own. most of what I know about cars I learned on an X19. they are actually very easy to work on. other than sometimes some things are a little tight. (small hands, or a friend with small hands is a good thing)
Welcome to the addiction. I have had an X19 in my possession (not the same one) since 1986.

Odie
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Sounds great Odie thanks for the reply. I'll keep that all in mind when working on my X. Very sound advice really preciate it bruv. Cheers!
 
The saying that applies best to mods that raise the power is: "Power cost money and more power costs MORE money".
Estimate what it will cost to do a transplant and then double it and you will be somewhere in the ballpark.
I have extensively modded an X and it is in it's second major overhaul resto. The first cost me $10,000AU.
 
Bienvenue Dine,
Members here are helpful and also knowledgeable about the X.
Welcome.

Yves
 
Welcome and congrats on buying a somewhat exotic, coach built true sports car from a bygone era.

I would buy some repair manuals for the car or at the very least download them. Personally I read the manual from front to back to get a better understanding of the actual mechanisms and approaches taken by the engineers in the design of the car. Having the Haynes manual and the factory manual offers different pictures and descriptions of how to take the car apart. I would rely on the factory manual for all torque values. Understand that older cars, particularly older Italian cars require a different approach than owning big iron or Asian burners. The materials it was built from and the mechanical approach to building it requires more maintenance and care than the cars of others around you.

As you learn to drive it the first rule is: do not rush shifts (power shift). If you do fast shifting you will destroy the transmission, not if will.

The second rule is (after changing the timing belt which takes a bit over an hour) feel free to use the full range of rpm this motor will support. This means go and visit the yellow range on the rev counter. This engine makes modest torque and loves to rev. Going above 6K will not hurt it (don’t over rev it either).

This is a car where you will never win the stop light Grand Prix so don’t try, it will however corner like nothing you have ever owned, by keeping the revs up and not having to slow down for corners you will be able to keep up with much ‘faster’ cars.

The third rule is learn how the brakes behave. No ABS, non vented brakes and no power brakes make it stop in a very different fashion from what you may be used to. Do some emergency stops on a deserted road and learn how to modulate the front locking which will occur with this set up. The brakes work very well once you understand how they work. Your right leg muscles will get larger while owning this car.

I would look for an autocross event in the area and start learning the way the car actually handles. You don’t want to find out how it spins out at the limit on some country road and punch a hole in some hedges backwards as you sail off the road, better in a controlled environment with the opportunity to make a mistake with little consequences.

Enjoy the car, it is one of the most enjoyable cars I have owned (I have had four of them to date). Treat it with respect, care for it and it will give you a life time of enjoyment.

If you do have to do something on the car do not proceed blindly on your own. The people here have had every possible thing fail on these cars that can and fixed it, they have the expertise and will share it. Ask for help so you don’t replace a part that doesn’t need to be or damage something inadvertantly. We can save you some time, effort and likely money.

All the best and welcome to a great hobby.
 
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