Jefco
daily driven if I drive daily
I'd like a NOS X1/9 please..z
December 1972 production date! in green!
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The "I'd Pay Stupid Money For......" Thread
- Thread starter Dan Sarandrea (Phila)
- Start date
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kmead
Old enough to know better
I'd like a NOS X1/9 please..
December 1972 production date! in green!
Winner
Larry
True Classic
That is correct - at least from what I saw.
These aren't black - they're silver in color, but very lightweight compared to the aluminum(?) the CD-58 center caps are made from. I test fit them onto my CD-58s when they arrived and they did fit. I was told they were for CD-27s since they're different from the center caps for the CD-58's.
I'll have to track them down and will post some pictures. If things work out right, I should be able to find them this weekend.
Larry
Jeff Stich
True Classic
One basic cap design fits both the CD-27 & CD-58, but there are variations both in material used (steel or alloy), & stamped-in script (CROMODORA or FIAT) or no script. Most of the scripted caps were silver, with the non-script caps most often being painted black, usually with a chrome Bertone "b" emblem attached in the center (sometimes the color-theme was reversed).
Bertone originally used the CD-27's on the European 850 Racer Berlinetta (circa early 1968), & the CD-58's on the X1/9 a few years later. As far as I know, the FIAT-scripted caps were not used on the 850, with the other 2 cap styles being shared between the 850 & the X1/9.
Bertone originally used the CD-27's on the European 850 Racer Berlinetta (circa early 1968), & the CD-58's on the X1/9 a few years later. As far as I know, the FIAT-scripted caps were not used on the 850, with the other 2 cap styles being shared between the 850 & the X1/9.
Dan Sarandrea (Phila)
Waitin' On Parts...
I always liked the look of the CD-27 Corsa wheel, but with that crazy "toothed belt cog" detail along the rim, I would think they would be a nightmare to keep clean
Mechanogeek
True Classic
I had a set on my first new car (purchased new from the dealer), a 1976 Fiat 128 Sedan. I loved those wheels. I had them in Alaska, and they held up surprisingly well through the winters of salt and sand. Could have also been affected by the fastidiousness of the owner.I always liked the look of the CD-27 Corsa wheel, but with that crazy "toothed belt cog" detail along the rim, I would think they would be a nightmare to keep clean
Larry
True Classic
That makes sense. As I recall, the CD-27 caps feel much lighter than the ones for the CD-58's.
Jeff Stich
True Classic
Not all - there were alloy caps, as well. Back in the '90's when I had sets of both CD-27 & CD-58 wheels on hand, I had no center caps. I wanted the CROMODORA-script type, but all I could find were FIAT-script ones (used - most of them found in England). I bought 'em anyway, usually in singles or pairs, until I had enough to form a couple sets. They were all the alloy type, which made it a little easier to hammer out all of the dents, dings & creases in them, but some suffered surface corrosion issues due to water (wet weather &/or storage).
I later was fortunate enough to cobble together a couple sets of the stainless-steel Cromodora-script caps I'd wanted (for my CD-27's & for my friends X1/9 CD-58's), & sold off all of the alloy Fiat-script ones (both here on Xweb & via eBay). This was late-'90's/early-'00's era.
Btw, the retainer tabs on the stainless-steel caps tend to be stiffer/springier & hold their shape a little better than those on the alloy caps (ie: the steel caps stay ON the wheel). We lost 2 of the alloy caps (2 different occasions) before we decided to just drill the thin lip of the wheel hub & the side of the cap, & use thin safety wire as a secondary cap-retainer method. Really tiny holes & thin wire, hardly noticeable but very effective.
kmead
Old enough to know better
Proving yet again that I don’t know what I am talking about...
Excellent information and experience Jeff, thank you.
I am not surprised an alloy one would come off with regularity, aluminum has very little springback. Jeff VanDyke and I modelled these in plastic for printing but had very little success due to the nature of the printed parts so the springy legs would just snap off. Fast forward a few years and I think they could be made out of all plastic or preferably plastic with a spring clip to interact with the inside of the wheel basket.
Excellent information and experience Jeff, thank you.
I am not surprised an alloy one would come off with regularity, aluminum has very little springback. Jeff VanDyke and I modelled these in plastic for printing but had very little success due to the nature of the printed parts so the springy legs would just snap off. Fast forward a few years and I think they could be made out of all plastic or preferably plastic with a spring clip to interact with the inside of the wheel basket.
Dan Sarandrea (Phila)
Waitin' On Parts...
Proving yet again that I don’t know what I am talking about...
Excellent information and experience Jeff, thank you.
I am not surprised an alloy one would come off with regularity, aluminum has very little springback. Jeff VanDyke and I modelled these in plastic for printing but had very little success due to the nature of the printed parts so the springy legs would just snap off. Fast forward a few years and I think they could be made out of all plastic or preferably plastic with a spring clip to interact with the inside of the wheel basket.
Hi Karl, I didn't know you helped Jeff with that little project! Jeff sent me the caps that were printed, it was a valiant effort much appreciated but they lost something in the translation from metal to plastic, I'm sure due to material limitations more than anything else...certainly not for lack of trying!
Dan Sarandrea (Phila)
Waitin' On Parts...
.....Btw, the retainer tabs on the stainless-steel caps tend to be stiffer/springier & hold their shape a little better than those on the alloy caps (ie: the steel caps stay ON the wheel). We lost 2 of the alloy caps (2 different occasions) before we decided to just drill the thin lip of the wheel hub & the side of the cap, & use thin safety wire as a secondary cap-retainer method. Really tiny holes & thin wire, hardly noticeable but very effective.
One curious characteristic of these caps is that when the retainer tabs are not as snug as they should be, the caps have enough free play in their wheels to actually rattle/clatter as you drive! I cut some adhesive-on-one-side foam tape into thin strips and applied it to the flat part of the retainer collar flaps between the tabs with the bumps. It is concealed in place, seems to add quite a bit of retention friction to the fit, and of course stops the clatter
I considered some sort of double-sided foam tape but figured that it would create too much grip and then invite issues when it comes time to remove the wheels. 
Larry
True Classic
Sorry for the slow response. I had to track them down.
They say "Fiat" on them. They're relatively light so I'm assuming aluminum - also because I was told the set I have on my CD-58s are aluminum as well by the guy that restored them for me some number of years ago (when they were painted gold and the wheels gold and black).
I've got 4 of them - they're in pretty good shape. I took some photos but only have 3 photos here. There are some dings in some of the caps that you can see in some of the photos.
Attachments
Dan Sarandrea (Phila)
Waitin' On Parts...
Hi Larry, thanks for checking! If they were the Cromodora or b-Bertone type, I would have been ready to wheel-and-deal! (I got two kidneys but NO Cromodora caps! LOL)
Larry
True Classic
I'll look around. I have 1 set of Cromodora caps but those are currently adorning my '79. Given all the Fiat "stuff" I've collected over the years, I might have gotten a 2nd set at some point in time.