What did you do to your X1/9 today ?

dllubin said:
Hi Denny:

The calipers were all cleaned up and greased last fall. I even power wire brushed the sliding surfaces so they were all smooth. The symptoms seem to be hydraulic since if you let the system sit a while, the wheels spin freely. I think I can tell which wheels have the worst hoses by how long it takes for the pressure to release. Even though the hoses were new when the car was last on the road, they are now 24 years old. The originals only lasted 20 years so I'm not surprised.

I am anxious to get your old engine out on the highway and see how it performs with the modifications. I can tell you that it at least sounds pretty nasty. If my tags arrive before new hoses, I'll just take it out for a spin without hitting the brake pedal!
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It was just a thought........came to me after the 81 test drive, but you had that possibility already covered. Interesting how they "relax" after sitting awhile.
I think that you need to have a camera recording the expressions on your face when you take it for the first drive. You should also apply "Chap stick" to your lips, so they won't crack when your grin reaches past your ears. ENJOY!
 
I have been a busy boy.
Finally got around to making a sunshade top for the X19. I am going to take it out for a test run in about an hour from now.
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I have a shower cap to fit over it that I am still working on the clips to hold it in place. It will serve while parked but I want to be able to drive with the cap in place.
I have also been working on my super duper sun visor with the tinted screen for those bright lights at night.
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It is done except that I am waiting for the tinted plastic I ordered.
You can barely see the temp clear piece but that is how it will sort of look when all is done.
 
dragonsgate said:
I have been a busy boy.
Finally got around to making a sunshade top for the X19. I am going to take it out for a test run in about an hour from now.
View attachment 23439 View attachment 23442 View attachment 23440 I have a shower cap to fit over it that I am still working on the clips to hold it in place. It will serve while parked but I want to be able to drive with the cap in place.
I have also been working on my super duper sun visor with the tinted screen for those bright lights at night.View attachment 23441 It is done except that I am waiting for the tinted plastic I ordered.
You can barely see the temp clear piece but that is how it will sort of look when all is done.
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Interesting top. Looking forward to hearing how it works on the road. I like the visor too. Have you ever tried one of the Tac Visors?
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dragonsgate said:
Finally got around to making a sunshade top for the X19.
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Excellent. That is what I was thinking about for a lightweight top that breathes. Similar to the Jeep "sunbrella" tops. There was a discussion where I posted some samples of various top materials that could be used: https://xwebforums.com/forum/index....ight-convertible-targa-top.36139/#post-314606

And I recall you had previously made a lightweight soft covered top, in another discussion: https://xwebforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/lightweight-roof-and-door-card-pockets.32522/

Please start a thread and detail what you did this time. I'm still very interested in making a 'breathable' version. I have a top that had been damaged so it will make a good candidate to cut up as my alternative top.
 
Dr.Jeff said:
Excellent. That is what I was thinking about for a lightweight top that breathes. Similar to the Jeep "sunbrella" tops. There was a discussion where I posted some samples of various top materials that could be used: https://xwebforums.com/forum/index....ight-convertible-targa-top.36139/#post-314606

And I recall you had previously made a lightweight soft covered top, in another discussion: https://xwebforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/lightweight-roof-and-door-card-pockets.32522/

Please start a thread and detail what you did this time. I'm still very interested in making a 'breathable' version. I have a top that had been damaged so it will make a good candidate to cut up as my alternative top.
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I did make a lighter top by cutting out sections and the stretching vinyl over it.
I cleaned up another top I had and painted it to match the car and like the look so have been running it and the lighter version has been hanging on the wall so I stripped the covering and used it for the breathable version.

I used black mesh that you can get in garden supplies.
I used some adhesive, brand name Leech that is basically the same a liquid nails, and stretched and glued the mesh onto the chopped up top, hit some of the glue spots that showed with black vinyl paint then put some of the trim back on.

The vinyl that I took off will work as a clip on cover with minor modification in the case of rain.

I guess one could keep a regular top in the frunk and run the sun shade then in the event of precipitation switch them out.

Took my wife to brunch to meet with a group that gets together on Tuesdays with the intention of taking a trip out to the lake but wound up having to go back home to get a bigger car to take the mother in law to the store so only got about 7 miles with the sunshade top but it seams like it will work nice.
I have a bikini type screen that I have used in the past and liked it.
It is a little more open that this new style top but still lets the air circulate.

The temp was getting close to 80 by eleven pm. so felt pretty good for the short drive, got all the way up to 40 mph at one point, but around 1 pm. on the trip in the Dodge it was getting on to 90 degrees so had the AC going.
As I was driving started thinking at 90 degrees I would probably rather have the solid top on the X and have the AC going in it.
https://xwebforums.com/forum/index....ight-convertible-targa-top.36139/#post-314606 Pretty much covers what is needed to do.
 
dragonsgate said:
I have a bikini type screen that I have used in the past and liked it.
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Was that for your X? I think we threw around that idea also. Something that had no real framework, but attached at the front/rear and stretched across the top. I proposed an idea of using removable fiberglass poles like those pop-up tents have to stretch it between the windshield post and targa bar. That way it could be rolled up and stored behind the seat, leaving the frunk available for a hard top.

In my area rain isn't an issue so I'd be tempted to leave the sun top on. However it is way too hot most of the year to use it (AC is mandatory), so it would only be during the very brief periods of decent weather between winter and summer.

I also like the concept of a foldable framework with cloth cover, like the Porsche 911 Targa has. But that would be more difficult to design.
 
In one of your pictures I see what looks like gauges in place of your heater controls (and the garage door opener that you put in place of the rear view mirror), I would like to see how that works out. And what did you do for heater controls?
 
The bikini top was for the X19. I used some stainless steel rod sewn in on each end of the cloth and I then made four plastic tabs for the front bent so they hooked over the chrome trim on the windshield and four plastic tabs for the back that hooked over the rear chrome trim.
It worked OK but looked kind of redneckish.
It was super light weight and easy to store.
It was getting ratty so it is now stuck on a shelf somewhere.

As Dr. Jeff said the car is electric so batteries have filled the space where a top can be stored.
I have come up with a couple designs for a folding top something like the Porsche but nothing that I like so far.

Rod, the gauges you see are left to right Amp, Volt and analog clock.
For heat I have 1000 Watt ceramic heater and for A/C I have small six pack cooler that I pack with ice and pump cold water through a small aluminum oil cooler that a fan blows air through.
The out let for the air is the stock vents in the console.

The heater is adequate up to about 35 degrees and the A/C works pretty good with an outside temp of 90.
I put the A/C in last summer and was happy with the results so this year when I charged it up with ice it started out blowing cool air, I usually get a reading of 40 degrees at the vent, but this time by the time I got to the end of my drive way, one tenth of a mile, the air was noticeably warmer.

I went on and got my errands done with about 70 degree air coming out and not really keeping the car comfortable.
When I got home started trying to figure out what the problem was.

Last year I had three two liter soda bottles cut in half that I froze water in and then put in the cooler and it worked fine.
This year I didn't have the bottles frozen so dumped the contents of the ice maker in the cooler.
When I turned on the pump it would start circulating the ice water then a sliver of ice would suck up against the pump intake and restrict the flow of water so I will have to make a screen or just use block ice.

I have not had a rear view mirror for quite a few years and have not missed it.
The car is so small you can see all around easily so the two side mirrors are more than adequate.





ally
 
After waiting for over 2 weeks for my registration from CA DMV, I checked my bank account and the check had not even been cashed yet. I scoured the DMV website in hopes of find a number where I could talk to a real person. I got stuck in one of these menu systems that kept taking me to some useless topic. Finally, I decided to press "0", which was not an option, but it got me on a ~90 minute wait to speak to an agent. After about 30 seconds, it asked me if I wanted a callback when my turn came up. I said "yes", and about an hour later a woman from the DMV called me back. I described to her my situation and she looked up the status of my application. She could find absolutely nothing wrong with what I sent in and could not figure out what the holdup was. She put me on hold for about 10 - 15 minutes. When she returned, she told me that she spoke with 3 different people and none of them could figure out what the holdup was. The only thing that they could think of was that perhaps it was being held up for a SMOG certificate. However, 1974 cars are SMOG exempt in California. She found a manager to sign off on my application and said it should be processed quickly. She also told me that the department that handles mail in registration forms (I had no choice, since vehicles coming off non operational status require mail in) is very short staffed and 30 day wait times can happen. I'm hoping for a better result now. I suspect that if I never called, it may be winter before I could drive the car!
 
I suspect that if I never called, it may be winter before I could drive the car!

Unbelievable!! I used to complain all the time about the DMV in NJ. When it was State run it was like entering the Seventh Circle of Hell.
Then they privatized it. Had a rough few years after the transition, when things were pretty much the same as before. Now, after they revamped the whole privatized system again...it's AWESOME!!! The last 3 times I had to go "inside the belly of the beast" I was in and out in less than 30 min!!!
NJ may have one of the highest cost of living indexes, be the most expensive state to buy car insurance and have ridiculous real estate property values and taxes...but at least you can get in and out of the DMV before you grow a beard!
 
dllubin said:
She also told me that the department that handles mail in registration forms (I had no choice, since vehicles coming off non operational status require mail in) is very short staffed and 30 day wait times can happen.
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In Calif I recall waiting 30 days in line at the office for my turn.


Tom Ginefra said:
Then they privatized it. Had a rough few years after the transition, when things were pretty much the same as before. Now, after they revamped the whole privatized system again...it's AWESOME!!!
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I've always thought going privatized would be an improvement for just about any government operation...couldn't be any worse. Especially things like the DMV, Postal Service, etc. Glad to hear it actually worked elsewhere. I can only hope it happens everywhere.

EDIT: I just realized, in a way the DMV has sort of gone private in Calif if you are a Auto Club member. And as you say, it works amazing.
 
After a two year hiatus, I've pulled my X back out of storage. The cj has been officially upgraded to driver's status, so I can focus by repair efforts on the X again. I need to replace the head gasket and do some electrical troubleshooting. I'm debating whether I should upgrade to the tipo head and gsxr itbs I have while I'm at it.
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X1/9Cruiser said:
The wheels are Campy 14 inchers but I don't know their proper name.
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They looked bigger than the typical 13" wheel so I thought they might be a modern 15" replica of something. I was going to check histowheels.com to see if I could find them, but the site seems to be down at the moment, at least from my little corner of the internet.
 
Dan Sarandrea (Phila) said:
They looked bigger than the typical 13" wheel so I thought they might be a modern 15" replica of something. I was going to check histowheels.com to see if I could find them, but the site seems to be down at the moment, at least from my little corner of the internet.
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Dan,

I believe histowheels is no more. I went to the Wayback Machine and found very incomplete archives of the pages. Most of the pictures are gone, but I did manage to find a fairly complete Cromodora page and saved it as a PDF. I need to poke at this some more and see what other backups may be out there in the ether.
 
tonyism7 said:
I'm debating whether I should upgrade to the tipo head and gsxr itbs I have while I'm at it.
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Do you already have the tipo head converted ready to mount? The ITB's will be used with a aftermarket ECU? I'd enjoy hearing the details of both of those projects, maybe you could start a thread about them.

Old school CJ, looks pretty clean. My brother has one like that but his is just a pile of rotting junk.
 
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