X1/9 Porn

[kmead]

As we all know these are sexy machines and in some ways it is always the things that are under that beautiful shell that are the sexiest.

Behold the unboxing:

And the most important

Thanks Steve, great job. Thank you very much ‘tis a thing of uncommon beauty.

 

[ecohen2]

Nice...

 

[raillard]

That is a work of art! It’s cute how after opening the first few flaps of the box it looks like the transmission was already itching to get out.

 

[Steve Hoelscher]

You are most welcome Karl. My pleasure to build a unit for you. I hope it provides as much enjoyment in the car as out.

 

[RJH]

Steve, What is the access square hole marked with 0, 5 and 10 degree for? Also, is this access hole used to lube the shift lever inside the trany?

 

[Steve Hoelscher]

Steve, What is the access square hole marked with 0, 5 and 10 degree for? Also, is this access hole used to lube the shift lever inside the trany?

That is the timing reference for the timing mark on the flywheel.

All of the transmission's shift linkage is internal to the transmission and thus lubricated by the gear oil contained inside.

 

[kmead]

You are most welcome Karl. My pleasure to build a unit for you. I hope it provides as much enjoyment in the car as out.

The pleasure is all mine, turning the lump in the garage Into something that moves is the difference between a museum piece and a sports car.

I don’t own museum pieces. This is the key to it becoming a car again and is something I wasn’t able to do on my own. You have participated in the resurrection of this car in a very substantive way. Thank you.

 

[Stoney#1]

As we all know these are sexy machines and in some ways it is always the things that are under that beautiful shell that are the sexiest.

Behold the unboxing:

View attachment 12334 View attachment 12335 View attachment 12336 View attachment 12337 View attachment 12338 View attachment 12339 View attachment 12340 View attachment 12341 View attachment 12342

And the most important

View attachment 12343

Thanks Steve, great job. Thank you very much ‘tis a thing of uncommon beauty.

Very nice, is that a brand new one or one you had rebuilt? Not many people are willing to sign their work now-a-days

 

[Steve Hoelscher]

I don’t own museum pieces. This is the key to it becoming a car again and is something I wasn’t able to do on my own. You have participated in the resurrection of this car in a very substantive way. Thank you.

 

[RJH]

$1,500 Cost to buy car
$1,000 Parts
$1,650 Trany Rebuild
$500 Tranny shipping
$1,250 Remove old trany install rebuilt and new clutch
$5,900 Current running total

*Also need to repair rear end collision damaged bucked rear quarter panel. Possible new clutch and brake MC and rebuilt calipers.

 

[kmead]

$1,500 Cost to buy car
$1,000 Parts
$1,650 Trany Rebuild
$500 Tranny shipping
$1,250 Remove old trany install rebuilt and new clutch
$5,900 Current running total

*Also need to repair rear end collision damaged bucked rear quarter panel. Possible new clutch and brake MC and rebuilt calipers.

Roughly. It’s still rising.

This proves the rule of buy the best car you can find. A cheap car is not always so cheap. The only thing on that list I won’t have to pay for is the transmission install. I do have to buy the clutch etc.

Careful what you wish for, but to be clear I am not sorry, its a hobby after all. I am making sure this fine car carries on into the future. Clearly with the help of others.

Very nice, is that a brand new one or one you had rebuilt? Not many people are willing to sign their work now-a-days

A rebuilt courtesy of our own Steve Hoelscher. Nice getting a signed piece of craftsmanship don’t you think?

Clearly an individual who cares for his work.

 

[LarryC]

Well, that is my current dream right there: Having Steve do a rebuild on my transmission. There are not too many things that you can get rebuilt these days by the absolute guru of that particular part. This is one. I suspect that the opportunity will not come our way again for a long time, or more likely, ever. I have got to take advantage of this opportunity before it slips away.

 

[RJH]

Larry, the solution is to swap out the entire engine and trany with a modern comparable size 1.5l engine. Problem, no one has made a kit for that yet. If you look online you can buy a 1 or 2 year old 1.5l, 130 hp Honda Fit engine for less than Steve's $1,650 trany rebuild price (no insult intended).

 

[Steve Hoelscher]

Larry, if you want me to rebuild your transmission PM me. I'll be glad to discuss the project with you.

Larry, the solution is to swap out the entire engine and trany with a modern comparable size 1.5l engine. Problem, no one has made a kit for that yet. If you look online you can buy a 1 or 2 year old 1.5l, 130 hp Honda Fit engine for less than Steve's $1,650 trany rebuild price (no insult intended).

Really? I know you said no insult intended but... Really? Karl posted this thread to show off his shiney new transmission, for which he is rightly proud, and you proclaim it is all wasted money and effort? That doing a completely untested swap is "the solution"?

Time, effort and money spent on most "car projects" are a negative return on investment. That's nothing new. If we were that concerned with you're idea of "the solution" then why bother with an X1/9 at all? Just buy a nice, clean, 10 year old Miata and be done with it. That's far cheaper, faster and easier (and therefore more logical) than restoring a neglected, 35 year old, X1/9.

Did anybody buy an X1/9 for its ROI? Not very likely. Therefore, the people that buy and enjoy these cars care not about logic but instead emotion. They have a passion for these cars and that's why they do what they do.

Me personally? I have driven a Honda Fit. Even raced a Honda Fit. I have even raced a Formula Ford equipped with a Honda Fit engine (recently Homologated). And I wouldn't consider doing a Honda Fit swap into an X1/9. That engine doesn't have the character of the SOHC Fiat motor and would not be rewarding to drive at all.

 

[Andy]

Gotta side with Steve on this one.. One might be able to purchase a FIT engine for less than $1600, but it doesn't just bolt in.
Rebuilt transmision is garrunteed to fit the car with no modifications needed.

 

[Paul Valente]

I could be out of line, RJH but it just seems like you are angry about something. Sometimes when I'm having a bad time on XWEB or see that people that rub me the wrong way are very active, I take a few months off. No sense in making yourself miserable about cars. Come back later and give it a go again and hope for better results. Works for me.

 

[Paul Valente]

Roughly. It’s still rising.

This proves the rule of buy the best car you can find. A cheap car is not always so cheap. The only thing on that list I won’t have to pay for is the transmission install. I do have to buy the clutch etc.

Careful what you wish for, but to be clear I am not sorry, its a hobby after all. I am making sure this fine car carries on into the future. Clearly with the help of others.



A rebuilt courtesy of our own Steve Hoelscher. Nice getting a signed piece of craftsmanship don’t you think?

Clearly an individual who cares for his work.

It's is endemic among X1/9 owners that they are really really "economical". Few seem to want to fix things right, pay for quality parts or services (like Steve is offering) or pay more than scrap value for a car. The results of which are:

• Near-zero investment by vendors in producing new parts and therefore rising running-costs
• The high cost of ownership to car value ratio leads to deferred maintenance
• Deferred maintenance leads to a vehicle population of horrible examples
• A population of horrible vehicles leads to zero appreciation
• which leads back to the top of the list. Repeat as necessary.

Yet, the official pass-time of the FS&W Forum is devaluing people's X1/9's that are for sale on Craigslist.
I'm sure Matt and Chris and Ramzi and Csaba et.al. would love to invest in X1/9 parts but they know no one will buy them if they cost more than a Honda part. And while they are all enthusiasts, this is how they make a living so they aren't going to cut off their nose to spite their face.

Just my observation and I'm not thinking of anyone in particular. Your opinion may vary.

 

[AKimball92]

A rebuilt courtesy of our own Steve Hoelscher. Nice getting a signed piece of craftsmanship don’t you think?

Clearly an individual who cares for his work.

Are you going to clear coat this to keep the signature on there for eternity? Careful with it, this could be worth money some day. Maybe mount it as a dining table center piece and install another? It keeps the business flowing and the artwork alive!

Steve you should sign with a paint pen instead of marker to make it last

 

[Rodger]

$1,500 Cost to buy car
$1,000 Parts
$1,650 Trany Rebuild
$500 Tranny shipping
$1,250 Remove old trany install rebuilt and new clutch
$5,900 Current running total

*Also need to repair rear end collision damaged bucked rear quarter panel. Possible new clutch and brake MC and rebuilt calipers.

Not sure what your point is here. I assume that everyone is here on the forum because we all have an irrational affection for the X1/9. I see that there are three basic camps here on the forum. 1) Those that cherish the car in all it's original Fiat/Bertone glory and want to keep that originality for the most part in spite of it's quirks and shortcomings. 2) Those that want to keep them basically all Fiat, but are willing to spend a lot of time and funds to try and wring the most performance out of the SOHC Lampredi design. 3) Those that appreciate the basic platform and layout of the X1/9, but want the performance and reliability (?) of a non-Fiat drivetrain and are willing to spend the time, money, and effort to blaze into sometimes unknown territory. I for one, belong in two camps, 1 and 3. I am fortunate that I have the ability to spend the money I want on my hobby, which are these cars. People take up hobbies for the love of it, not necessarily for return on investment. Others need to be more frugal. Throwing out some numbers to try and make Karl (or others) feel stupid about spending more money on the car they love and want to keep, rather than on some untested non-Fiat engine swap seems totally inappropriate. Ok, I'm done now.

 

[Rodger]

Are you going to clear coat this to keep the signature on there for eternity? Careful with it, this could be worth money some day. Maybe mount it as a dining table center piece and install another? It keeps the business flowing and the artwork alive!

Steve you should sign with a paint pen instead of marker to make it last

Now, I have to go out and look at mine that I just got back and see if Steve signed it. If not, he is going to have to pay for shipping back and forth to do it, haha.