X1/9 style/design custom modifications
- Thread starter Dr.Jeff
- Start date
dirtywaterfab
Daily Driver
You're reading my mail, Dr.Jeff!I like 15" wheels on the X. To me anything smaller looks anemic and anything larger looks too modern. I think a 50 series tire will work on 15" wheels depending on the width. The taller tire profile gives the wheel/tire combo more of a vintage look.
Another reason I'm not going larger than 15" is avoiding unnecessary weight - from what I've read the Miata suspension design is very sensitive to increases in unsprung weight. So my goal is the lightest 15" x 7" / 15" x 9" F/R Miata wheels I can afford, along with a big brake kit as my car will not have power brakes, nor power steering.
dirtywaterfab
Daily Driver
Speedline 215/40ZR17 / 265/40ZR17. Wheelbase lengthened 140mm
More detail here, Google Translate requred: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbi...astuksetropaaminen-ja-väsääminen-kunnostakin-
More detail here, Google Translate requred: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbi...astuksetropaaminen-ja-väsääminen-kunnostakin-
I think we need to play the game of "Where did they lengthen it 140mm (5 inches for those who use bananas to measure)" My guess is at the top of the rear strut towers. I was thinking the doors first, but I think the space needed to be made in the engine compartment side. Wheelbase also seems to have grown on the rear by 140mm on each side! I do appreciate how understated this one is.
I do appreciate how understated this one is.
kmead
Old enough to know better
CAR BRAND, MODEL AND YEAR:
Fiat X1/9, 1981
TECHNICAL INFORMATION:
Power approx. 550 Hp
Top speed +300 km/h
Acceleration (0-100) 3.9 s
WHAT CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE CAR?
Body changes: wheelbase extended by 140 mm, widened by 250 mm, front and rear wings extended from the original ones, skirts and hood made of aluminum, weight 960 kg
Chassis: Bilstein Coil-over
Rims: front Speedline 17x7 3.os 215/40ZR 17, rear Speedline 17x10.5 3.os 265/40ZR 17
Brakes: front 332x32 Alcon, rear 328x28 Alcon, calipers Porche turbo 911 (Alcon)
Engine: Fiat 2000cc 16v (standard 1500cc 85 HP!) now about 550 HP, Holset hydrid, intercooler, WISECO pistons, injectors MSD 4x1000cc, fuel pumps 2xBosch, connecting rods PO-Metal Oy, exhaust and supercharger pipes AMW, clutch Ap-racing 950 Nm , drive axles Karpiola, rear spacing 3.11 or 2.9, performance 0-100 Km/h 3.9 s (with street tires), top speed +300 Km/h, Haltech engine control, AMW dyno service adjustment
WHAT CHANGES WILL YOU STILL MAKE?
Roll bars, bonnet, tuning the lights to modern times and of course more engine power.
Last edited:
Bryce-o-rama
True Classic
Both came from the pen of Giorgetto Giugiaro.
Steve Thomas
True Classic
all of that and what looks like a smaller radiator air inlet. Even if the plate was not there - possibly the dumbest place to put a plate BTW.
Steve Thomas
True Classic
Mika Salo at the wheel.
dirtywaterfab
Daily Driver
What do you think of the 17" wheels? Overpowering or does it work? I do like how the wheel arch "eyebrow" has been raised. Still, I don't know about wheels this large on such a small car.
dirtywaterfab
Daily Driver
To my eyes this is the perfect wheel/tire setup: Front: 15x7 0 offset 225 45 R15, Rear: 15x8 -12 offset 225 45 R15
This X was restored by Midwest Bayless and I believe is still in their ownership.
This X was restored by Midwest Bayless and I believe is still in their ownership.
dirtywaterfab
Daily Driver
Here I am prattling on about these beauties, you guys certainly know more about them than I do.
dirtywaterfab
Daily Driver
Reposting the pics, Gramps doesn't know what happened...
Dr.Jeff
True Classic
This is the car I was referring to earlier (post #221), with the rear quarter panels moved out to widen the fenders. My comment* was how that made the rear body line look flatter rather than slope downward. The picture I saw of it was more from a rear quarter view.
*"Your altered images remind me of a highly modified X I saw a pic of. It had widened the rear fenders by moving the entire quarter panels outward. And that gave the overall shape of the rear half more along the lines of what you are proposing."
Dr.Jeff
True Classic
It is difficult to compare the wheel size on a highly modified body with a relatively stock body. So what looks proportional on the MWB car (15") with small flares may not on the lengthened racer with 17" wheels.
Dr.Jeff
True Classic
I guess that depends on how one defines a master.
kmead
Old enough to know better
For a highly modified car one can do what one wants. There are all kinds of meh things about the design of that car, however it’s his and it seems to work. Everything has been worked over on that car so looking at that and then looking at what may be in your garage are very different things. He seems to be happy and has very deep pockets for his toy.
Braden’s car is all kinds of outrageous all over the place and is intended to be that, so it works. Hussien’s car is another which has been fully worked to manage large wheels and tires so it can deliver on the performance he has added, his approach is more integrated and follows where one might expect that version of the body to have developed into.
Personally I really prefer wheels and tires which have some meat to the sidewalls and a period appearance to the wheel design. I prefer the car to have the primary characteristics when driving of the original which is light and flingable. I like the wheels to be just inset or at most flush with with the original flares.
However, to each their own. A well executed design which balances the many components creates the sum, some do it well and others not so much.
To me a 15” wheel is as large as the X, without major mods, would want to go.
Braden’s car is all kinds of outrageous all over the place and is intended to be that, so it works. Hussien’s car is another which has been fully worked to manage large wheels and tires so it can deliver on the performance he has added, his approach is more integrated and follows where one might expect that version of the body to have developed into.
Personally I really prefer wheels and tires which have some meat to the sidewalls and a period appearance to the wheel design. I prefer the car to have the primary characteristics when driving of the original which is light and flingable. I like the wheels to be just inset or at most flush with with the original flares.
However, to each their own. A well executed design which balances the many components creates the sum, some do it well and others not so much.
Dr.Jeff
True Classic
I agree. To me 15" wheels still allow for enough tire sidewall to fulfill that preference, although that puts their overall circumference slightly greater than the stock tires. However I consider that to be a good thing as it improves the final drive ratio for a street driven X. I don't worry about any effect that has on speedo accuracy, especially since it was not accurate to begin with.
Also 15" wheels/tires allows the fender well openings to be 'filled', which cannot be achieved with smaller ones. This, combined with some added width and a bit of lowering, achieves the flush fit Karl described.