BuyingAdvice

Buying Advice

Especially with earliest cars, changes often did not coincide exactly with the model or calendar year, so it's not surprising to find, for example, a '79 with '78 characteristics. To further complicate things, these cars are so easy to work on and parts are so interchangeable, that over the years owners would mix and match freely. So if you find a car that doesn't seem to fit into any of these categories, don't worry about it. There's no premium for concours-style originality (although if you do luck into a true time capsule, please do try to keep it that way); you should be pay more attention to how well the previous owners cared for the car, how respectfully any mods have been done, and the presence or absence of rust.

X1/9 Mechanical components are quite cheap, but body repair work is expensive. It is best to buy the best car you can afford, paying particular attention to the body. Cars with any structural rust should be avoided. --Dom. 15:45, 17 August 2009 (UTC)

Background - North America

This section is pretty heavily biased towards the North American models, because that's what I know about. It would be a good thing if someone familiar with the European models were to put something in the section below.

The US-spec X1/9 came in three basic flavors:

• 1974-1978
• 1979-1980
• 1981-1987

have a carbed 1300cc engine, a four-speed transmission, and the shallow shelf-style dash, and a low engine cover that does not extend the width of the car. The '74 cars are also distinguished by a mechanical choke

1979-80, 1981-1987. Especially among the early cars

The 1974-78 cars

Background - European

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