What defines an exotic car? Distinctive styling by a celebrated coachbuilder, advanced mechanical components, and intangible presence? Rarity combined with a particular badge? Each of us likely has our own definition, sometimes boiling down to: “I’ll know it when I see it.” The Fiat X1/9 has so many of the right ingredients, but it’s rooted in more ordinary fare, as a sequel to the 850. Fiat launched its new model in 1972, but it took until 1974 to reach our shores. US regulators insisted upon 5 mph bumpers in 1975 – resolved by the installation of ladder-bars across the entirety of the front and rear. This ’74 is still bestowed with the tidy corner bumperettes, and a surprise in the engine bay as well. Bidding on eBay sits at $2225, with a $6500 buy-it-now price in play. The car can be driven to its new home from Exeter, Rhode Island.
From ’72 to ’78, the X1/9 was supplied with a 1290 cc SOHC four-cylinder derived from the 128’s powerplant, uprated with an aluminum sump and a higher compression ratio. Output came in at 75 hp. The engine is mounted transversely ahead of the rear axle; cooling is courtesy of a radiator slung under the front of the car, with long tubes feeding back to the motor. The gas tank is right behind the driver. Suspension is MacPherson struts all around, and gear changes are handled by a four-speed transaxle. The result is a well-balanced go-kart of a car that feels much faster than its resume. Our seller indicates that this engine has been rebuilt. The intake system has been upgraded with what appear to be twin SUs wearing velocity stacks; the exhaust was also improved. The hydraulics were refreshed, and the seller promises us clean shock towers.
Fiat equipped the X1/9 with leatherette bucket seats, large gauges, a modicum of ventilation controls, and a pop-off targa top. The top stows in the front compartment. This car’s instrument panel has been modified – rather than being buried behind a panel of plastic, the gauges are embedded in a silver fascia. Hooray, I say – anyone who has tried to read an X1/9’s gauges with that plastic glaring in your face knows it’s nearly futile in the daylight. I’ve taken to using a dang headlamp to read mine’s output when ferrying down a sun-filtered tree-lined road.
Marcello Gandini at Bertone designed Fiat’s diminutive sports car – yes, the same guy who penned the Countach. I’m not here to liken this tossabout to a Lamborghini, but if you can’t afford the latter, you can certainly spring for an X1/9, and I guarantee you’ll laugh all the way through the twisties. This one isn’t perfect, but it’s worth a look if you want a malleable sports car that could rally in the Spring, go to the track in the Summer, and impress your friends at shows in the Fall.
They DO handle like a good go cart, mine was a 1976, black with gold stripes and tan seats. But with a belt running the cam on an interference engine, coupled with a kid that drove it like a muscle car…well I’m just going to say that I had a lot of problems. If I didn’t already have 3 little sports cars, I might give an X/19 another go.
I did the same to my 1985 Honda CRX. It was the Japanese version of a street legal go-kart in the 80s. Not fast, but light enough to toss around in the corners kind of fun. When that belt goes, you have a 1200lb boat anchor you are pushing home.
Good point, both of you – I forgot to mention to take care of that belt! Car is cheap, got to set aside money for the upkeep too. The good news is that engine swaps are common and performance parts are readily available. Classic Motorsports has some great tips to help keep these little guys healthy and running strong.
https://classicmotorsports.com/articles/tech-tips-fiat-x19/
Growing up in a time where FIATs started to gain a little (very little) market share in the Boston area, my dad bought two in the mid 70’s. a 131 Brava and a 128 3p. Needless to say they spent some time in the shop and I’d accompany my dad when we’d go for service. I’d drool over these cars in the showroom. I still love the idea of them but they seem like more trouble than they’re worth. Who knows, maybe someday. They certainly wouldn’t take up much room in the shop!
Looks like there’s a kit for doing a K20/24 swap on these. Probably not an easy job, but easier than an LS swap.
Midwest Bayless makes these. They also supply about anything you’ll need for older Fiats.
I still drive my 1974 X1/9, my first new car. Although limited on power, that was offset by incredible handling. Yes this is as close as you can get to a street legal go cart as there is. My engine and transmission have never been out but that cam belt maintenance was a hard lesson to be learned. With only 28k miles I lost the cam timing belt, bending 6 valves. Fiat invented the cam belt but they didn’t perfect it., That mistake wouldn’t happen again. After 52 years of fun and smiles the power is noticeably down and I’m ready for a K20 transplant. That kind of horsepower increase is what gearhead dreams are made of. I can’t wait for X1/9 2.0.
Watch for shock tower rust…. well, rust anywhere. it is a Fiat.
No worse than your average ’70s vintage Plymouth Duster…
When it comes to fending off the insidious Dark Lord of Oxidation, comparing a Fix-It-Again-Tony to a Mostly-Odd-Parts-And-Rust is a pretty low bar. Still, these are great looking little runabouts and I’m sure they are loads of fun. But when it comes to street legal go-carts, I think I’d have to give the nod to my 1600 lb. 200-hp rotary-powered Maxton Rollerskate roadster. Though the idea of a Honda K20-swapped X1/9 does sound very cool. GLWTA
Nice writeup Michelle, I had this exact same car, year, color and all! Drove it on my first wedding day in September 1982. Went to Gatlinburg TN and around the smokies and never skipped a beat which was rare. I was spending at least$100 a month taking it to Toney and eventually traded to an 80 Honda Civic DX with the 2 speed manual and never had a problem with that one!
Thanks – and that Civic DX was a great car. Still is. People are paying more than they sold for new to get a good one these days!
Again praise for your knowledge for Europe’s cars Michelle but 1)The engine is not a Fiat sourced, it’s an Abarth design that was ordered by Fiat and Carlo Abarth secretly raced it as an Abarth 1,500cc car in the USA for 2 years before delivering it to the Gruppo in 1972. They transformed it to the 1,300cc until 1978. It looks similar but nothing fits inside, different wider openings for coolant, lubrication, wider struts in different positions. My mechanic when i did a rebuilt at 350,000km ended up with a set of Subaru Impressa struts that fit exactly (the 300hp Impressa Turbo struts!). The Gruppo decided not to use the engine in any other Gruppo car because it was costly (exception the Lancia Delta automatic). 2) It was for some time built in Laborghini’s factory and it shares the latches for the 2 rear bonnets with the Countach that can be also locked with the engine key. Keep up the good job!
New auction. Seems it didn’t hit the reserve.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/198357116889?itmmeta=01KRP6TP3QNM7WAAZ2DHC85TB0&hash=item2e2f0167d9:g:X4QAAeSw-Bhp-e5P
The fact the Italian cars rusted with vengeance is a known fact. This X19 appropriately priced has began its relationship with the “Tin Worms”, however with some careful remediation, the buyer can forestall this unfortunate aspect of the car. Someone will own this and nicely priced.
In my neck of the woods, most cars of similar vintage “rusted with vengeance”… Fiat was no better or worse…
Owned 3 of these over a 25 year span… first was an ’80 with the carbureted 1.5L, the second was an ’84 with the injected 1.5L and the third was a Bertone badged ’86 with FI. All three had the latest bumper design which was probably the cleanest implementation of 5 mph bumpers in the industry up until that point (think rubber bumpered MGB for comparison). Probably the most fun one can have on 4 wheels… the definitive “slow car that’s fun to drive fast”. The later FI cars had the best drivability, and had the fewest tuning issues. Highest hp and torque of the bunch (not that they were all that high). Silly trivia…. Legend has it the X1/9 was only one of two cars that passed a NHSA crash test that was being proposed in the late ’60s, early ’70s (a 40~50 mph barrier impact and a high speed roll over). The other car that passed it… the Volvo 240 sedan. No Detroit car tested survived that test (actually the cars survived, but the passengers would not have)… the proposal was later dropped.
Well said L.P. It was so solidly built that not only survived the NHSA crash test that no other car in the world survived (except the Volvo 240 you mentioned) but due to this body ultra solid nature it was winning in Italy all the races against legendary cars by Alfa, Lancia of the Gruppo. The Gruppo management was pissed off (a Fiat ahead of Alfas and Lancias is not allowed) and stopped the X1/9 from competing, dissolved its racing team, forcing the architect (yes, not an engineer) in charge to quit in anger the Gruppo altogether. It took almost 20 years, advanced complicated calculations requiring computers (used also after 1978 in civil engineering i was a student at the time as well) to explain why it was winning. Two words: solidly built therefore less flex in turns. 20 years mystery solved!
A coworker bought a new 74 X19. At that time, I owned a 67 Unipower GT which had a Mini Cooper engine/trans moved to midship position. It had more power than the X19 and weighed at least 500 pounds less. Now, let’s talk about “go kart handling.” The Unipower easily out performed the X19.
Better get the FluidFilm can out, ASAP. Because it looks like the tin worm has started dining.
I loved my ’74. It was white with black interior. Drove it from Maryland to Cape Cod with my wife and 3yo in the passenger seat with the top off all the way. While it was possible to actually go out to the garage at night and hear it rusting, it eventually succumbed to the snapped timing belt.
My Freshman high school science teacher drove one for the 1973-74 school year. Next year, when I was a Sophomore, she had replaced it with a Ford Mustang II Ghia! She sticks in my memory because all of her male students, myself included, thought she was both young and hot, LOL!
These were better when the engine got bigger and the carburetors were replaced with Bosch Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI), in 1980, when they became Bertone’s, I think. GLWTS!
FWIW… the Bosch L-Jetronic injection was phased-in in the 1980 model year… same with the Spider 2000. Fiat stopped building the X in ’82 and transferred production to Bertone (who had always built the bodies anyway). Starting ’83 the cars were badged as Bertone and sold as such in the US. This was a Malcom Bricklin thing (for those that remember that name). Initially there was an attempt to move the car upmarket with fancier interior materials and exterior finish… the market didn’t respond well, so that was abandoned… I believe production ended in ’89…
Thanks for the update! They say the first thing to go is your memory, LOL! Now if I can just remember where I left my car keys…
US $2,225.00
4 bids
Reserve not met
US $6,500.00
Buy It Now
Bidding ended on Fri, May 15 at 6:32 AM. The seller has relisted this item
https://www.ebay.com/itm/198357116889
Ah the memories, i think a 1981 X-1/9 in silver over black was my first new car, bought a year out of high school. Lots of fun had in that little car. I remember the brake pads were horrible, I could not keep the dust off the aluminum wheels.