Sometimes, we grow so accustomed to seeing a particular car in rough condition that we forget what it’s like to see an example that has been loved. That’s certainly the case with a vehicle like the Fiat X1/9, which may have had the chops on paper to be an enthusiast car darling but never quite rose to the level of collectibility as other Italian two-seaters. However, when an example like this that has clearly been preserved comes along, it’s a different feeling altogether. This is the one to buy if you’ve ever wanted this funky Fiat, and it’s listed here on craigslist for $13,400 in New Albany, Ohio.
The X1/9 certainly had the looks down, thanks to its styling by Bertone. With a name like that involved in the project and mid-engine configuration, you would think this car was almost guaranteed to be a collectible. But iffy reliability that was often exacerbated by a small dealer network and bodies that were prone to rust made living with an X1/9 a labor of love almost from the day it left the showroom. Still, they weren’t overly technical cars, so if you had the patience and mechanical know-how, a car like this could be driven and enjoyed, as this example clearly has been by the single family that has owned it since new.
The construction was not overly robust, with flimsy materials and delicate features throughout. I realize that’s subjective but it’s reflecting of my personal experience with these cars, which is just to say they didn’t take kindly to abuse or being left outside in the elements with the windows down and the top removed. It’s not like this was a W123-grade automobile that could seemingly survive a nuclear bomb going off. Despite the long-term family ownership, this Fiat still racked up an impressive 76,000 miles which is still low for the year but actually fairly high for a Fiat. It indicates the family drove this car semi-regularly and kept in outstanding shape while doing so.
You love seeing details like the engine bay stickers still present and matching paint under the engine lid. This Fiat is authentic in all the right ways while still showing excellent paint luster and no major pitting on the OEM Wheels. Black plastic surfaces are still lustrous and all factory badges are still present. Numerous components have been replaced, including the brakes, timing belt, tensioner, carburetor, engine gaskets, alternator, fuel tank, battery, ignition rotor, spark plugs, ignition wires, and much more. As I said, if you’ve been looking for an X1/9, this is likely the best you’re going to see for some time. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Pat L. for the find.
These were fun little cars when new, though no better than the 124 Spider I drove back then. Best about it was that like the Lotus Elan stimulating the MX-5, this was a touchstone for the MR-2. Dad bought a first-year Mister Mister which was a treat, though I’ll keep my 95M as long as I fit inside it.
Still, this is tempting…haven’t seen such a hi-mile FIAT in like ever.
@Fahrvergnugen, my first 128 had 325,000 miles on it (at about 3 years old). Then a kid in a Beetle ran a red light “because she was late for class.” It still ran well, but was too inconvenient as a “banana car” after she T-boned me. My last 128 had 375,000 miles when the motor was just too tired to go on. Unfortunately, that was in Ohio and I couldn’t find a reliable mechanic for a Fiat. (No, neither had all that many miles. My husband’s Jetta had 750,000 miles when the neighbor’s EX-wife thought it was his and took a hammer to all the glass.)
I would love to have this. A friend had a green X1/9, and he really didn’t have to slow down for any corners, with just narrow Michelins on it. I think they are attractive cars, and this seems to be a nice one!
Owned three of these over 25 years… Really fun cars… The proverbial slow car that’s fun to drive fast. Probably the most balanced cars I ever owned. It’s true, the interior materials were a bit on the “budget” side and aged quickly… but that really didn’t matter. The later FI cars had a little more hp and improved drivability, but the carb’d cars (as is this one) were still fine. Wish I still had one, but no room at the inn.
Mine was a 1300cc which was a great little car that just loved fast twisties but the later model had a 1500cc and my friend owned one that I drove and it was much better in a straight line and just as much fun in the twisties. South Africa had hundreds of them, if they didn’t rust away on the Indian Ocean coast, and now they are very collectable due to their good mpg.
Fiats often get a bad rap but, given proper care they are reliable, fun rides. The X1/9s 1290cc engine (plucked from the 128 Berlina) is a gem capable of spinning well in excess of 6500 rpm without breaking anything. Judicious selection of performance parts from Al Cosentino’s FAZA/Abarth bible (an almost incoherent jumble of engine, transmission, suspension parts, specifications and commentary) could turn a Fiat or Lancia into a giant killer track car as Al proved on SCCA tracks during the 1960’s – 1980’s.
The seller’s car would be a good candidate for adding performance upgrades and the price leaves lots of room to do so without breaking the bank.
To the new owner, I forgot to mention that in our hot climate they had a tendency to overheat so we fitted an electric fan and never had a problem.
I’ve had 2 of these cars so far, an ’81 and a ’79. I still drive the ’79 as often as possible, it loves to be driven fast on our SoCal mountain roads. I maintain the car myself and once I sorted it out, the car remains very reliable. These cars are fairly simple to work on, there are a lot of parts support and technical support forums to help keep them on the road. There are a lot of nice folks willing to help when you find them. If you buy one, learn what it needs and you’ll be rewarded with a fun collectible car. If you own on of these gems, it wouldn’t hurt to learn how to speak Italian.
I’ve owned three of these little gems. I’m 6’2″ and fit in them just fine. Tight but secure. Best slow car to drive fast. And had great handling. Pretty easy to work on, keep up the maintenance and it would serve you well for many miles. Best ones are the early ones with the easily removal bumpers. Took a lot of weight off the car. Add lowering springs and new shocks and suddenly you are able to drive without using the brakes very much. If you know what I mean.
Get any year mr2 and enjoy
I have owned 2 , a2000. And a 2003
Toyota build
Toyota quality
Buy , drive and enjoy
Claudio, I’m with you on the MR2 Spyder. It’s going to be one of those or a C5 / C4 convertible.
I almost went and looked at a beautiful blue Spyder but changed my mind at the last minute. I would have bought it for sure and it wasn’t the right time to spend money.
I loved the mr2’s but i needed more !
Upgraded to a boxster knowing the maintenance $$$
I wasn’t that bad , 1 coil pack and plugs in 3 years
I sold it to finance renos in a commercial building that i own
Bought a convertible c4 and i am surprised by the soft ride but great handling
Will upgrade to a c6 for many reasons , one being the steering wheel mounted shifter that i simply loved from my mr2& boxster
YOLO
Claudio, did you have the auto-manual in the MR2? I didn’t know they had steering wheel mounted controls for that.
The 2000 was a 5 speed manual but with my highway commute it revved too high for my liking
I upgraded to 6 speed emt if i remember right
That’s the ones with a chrome shifter and the buttons on the steering wheel
Celica ´s also had the option , it doesn’t shift like a ferrari but with both hands on the wheel in a curve , downshifting is a joy
The porsche had tiptronic and that too was great
Claudio, Yeah, I’ve read about that auto manual option for the MR2 Spyder. Sounds interesting, but I don’t know that much about it. Nice to know that it has the steering wheel controls, so it is like a Ferrari in some ways.
I would probably still prefer the manual, but if the right auto manual came up, I would definitely consider it.
Tiptronic gives u 5 programs in the tip of your foot, they engage in relation of how fast u press the gas pedal (& speed), it’s superb.
Hi
Not the tiptronic i owned !
I had a 2003 and in auto mode it was simply an auto
In tiptronic mode it did not up or dowshift without a tap on the shifter or a tap on the steering wheel button
I have not tried or owned the second generation of tiptronic wich has been renamed if i recall
A search will most definitely give you clear answers on this topic
I still have the 1980 X1/9 car with 400,000 km now. This car asks for perf upgrades from day 1. Exhaust, camshaft, higher compression, slotted disks, 2nd electric fan (& bigger cooler) in the provided space, bigger valves and you have the baby Ferrari that it really is, in a fraction of the cost. Once new i applied an anti rust coat, lately a change the valves with stronger ones so it accepts unleaded fuel. Changing the tires to 185/ ,alloy wheels & Koni shocks will improve an already excellent handling. U can do all of these gradually on a budget! (X)
400000 km… 250K miles… Impressive! None of mine got anywhere near that…
It’s true, all my Fiat buddies claim that these engine are good for 250K miles. Change the oil every 3K miles, tune them up, timing belt, filters, etc, and don’t overheat them.
According to the Porsche mechanic (dealership) some years ago, the faster you push the gas pedal it chooses one of 5 increasingly fast programs. The racing prog comes when u floor it within 1 second or less & i checked that repeatedly. Within manual if u overev it goes automatically to the next gear but this is not a recommended practice
A friend had one in HS, remember riding in it to go see Heavy Metal in San Rafael, pretty sure we were high. The good ole days. Always wanted on of these, till I saw the hp rating and the rust problems.
I owned a 1983 Bertone badged X/19. I bought it as a new “demo” in 1985. It sat in the new dealer lot (Pontiac Dealer/Fiat) for almost 2 years before I purchased it. I drove it very enthusiastically for a couple if years until it was t-boned by someone that ran a light. It was hit on the passenger side and I walked away with no injuries. I bring this up because my X/19 was clearly totalled in the accident and being 19 yrs old at the time I decided that since engine still ran fine I would conduct a little experiment with the engine. I decided to start the engine and floor it in neutral just to see what would happen. I commenced to floor the engine and it pegged the tachometer at 6500k+ rpms for FIVE STRAIGHT MINUTES after which time I let of the gas and it returned to a normal idle with no readily apparent damage. The insurance company hauled it off shortly after that so I have no idea the long term effects of the little experiment I conducted. I also remember that the top speed of mine was exactly 111mph. Mine was silver over charcoal exterior with a red leather interior. They were very well equipped cars when badged as “Bertones”.
In the ’80s I was living in southern New Hampshire and there was a small dealership that sold Bertone X1/9s, TVRs and I believe the Pininfarina Azzurra (re-marketed Fiat Spider)… and I remember they all would sit for a long time before they moved. Not a big demand for them at the time.
The last X1/9 I had met its end in the mid 2000s similar to yours… little girl with a fresh license, driving her grandparents car… cell phone in hand, ran through an intersection and took me out. My X was a ’86 Bertone with only 24k mi. Car was still driveable, but the body was severely tweaked… and because of how they built X1/9s with stressed exterior panels welded on, it would have cost a fortune to put right… so it was totaled.
Overheating is no problem. Just look when the car is lifted. There are ready 4 screws for a second fan and the space is enough for a cooling unit with double the water capacity. It ends up with 8 liters water capacity, (bulletproof!).