It is a debate that has raged on many occasions here at Barn Finds. It is the question of whether a famous owner impacts the potential value of a classic car. In essence, it comes down to the vehicle and person in question and whether they are linked within the public psyche. A perfect example is any Pontiac Trans Am owned by the late Burt Reynolds. One of his cars went to auction recently, and it sold for a figure way beyond average market value. That brings us to this 1974 Fiat X1/9. The lady leaning against its nose is Crystal Smith. That name may cause a slight stirring in the back of some minds, so allow me to elaborate. She became known as “Miss September” during the 1970s and 1980s as one of the famous Playboy Playmates. She is the car’s sole owner, using it as a daily driver for years. The time has come to delve deeper into the story of this Italian classic.
Some classic cars enjoy a longer production run than others, and some survive the rigors of passing years with more grace. The Fiat X1/9 was a survivor in the automotive world. Launched in 1972, it remained in production until 1989. However, these little classics were also prone to the type of rust that tends to plague so many Italian cars from this era. That fate hasn’t befallen this Fiat, making it a genuine survivor. It needs a new home, so the owner has listed it for sale here on eBay. The X1/9 is located in Las Vegas, Nevada, and strong bidding has pushed the price to $5,125 in a No Reserve auction.
Finished in its original Rosso Red, this little Fiat presents exceptionally well for its age. The seller indicates that the paint is original and has never received any restoration work. With that thought in mind, the shine that it holds is impressive. There are no patchy spots and no signs of crazing or other issues. The panels are almost perfect, with only one small bruise on the driver’s side front fender worth noting. The best news for potential buyers is that this is a Fiat with no rust problems. It has spent its life in California and Nevada, and not only do the panels look clean, but the underside is equally spotless. There isn’t any evidence of any significant surface corrosion and no penetrating rust. That remains a victory in any older Fiat where rust almost seemed an inevitability. The trim and glass appear excellent, while there is no significant deterioration with the alloy wheels. This classic’s overall first impression seems to be nothing but positive.
While a drier climate is conducive to preserving classic steel, it can exact a high toll on interior trim and plastic. The inside of this Fiat is not the worst that I’ve seen, but there is evidence of a life spent in these areas. The dash has developed a couple of cracks, and the carpet shows some fading. There is some visible deterioration of some of the other plastic trim and wear on the shifter knob. The biggest issue is the splits on both seats. These are beyond the point of repair, so the buyer will probably install slipcovers or source replacement seat upholstery. With replacement seat covers easy to find for under $260, it would be worth the cost and effort to address this issue properly. Apart from a wrap on the wheel, it appears that the owner has installed a radio/cassette player. Otherwise, this interior is unmolested and as it left the factory.
This Fiat features a fizzy little four-cylinder engine in the tradition of many Italian classics. In this case, it is a mid-mounted 1,290cc motor that produces 67hp. The power finds its way to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transaxle. Pointed at a ¼ mile, the X1/9 should cover the distance in 19.2 seconds before winding its way to 103mph. It is worth noting that the core strength of the X1/9 doesn’t rest in its straight-line performance. Pointed at a twisting stretch of tarmac, they are an engaging car that rewards a driver who shows enthusiasm and commitment. The owner used this classic as a daily driver for many years before parking it in her garage around two decades ago. She recently revived the Fiat, and it is now roadworthy and ready to go. The seller indicates that it runs and drives well and that the transmission is smooth. In another minor victory for a Fiat of this type, there is no evidence of any fluid leaks. It appears that this is a turnkey classic that needs nothing more than a new owner.
While the Fiat X1/9 doesn’t offer incredible straight-line performance, it comes into its own when the roads turn twisting. They are a satisfying car that will reward an enthusiastic driver. This one looks like a real gem, and putting aside its ownership history, it is a rare treat to find an original and unmolested survivor that has remained rust-free. It has already received an impressive twenty-two bids, and with No Reserve in play, a new home is mere days away. With what you have seen of this classic, are you tempted to pursue it further?
Haha, nice.
It’s a little thing, but I do prefer the stick-shift knob on these earlier models than the strange obelisk shape on the later ones.
Mine has got 2 36mm double barrel Webers (others use 40mm), Ansa double tips exhaust, increased compresion 11:1, double cooling in front (there is a factory provision for this), opening cooling holes in the lugguage compartment (again in factory suggested places), camsaft (i use the original cam with a pull back mechanism so you can have a relative nice driver or a racer that needs 2k rpm to go from stop), special increased diameter and surface coating valves (so it uses unleaded fuel), improved air-fuel flow, Mag-Marelli electronic management with less resistance (American in fact) wires, fuel octane booster. (Upgraded braking system & shock ubsorbers). Maybe i’m missing something. Bought it new in Jan 1981. Have a nice day!
Thanks a lot for the info Harry. I appreciate the details. I hope to reference this down the road.
Considering the nice chassis this one would be a candidate for upping the horsepower. Lots of options to do that available. Nice to see one in good shape as they are fun to drive.
Yes, nice chassis. The car is not too bad either!
In Europe upping the horsepower was considered a must. Certain engine upgrades to the 1,5 lit engine were good for 130hp, a real small Ferrari but with a fraction of the maintenance cost
Harry can you share some of these engine upgrades? I’m curious, as I’ve always wanted one of these cars.
“Rosso” Red. So it is painted “Red” Red?
“Resale Red “
The tires on this car appear to be bigger than standard. They look ‘UGE in the wheel wells. No mention of date codes that I see in the listing. So the buyer should expect to replace them immediately.
These are certainly fun cars!
A problem with the driver’s seat fabric is mentioned, but I thought I saw the same issue on the passenger side.
The lack of pleats on seat fabric on the seat indicates to me they already have been reupholstered once. They will need another set of covers and the price is usually double what Barns Finds suggest they cost. Either way, this car is a great deal for someone to get a first year US model without the later years ugly DOT bumpers.
What are the jack stands under the front end holding up in the first picture? Certainly not the seller’s extra weight from sitting on the front end as she looks as slim and trim as her pretty little car.
Does she come with it?
At 70 yrs old I think she has held up even better than her Fiat.
That woman a’int no 70 Her DTR maybe. You guys need to look around once in a while, there is more to life than cars, or so I have been told. Though I agree, very pretty lady. Of course, she may be like Dorian Gray, if so, stay out of her upstairs bedroom with paintings that look older than her.
Gary, no need for you to get rude, she is probably a very nice women just trying to sell her old car. I would guess there is a good chance she reads these comments.
Spellcheck on the Ebay listing, WTF?
Back then they didn’t take pictures of the whole ‘undercarriage’
Drew, good one, that made me smile!
she aint 70 y/o in THAT pic.
lub anything like this (ferro? sure, lotus, etc). Just gota MR2 – they came NA, SC and Turboed. My ’92, na. Plenty room for turbo.
bud auto-crossed one of these towed to tracks behind his 740 (service manager for a wolwo place). I never paid a premium (worded “provenance”) for car or anything else. Move onto the nxt in these cases (guns, coins, cars, etc). Can I geta test drive w/2nd highest bid?
Watch the YouTube vid linked in the ad – from a few weeks back – and that’s were the pic is from
Obviously you missed the video link- that pic of her IS recent….
https://youtu.be/27qCawuI6og
Cool little car there Crystal. Liteweight cars w manual = fun.
Does she or the car have more miles? 3 other great vehicles with no reserve.
I remember a girl in high school drove one of these cars. They are small cars, but she was on the bigger side. However, she fit in there, and she looked like she enjoyed driving the little go getter.
Neat little cars, and once sorted out semi-reliable…
As for Ms. Smith, she’ll turn 72 this coming August:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0807784/bio
She appeared in the November 1970 issue of Playboy
No interior or engine pics.
No mention of tire condition or age.
Provenance? Maint records?
Can you say Spell Check?
Condition may be worse than imagined with that soft-sell description.
And all that SHOUTING!
sigh!
Reading this post has confirmed for me what a ridiculous car nerd I am. I recognized the cover of the magazine she’s holding. Know why? As a junior-high age car fan in 1973, I got all the literature for the Citroen SM from the dealer who was displaying a new SM at a local concours. One of the brochures was a reprint of the Playboy Magazine article raving about the car. The magazine cover is also the cover of the article reprint. I still have it.
Unfortunately no pictures of Miss September included.
Whoever gets the winning bid should immediately replace the drive belt. They tend to snap, and if it does, expect to have the engine rebuilt. No fun, it happened to me in my 1975.
No one so far has addressed the matter of whether celebrity ownership adds value to a car. From what I have seen over the years there is no clear answer. I can remember a blue Maserati Ghibli that had belonged to Frank Sinatra NOT fetching more than its regular market value, at the time, yet John Lennon’s Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III sold for way more than a non-celebrity one… I can think of many more examples where celebrity ownership meant a much higher auction price, while it meant nothing in other instances. Go figure!
Guys can be hilarious. Yes, her voice makes me want to drink warm tea and have a lozenge, and she’s probably had some “help” along the way, but I don’t exactly see too many 70 year olds that look like that. Lots of make up or not. I’d love to see what the guys doing the critiquing look like.
People often mistake me for George Clooney, but that upsets me. I am much prettier than him.
Sold, $8,100.
Just an observation. Since when is a car like this famous because someone takes off their clothes. Just a thought
I bought one of these back in the late 1980’s, it was a rusted wreck by then.
I bought it because I thought it would be fun to own. It wasn’t a lot of fun for me. When I sat in the seat, the windshield header was at eye level lol. I could scrunch down, and be uncomfortable, or sit on a phone book & look over the windshield. If I had to put the top on, I had only one choice lol.
Never again!
Ended: Feb 11, 2022 , 1:00PM
Winning bid:US $8,100.00
[ 35 bids ]