got an X1/9 been off the road 10yr

ok heres the story,

my grandad got an x1/9 in 1983 (new obviously)

he died a little while ago and left it to me, (due to arthritis and other problems he had not been able to drive it) so it has been in storage in a garage for around 10yrs or so

due to the impending Doom of my current cars MOT, i may be forced to get the X1/9 on the road quicker than i had hoped.

i had a look and there appears to be no rust, wheel arches are fine, not even a bubble.

engine i have not checked.

it was towed about 6 years ago and the brakes had siezed, unsurprising really.

so the question is!

is it save to try and fire it up, or should it be dragged to a garrage and serviced first,

and what would i need to do before its driven (asuming it starts)

oil change obvious im guessing.

but im a little screwed with out a car, im currently out of work and live quite far from any poss jobs, so i need cheap and quick. as im hoping that i can run the X1/9 in the summer while i sort my other car out

If it has been stood for 10 years you will need to replace pretty much everything rubber in the car.

First and foremost the flexible fuel lines should be replaced otherwise it is just going to clog the carburettor up. The fuel tank will need flushing through as there will be a fair bit of corrosion debris floating in the bottom.

You need to do all that before the key is turned.

All fluids will need replacing (engine oil, gearbox oil, coolant and hydraulic).

The radiator will need flushing and (depending on how well it cools in use) may need replacing.

The coolant hoses are likely to be in need of replacing too - basically (as already stated) anything rubber.

Brakes will need freeing off but may work with a little encouragement, it depends on a lot of different factors. Whatever happens they must be working cleanly before you drive it. That could mean rebuilds of the calipers or complete replacement.

Once you've changed all the fluids and replaced the fuel lines I would suggest trying to turn the engine over by hand a few times to get everything moving and then turning it over with the starter with the ignition coil disconnected. You should get fuel flowing from and to the tank and a bit into the engine, any leaks will become apparent pretty quickly.

Once any leaks are solved you can try starting the engine properly but make sure you do so very gently in terms of revs and be prepared to stop it at the first sign of anything untoward.

If the engine starts it is worth going around the rest of the car and seeing what has deteriorated. Suspension ball joints and bushes are likely candidates. The tyres will need replacing no matter how much tread they have left, as with the brakes it just isn't worth risking it.

Don't be tempted to rush this, there is an awful lot that can go wrong after 10 years of not being run!

Hi, just went through this with one in storage since 86. In addition to the other postings below, check the braided rubber lines from the brake fluid resevoir to the master cylinder if you don't get good fluid flow from both the front and rear caliper bleeders. Mine had a kink in the rear supply hose under the resevoir and the hose was soft/ spongy and I couldn't get the rear brakes to pump up. I bought a mastercylinder before I noticed the hose so check the hoses first if you have fluid flow problems.
As stated below, this will not be a rush job. It took my son and I five full (sun up to late night) days to get ours to a driveable state.

Hi my x1/9 hadnt been started since 2003 & its been outside .The engine wont turn over & its needn a load o welding to

ok i got to have a better look at it paint is a little tired as expected but no rust that i could see, well none where i would expect it to appear first.

all rubber throughout the engine and car in general showed no signs of perishing or going dry or brittle, even tyres where in better condition than some i have gotten through an MOT lol. (but i know you replace them anyway) probly not a problem as i will change wheels)

usual pools of goo, but no visable damage caused,

looks like i have been one of the lucky ones.

I would also suggest changing the cam belt before running. If this breaks valves might hit pistons resulting in a lot more damage.
They're cheap and easy enough to get hold of.

Actually the timing belt snapping is just an inconvenience on an X1/9 - the engine is a non-interference design so the valves can safely operate regardless of piston height unlike modern cars. This does of course assume that a standard cam is being used and the head has not been skimmed to increase compression substantially.

it has had nothing done to it "yet" and it is still 150 miles away as i cant find anywhere to store it. not happy i want it over here!