Hi Everyone. I am the now owner of my first Fiat X1/9 1984 model.
Sitting and non running for 5 years.

The car has been delivered to me and it took 4 people to push it into my garage. The reason being is that the wheels hardly turn around with the handbrake off. It was like pushing a rock.

Anyway, I know this is a big question but being a non engine runner at the moment, what are the first things I should do in order to get it up and running again. I would like to get it moving at least as I cannot now pull it out of my garage by myself.

Oh and the delivery driver told me that the brake pedal just goes down to the floor.

What does anyone think, obviously something in the braking system is seized. What should I start on and in what order.

And also with regards to the engine, what should I start on, I dont want to snap any rods, or force anythin or introduce stale fuel into the engine etc.

If anyone has restored one that has been sitting or can advise a basic DIY mechanic, then please reply. I would really appreciate any ones time.Thank you. JimmyJam

I really appreciate

First - get some oil down the cylinders of the engine and leave it for a while. Don't try to start it

Pull the carb off and get it cleaned, the old fuel in it will have evaporated and left everything coated (or blocked) with what looks like a brown gum.

Get the fuel tank emptied as well

Replace the flexible fuel lines

Drain the engine of coolant, flush and refill

In-between all of this you need to be checking the body over for major rust damage. The sills and suspension mounting points are the biggest worry but you'll likely find rust on the nose, underside of the targa hoop (just behind the glass), rear wheel arches, fill panels on the side of the front luggage area, windscreen surround and door panels. Check the rear suspension turrets very carefully, if they look swollen then you've got some real pain ahead of you as they are triple skinned and it is the central layer that tends to go.

Once the engine has had a good few days of letting oil soak past the piston rings (it doesn't take much oil) check that the engine turns by hand, if it does then do a basic oil change on the engine. If it doesn't then there may be a lot more wrong.

With an oil change done, fresh fuel lines, a clean carb, a charged battery and some fresh fuel you should be able to get the engine to turn and if you're really lucky get it to start. If it doesn't start then you are looking at basic engine diagnostics to work out what is wrong - compression, fuel or ignition.

The brakes you can pretty much leave to last. Odds are there has been a leak and there is no hydraulic fluid present. After 5 years standing chances are the rubber seals have failed anyway if they've gone dry. Do one corner at a time, strip the brakes down, make sure the caliper piston presses in (on the front - the rear has to be wound in), if it does prime it with a bit of fresh dot4 and reassemble - don't bother with new pads and discs until you know all four work. The rears are harder because of the handbrake mechanism but the same process applies.

If all calipers are ok then try refilling the reservoirs and see if you can get any pressure. Odds are you won't though - the master cylinder is a tandem affair with a floating second piston. If the second piston bottoms out it won't come back up, you might get pressure in one circuit but not the other.

Once you've got pressure on both circuits then do your discs and pads, a little bit of extra work but no point putting fresh parts on that might get soaked in fluid because a flexi line has split...

The clutch hydraulics will need checking too - the slave cylinder is probably junk by now.

With a bit of luck by now you should have a running engine and brakes that work - but before you try moving the car do an oil change on the gearbox. Not quite so critical but a potential issue. Make sure that the gear change linkage joints aren't sloppy or you'll find gear selection entertaining at best.

What you'll probably find is that the electrics work very badly, dim lights, slow to turn over (if at all). The solution is to check and clean all the earthing points and replace the heavy cables from the battery to the engine bay and to the fuse box. The engine bay cable is normally not too bad but the thinner fuse box cable causes no end of problems and for the sake of replacing one wire it can make a massive difference to the car.

Assuming you can get the car ready to drive (and ready for a roadworthiness test) then the final check is the suspension. The rubber parts will be very tired and the dampers will be past their best - 25 years is a fairly long time for a car. You'll probably need fresh tires too as being stood for 5 years will have ruined them.

If you've never done any restoration before then make sure you invest in a lot of zip-lock bags, tags and marker pens. Everything you take off needs to be cleaned (preferrably) and tagged so you know exactly where it came from. It's also a good idea to photograph parts before you dismantle them, unless you are very familiar with a car it can be very hard to put back together in the right way. This used to be a painful task but digital cameras have made things so much easier!

Hi.
I have been restoring one for few years and not finished yet. but on my website are few pictures of it and you could use them to suport something if you want to. Sorry all text is in Icelandic but you could find the pictures under "Myndasíður", fourth tab.
http://x19.go4me.de/


Hopefully is some help in it.
like you can see then was my litle Fiat very "ill" but hopefully will it drive again next summer.
And by the way, automatic transmission fluid helps alot in the cylinders of the engine and also litlebit mixed to the engine oil to clean soot / carbon out of engine. (soot / carbon makes engine oil Black and piston rings stuck. ad in worst cases clog all lubrication holes inside the engine.)

Another potential problem could be that the coolant could have solidified. I know this from previous experience and have seeen the thermostat housing (on the end of the cylinder head) completely full and blocked solid. It had to be dug out with a screwdriver.
Where abouts are you?