ar12thpa
New member
I'm a new member and this looks like the place to ask this question. I just recently purchased from a friend, a 1974 Fiat X1/9. The car is MINT! it has 39,000 original miles and NO RUST - Period! Original paint that shines as nice as the day it was painted. He got frustrated since he was not mechanically inclined and sold it to me very reasonable. After new plug wires and a carburetor rebuild kit, the car runs excellent - for an "X". However, I had a 1978 "X" which I bought new when I graduated from college and in 1979 and 1980, I "rebuilt it". I put an MSD ignition, variable cam timing sprocket, 40-80-80-40 cam, 1100 cc ported and pollished head (compression approx. 10:1, 1974 exhaust header and ANSA exhaust, twin 42 mm DCNF Webers, Vredestein tires and Campagnolo wheels on it. I am planning similar actions for this car. I'm just searching for the best way. All the work I did resulted in a very reliable and quick car that sounded great and was sooooo much fun, but it lacked the neck snapping performance I expected. I know it's only a 1300cc, but I expected more. I'm contemplating a 1500 cc block - rebuilt with 9.5:1 pistons, lightened flywheel, a 1300 cc ported/ pollished head to increase the compression to about 10:1, 40-80-80-40 cam with variable cam sprocket, twin 36 mm Weber carbs, use the custom 74 exhaust and stock header the car has (go to a header later, but it's brand new and is very free flow), and electronic ignition. Does anybody out there have similar experience with such modifications, am I crazy to do this to such a car, or will this just not work. I'm looking for a quick street car that will keep up with Spyders, Miatas and other such cars and in general perform the way it looks and handles. When I figure out how to do it I post some pictures.
