General hi guys, new member contemplating an X1/9

[orestes]

i'm new here, so i guess i should introduce myself, so here goes. I'm 21 and from Australia, always had interests in European cars mostly French cars, and specifically Peugeots (i currently drive a 205), however, the rest of my family have owned a few fiats and i also have respect for them as well (an X1/9 and a 124 BC).

Anyway why i'm here is that i'm thinking of purchasing an X1/9, it's an early one with the split front bumper (the ones before US safety standards had to be met) anyway, apart from a small amount of rust around the windscreen which can be repaired, the car has a broken lower front spoiler, what i'm wondering about before i buy the car is how much it would cost to have this replaced or repaired.

Other then that the car is mechanically sound, apart from a ball joint that needs replacing.

i should state that it is a 1978 model and is a 1300. Is there anything in particular i should watch out for specifically with the 1300.

from what i've been told by my dad the 1300 is a very high reving, and fun car to drive, even more so from what i've been told with a super charger adapted to it

thanks for you're help and hello from Australia

Edit: i should say i stumbled across this site when looking on google for a fiat forum in australia, but to no avail.

 

[fiatfactory]

Re: Welcome

Was that you who bought the nice blue one off ebay au?

Front spoilers for that model have been NLA for years, so forget about buying a new one. Difficult to repair them too, as they are made of a moulded rubber.

Glass copies are available, but they are not cheap either (around $200aud) and none of the commercially available ones I have ever seen fit very well..... I'm in the process of making some body moulds for X19's and have a mint OE rubber spoiler to take a mould from when I'm ready.

Ball joints... I hope you mean the front ones.... as rears are part of the whole rear arm, only available genuine here in Australia (over $500aud per side) places in the UK (monte hospital) carry the joint only, but at around 120pounds each, they are not too cheap an option either.

If you mean the front ones, they are not too expesive, the part being the same as a 128coupe. Around $80/90aud each for the complete front arm.

1300's are very high revving..... make sure you replace the timing belt ASAP.

If you need any unusual parts, I have a pretty good inventory, located in Perth Western Australia

SteveC

 

[orestes]

Re: Welcome

Was that you who bought the nice blue one off ebay au?

Front spoilers for that model have been NLA for years, so forget about buying a new one. Difficult to repair them too, as they are made of a moulded rubber.

Glass copies are available, but they are not cheap either (around $200aud) and none of the commercially available ones I have ever seen fit very well..... I'm in the process of making some body moulds for X19's and have a mint OE rubber spoiler to take a mould from when I'm ready.

Ball joints... I hope you mean the front ones.... as rears are part of the whole rear arm, only available genuine here in Australia (over $500aud per side) places in the UK (monte hospital) carry the joint only, but at around 120pounds each, they are not too cheap an option either.

If you mean the front ones, they are not too expesive, the part being the same as a 128coupe. Around $80/90aud each for the complete front arm.

1300's are very high revving..... make sure you replace the timing belt ASAP.

If you need any unusual parts, I have a pretty good inventory, located in Perth Western Australia

SteveC

i was considering purchasingf the blue one on ebay, it did look decent, but uopn considering the costs of fixing up the rust, straightening the front bumper, replacing the damaged front spoiler, and the ball joint... as much as i love the earl X19's it would have cost less to find a good X19 in general, it's my 21st birthday in 2 days time, so i'll see how much money i have, and may consider a bertone (1 of 54) thats currently for sale in brisbane...

thanks for the info though