Tag Archives: X1/9

1980 Fiat X1/9

April 1, 2015 Graham 1 Comment

Fiat has been back with us here in the US for a few years now, first with their retro 500 and now with a larger 500L thrown in the product mix. We'll see a crossover this Spring, called the 500X, but one type of car is glaringly missing. A sports car. Specifically, something with an open roof. If you'll remember, the Fiat 124 Spider and Fiat X1/9 were the last two Fiats sold in the US before the 500's return in 2012. Toward the end, those two sporting vehicles were sold under the Pininfarina and Bertone badge, respectively. While the 124 Spider was a traditional roadster with a front engine/rear drive chassis, the X1/9, like the one we see here for sale from our reader John, was a decidedly more forward looking sports car, with a targa roof and mid engine. There are still a few out there kicking around in the classifieds, but few come more clean or rust-free.

Year: 1980
Model: X1/9
Engine: 1.5 liter inline-4
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 84,859 mi
Price: $6,000

CLICK FOR DETAILS:1980 Fiat X1/9

Looking for an mid-engine Italian sports roadster that doesn't cost more than your house?

This is my 1980 Fiat X1/9 "Abarth" Targa roadster with 84,859 original miles. This car was styled and designed by Bertone in Italy, and for that reason it is often called a "Baby Ferrari" or "Baby Lamborghini".

This are fast, fun, great-handling cars that are becoming much more rare and collectible in recent years. The styling has become classic and these cars are simple to work on and easy to find parts.

This car is a 1.5L with the lift-off targa top which stows in the front trunk. It is a 5-speed manual transmission and it has had an excellent stereo system installed with a JVC head unit, Polk Audio speakers and a 600-watt SPL amplifier.

This car is particularly unique because it is completely RUST-FREE. It is clean and rust-free in every corner and every crevice. This body is solid in every possible place you can look. It is amazing actually.

The interior of the car has been reupholstered and recarpeted with new materials and it looks excellent. This job cost about $1000 and it looks beautiful.

This Fiat runs and drives perfectly. The suspension is all-new and the car handles amazingly well. The engine, transmission, brakes, suspension, steering, etc are working properly with no known issues.

This is probably the cleanest, best-condition X1/9 you will find for sale anywhere. It isn't perfect, there are some minor areas of clearcoat peeling and a few nicks/scratches.

I have a stack of service receipts as well as a repair manual and factory service manual that go with the car.

This car is kept inside my heated warehouse in Willoughby. Email me or call/text me at 440-339-4341 to see the car.

The color on this X1/9 is certainly eye popping but it fits with the period and playful nature of this car. Considering the mileage and condition, the price is about on the mark with where the X1/9 market is currently. You would certainly have a difficult time finding a better deal on a piece of Bertone sculpture to park amongst your collection.

-Paul

Fiat

1987 Bertone X1/9

May 25, 2013 Graham 2 Comments

Summer weather is here, and this Bertone X1/9 is the more unorthodox choice for the open air motorist. Introduced in the early 1970s as the Fiat X1/9, this car was the replacement for the rear engine 850 Spider. This was a radical departure with its four cylinder engine mounted amidships, something that, other than the Porsche 914, was normally reserved for more exotic iron. This ultimate example of the X1/9 is for sale in California and has been comprehensively restored.

1987 Bertone X1/9

Obsessively restored 1987 Bertone X1/9

Looks and drives like a brand new car - many, many thousands of dollars spent over the course of 5 years, all receipts and photo documentation available
80k miles, <500 miles since restoration
Black/Black
Leather interior

Engine:
Complete stock rebuild no modifications
Polished stainless steel expansion tank
Re-cored radiator
All new hoses
Ceramic coated water pump
Ceramic coated water pump pipe
Remanufactured alternator
Remanufactured and matched fuel injectors
Polished intake manifold
Ceramic coated exhaust manifold, shield and down pipe
Polished stainless steel exhaust system

Drivetrain:
Rebuilt gearbox
Resurfaced fly wheel
New clutch pressure plate, bearing and disc
All new clutch hydraulics including metal lines
New CV joints

Suspension and wheels:
Nickel plated uprights all around
New wheel bearings all around
All new suspension bushings
Koni red adjustable shocks rebuilt by Performance Shock Inc. in Sonoma
New front control arms
Rebuilt steering rack, new tie rod ends
Epoxy and powder-coated rear suspension arms and links
Nickel plated Bertone lug nuts
Refinished and powder coated original Speedline wheels

Brakes
All new hydraulics, including metal lines
Nickel plated Fiat Uno turbo front brakes, freshly rebuilt with polished pistons and new ventilated rotors and pads
Powder coated brake shields
Polished aluminum freshly rebuilt stock rear calipers with new rotors and pads
New brake hoses all around

Interior
Refinished leather seats
New original Bertone steering wheel
New original Bertone gear lever
Immaculate dashboard no cracks
New carpet
“Brown wire” mod to increase power to all accessories
LED instrument lighting
LED interior lighting
Rebuilt pedal box
Tool roll
Owners manual etc.
Original jack

The X1/9 survived in the US market through 1987, even after Fiat pulled out of the market in 1982. Bertone took over the marketing and importation of the car from there and quite a few were sold thereafter. These late X1/9s are quite affordable these days and I’ve seen a few out there in good condition. For the price of a used economy car, you can have something that everyone on the street will want to stop and talk about with you. The best X1/9s will hover around $10,000 to $14,000, so I'd suspect this restored example has a reserve set somewhere around that range.

-Paul

Fiat, Modern Classic

1982 Fiat X1/9

March 23, 2013 Graham 3 Comments

The Fiat X1/9 is a good bargain for those looking to get into a modern Italian classic. The problem is these cars were fairly affordable when new, so many have been neglected. In addition, rust proofing wasn't as good 30 years ago as it is today. While it's hard to find an X1/9 in good nick, it's worth the hunt. The X1/9 can be a usable, fun collectable that can be run on a budget. This mildly modified X1/9 was brought to our attention by our reader Michael and appears to be a great example of a sports car that was ahead of its time when it replaced the 850 Spider in 1972.

1982 Fiat X1/9

Spend the summer with your top down! Very rare, desirable 1982 Fiat Bertone X1/9 for sale, most immediately, for $7,300 or best offer. Please correspond by email or call/text 714-476-7399 with any questions or comments. Truly the last chance to own a timeless classic.

Details:
-71,000 Original Miles
-Convertible top
-4 cylinder
-Fuel injection
-Manual transmission
-Power windows
-CD player
-Extremely clean
-Exceptional gray and black interior
-Excellent charcoal exterior
-Very unique, one-of-a-kind vehicle

A decent X1/9 will usually center on the $5,000 to $6,000 mark. We featured an X1/9 last year on offer at $7,000 from a private seller. At $7,300, this car isn't wildly priced, provided the pictures do this car justice and the mileage can be verified. It may not be stock, but the loss of the cumbersome crash bumpers is certainly a bonus both for aesthetics and weight. While many collectors may go the more traditional route of the Alfa Romeo Spider or Fiat 124 Spider, the X1/9 offers to take you down the road less traveled, offering traditional open roofed Italian motoring thrills with a bit of modern thought thrown in.

-Paul

Fiat, Modern Classic

1987 Bertone X1/9

September 25, 2012 Graham 1 Comment

The X1/9 could be considered as Fiat's last gasp in the US marketplace until their revival in 2012 with the 500. While Fiat itself left the US marketplace in 1982, the job of marketing and selling the X1/9 fell to its designer, Bertone. This X1/9 for sale in California represents the final year for these mid-engined sports cars. It has been stored for many years and has been sorted, ready for a new owner to take the helm.

1987 Bertone X1/9

The Bertone (Fiat) X1/9 for sale here is arguably one of, if not the finest available examples as it has only been driven 12,500 miles and just as importantly it has been fully sorted after sitting as in new condition for over 20 years. The previous seller tells me that due to Fiat leaving the USA, this car remained in storage until 2007 in a port near Houston, Texas. It is available in Pleasanton, California for $10,000 OBO

The X1/9 underwent three generations in the USA: 1974 cars, 1975-78 cars and 1979-87 cars. This one is in like new, mint condition, having been scrupulously maintained by an enthusiastic and meticulous owner since it was rescued. This last iteration of the X1/9 features the bigger 1500cc engine and 5 speed transmissions making it far better to drive in modern traffic. Creature comforts, such as power windows and A/C make it a surprisingly pleasurable touring vehicle as well as as an impressive sports car on the back roads.

The X1/9 succeeded a 1969 show concept car called the Autobianchi A112 Runabout, with styling by Bertone under chief designer Marcello Gandini. The interior is amazingly clean, with an attractive 3-spoke leather wheel and a very clean dash. We think the black color is more aggressive looking and ages better than the tan. The car has never had a spot of rust, and his is truly turn-key. An upgrade stereo is the only non-original component, and the original documentation history and literature are included.

This one represents an interesting opportunity for the Concorso and car museum guys, but we’d put it on the road for an enjoyable couple thousand miles per year under great care. That way it would still only have 27k miles after a decade, and would likely still be one of the lowest mileage examples around even though you would thoroughly enjoy the ownership experience for years to come.

I've seen a few low mileage X1/9s surface in the past six months, so we're not looking at an extremely rare car, but it is nicely presented and rust free. That's important on a car such as this which is highly susceptible to the tin worm. With no reserve on this tidy X1/9, we're probably looking at a $10,000 to $12,000 final bid.

-Paul

Fiat, Modern Classic

1980 Fiat X1/9

June 11, 2012 Graham 1 Comment

I'm starting to get surprised at the number of mint condition Fiat X1/9s out there. With their propensity towards rusting and sundry electrical maladies, it is not an easy job keeping one of these in tip top shape for 32 years. It's curious that Fiat kept the 124 Spider on while selling this mid-engine targa right alongside, but these two cars ended up appealing to two very different kinds of open air enthusiasts. This X1/9 for sale in Florida is a very period metallic green and has but 40,000 miles covered between two owners.

1980 Fiat X1/9

This is a museum quality Fiat X1/9. EVERYTHING WORKS PERFECTLY. NOT covered in rust like every other X 1/9. This car has been kept in an Air Conditioned garage since purchase, and always maintained properly.

Good X1/9s of this vintage tend to hover around the $5,000 mark, so this one coming from a private seller at almost $7,000 represents a bit of a premium, but is about $1,000 cheaper than the X1/9 we featured for sale by the dealer in Ohio back in March. Realistically, this car may reach around $6,000, but the right buyer may come along and pony up.

-Paul

Fiat, Modern Classic

1986 Bertone X1/9

April 14, 2012 Graham 2 Comments

Even after Fiat’s exit from the US market in 1982, two of its models soldiered on in the US market, the 124 Spider, which was dubbed the Pininfarina Spider, and mid-engine X1/9, dubbed the Bertone X1/9. Production of the car was transferred to importer Malcolm Bricklin, who had a hand in bringing Subaru to the US market and later brought us the Yugo. The X1/9 had staying power, hanging on until 1989. Even with the large, federally mandated bumpers, this example for sale in Florida looks great in basic red over black and is just in time for some summertime enjoyment.

1986 Bertone X1/9

Very few Fiats X19 in this condition. This 1986 Fiat X19 Bertone only has 32,786 miles on it and it shows great . When you drive it you will fall in love. There is nothing mechanically wrong with it. It does not have a radio. It does have AC but it is not cold although all the components are there. Undercarriage is fine ....NO RUST. It has a ding the size of a nickel on the drivers door that is hard to show on pictures. Bid with confidence...this car is as good as they come!

It’s nice that this seller has set a no reserve auction, which will help to give us an idea of where the market is right now for X1/9s. If I had to guess, I’d assume this one would probably wind up at around $8,000 to $10,000. If it sells for less than that, the buyer got a true Italian car bargain. Few come as nice as or unmolested as this one.

-Paul

Fiat, Modern Classic

1980 Fiat X1/9

March 29, 2012 Graham 2 Comments

With the popularity of mid-engine sports cars gaining traction in the late 1960s, Fiat sought to get in on the action and devise a replacement to their rear engine 850 Spider. With styling conceived by Marcello Gandini at Bertone, the X1/9 used the all new single cam engine from the front drive Fiat 128, which was handy, as this powerplant was set up having a transaxle, which made conversion to mid-engine use a rather easy affair. At the start, the car’s body was manufactured by Bertone with final assembly carried out by Fiat, and towards the end of the car’s life, the production shifted entirely to Bertone, with the car being transitioned to the “Bertone” badged in 1983 with the exit of Fiat from the US market. The car was marketed in the US until 1987 by Malcolm Bricklin and his company, International Automobile Importers, Inc. The X1/9 soldiered on until 1989 and has garnered a legacy of a lightweight, good handling compact, if a bit susceptible to the usual rust and teething issues that plague Italian cars of the period. This example for sale in Ohio is a Fiat badged X1/9 and beat the odds as a 69,000 mile survivor.

1980 Fiat X1/9

1980 FIAT X1/9. VIN# : 128AS000133787. MILEAGE: 69,498. These X1/9 are hard to find and are listed on Yahoo's ten most desirable used vehicles that are impossible to find. You want to talk about a rare beauty...this 1980 Fiat X1/9 is it. This one has been well maintained as you can see from the pictures. It runs great and there are no issues.

Since the Fiat 500 came to the US last year, I’ve noticed a few Fiat dealers peddling vintage models of the marque, no doubt as a tactic to get people interested in the history of the brand and appreciate the qualities of current offerings. Since it is for sale at a dealer, the almost $8,000 price doesn’t surprise me. If this was from a private seller, you might be able to snag this car for about $2,000 to $3,000 less. If this example is rust free, it, along with the Lancia Scorpion/Montecarlo would be about the cheapest way into a mid-engine Italian vehicle. The color and US spec bumpers are not to my taste, but it is nice to see clean examples of this sporty runabout are still out there if you search hard enough.

-Paul

Lancia

1977 Lancia Scorpion with Just 37k Miles in Florida

June 15, 2011 Graham

While admittedly not as desirable as the Montecarlo the Scorpion is based upon, this is still a sharp little car and with just 37k miles. It's a beautiful little car regardless of being down on displacement, choked on emissions equipment, and overloaded with U.S. spec bumpers.

1977 Lancia Scorpion For Sale on eBay

quote from seller's listing:

My personal car since 1986! I am the second owner! Notice the new front calipers on the pictures. Also, a bit of history, in 1987 I had the car totally stripped and re-painted. We found rust in the driver door and it was fixed and does not appear to have returned in 24 years! A few spots of rust returned a couple of years after I had it painted in 1987 and they never grew. Recently I had those fixed, so the car is virtually rust free. I have the original carbs, some older parts that were removed, a complete gasket set and belts, an extra original rim (when I bought the car it did not have original rims and I bought about 12 rims to get the 4 that are on it!

The seller is obviously a fanatic, and I think that is a good sign for the next buyer. You'll probably always be able to drop the original seller an email to field questions! Here's a video of the car for sale:

We actually have two of these running around town and they look fantastic. Sure it's going to have it's share of headaches, but for the price there's not a lot of other cars that will get the looks this car will.