1974 Fiat X-1/9 Autocrosser: Solid Little Racer. Titled and Registered for Road!

1974 Fiat X-1/9 Description

1974 Fiat X-1/9

VIN 128AS0011145

NO RESERVE AUCTION

Autocrosser / Race Car

1500cc

Campagnolo Magnesium Wheels

Full Roll Cage

Momo Racing Seat w/Extra Bolsters

New Momo Steering Wheel

Simpson Harness

Weber Carburetor

The TRANSAXLE BLEW A SEAL in the last autocross event it ran, and the car is currently not driveable because of the significant leak. ENGINE STARTS AND RUNS BEAUTIFULLY. There is a REPLACEMENT 4-SPEED TRANSAXLE going with the car, which is a better unit for most tracks (a little lighter, crisper shifting, and sharing the first three ratios very closely with the 5-speed). Alternately, the original 5-speed can simply be repaired.

SPARE 1500cc MOTOR, reputedly built by famed Fiat performance source PBS Engineering, also is part of the package. The motor in the car is sweet and strong, and this extra one is simply a bonus that goes with the car.

A beautiful, fun, and quick little competition car, which was officially weighed-in at around 1800 lbs.

It iscurrently registered with Minnesota plates and clear title. Note: This is not to say it is strictly road-legal as is (check your state and local ordinances!), but the owner drives it on public roads, and it could be made street legal with little effort.

The entire structure is clean, very straight, and totally solid: It is rust-free by any sane measure.

I had the true pleasure to sample this car on the road before the transaxle issue. There is a youtube link of my mayhem below. The engine felt much more responsive than stock, and the noises are glorious. The owner made no mechanical modifications himself and he is not sure of what (if any) internal modifications were made by the previous owners. The impression is of a lightened flywheel, hotter cam and freer breathing exhaust. There is a nice4-into-one tubular steel header andalloy sump. TheWeber carb is an Italian-made unit: Twin barrels of 23/26 mm, with progressive actuation. Jets are 195 and 200. The little motor is very eager, and power comes on fast up to 6000 RPM, where it begins trail off. Flexibility is good from low RPM, and it idles nicely around 1800 - 2000 RPM. Oil pressure is strong, and the engine suffers no overheating issues. The clutch is sharp. Gearing is stock, or a bit under 3000 RPM in fifth at about 60 MPH in fifth. Thebrakes have been gone through, from master cylinder to rotors, and they bite beautifully.

It’s a tremendous blast on the track or open road. The road holding and balance are really fun. There are THREE SETS of TIRESwith different compounds; eight Hoosiers (four slicks and four with treads) and four brand new Federal "Super Steel" street tires with deep performance tread. All the tires are sized205/60-13; all the rubber you would ever want to put on an X-1/9. Wheels are gorgeous, classic, superlight and very expensive Campagnolo "true mags", in a classic style, 6” wide with a correct “J” offset(truly a connoisseur’s choice!), which are in nice shape.

The engine cover is slightly propped up in the rear, Abarth-style, to clear the tall air cleaner. It is secured by two hood-pins, and a classic Abarth-style rubber strap on the trailing edge.

The interior is snug but comfy, and the driving position is excellent for me (I’m a half inch short of 6’). The Momo bucket comes with a loose extra cushion for under the thighs.Gauges are clear, and they all work. The tach is dead center (right where you’d want it), and the aircraft-style toggles are fast and fail-safe. Thehalon fire extinguisher is fully charged. Door glass winds up and down smoothly, and the windshield looks perfect: No cracks, scratches or noticeable pitting.

The present owner bought this car with a small collection of several neat Fiats and Alfas. This autocrosser was “part of the package”, and though it was not his main focus, per se, he did invest plenty of time and money into parts, overhauling the brake system, and other details to make it track ready again after years of storage. He has run a couple of autocrosses and had his fun with it, but at 74 years of age, he has come to reckon that his fastest laps are behind him, and this car would be better be utilized and enjoyed by a younger hot-shoe. The previous owner bought the car in Oregon, fully-prepared as-is, and competed here in Minnesota in SCCA DSP Class SOLO events. The car’s history beyond that is unknown to us.As it sits today, it looks very good, has a very buttoned down chassis, the motor feels unburstable, and the trans needs to be or repaired or swapped.

Everything shown in the pictures will go with the car, except for the cool Italian license plate on the back -- you'll have to find your own one of those! Current MN plates will be mounted on the car when you pick it up.

Note: Minnesota Motors is not a dealer, it is simply two guys who love cars (especially macchine Italiane), and who enjoy meeting other car people. This car is owned by and titled to one of those two guys, and the auction winner will make payment directly to him and pick up the car at his house in suburban Minneapolis. He is available for you to speak to by phone, "boss-to-boss" (as Al Cosentino used to say), for frank conversation about his car. Leave a number through eBay, and he will call you back asap.

Note: This is a NO RESERVE auction, and every bid counts. Please do not bid unless you are prepared to be the winning bidder and are ready, willing and able to follow through on the purchase -- THANK YOU!

It is a nicely built little Italiano race car that is a hoot to drive.

SEE and HEAR IT RUN ; a short drive before the transaxle seal blew : https://youtu.be/J1lCSNkIFcY

And Now, If You’re Serious About Bidding, Please Read….

The Fine Print:

GOOD LUCK!Please bid to the value this car may hold for you. Please feel free to ask questions or add comments. Please ask questions BEFORE you bid. We will respond quickly and honestly. This vehicle is garaged in Plymouth, Minnesota 55441, about ten minutes outside of downtown Minneapolis.Inspections are warmly invited and encouraged!

CONDITIONS:When bidding, YOU AGREE that winning this auction constitutes a legal and binding agreement between the Buyer and the Owner. Please bid sincerely and sensibly. Zero-feedback bidders must contact us first before bidding to establish some level of seriousness-of-intent; It's nothing personal, just business: We, and many others, have been stung on eBay Motors by too many dead-beat auction winners.

Vehicle is sold "As-Is and Where-Is". No warranty is expressed, implied or offered. We describe our sale cars as completely, ethically and honestly as we know how, warts and all, and encourage questions regarding any detail we may not have covered or about any concerns you may have. That being said, the Owner cannot and will not take any responsibility for this car after it leaves the premises. Inspections, by you are a third-party service, are warmly invited and encouraged!

PAYMENT:Buyer must make a $300 DEPOSIT by PayPal within 24 hours of the Auction Close. The Deposit will secure the Deal for all Parties involved. Failure to make Deposit within 24 hours will risk Cancellation of the Sale at the Discretion of the Owner. BALANCE MUST BE PAID within 48 hours of sale by SECURE PAYMENT. Clear Minnesota title for this motor vehicle will be conveyed to Buyer after secure funds are received by Seller. Accepting US FUNDS via WIRE TRANSFER or CERTIFIED BANK CHECK. ALSO ACCEPTING CASH at PICK-UP, IF (AND ONLY IF!) PICK-UP IS MADE WITHIN ONE WEEK OF SALE! NOTE: We cannot accept the entire payment through PayPal unless Buyer covers the P/P fees as well. NOTE: DEPOSIT is a COMMITMENT to BUY. Its function is to seal the deal for both Buyer and Seller, and is NON-REFUNDABLE except under exceptional conditions granted by Seller's sole discretion.

TRANSPORT: Buyer is responsible for all transportation arrangements and costs. This vehicle is garaged in Plymouth, Minnesota 55441, about ten minutes out of downtown Minneapolis. We do not offer quotes on shipping. There are many vendors to choose from offering vehicle transport. We will work with any transport company you choose, and we will take photos for you of your car being loaded (both for posterity and for peace of mind!)

ALL EXPORT SALE DETAILS MUST BE ARRANGED BY THE BUYER, though we can recommend a freight forwarder if you like.

If you plan to pick up your car personally, we will happily assist you in any way we can, and we will look forward to making your acquaintance.

STORAGE: While the Auction Winner sorts out pick-up or transport arrangements, Seller can offer, free of charge, dry indoor storage for up to 30 days after auction termination. Longer periods can be arranged at cost if necessary. Seller cannot accept any liability during this storage period; our due diligence will be to take every reasonable precaution to keep the vehicle sheltered, dry and safe.

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Thank You for Looking! We are fluent in classic European cars. We are hobbyists, first and foremost, and happy to hear from you on the subject of cars or bikes. In addition to AUTOMOBILIA and PARTS, WE HAVE SOLD DOZENS OF VEHICLES ON eBAY...EACH DEAL A HAPPY ONE FOR ALL INVOLVED! >>MinnesotaMotors>> was created to auction the THINGS WE LOVE MOST: CARS, PARTS, and AUTOMOBILIA