1974 Fiat X1/9 Museum Quality Original Condition
By Midwest-Bayless Italian Auto
Up for sale is a fully refurbished, museum quality 1974 Fiat X1/9 with a mere 12,300 miles.
11.20.15 - This car is sold!
---------------------------------------------------
We've been buying, selling and restoring Fiats for a long time, and this is the most pristine first-year example we've ever had through our shop.
---------------------------------------------------
It has been fully refurbished by Midwest-Bayless Italian auto after laying dormant for many years.
This car is Ohio titled, by the owner of Midwest-Bayless (Mad.Matt) and will be an individual (not dealer) transaction.
This car wears its original paint, and original interior.
The car was displayed and toured at the Fiat Club of America national gathering in Pittsburgh in July.
Approximately 300 additional miles have been put on the car since the photo of the cluster below was taken.
During the refurbishment process, we introduced several performance / appearance upgrades that would have been available to the owner in 1974, making this a truly detailed period sport example.
---------------------------------------------------
The X1/9 model was produced by Fiat from 1973 to 1982, and by Bertone, the car's coachbuilder, for an additional five years, from 1983-88.
Introduced in Europe in 1973, the car was Federalized for North American highway regulations, and began being sold in the USA in 1974. The notable changes for North America include unique bumpers and a higher-than-stock front ride height to meet minimum bumper height rules.
This car is a prime example of one of the first Fiat X1/9s built for the North American market, having been built in February, 1974.
The X1/9 is an affordable, classic Italian sports car. It is known to have better handling, and is more affordable to maintain or improve than nearly any other 2-seat roadster from the 1970s. Their aggressive and iconic styling makes them instantly recognizable.
Despite their small size, they are extremely strong and safe cars, having been designed and built to exceed a proposed NTSB crash safety standard for 1973/74 that only it and a single model of Volvo were able to pass. Fiat X1/9s have traditionally been under-valued against other makes in North America, but those prices are now starting to rise due to Fiat's recent return to the market.
Nothing repainted or re-upholstered!
Paint: Sand (code 561) acrylic enamel finish. Most who view the color call it light tan or cappuccino
Interior: Beige interior seat cover, door card and firewall cladding
Carpet: Factory Arancio (Orange)
Dashboard and Console: Factory Nero (Black)
While the photo below looks like a stock sales-brochure photo, it is of this car's actual interior!
The 1300cc carbureted engine runs great and gets super mileage. The chassis rides comfortably around town or on the highway. The transmission shifts perfectly in all gears. It has nearly perfect exterior and interior, and is 99% stock. This is a reliable, mechanically sound car that is national level show winner as it sits. You can spend an enormous amount of time and money restoring a worn-out X19, or you can save yourself the headaches and begin enjoying this car RIGHT NOW!
Body and Exterior
The body is straight, and does not have collision damage or rust of any sort.
There are 3 or 4 minor blemishes to the paint, in areas smaller than a dime on the left front fender, so subtle that they are difficult to see even in high-res photos.
It wears a dealer option stripe kit, and the original enamel, black and silver badges have full color.
All of the plastic trims are in great condition, with nothing broken or repaired. Original fuel tank cap.
All lights and lenses are clear, unblemished and operational.
Engine cover is excellent with no rust or scale inside or out.
The steel air dam and grille are excellent.
Bumpers are perfect examples of the one-year-only, 1974 North America blade style treatment, with no scratches, rust or other damage.
Floor pans and underside were factory rust-proofed with no evidence of rust or corrosion. It has been undercoated by the original owner, and is 100% solid.
Engine, Fuel, Ignition, Exhaust and Cooling System:
1300cc engine SOHC engine 32 DMTR (manual choke) carburetor.
It features a 1300cc motor performance engine, fully rebuilt by Midwest-Bayless, prepared to a mild Euro-spec tune.
The motor has less than 400 miles since its rebuild. It features oversize pistons, longer-duration camshaft,
raised compression, mild porting, and manual choke 32-series carburetor.
The engine bay is exceptionally clean with original firewall insulation. Fuel tank has been internally inspected and given a clean bill of health.
New fuel lines and filter.
Ignition system features original Ducellier distributor, with OE Ducellier cap and original red CAVIS plug wires.
The cooling system features an upgraded stainless-steel expansion tank as a replacement of the original mild-steel unit and new OE style hoses. It offers rock-solid temperatures and the fan works correctly. Original radiator has been cleaned, and the fins are rust free. It has a new heater valve and all controls work smoothly.
A dual outlet performance Super Sprint exhaust muffler and downpipe was installed as New Old Stock and has less than 300 miles on it.
Electricals
Circuits in great shape, with excellent voltages, even with wipers, lights and heater fan on. Headlights are bright, all accessories and lights work. Headlights pop up and down as expected, all cabin switches work as expected.
New Old Stock Carello fog lights are activated by the factory supplied Auxiliary switch in the console, through a period tin-can Sipea relay, in a period-correct installation. The light bar was custom fabricated similar to AMCO offerings. It can be unbolted and removed if desired with no trace of its install.
Transmission / Clutch / Driveline
The 4-Spd manual transmission is in excellent condition, and shifts flawlessly up and down with no synchronizer issues. Rear transmission mount, drive shafts, CV joints are all in great condition. New inner axle boots were installed.
Clutch master, slave, disc and pressure plate were replaced with new, along with a lightened flywheel.
Steering / Suspension / Tires / Wheels / Brakes
All ball joints, tie-rod ends, are in good condition with no issues. Front wheel bearings are new.
Carrera performance racing strut inserts and new upper strut mounts were installed at all four corners give the car firm, crisp handling.
New forward radius rod bushings have been installed, and factory springs have been modified to give the car a lower stance.
The car also has had the camber corrected to accommodate it being lowered.
Braking system has been completely refurbished with new master cylinder, flex hoses, rotors, pads.
Very rare, mint condition magnesium Cromodora CD-39 13x6 wheels wear new production, period correct
DOT-approved Michelin TB15 road rally tires with original metal FIAT center caps.
This car drives and tracks straight, and is vibration / rattle-free
Interior / Top
The interior is the best original interior we've seen.
Door cards are perfect with all chrome piping intact and unwrinkled on both the door cards and the arm rests.
Original black, blemish-free dashboard whose center section remains uncut (usually cut for aftermarket radios).
Center console and handbrake cover are uncracked, and wear their original silver piping.
Original Arancio (orange) corn-row carpet in excellent condition with great color and minimal wear.
Window regulators and handles work smoothly.
All glass is original, and absent any blemishes, chips or lamination issues.
Original Michelin spare tire with hold-down straps.
Targa top is in excellent condition with no scratches or chips, and is the correct early 1974 version with steel rear hooks and no rubber drip strips
Front and Rear Trunks
Front trunk is all original. As you can see, the vertical panels beneath the strut towers are pristine, with no hint of corrosion or bubbling.
All plastic, rubber and metal covers for battery trunk floor and headlights are original and undamaged.
Rear trunk contains the original jack and tool kit on right side.
In addition to all that you have read so far, nearly every original piece of the car that has been upgraded has been saved, including the original steel wheels and Michelin XAS tires in like-new condition with no hint of weather checking or cracking, all of the original North America pollution control equipment, and original exhaust. We'll even include the cool Magneti Marelli wooden crate!
---------------------------
Take this car home and hit the national show circuit today.
$22,500 Or Highest Offer
-----------------------------
Our knowledge, experience and reputation with Fiat cars, and particularly the X1/9 model is unparalleled.
If you want the best, buy from the best.
-----------------------------
Additional photos or details are available upon request. Buyer pays all shipping costs.
Midwest-Bayless Italian Auto is located in Columbus, Ohio, and are a continuation of Bayless Fiat Lancia World, founded in 1971. We specialize in Fiat and Lancia parts, restoration and racing. We support most Fiat and Lancia models sold in North America including the Fiat 124 Spider, Coupe and Wagon, Fiat X19, Fiat 850, Fiat 128, Fiat 131/Brava, Fiat 500, Fiat 600, Fiat Strada, Lancia Scorpion and Beta (Coupe, Sedan and Zagato) and Yugo.