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OT: I've been asked to post a backgrounder on X1/9, Cliff's notes X production history

reddog	Mar 12 2006, 11:35 PM Post #41
Member Group: Members Posts: 71 Joined: 19-December 05 From: Willits, California Member No.: 5,299	Did you know that the X1/9 was the ONLY car designed to pass the proposed USA 70 mph crash tests? (never adopted) as of a result the chassis is one tough cookie (and over weight)

Rooster	Mar 12 2006, 11:41 PM Post #42
Newbie Group: Members Posts: 6 Joined: 12-March 06 From: S. NH Member No.: 5,711	Yup, and as proven in the Mythbusters episode where they sammiched an X between to semi's. The passenger compartment was pretty much still intact. Well enough for survival of the occupants.

reddog

Mar 13 2006, 01:22 AM

Post #43

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QUOTE (Rooster @ Mar 12 2006, 09:41 PM)

Yup, and as proven in the Mythbusters episode where they sammiched an X between to semi's. The passenger compartment was pretty much still intact. Well enough for survival of the occupants.

WHAT? tell me more...I missed that... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beer.gif)

Rooster	Mar 13 2006, 02:16 AM Post #44
Newbie Group: Members Posts: 6 Joined: 12-March 06 From: S. NH Member No.: 5,711	The boys at mythbusters wanted to disprove a myth that if you crush a car between to trucks, it will fuse with the trucks. The two morons couldnt use an escort or a civic, they had to use a seemingly in excellent shape X-1/9 with a blown motor. They were even quite surprised that it survived considerably well. Their is video out there in innerwebland.

DblDog	Mar 13 2006, 02:43 AM Post #45
Member Group: Members Posts: 164 Joined: 8-February 05 From: San Rafael, CA Member No.: 3,578 Region Association: Northern California	...a little OT, but still Fiat...about the time I bought my 914 in 72, I also considered a BMW2002 and a Fiat 124, the coupe. They also sold the 124 Spider, neat little convertible. The body sheet metal was different from the coupe....both were not bad looking and never really caught on. I think MotorTrend did a few comparison articles ...I'll find some pics.

Mac	Mar 13 2006, 04:01 AM Post #46
Member Group: Members Posts: 82 Joined: 5-March 06 From: Seattle, WA Member No.: 5,666	WOW, you know what? Even I managed to learn one thing that I didn't know about the X from this discussion! I had said the Bertone X was the only car the coachbuilder themselves ever marketed directly under their own name. I had read that in several historical articles but apparently that is not the case. A member of our forum has informed me that for a time they also put their name on the Bertone Ritmo Cabriolet, which was a Bertone modified convertible version of what Americans know as the Fiat Strada. The Ritmo Cabrio was never sold in the US market afaik, as a Fiat or a Bertone or anything else. Apparently it, like the X, wore the Bertone badge in European markets for a while, although I'm not sure how long. I am quite curious about it and will inevitably be looking for more info... Sheesh, I learn something new every day! ...mostly when I open my big mouth and someone pops up to enlighten me (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/slap.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/rolleyes.gif)

Mac

Mar 13 2006, 04:02 AM

Post #47

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QUOTE (DblDog @ Mar 13 2006, 12:43 AM)

both were not bad looking and never really caught on.

"Never caught on" Whoa don't let the 'twin cam' Fiat guys hear you say that!! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/blink.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/hitfan[1].gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/laugh.gif)

zymurgist

Mar 13 2006, 08:44 AM

Post #48

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QUOTE (Rooster @ Mar 13 2006, 03:16 AM)

The two morons couldnt use an escort or a civic, they had to use a seemingly in excellent shape X-1/9 with a blown motor.

Would you have been more upset if they had used a 914? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif)

Duane Estill	Mar 13 2006, 08:53 AM Post #49
Newbie Group: Members Posts: 29 Joined: 5-March 06 From: Memphis, TN Member No.: 5,668	Ken..... Is that an American Bulldog in your avatar?

lapuwali	Mar 13 2006, 09:14 AM Post #50
Not another one! Group: Benefactors Posts: 4,526 Joined: 1-March 04 From: San Mateo, CA Member No.: 1,743	I didn't mean to call anyone on the "landmark" comment, only pointing out that the 128's basic design of a two box car with a tranverse fwd layout was preceded by a decade. The Mini had already swept Europe by 1969, and had already been discontinued in the US by the time the FIAT 128 came along, after being sold here in relatively small numbers for several years. As for the landmark status of the Mini, it's true that there were quite a few fwd cars before it, but it was the very first with the now almost universal transverse fwd layout. All of its fwd predecessors used a longitudinal engine layout with a longitudinal gearbox either in front of or behind the engine, driving the front wheels. Today, only Audi and Subaru persist in this layout. It was Issogonis' genius that turned the engine sideways and pushed it forward, and pushed the rear wheels all the way back, so that the Mini had a remarkable amount of internal space for a tiny external space. There is more rear legroom in my 1963 Mini than there is in my 1969 FIAT 124 Coupe, despite the Mini being 3.5ft shorter. Citroen, with the 11 (aka the Traction Avant), beat DKW by some time in producing the first "mass-produced" fwd car in 1937, a car which also featured a unit chassis and hydraulic brakes, all of which had been done before, but no car incorporated all of these then-advanced features in one car before. This car was produced in substantial numbers until 1955, when it was replaced by the even more radical DS. Cord, Miller, and some British marques all had fwd cars in the 1930s, but they were all very small-volume handbuilt cars. The fwd revolution didn't really hit the US hard until the mid-1970s, when cars from Honda, Ford (the Fiesta), and VW became popular. I remember very few FIATs from that era, and those I remember were 124 sedans and Spiders, not 128s.

lapuwali

Mar 13 2006, 09:17 AM

Post #51

Not another one!

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QUOTE (DblDog @ Mar 13 2006, 12:43 AM)

...a little OT, but still Fiat...about the time I bought my 914 in 72, I also considered a BMW2002 and a Fiat 124, the coupe. They also sold the 124 Spider, neat little convertible. The body sheet metal was different from the coupe....both were not bad looking and never really caught on. I think MotorTrend did a few comparison articles ...I'll find some pics.

No need to find pics. Look in the SANDBOX, and you'll find pictures of my Coupe. The Spider most certainly DID catch on. They made 500,000 of them (five times more cars than 914s, and about as many as they made MGBs). They were produced for 30 years, and the bulk of production headed to the US in the later years.

Duane Estill	Mar 13 2006, 09:35 AM Post #52
Newbie Group: Members Posts: 29 Joined: 5-March 06 From: Memphis, TN Member No.: 5,668	Actually...total production figures for the Fiat Spider, that is, the convertible, runs to about 190,000 unit with the peek year being 1979 in which they shipped roughly 20K units. The Spider was handed over to Pininfarina in 1982 with Fiat supplying mechanicals and was sold through Fiat dealer networks in 1983 as the Pininfarina 124 Spider Europa. These cars enjoyed a few engineering refinements. Production ceased in 1985 after the "Azzura" rolled off the line with rack and pinion steering and a map light in the glove box. That same year, they did a limited run of the so-called Volumex which was the 2 liter spider engine with a supercharger on it, carbed, and a more rally look. They did not come to America and are still highly desirable in Europe, particularly Germany. I have an 83 Pinin Spider which is my all-time favorite car that I will actually keep for a while, picture attached. Belvedere the bulldog is along for the ride. Attached image(s)

zymurgist

Mar 13 2006, 09:46 AM

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QUOTE (Duane Estill @ Mar 13 2006, 09:53 AM)

Ken.....

Is that an American Bulldog in your avatar?

Althea is an American Pit Bull Terrier. 12 years old, 60 pounds. If I remember correctly, AB's are larger.

Duane Estill	Mar 13 2006, 09:47 AM Post #54
Newbie Group: Members Posts: 29 Joined: 5-March 06 From: Memphis, TN Member No.: 5,668	The Alfa Spider Veloce, Graduate, Quadrafoglio, etc. actually had a longer production life than the Fiat Spider, being produced roughly until 1991 or 92. It's a very different car than the Fiat or Pinin Spiders. The Alfa was heavier and more of a cruiser than the Fiat, though they were surely small Italian roadsters, and very good looking cars and are even now more visible and more expensive than the Fiat Spider. The Fiat/Pinin and Alfa Spider bodies were all made on side by side assembly lines at the Pininfarina factory in Torino. When Spider production ceased in 1985, Alfa Spiders continued to roll off. Pininfarina started making none other than the Cadillac Allante on the same line where the Fiat Spider was made.....what a lamer though by 91' the Allante was actually considered a world class car. What's more...the Alfa Spider is back with us, picture attached. Fiat still makes a "Barchetta" which is more directly comparable to a Miata whereas the Alfa Spider qualifies more as an exotic. Attached image(s)

Duane Estill	Mar 13 2006, 09:51 AM Post #55
Newbie Group: Members Posts: 29 Joined: 5-March 06 From: Memphis, TN Member No.: 5,668	Ah...shoulda guess it was an APBT. Cool looking dog. Belvedere is a registered American Bulldog, 5 years old and currently weighs in the 120 lb range. He's the ultimate layed back bulldog. I named him after the big white bulldog in the Looney Tunes cartoon with the Old Southern General that went..."Ohhh Bay-uhl-vu-deeAHHH come Heeahh BooAHH!" Both he and I are native Mississippians.....

zymurgist	Mar 13 2006, 10:12 AM Post #56
"Ace" Mechanic Group: Members Posts: 7,411 Joined: 9-June 05 From: Hagerstown, MD Member No.: 4,238 Region Association: None	Duane, If I remember those cartoons right, the bulldog had such a deep chest, his rear feet didn't touch the ground as he walked. 120 pounds... wow. That's a big bulldog! Althea was named after the Grateful Dead song... she's 12 years old but still in touch with her inner puppy. Loves all 2-legged visitors, hates cats and squirrels, can't be bothered to chase a rabbit.

KELTY360	Mar 13 2006, 10:16 AM Post #57
914 Neferati Group: Members Posts: 5,031 Joined: 31-December 05 From: Pt. Townsend, WA Member No.: 5,344 Region Association: Pacific Northwest	Some interesting stuff here. You guys have covered a lot of ground. Regarding the Mini (1959) and Fiat 128 (1969) discussion, you've negected to mention the 1966 Olds Toronado as a pioneering fwd layout. At the time, no one thought it was feasible to use that configuration on such a large car. Without debating the desireability of such a behemoth, the Olds design went on to power Buicks and Caddys, including convertible models. It even found it's way into a now 'classic' motorhome, the GMC, which is reknowned for it's sleek shape and space utilization - primarily because it lacks a driveline to the rear. Marc

Duane Estill	Mar 13 2006, 10:20 AM Post #58
Newbie Group: Members Posts: 29 Joined: 5-March 06 From: Memphis, TN Member No.: 5,668	Cool name too. Belvedere's dad, named Bigfoot, was 155 lbs. an incredible dog that was as laid back as anything. It hated Rottweilers though and would eat them for breakfast. To me, all the bully derivatives are dogs that have an excellent spirit and are 'eager to please.' Not as smart as border collies or labs usually, they do have excellent 'trust' instints with humans. The Americans are very expensive, a grand on average for a pure bred from a known blood line. They also represent what the original bulldog probably looked like as they've been bred in the Southern US since the early 1800's. The main difference is probably size, they are generally larger these days due to selective breeding and health issues.

Howard	Mar 13 2006, 10:23 AM Post #59
Incontin(g)ent Member Group: Benefactors Posts: 5,785 Joined: 24-July 03 From: Westlake Village, CA Member No.: 943 Region Association: None	And another detour. I bought a new 850 coupe in 1967. Great little swing axle taildragger, could really rotate around the front tires for A/X fun. Forgot how good it looked.. Attached image(s)

Rooster

Mar 13 2006, 10:40 AM

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QUOTE (lapuwali @ Mar 13 2006, 07:17 AM)

[QUOTE=DblDog,Mar 13 2006, 12:43 AM]

Love your avatar. I have one hanging up in my garage...

As for what they smooshed, I'd be upset if they crushed any classic car. That test was better suited for an escort or civic.

Personally, I do like the 914, even if it is just a Karmann-ghia...

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