got this while searching for other mid engined cars:

"....Hello, I owned a 1979 Fiat X-19 for almost a year. Within that year I changed the head gasket twice, had numerous electrical problems, could not stop it from leaking water inside the passenger compartment, and I could go on and on. It only had 33K on lt, handled great, Looked great, but too bad it spent more time sitting than on the road. Whatever you do, dont buy one.......

Matthew......"

similar but hideous!!!!!

And because it's an italian piece of cr@p, it rusts even worse than a 914

cheers,

Jeroen

I'm pretty sure X/19's have a loyal following just like our beloved teeners do. Somewhere on a X/19 BBS right now is a pic of a 914 with the caption, "Don't ever buy one of these. I had one and it ran like shit until one day when it finally burned to the ground"

what type / size engine is in the x 19

Hey, Vaffunculo, eh?

I had to race against one of those at the SCCA driver's school back in march. that thing was slow. My 914 was overheating and i was 1/2 throttle down the straights and still passing it. haha. Corner speed was very similar though.

When you say overheating, what were you noticing? Temp gauge tell you? Steam?

the sweet smell of antifreeze/coolant?

Ah, the Fiat X1/9...It was my first sports car when I was 17. Had for about a year. It was a '78, first year with 5 speed, Mine had two in that year. Lost the right rear wheel once. Had to replace the alternator, had to loosen the motor mount to get it out. Broke a CV joint peeling out in the grass when the tire hit the pavement.

If I remember correctly the engine is a 1.6, in line four. Never had any coolant leaks as mentioned above. But man it sure was fun, turned corners without slowing down.

There is a folowing here in LA. I've seen a couple out at the Thursday Night Car Club meets. These guys have them all dialed of course...cams, headers, carbs...even saw one with flares!

There was a guy showing one at a car show last summer and said to him "hey, I used to push one of these around when I was a teen" - He wasn't amused -

-Mike D.

cylinder head temp was wayyy high, like 300.

heres a new restoration project

good project


¡Este coche no lo chupa es italiano para la consideración de dios!

Look at the picture on eBay with the fan in the seat....Italian Air Conditioning???

...and on a side note. Those cars look like smeared shit on the bottom of a shoe compared to a 914

Fix It Again Tony!

Anyone else have some good car acronyms?

One of my favorites: Ford=F*cked Over Rebuilt Dodge

I have one for Pontiac, but I think that's even more off-color

LOTUS:

Lots
Of
Trouble
Usually
Serious



cheers,

Jeroen

FORD = Fix Or Repaid Daily

MoPar = Moottorin Osia Pitkin Ajoradan Reunaa

Work only in finnish, but that means about " Engine parts all over the road"

Feeble Italian Attempt at Transportation

Failure In Automotive Technology

Hyundai- Hope You Understand Nothing is Drivable And Inexpensive.
Honda- Hold On Not Done Accelerating

Old Ladies Driving Slowly Make Others Behind Infuriatingly Late Everyday

Notice on the web there isn't one for Porsche. (i think)

Poor
Old
Nimrod
Thought
It was
A
Cadillac

I'd do NASA, but I think it would be bad Karma.

Well since my Karma has been bad enough his year.....no...I cant do it, but I'll help you.

How about if I have it in Spanish it won't be so bad.

Necesite a otros siete astronautas

Now I dont have to feel so bad.

To the men and women who died in the tragic event

Nobody has mentioned "Fix It Again Tony" for Fiat.

I always liked Fiats. I considered an 850 Sport Coupe and an X-1/9, plus the 124 Coupe and Spider were nice too. The X-1/9's came with 1.3 and 1.5 liter engines if I remember correctly. In the end, I'm glad I got my 914. I like it.

Mike

Dude, I think most heads get to like 350. 300 is a fine head temp

Find Immediately Alternate Transportation

i almost smacked the guy that asked if my 914 was a fiat.

same here...pulled up to the in n out drive thru, w/ the top off, and a hunny in the pass. seat...and BAM "is that a fiat" thu the intercom.....i said no! and barked my order at the guy! he must have been italian!

Since the 914 was my first car and I drove it to school. I was asked if it was a "kit car" . Asshole, I've also gotten people saying, Hot Wheel, Micro Machine, Skateboard (look below), riding lawnmower. I think thats about it. (I just like the smash smiley)

my favorate is "nice GOkart!" or "why is it so loud?" or "is that a rigid or does it have suspension" dum strung out surfers!

Yeah I got the go kart ones also, I guess I forgot and a lot of people said it sounded like a lawnmower casue it was loud, but not as loud as my friends 78 SC, his was louder.

Fix
It
Again
Tony
I had a 850 sport coupe....got 40 mpg, that's the best thing I can say about it!

Well, I have to show you one finnish 1/9.

Flared, injeckted, turboed, intecooled,..... an so on. At least the brakes are from Porsche.

#2

Over here (UK) we normally get asked if the 914's are Triumph TR7's.





Adam

I bought a 75 X1/9 NEW. First new car I ever owned. What you all miss is that it is also a mid engine auto and cornered like a slot car. And for a starving collage student the price vs. a new 914 was way less expensive. Plus the lines were more “modern” than the 914 at that time. It was a fun car, sold it and bought my first 911 (used).

As an owner of both a 914 and a Fiat 850 Spider I feel obligated to comment.

1) The X1/9 was either a 1.3 or 1.5 liter inline 4 cylinder.
2) It was slow.
3) It handled similarly to the 914 (mid engined, low center, etc..)
4) Fix It Again Tony was often a result of people not doing regular maintenance. People used to american cars often broke their Fiats. This is similar to the way people took care of 914s. Valve adjustment what???
5) They can be a fine car with proper care.
6) Too much plastic for me.

and most importantly

7) Carlo Abarth tuned many racing fiats in the 50s thru the 70s. He had also done racing Porsches for the factory!

In short, my opinion is that the Fiats got a bad name here because people didn't take good care of them.

The 850 was the precursor to the X1/9. It was a rear engined, 903cc (last years), water cooled inline 4, making all of 52 hp!! Slow is not the word, break out the calendars.

BTW: My 914 and my 850 are both Orange.

- Joe
73 1.7 Signal Orange

Here's lots of car acronyms - feel free to send me more and I'll post them:

http://members.rennlist.com/mountain914/Acronyms.html

mistaken for a tr7? yuck! id gladly take a tr 6, a tr 4, or a TR 3 over a fiat or an TR 7....i was looking at tr6's before i fell in love with my beast!

...now a TR-8 is another story....kinda like a 914-6 but with 2 more jugs...

never even heard of a TR 8...hmmm
here is a link to info on the rare tr8
TR-8

Do you know that X1/9s have actually two front suspensions from Fiat 128 !!

Yes, thats true. One of my friend have 1/9 and I have been many times under that. In the rear there is same kind of suspension than there is in front.