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Steve

Steve

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In the last couple of days in snowy, miserable-weather Wisconsin............a Fiat X 1/9 (no visible rust, either) and two convertible Mercury Capris. I forget the last time I saw an X 1/9!!!!
 
last time I saw an X1/9 was on mythbusters. It took 3 ditrect hits from 2 oncloming 18 wheelers and looked really stout!

Before that, there used to be a yellow one up the road from me.

The Mercury capri's apparently suck, but I test drove one the last year they made them an XR2. Was really a nice car to me. They couldn't get one in the color I wanted, so I left it.
 
there's a X1/9 just up the street from my office... been sitting in a garage parking lot for well over a year now. The guy's recently (past couple of months) added a black RB B... British and Continental Motor Works is the place IIRC.
 
[ QUOTE ]
...two convertible Mercury Capri's...

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't know they made a convertible!
 
I have an 84 Mustang LX convert and Mercury Capri had the same body style- was that the right vintage?
 
There were a few different Mercury Capris here in the US. One was based on the Mustang bodystyle (fox platform), and had similar engine and drivetrain offerings as the Stang I believe. I think these cars were built from the intro of the Fox platform (79) to sometime in the 80's. I went to high school with a guy who runs a 5.0 liter Capri around here, pretty fast car. Then there was the later Capri, the little 2 seat drop top, which is what I think Kenny is talking about. I think those cars were offered from 1990 to the mid 90's sometime. There was another Capri in the early 70's, that I've seen badged as both a Ford and a Mercury, but I don't know what platform that car was built on or the years it was produced.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Make mine the old European (Mercury) Capri from the 1970's...

[/ QUOTE ]

Agree with you....I'd forgotten about those ugly little Capri's even though there's one standing at a body shop near me
 
There is a sad little X1/9 a couple blocks away from me. Looks rather solid if a little neglected.

FiatX19Small.jpg
 
Nothing like an injection molded plastic engine cover and top - hehehehe.
 
Since we're comparing X1/9 finds /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif This poor example is parked up in a front yard near downtown (Bridgeland area, for David's info), not my best picture ever though...

54455714_88cb8d23e6.jpg


78Z (David)... I like that Fiat 850 Spider... Is that one down in Bowness, I heard about one down there.
 
Saw a late '70s Alfa Spyder Veloce on the road last Tuesday. I mentioned it to a friend, and he said, "They probably started in Florida, and were afraid to shut it off."
Jeff
 
Very humorous, Jeff...

HARUMPH!
 
Remember in the movie Silver Streak, after the train crashed thru the terminal Richard Pryor stole an X1/9 that was on display.Also earlier in the movie Gene Wilder and Richard stole an XKE that had a price of $4999 in the windscreen.
 
Look out, guys...."HARUMPH" is Doc's signature phrase when he's getting pi$$ed!
 
There are actually a bunch of X1/9s here in Olympia. Saw one a couple days ago flying down highway 101. Every time I listen to guys bad-mouth them, I bring up the Road and Track article that compared the X1/9, 124, MGB, Midget, TR7, Spitfire (and I'm missing one, I think.) But they found the X1/9 to be the best car by far. The worst? Midget, by far. (They also really liked the TR7, which took second place, if memory serves.)

But there's no such thing as an X1/9 that hasn't been driven in a while that isn't "neglected." Those things need to be driven, maintained and kept in a garage, or they're worthless. Too rust-prone in very important places, and the engines need to be properly maintained and run.

You know that X1/9 stands for? X is the purchase price. To keep it roadworthy for 1 year costs 9X.

There were three Capri body styles: the early 70s, which was based on the British Ford, then the 80s version, which was a hatchback Mustang (which is what I have.) The final version was based on the Ford Barchetta concept, and was the front-wheel-drive roadster. Actually faster than a Miata in a straight line, it wasn't a bad car...it actually still has a pretty big following.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Look out, guys...."HARUMPH" is Doc's signature phrase when he's getting pi$$ed!

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, Jeff DID qualify his post...

But Thank You for noticing, Tony! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif
 
I always figured X=what you paid for it (new used 1977 or yesterday)... and 1/9 is what it's worth the second the title is signed over to you (1/9th what you paid)!
 
I think I have that issue of R&T,because there was also an
article on Healeys,their values,etc,from 1975.
After seeing that,I bought a Healey 100-6 for $1000,even a great deal back then (Sold it for $2100!).
As for X1/9's,we have a few running around here.
Usually if I see more than one (not behind a towtruck),I figure there's a convention going on somewhere.

- Doug
 
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