1977 Fiat X1/9

HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD IT?

I bought my 1290cc Fiat X1/9 new in August 1977 for the princely sum of £3413, so it has just celebrated its 40th birthday with me. That was the first full year Fiat offered the X1/9 in right-hand drive, some five years after its launch in November 1972 (Radbourne Racing converted a few to RHD before that). Mine is a Serie Speciale model. These were all numbered and have the special ‘strobe’ sidestripe and a black front spoiler. Niki Lauda had one of the same model that he was given while racing for Ferrari. There are apparently 248 X1/9s in total left on the road here, but I’ve yet to ascertain how many survivors of this model are still taxed in the UK. If any other readers have one, I hope that they let you know.

HOW MUCH HISTORY?

As its one and only owner, I have all of it from new, which confirms the

car’s mileage that currently stands at 81,325. Most of those were in its earlier years as it only gets used on special occasions now. The MoT records show it has only logged up an average of 500 miles per year over the last ten years. The car has one special claim to fame. In 1994 Phil Ward published the book Fiat

X1/9 – A Collector’s Guide and used my car to illustrate it. As well as being inside it appears on the cover of the book, pictured on the banking at Brooklands with a later 1500 version.

WHAT’S LEFT TO DO ON IT?

The car is still in A1 condition so we just keep looking after it as well as we have been for the last 40 years.

HAS IT BEEN MODIFIED?

No. It doesn’t need anything more than what it originally came with. It’s more than quick enough and handles beautifully.