Tiff to the front desk please, new shite alert

[eddyramrod]

I suppose I'll have to revise my signature list now...

...as I've bought this little beauty this afternoon! Well yesterday, I suppose, as midnight has long gone now... Here's the other end...

...and the interior...

 

OK, so what it is, is a Bertone X1/9 VS from 1987. It was brought over from the UK by a couple retiring out here, who owned it for many years. However, as they don't live in Cyprus full-time, and have another car anyway, they found they weren't using this, so just laid it up. That was two years ago. Recent conversations with them prompted them to get some work done at my friend's garage, so now the 1500 engine runs like a dream, and the car is ready for MoT. Now the couple have decided not to spend any money on it, instead taking the cash offer that I left "on the table" for them to think about. So they thought, and decided, and now it's mine! My plan is to fettle it up for Mrs Ramrod to use, as she's always wanted a sports car. If she can get in and out, and drive it, fine, it's hers. I'll then sell off the pickup (which she drives now), as we could stand a bit of cash coming in.

 

So Tiff, looks like I've joined you! I can't see anything the car needs urgently, but she does need a respray sometime, which will mean new decals and stripes if they're available. We can talk about that in PM later.

[RoadworkUK]

Gran Finale? Good work that man!

 

Alfa V6 conversion in 3, 2, 1...

[eddyramrod]

Heehee, not allowed over here, but would be fun! Gran Finale? I thought they were later... I'll have to go through the carrier-bag of paperwork that came with it, see if that's what I've got. I have a feeling the paintjob does indicate something special, but can't remember what.

[RoadworkUK]

Heehee, not allowed over here, but would be fun! Gran Finale? I thought they were later... I'll have to go through the carrier-bag of paperwork that came with it, see if that's what I've got. I have a feeling the paintjob does indicate something special, but can't remember what.

 

You're right, probably too early for a G/F, the paint just made me blurt it out. I think the grannys had cross-spoke wheels. Either was, lovely bit o' kit.

[Barry Cade]

Yay! Well done that man VS means versione special- two tone, leather and electric windows. Gran Finale only came in Mica red or Blue, with self destructing rainbow cloth seats and OZ cross spoke alloys.. Last of the line, 1989 and the rustiest of the lot. Yours looks pretty good,and all original. Anything you need just shout, and read my Ebay buying guide for some info

 

This is my current one, Uno turbo engine and brakes- was also a VS...I think but now all one colour.

 

My previous one, also my daily, and also a VS which I painted in a weekend all one colour.

 

It looked like this before I waved the DeVillbiss in its direction

 

Here's a Gran Finale I once had...

 

This was the one before the blue VS, bought and built and MOT'd for £400.

 

It got a pair of genuine quarter panels I managed to find for £40

 

 

[eddyramrod]

Woooo, X1/9 overdose! Thanks Tiff, some high drama in those pics! I have got a bit of bodywork to do but not a whole lot; just a shame it means an overall respray at the end. Are the stripes available as a kit? And the lettering?

 

As for being a good car, yes I think it is. The couple before me have treated it as their baby for 15 years or so, except for laying it up in 2009. There's a whole load of receipts for work done and parts bought, and the UK number plates are even in the trunk. I also have a big sheaf of UK MoTs, which confirm the mileage. Mrs Previous-Owner was using it as her daily, visiting farms! Considering that, I think it's held up rather well. Should be some top-off motoring this summer now!

[Barry Cade]

Woooo, X1/9 overdose! Thanks Tiff, some high drama in those pics! I have got a bit of bodywork to do but not a whole lot; just a shame it means an overall respray at the end. Are the stripes available as a kit? And the lettering?

 

The stripes aren't avaliable as far as I know, but are easily made up in sections by a vynil place I have all the other decals and badges etc. They are no problem as daily drivers,mine does 60 miles a day-they really benefit from regular use. Main concerns with an X1/9 are the rear suspension turrets,targa bar and rear balljoints,every thing else is doable. Make sure the cooling system is tip-top and coppaslip the brake slides regularly and just drive it!!

[Station]

I'd love one of these, what's the going price for an OK one (I don't mind work).

[Barry Cade]

They start from around £500 for a rough MOT'd one. My turbo is possibly going up for sale as I'm feeling the need for another big bike....

[eddyramrod]

Bit of a cross-post here from the Grin thread, but: today was MoT day, and it passed. Excellent news. I drove it there and back (on a typical Cyprus summer day ) along the coast road, then home through some back roads with the top off. The car behaved beautifully, and has a lovely exhaust note. How much better can it get?!

 

Actually it could, as I can't get anything worthwhile out of the radio, so it looks like a new one is called for. With a cassette deck, then we can have Matt Monro and Bobby Darin serenading us as we cruise Paphos Riviera! Fortunately I know where to get such a thing, so if that's the biggest problem this summer we will have done very nicely, thank you.

[dollywobbler]

Nice one. These seem a bit over-looked at the moment. Mind you, people don't yet seem to be getting excited about MR2s either. Surely mid-engined cars are going to come back into fashion again?

[eddyramrod]

people don't yet seem to be getting excited about MR2s

 

I think a certain Mr Creep of this parish could vouch for that! This is my first mid-engined car, I've had almost every other configuration. It's a while since I drove anything with the gearbox behind me, so the wooliness of the shift is a bit disturbing, for a while. However it isn't much better on my Granada (which has no business being manual anyway) so at least I'm in-training for it!

[Barry Cade]

It's a while since I drove anything with the gearbox behind me, so the wooliness of the shift is a bit disturbing, for a while.

 

 

The shift shouldn't be wooly- the "lollipop" is probably soft and perished-the rubber disc between gear linkage and box. Drill a hole through it and put in a nut and bolt with a couple of repair washers and it'll make a huge difference.

[eddyramrod]

Aha, thanks! Positive is the last word you would use about it at the moment, so yeah, this is probably the issue. It'll be coming off the road towards the end of the year for some other work, so we'll live with it until then and do all the jobs at once. It won't be going racing...

[Barry Cade]

It takes a jack, axle stands and 5 minutes to do- well worth it!! Please don't leave it as it can cause wear on the box, or it can let go althogether and leave you with a box full of neutrals...

 

Mine is for sale now... here:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C230968

[eddyramrod]

Sounds simple enough then. I can smell the posting already in the "wish you'd never started" thread.... (many of my "simple" car jobs end up as fodder for that one!)

[Barry Cade]

 

This bit...

http://www.eurosport-uk.net/shop/index. ... 48hsc21454

[eddyramrod]

Brilliant, thanks; now where do I need to drill?

[Barry Cade]

Right through the middle of the round disc. Its a sandwich of 2 bits of metal with a rubber filling, which goes soft and gets saturated in oil so it splits,and doesn't transfer the twist of the gearstick through to the box, which usually makes the gearchange very dodgy. You could fit a new one, but they only last a couple of years..put a bolt through it and it'll outlast the car.

[eddyramrod]

Took the X out the other day to complete the paperwork involved in transferring ownership. Roof off, windows down, a glorious day in Paphos... Couldn't be much better, could it?

 

Then the clutch pedal dropped to the floor. Fortunately Andreas was with me and diagnosed failed seals in the clutch master cylinder, probably because it's been standing for nearly 3 years. So he's managed to find one available on the island, which we should be fitting over the weekend. The joys of recommissioning.................

[Barry Cade]

Oh dear.Not unusual after these have been sitting... Change the brake master while you are in there, hope you enjoy standing on your head!!

 

Get the whole pedal box out, after taking the whole steering collumn out- makes the job slightly more pleasant. Oh, and they are a &*^%* to bleed...Have fun with the clutch return spring!

[eddyramrod]

Thanks Tiff... I think I'll let Andreas deal with this one!

[eddyramrod]

Andreas changed the cylinder today. He was struggling with the return spring, as expected, but a cup of coffee and a thin cigar gave him time to think round it. Head under the dash again and he suddenly announced: it's done. I still don't know what he did that made it slip silently into place. Anyway, bleed session tomorrow and we should be up and running again.

[Barry Cade]

There is a knack to it using vise grips- some people use different methods...including stretching the spring and inserting pennies... . leave the fluid resovoir full and leave the bleed nipple open overnight- you will find it much easier to bleed tomorrow.. or better still use a vacuum bleeder.

[eddyramrod]

When I got there today he'd pretty much done it. It's now home again, and drives much better. Any tips for stopping the sunvisors flopping down all the time?

[Barry Cade]

Great news!!

 

sunvisors , , move them along the spindle a wee bit and tighten the screws up as much as possible. Failing that, velcro!

[eddyramrod]

Got that, thanks. Tried it today and it helps, though not 100%. I'm thinking I might add washers to give the screws something to tighten against. Now I've noticed, while washing it this evening, that the wiper arms are damaged and won't hold the heads. More fiddling and expense. Wife might be able to use it one of these days! (It is supposed to be her car, after all....)

[CreepingJesus]

Any tips for stopping the sunvisors flopping down all the time?

 

Wrap a couple of elastic bands round the visor, about a 3rd of the way in from each end. Like taxi drivers do. Takes up the gap, and you can always stick stuff under the bands to make it look like you meant it. Y'know; pens, a tiny calendar, random business cards - like taxi drivers do.

[Barry Cade]

Got that, thanks. Tried it today and it helps, though not 100%. I'm thinking I might add washers to give the screws something to tighten against. Now I've noticed, while washing it this evening, that the wiper arms are damaged and won't hold the heads. More fiddling and expense. Wife might be able to use it one of these days! (It is supposed to be her car, after all....)

 

Is it that the arm splines are worn? Folk usually just glue them in place, or drill them and put a self tapper in to hold them tight. If its the blades that are loose, the little "pip" on the arm will be gone.