Re: Fiat X1/9s (defensive non-Audi content)

[William.Elliott@mail.mei.com]

<<amazing.  i was _also_ an 850 owner.  only met one other guy who had one.   i
had the either coveted or ridiculed, depending on your point of view, but
rare either way, '850 Racer'.  permanent bolted on hardtop.  sales pitch: all
of the inconvenience of a convertible and none of the fun!  it was supposed
to be sportier, more rigid, etc.  spent mucho time with warped cylinder
heads, axle replacements, electrical fun, etc. etc. and drove it all of once
or twice.>>

I hate to keep an non-Audi thread running, but I love 850's.  (Point of
absolutely
useless trivia... the 850 Spyder was introduced on March 7, 1965... the day the
designers' first son was born (he left his wife in the hospital following the
birth
to attend the unveiling)... and the day I was born!  No wonder I'm a car nut.)

The owner of the detective agency I worked at during college had bought one
new in 1972.  She claimed it had rust bubbles on the showroom floor, wouldn't
start
below 30 degrees and overheated above 80... but she loved it!

Another interesting but useless fact:  At the Corvair Nationals about 10 years
ago, the fastest time of the day for the autocross was turned in by an 850
Spyder... motivated by a 200hp+ Corvair Turbo engine.  Car still exists (but
is not for sale.) ;-(

Finally, I'm in the middle of trying to buy a '72 model (with the big 903cc
engine)  Not an 850 Racer (really, really rare!) though!

I also really like X1/9's... really a great car... but I'd rather drive an 850.
(I do have a line on one of the nicest original X1/9's I've ever seen for
sale in DC.  Belonged to the FIAT east coast distributor... contact me
off line for the point of contact.  No relationship except I bought a 4kQ
from him.)

Bill Elliott
certified car junkie
Lake Mills, WI