What did you do to your X1/9 today ?

Was walking around the X19 today doing some paint touchup and came across this beauty. Left rear quarter took a hit from something that made a deep gouge. The panel is fiberglass so that is what I am filling it with. Got the first coat in to fill three sixteenth deep by half inch hole. Got a few other little nicks here and there but nothing as major as the one shown. Down low on the rockers and the like I can understand but the little one up on the driver side windshield post I can't figure. I don't wear rings or any other jewelry and I am the only one that drives so it is a mystery. I have barely enough paint to do the big spot but will have to get some hardener as the old stuff is kind of jelled and this paint will not completely dry with out it. that first dab should be set up by now so I am going out to do the last fill before sanding it down and prepping for paint.
 
Header work...

Got the header (finally) welded together. Cutting and re-welding the pipes to the flange was not as simple as I thought. I am hoping to have the exhaust together before the end of the weekend.

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Finally got tired of trying to remember to raise the antenna. Added an automatic electric antenna that goes up when the radio comes on. While I had everything apart I installed a Garmin direct wire power cable to eliminate the need to use the cigarette lighter socket.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-010-11131-10-USB-Power-Cable/dp/B004M4TZF6/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1409155547&sr=1-1&keywords=Garmin+010-11131-10+USB+Power+Cable"]Amazon.com: Garmin USB Power Cable: GPS & Navigation[/ame]
 
My beautiful 1987 Fiat x1/9 bertone

Today I finished up with my prep work for a new manifold gasket. However one of the studs snapped off while driving about a week ago, the car lost performance and did not sound right. I broke a tap while threading the bolt hole, and was un able to remove tap, I had no choice but to drill new hole in manifold and into the head. Over all it came out fine, new manifold gasket should be in tomorrow, I hope. Can't wait to hear her running again, and take a nice long ride back country.
 
Busy day on my X

I finished up the manifold gasket repair today, got her all together, she sounds and drives great now. However while taking a nice country drive tonight, the speed o stopped working?? Could it be where it connects to gauge cluster through firewall? I will have to wait till day light arrives and take a closer look.
 
There is a connection in the left cowl between a long cable from the transaxle and a short stubby cable to the speedometer. Check if this connection is OK. It is fairly common for the cable toe kink in this area.
 
Good Day for my X

Today I installed a new junction in the fuse box as the orginal melted then I did the BWM. I installed a new 4 Gauge Ground wire at the battery and added a new 10 Gauge wire to the fuse box from the Positive side of the battery. Installed new battery and a new gold plated positive terminal to the battery. Started right up and even better the lights inside were the brightest I have ever seen. Thanks to Shaun Folkerts and Bob Brown and X-Web much help from all. I love this forum.:clap:

Brian Benson
 
Paint: Round 2

We were not entirely satisfied with the results of the paint job we applied. On Monday, Dad and a friend of his gave the car another coat, with better results. It's been a good learning process. Here it is, in "Bronze Metallic":
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We were not entirely satisfied with the results of the paint job we applied. On Monday, Dad and a friend of his gave the car another coat, with better results. It's been a good learning process. Here it is, in "Bronze Metallic":
http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s602/phiatphotos/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3972-c_1_1_1_zps6f39dbf4.jpg
IMG_3972-c_1_1_1_zps6f39dbf4.jpg
IMG_3972-c_1_1_1_zps6f39dbf4.jpg
IMG_3972-c_1_1_1_zps6f39dbf4.jpg
Looks real nice. So you didn't like the first coat eh? wasn't any alcohol involved was there? lol. A bunch of years ago a friend of mine ask me what I would charge him to paint his 64 Ford. I said you supply the materials and help me prep it and I will paint it for s few beers. Well the first week of sanding and priming went well and my friend kept me in enough beers to slack my thirst. The day I painted it old butch brought over a case. By the time we got it masked off there was part of one six pack left. I did a pretty good paint job in spite of my handicap but there was some thin spots. A day later I reshot it sans the suds and it came out great. Moral? Friends shouldn't let their friends drink and paint their car. Beer and paint does not mix. Again I say that is a nice looking car
 
nice exaust

seeing the plate frame, can I assume that you are south of the bay area??
was a member years ago.
mikemo90*aol.com
 
seeing the plate frame, can I assume that you are south of the bay area??
was a member years ago.
mikemo90*aol.com

Redwood City, CA - which is convenient since FA meetings (2nd Monday of the month) are held here in town - even though I still some how miss them often :(

I have been an off and on member for over 25 years now...
 
No alcohol

No Alcohol was involved in the first paint attempt, so I don't have that ready excuse. It was just the first time I ever tried spraying a car.

Almost every time you read something that ends with "Authorities believe that alcohol may have been a factor", it wasn't something good that happened. The only exception I can think of would be something like "Joseph Lister develops new antiseptic process", but I guess that's old news.
 
Thanks

Glad you like it.
When we picked the color, we thought it would be really unique. Then we started noticing a bunch of modern cars in similar colors. Guess we hadn't been paying attention to the trends... Being an X1/9 makes it unique enough!

I'll post again when we've got it put back together. I hope I can get some nice pictures of it against Fall foliage. I think that's where that color will look the best.
 
Glad you like it.
When we picked the color, we thought it would be really unique. Then we started noticing a bunch of modern cars in similar colors. Guess we hadn't been paying attention to the trends... Being an X1/9 makes it unique enough!

I'll post again when we've got it put back together. I hope I can get some nice pictures of it against Fall foliage. I think that's where that color will look the best.

My wife and I was at a restaurant one day having a conversation why it seamed that if you learned a new word or saw something you unique that you really liked it would start popping up all over the place. I was being a bit silly so I ask the waitress the question. A gentleman sitting close by over heard and piped up saying it was called reinforced recognition. He claimed to be a psychologist and this was a common question. He went into more detail than I wanted but the gist of it is you have subconsciously noticed something several times but when you become consciously aware of it, It then seems to pop up everywhere. I can argue this as many of you probably can to, but I will just say once a gain that the color is nice and don't start worrying about it unless you see a dozen or so X's that same color go by all at once.
 
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