FREE fiat x1/9 carcass with title - Detriot

A while back, I mentioned some styling compromises I was being forced to get real about. Well, the radiator I chose has been a major factor. I wanted to keep the under frunk roof storage, and hemmed and hawed thinking I could have it all. Finally, I had a look at where master cylinders have to go, and realized I never had frunk storage. This realization freed me up to cut a big stonkin' hole in the front of the car. The good bit is I cut out a bunch of rust, and the radiator will work. This is about as high as the bottom needs to go.

One of the many styling compromises I'm getting comfortable with is blanking off the stock headlight buckets for (in some States) illegally low fixed headlights. When I got the car, I had dreams of aluminum, spring loaded manual pop ups.

Not gonna happen.

In anticipation of all this tomfoolery, I built a rudimentary brake, and I'm ready to get to some of the bigger projects the car needs.

Today, I made end caps for the forward frame rails I cut off.

1/4" plate. They are going to do several things.

1. cap the frame-duh.

2. hold radiator, and maybe front spoiler mounts

3. give the rotisserie somewhere to mount.

This took waaaay too long because I had to find 4 matching (close enough) bolts and nuts . The center hole is for a 3/8" alignment pin.

 Rotisserie will make all the difference in the world in working on the underside of the car. Keep the reports coming, we are all enjoying watching this car come back to life!

Time for more photos. 

Ok, this one is simply because it is freakin awesome:

A detail of how someone cut up their engine bay:

And , finally, we get to what I'm on about this morning. I started out thinking I could do something like this:

However, in working through my Frunk, radiator, and general front of the car area, I'm realizing letting the air out the top is the direction I'll almost definitely go. Somewhat like so:

(ninja edit)

Here's what's got me tied up. I'm obliterating a bunch of the swage lines, which I think are a major part of what makes this a graceful design on such a tiny car. Basically, I wanted to do elegant, and I'm being pushed more and more to the brute as the metal and my meager skills talk to me. Talk about a first world problem.

I want to avoid something like this:

No offense intended to the builders of this, obviously built to race machine.

We may be moving somewhat more in this direction:

Yes, the cyber punk style is starting to take hold. Think of it as a futuristic rat rod, built for the same kind of reasons- I lack skill, wanna make a bold statement, maybe I prioritize form over function, while maintaining a very rough finish.

Thank you all for following along on my ramblings. I'm using the forum as a sketchpad at the moment.

Off to start a cyber-punk cars thread...

Here are a few more styles to consider.....

In reply to dherr :

I love all those, but don't know if I'm capable of such grace. Again, the metal, my skills and budget, time and materials will tell me what is to be. Specifically, I think the Dallara flares are very organic, and tough to duplicate. 

Yes, the Dallara flares are really cool, but without someone's car to use as the mold, would be hard to duplicate.

Decisions are being made.

The radiator WILL exit out the frunk. Since the roof won't go under there anymore, and I cut out the hinge mounts, what the heck?

I cut off what remained of the rear valence.

For justification:

Multiple layers of metal. Cut and crimped to make the return, AND 1/4"+ bondo on there.

Finally, while chewing on what to do about the radiator, I started patching some of the rear quarter.

wheelsmithy said:

We may be moving somewhat more in this direction:

I could get behind this look on an x1/9, eleventy-billion percent. Do this!

I just saw a video on youtube where the guy took sheet Styrofoam and made a boxflare on the front of his car. Then covered it with fiberglass matting and epoxy. He did two layers then pulled it off the car. He cut off the access and then did finish work on it off the car. It was a little bit more involved than what I'm writing but looked very doable even for a novice. Once done all he did was mount it with screws. It looked pretty darn nice. It looked similar to the front flair on the white rx7 shown. The backside went all the way down in front of the door. ok looked it up on youtube the guys channel is Build Create. Check it out.

First off today, I welded two new lugs to the radiator, and prettied it up.

And I used my new brake.

To make this piece:

Kind of hard to get a good picture of it in situ.

Obviously, I'm quite proud of it. This is the piece that prompted me to build the brake. It still needs some fettling, but it'll work. That's water heater skin. The fact that it's not too visible doesn't hurt a thing.

And I've been blanking off holes.

Lots and lots of holes.

Years ago I sold a rabbit berg cup kit to SVreX that I think he pulled copies from, I tested them on my X1/9 at the time and they would have worked decently. Wonder if he still has any

For those, like myself, unfamiliar with the Berg Cup Kit for VW Rabbits:

I like it a lot, but I think I'm engaged to the box flare idea. Bought the ring, looking at event spaces.

Tacking. Endless tacking. And when it's not tacking, its grinding. 

Still, progress is progress.

While I was in there, I added a brace between the chassis legs that will also serve as a smooth turn for future ductwork.

And I harvested some metal from a useless post in the yard.

After way too long at the lathe, I got these, which are going to help me French some headlights into the front.

Still trying to get the front together. Today, I finally got the radiator in place. 

First up, top mounts.

Please ignore my crap welds. Grrr. Seam sealer is my friend.

I got this far on the bottom before I had to start over.

I did cut the ends off and use them with the final version.

Still gotta finish weld, trim and pretty some stuff up, then add some speed holes, but it's functionally there.

Today, I cleaned up, added speed holes, and weighed the radiator support. 

6 lbs. The scrap yard says they get 6 (or is it 9?) bucks per 100 lbs, but every time I buy some there, it seems to come out to $100. Anyway, this was all scrap I've been carrying around forever.

I also started giving the car its face. I'm using way too many pieces, and welding way too much, but that's what happens when you wing it.

"I also started giving the car its face. I'm using way too many pieces, and welding way too much, but that's what happens when you wing it."

Results are looking great, though.

Love that radiator and placement.

Most of my scrap has come from scrounging around industrial environments, so I don't know what they charge for scrap these days, with them paying out so little, even though new metal is so high.

Once again, I'm going to let pictures do most of the talking. Yesterday was grinder day.

But this was the focus:

Note, the blue covers are just mocked up. This takes some time.

Robbie, not sure how this project will end but I'm pretty  sure I won't have another X/19.

I've got two nice tail lights and an instrument panel, yours just for the price of shipping if that fits your needs.

Dan

Whoaa. You are doing incredible, please keep it up. I relate with the "too many pieces, too much welding". Datsaniti's front fenders are 6 different panels of steel stitched together, each. Press on.

This is lookig great!

Yes, really liking where this is going!

914Driver said:

Robbie, not sure how this project will end but I'm pretty  sure I won't have another X/19.

I've got two nice tail lights and an instrument panel, yours just for the price of shipping if that fits your needs.

 

Dan

Hey Dan, I don't mean to horn in on an offer to Robbie, and he may need tail lights, in which case, by all means, do so, but I do in fact need them for this project, and would be most interested. I'm afraid I have no use for the instrument cluster, but some of the other X1/9 guys around GRM probably do. Party on.

In reply to 914Driver :

Wheelsmithy needs the tail lamps. I might need the instrument cluster, but there are many variations. What year car did it come from?

Today, I didn't break any speed records. 

Made this little guy. Note, I'm weighing this even though it was my water heater. It was never available to the general public, so gotta charge myself scrap prices.

Here it is on the car.

I also welded captive nuts on the returns under the headlights.

And cut out the pop up mounts and some rusty metal.

I've got to add some structure back, and build mounts for headlights I don't have in hand. Wild guessing to ensue.