Fiat x1/9 with a Honda vtec engine
 

Lightweight, mid-engine hilarity for your Friday:

https://jalopnik.com/a-vtec-swapped-fiat-x1-9-has-all-the-speed-of-a-modern-1834200464

There are a few X1/9's in So.Cal with the V-Tec engine swap.

A few years ago, I rode on one (passenger seat) at a local autocross and it was pretty impressed..! :-)

There is a show in Van Nuys called "The Best of France and Italy" during the first weekend of November, where you can see them at the same place.

First Sports Car
 

I bought a 1976 Fiat in 1979. My first sports car and mid engine car ...

I hade a 1978 X1/9 back in the early 80's and my only complaint was teh lack of power. Man I can only imagine 200+ HP in that car.

A fun read, thanks for posting! :)

That's cool!

Love it! The X1/9 is THE reason I still own sports cars.
First one I ever saw was a brand new 1974 Lime green beauty at a car show. I was 14. I rode up on my bike and couldn't grasp that the car was real and could be purchased. Fast forward to 1977, as a new high school graduate with a new full time job, I purchase a red 1975 with 22K miles for $2,200 (IIRC). Tan interior, AM/FM radio and Nardi wood steering wheel...dream car!!

After moving on a few years I ended up with a brown 1976 while in college. Drove it through 3 years at school and had very few issues, despite the cars reputation.

I have more x1/9 stories but will save for some other time. Suffice to say that my ownership of all my cars over the years, multiple Fiat and Alfa Spiders, 2 Miatas, 4 Boxsters and my current 911 are all a result of my experience with the X1/9.

It's a popular swap -- would love to have one!
 

I recently sold my X1/9 and now own a Boxster.
Loved the X and still kinda miss it. It's a slow car you can drive fast and so unique!

The Honda swap is popular and I've seen one but not driven it.
It's a great idea but the cost is very high.

Midwest Bayless (referenced in the article) is a terrific resource for all things Fiat and has done several of these swaps in the past. Not trivial (significant cutting and welding and fitting along with electronics/cluster work) but they really seem to know what they're doing!

I was disappointed when the X1/9 came out. I assumed the 850 would be around forever. I owned a 73 Fiat 850 Sports Spyder when I was in High School. Chose that over a Triumph Spitfire; I leaned against the front fender and left a butt dent in it (at the show room). $2736, out the door.

I had a '72 850 Sport! What a great tiny car. The wooden steering wheel and toggle switches seduced me.

My first sports car was a Fiat X 1/9, the Bertone edition (if there was such a thing), I think it was a 76 or 77 and I bought it in 86 or 87 for $500 using money from my High School job at McD's. It had no factory seat belts. Many years later I wanted to get that feeling back of driving and that's when I got the Boxster :cheers: