Project Xer-Cyst

"SBA Thanks You For All The Fish" (santabarbarianlsx)
12/21/2019 at 10:40 • Filed to: None

Well, it’s black, it’s disgusting, but it’s definitely not running. We’re just wrapping up a motor swap into a W201 in the shop so I finally got the Italian lightweight (“micro Ferrari” to paraphrase Hammond) out of storage to haul out there .

Current plan is an LSJ (which had some shared heritage with Fiat during the GM-Agnelli dalliance) with some power mods... in this roller skate. It has very little rust, oddly, being a 40 year California car. Hopefully it can be showing up in vintage rallies next year.

When I had it on the trailer yesterday I had a disturbing number of people come over and ask “Hey! What kind of car is that??? I’ve never seen one of those.”

DISCUSSION (23)

RallyWrench > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
12/21/2019 at 11:00

Fun! That makes two X1/9s on Oppo now. Looking forward to updates!

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
12/21/2019 at 11:04

That’s awesome! Someone on oppo has one with the engine from an Uno Turbo, but be sure that the brakes are up to the task:

https://oppositelock.kinja.com/biturbos-field-trip-to-wales-flight-day-alternately-t-1828298436

It’s fixed now though:

https://oppositelock.kinja.com/fix-it-again-tony-1828578795

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
12/21/2019 at 11:14

Thanks! And thanks for the links. Yeah, the “big brake kit” for this thing has been sitting in the shopping cart for months, awaiting its moment. I suspect, with the goofball wheel pattern, that we’ll have challenges finding wheels to clear the calipers I want to mount.

The other open question is whether to add some of the donor car’s smarts like ABS and stability control, given the chassis’ quirks. We’ve got a Stratos kit to build after this one-- so this is a shakedown for some design ideas there, too.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
12/21/2019 at 11:19

Awesome! Do you have the top for it? I d on’t see it in that pic!

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
12/21/2019 at 11:34

Good eye! Yeah, there’s a separate storage unit with a “yard sale” full of a lot of bits, including what look to be perfect front and rear hoods... I’m not sure the top is in good enough shape to be usable, so may need to revisit that. We’ve got two good door cards. I’ve got a set of Recaros we are hoping to replace the stock seats with (foam is shot in the stock seats).

Those side vent covers will also be a challenge, as I don’t think we found a usable set. By the time we’re done, it probably does turn into a scavenger hunt.

BTW we did look briefly at M/B’s K-series swap parts, but those are serious money... and I have not reconciled myself to a completely non-Italian motor in there. Of course, the guys that have done 2ZZ’s have that delightfully high revving engine for entertainment.

It will be a fun swap-- and candidly I’m sure we’ll change directions several times once we get into it.

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
12/21/2019 at 11:38

Wow a Stratos! A wesome. You might want to look into the Dallara X1/9 and some abarth prototypes for inspiration

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
12/21/2019 at 11:40

Thanks for the links, BTW! And, now I know that it’s essential to carry “tin snips” in my emergency toolkit...

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
12/21/2019 at 11:42

Thanks. yeah, fully open to ideas. Along the way, in gathering parts for the Stratos (which borrows heavily from the Alfa and Fiat parts bins...) I’d also bought Alfa, and Beta/Zagato donor cars. Of course, I’ve now fallen in love with the donor cars, especially the gorgeous Alfa, and can’t quite bring myself to put them all under the knife...

Deltyn drives a meh car > RallyWrench
12/21/2019 at 12:39

There are definitely more than 2 X1-9s on oppo. I alone have 2 of them .

Sounds like this is going to be a great project to follow though. Looking forward to updates!

GoodIdeaAtTheTime > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
12/21/2019 at 12:39

I love these things, I have yet to find a good one, or even mediocre one, worth my time. Everyone wants their weight in gold, not rust, around here. One will definitely be my next project car, if I don’t build a Super 7 first.

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > GoodIdeaAtTheTime
12/21/2019 at 12:55

OTOH, perfection is always out there somewhere...

RallyWrench > Deltyn drives a meh car
12/21/2019 at 13:43

Well that makes me happy!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
12/21/2019 at 15:52

Looking forward to more updates! :D

diplodicus forgot his password > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
12/21/2019 at 18:53

Hey I saw one of those today.

Kinja'd!!!

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > diplodicus forgot his password
12/21/2019 at 20:35

Heh. That US mandated bumper is SOOOOO beautiful!

thatsmr > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
12/21/2019 at 21:24

Love these in theory but have never driven one. Total want. My 850 spider is a blast as I can swing the rear out at the lowest of speeds! Are X/19s able to do that? The horsepower warriors just dont understand. Best of luck!

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
01/10/2020 at 12:51

Hell yeah :) let me know if you’ve got any questions. This is mine (Uno Turbo swap):

Kinja'd!!!

Got all my workings on it under the tag Fix It Again Tony ;)

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
01/10/2020 at 12:56

Awesome! Has it been hard dealing with the Uno Turbo electronics and engine management?

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
01/10/2020 at 13:07

Thanks :)

Sort of, maybe. The actual system itself is bog simple. F lapper-valve airflow meter (same variety you get on E30s and 944s) , water temp sensor, rpm sensor on the flywheel, ignition sensor on the pulley, and a vacuum feed to the ignition ECU is all it really is. Most of that is self-contained in the wiring loom so you just need to provide power feeds to the ignition and ECUs from the stock loom.

The issues I’ve had have been around it being an old-school system so there’s no form of electronic diagnostics. Fair amount of chasing around dodgy wiring from the PO who did the swap and sensors that had died.

The other main issue with it is it’s not mappable, and any tuning is in the old-school ‘fudge it with fuel pressure’ method. At some point I’ll swap to Punto GT management which is mappable, but needs an O2 sensor and some other bits and pieces.

It would be quite tricky to get Uno Turbo bits in the States though. They weren’t exactly common over here, and I don’t think they sold them in the States. There is someone providing a whole kit to fit a Honda K20 in the States though ;)

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
01/10/2020 at 20:18

So, was that Uno Turbo still a Bosch CIS car? By accident I seem to have picked up a few of those— and Warm-Up Regulators notwithstanding— they are a pretty simple robust system— albeit limiting your tuning options. My mechanic’s big on just going aftermarket, although we did use an AEM piggyback system on a BMW CIS car once along the way.

We’re still looking at options but the LSJ was interesting to us since we have a known good donor car, with 6 speed, and GM-Fiat had ended up putting an Ecotec in the Fiat Croma and some Alfa’s when Fiat and GM were dating. We have some test fitting to do as well.

I’m sure I’ll hit you up as we go.

thanks!

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
01/11/2020 at 06:25

Yeah, can’t remember which version but it’s Bosch for the fuelling. Has a separate Magnetti Marelli ignition ECU though.

Sounds like a plan ;) over here there’s a fair few bolt-on (ish) swaps, but in the States you’re looking at custom stuff wherever you start. Looking forward to seeing it come together :)

Oh, and the company who did my alloy rad are Midwest Bayliss in the States. Might be useful for bits and pieces :)

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
01/11/2020 at 11:59

I’ve looked at the Midwest-Bayless kit for swapping a Honda motor in there, but it’s fairly spendy... and I’d like to stay mainly in a parts bin that Fiat would have used if I can.

Hadn’t thought about them for some of the bespoke pieces, but will take another look once we get closer

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
01/14/2020 at 16:54

Yeah for alloy rads and upgraded suspension they're probably a good bet. A little pricey, but you get good quality with it.