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The seller, who is now a friend of mine and a fellow Fiat club member, had placed the car for auction on eBay without a reserve price, and as I was the only bidder at the starting price of $500, I got the car.
The car had been vandalised by someone with a hammer, and many of the panels were dented and the glass all smashed. It was then placed under a carport where it sat for 22 years out of the rain and with airflow, hence no rust. When I picked it up, it was difficult to tell the condition as it was covered in so much dirt and the interior was full of forest litter.
After much panel beating I learned from YouTube, it was back on the road looking beautiful in 2014, but mechanically it was far from perfect. The engine was actually running quite well, until my wife and I went for an overnight trip to Mt Hotham. This is one of the best driving roads in Australia, and the little car performed brilliantly on the way up. Its leech-like grip on the corners made it a memorable drive.
The little X1/9 kept going, but 5km from home we had to stop at a traffic light, and the cars behind us were not visible in the cloud. When we took off they stayed put, obviously unable to see ahead. But we made it home (just!), the little X1/9 battling on like a wounded donkey in the First World War carrying its soldiers home.
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