Just a couple of things !!

Evening all !

Does anyone know the best way of flattening down the rear rubber trim on the top of the bumper ?.
Mine resembles the landscape of the Alps ! short of pop riviting it down which would look pretty ugly.

Also some advice needed on the correct colour of my VS.

I seem to remember (from years ago) the lower section that is in black, should this be gloss black or matt ? I seem to remeber it not being that shiney.

It is obvious that mine has had some major work in the past regarding the paintwork, but to me i just don't look right being gloss black.

Any idea's

Thanks

I seem to recall Julian suggested a hot iron (use a cloth between iron and plastic!) might do the trick on the plastic trim. Not sure about the lower colour I'm afraid. if the top half is metallic, a metallic charcoal bottom half would look good.

Nigel,

Without having the details with me to hand - I used to have an identical early UK VS to yours......
I bought it from my then local Fiat dealer when the car was just 3 years old.
I believe the bottom half is a Metallic grey known as Grigio Scuro (Fiat Code 900) with the upper known as Fiat Racing Red (Fiat Code 171).

Also used to have an A reg one like yours/Neil's ! - looks like you have the correct speedline "Iron Cross" 13 x 5.5 wheels, you should have a black leather interior and oddly, a red carpet (I swapped mine for a black one when I got the chance). There should be a double gold pin-stripe along the join between the red/orange and the Grey/brown paint. IIRC the seats had a tan coloured rectangle embossed with the X 1/9 logo in the centre of the headrests rather than the black circular decoration on later seats.

Onwards to Italy!

Thanks Rachael, I will give it a go ! it's a good idea and should work hopefully.

Neil, thanks for the paint codes, niehter the top or the bottom colours are metalic.
But it has been painted in a non metalic gloss black which in all honesty doesn't look right.
So I will leave it for now and get some use out of the car before the winter, and attend a few local shows as it's not in bad nik, but over the winter the engine will be out, give me chance to properly clean up the bay and do some other work on the engine, then i'll prepar ethe lower half and have it resprayed the correct colour, give me a chance to fill her up if needed :oops:

Thanks once again

Hi Andrew.

Yes all you have mentioned is present on mine with the exception of the pin stripe which I will sorce from somewhere, the carpets were red and very faded, the car came with a very respectable what looks to be unused blackset which I have fitted, much better on the eyes !

And it's good to know they are the correct wheels, I was going to take them off and replace cause i wasn't sure, all else seems to be all good, but I will have to sort out the lower paint as mentioned because it just an't right.

Good luck with the trip Andrew, and wish you gods speed :lol:

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationHi Nigel, just saw this on ebay - its the original 1984 X1/9 VS brochure - yourcar is on the front!



Cheers A

Nice ! I do have the correct wheels :woohoo:

I have noticed the wheel arches are red, mine have been painted black, proberly to cover up repairs, oh well another bit of paint work to correct over the winter.

Now lokking a twin pin stripes ! Il'l give it a miss purchasing the book at £15, I can get my stipes for that.

Thanks for the link though Andrew

Chaps - yes pretty sure the bottom half grey is a Metallic. You're right Andrew - the X/19 patch in the headrests was Tan despite the rest of the interior being Black leather - I loved that spec. The low-line paint-job indicates the very first VS's so cannot imagine theres that many around. And I loved the Iron Cross wheels too. That car of mine was registered August 1983 but looking at the DVLA website Vehicle enquiry section - seems liability was in April 1996 so presuming its not your car then Nigel! .....cheers

Hi Neil.

No mine is very much alive and kicking !

I haven't yet got down to the true nitty griity of the car as that will come during the winter months, but on checking the "how many left" web site it appears that there are just 73 VS's still on the road and a number sorn, iv'e not seen another in this colour for some years, but as previously mentioned it has been sprayed a gloss black and not metalic, so that will be recified over the winter months.

The spec is as you mentioned with the tan coloured insets on the seats, but carpets have been changed by myself to black, if I could sorce red ones I would refit them to keep it as close to origanal and possible.

Next spring will tell, as all work should have been completed, and I will be up for some meets further afield up country.

Mine had factory black carpets Nigel - POst some photos here when you can.....

Neil.

Check my topic "Me Clutch", I posted some pictures on here afater I got the clutch freed off.

But I will post further pics when the eather allows.

Cheers

Okay ! some pictures taken a couple of weeks ago