End of the road ...

Hi Guys

Sad to say, but the time has come for my X1/9 and I to part.

My life has taken an unexpected, major and wonderful change of direction in the last few months and I no longer have the time, enthusiasm or money to keep a toy car.

So, my blue 1989 Gran Finale is for sale. Over the past two and a half years I have spent a huge amount of time and money repairing and improving the car. It’s got (in no particular order):
• a complete CSC exhaust (including manifold) and larger carb jets
• new brake master cylinder
• recon front callipers
• new front discs and EBC Green Stuff pads
• stainless brake hoses front and rear
• new clutch with new master cylinder and new slave cylinder
• new handbrake cables
• new rear ball joints (£150 each!)
• new front suspension arms with ball joints and bushes
• new front strut top mounts
• new rear suspension bushes.
• new wheel bearings all round
• new Pirelli P2000 all round including spare (plus 2 new 185s if you want them!)
That’s over £2,000 of parts alone!

There are a few jobs that need finishing. The handbrake needs adjusting. I had spent a lot of time sorting out the handling before I had to change the ball joints and having disturbed everything I think it would benefit from having the alignment checked and adjusted (I can recommend someone to do this). The bodywork will need a bit of work at some point; the O/S/R wheelarch is a bit scabby and the rear edge of the roof hoop needs patching. Otherwise apart from a few little bubbles here and there the body is very sound. The paintwork was scratched by peacocks earlier this year (yes, really!) and could do with a good cut and polish. The seats have the usual ‘string vest’ thing going on.

Overall it’s a very good car. The exhaust and carb jets have greatly improved the performance and the upgraded brakes are much better too. It has covered 68700 miles and is taxed till the end of February and the MOT runs till May.

I’m not sure how much it’s worth, but I’m under no illusions. I need the space and don’t want to see it sitting on the drive all winter. I would love it to go to a good home with a club member, so make me an offer, you could be surprised.

Give me a call on 01865 872745 in the evenings or 0773 325 8857 during the day. The car is in Oxford.

Finally, thanks to everyone for all the advice you have given me via this forum over the years.

Antony

Sorry to see you go Anthony, sounds as if you've succumbed to the charms of a female!! Good luck to you both!

Cheers,

Nige

Yes Nige, you got it in one!

Congrats Antony, but wait till you're nearing 40 (maybe you are already there!), & like me, you'll be drawn back to the first love that was your lovely little Exy!!

Cheers,

Nige

It comes to many of us Antony. sorry to hear it's going and good luck for the future.
The same sort of life changing events meant I've no longer been driving the exxy daily, fixing the darn thing 'almost' daily and loggin on here daily too.
I'm fortunate enough to now have the space and a few days here and there to still keep my little heap without selling it.

hope you get a reasonable price for yours. Exxys don't normally fetch the money they should do (if you measured value in fun/novalty value)

good luck