BERTONE X1/9 VS-S CORSA FLAMINIA

THIS ECLECTIC 1985 BERTONE X1/9 VS-S CORSA FLAMINIA PROTOTIPO VEHICLE AND ALL OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES OF THE SAME VINTAGE (some 1983 and all post 83 x1/9 cars) WERE ALL ORIGINALLY TITLED AS BERTONES', YOU ARE LOOKING AT A BERTONE TITLED BERTONE X1/9. IT IS A FUN LITTLE CAR THAT ATTRACTS MUCH ATTENTION NO MATTER WHERE IT GOES AND HAS SPENT MOST OF ITS LIFE IN CALIFORNIA, ARIZONA, AND THE HIGH DESERT OF OREGON!
IN 1984 IT WAS MALCOLM BRICKLIN WHO WAS CALLING THE SHOTS AT BERTONE AT THE CORPORATE LEVEL BUT NUCCIO COULD APPARENTLY STILL BE CALLED UPON BY SELECT INDIVIDUALS TO EXERT SOME CONTROL OVER THE ASSEMBLY LINE. MANUFACTURED 6-84 ULTIMATELY SANCTIONED BY BERTONE FOR THE 1985 MODEL YEAR AS A MARKETING PROTOTYPE MAINLY BECAUSE OF A DEALER/FRIEND OF NUCCIO FOR WHO I WORKED FOR FOR WHO ORDERED/PAID FOR THE CAR AS IT WAS STILL ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE AND PAID FOR ITS SIGNIFICANT LOGISTICS INVOLVED IN MOVING THE CAR AROUND (Paris France for the event etc.) AND EVENTUALLY BACK TO HIS DEALERSHIP IN A RUSH NON-STANDARD NON-CONTAINER SHIPMENT THE WAY YOU SEE IT.
WHILE MOST LEATHER INTERIOR APPOINTMENTS (o.e.seat covers white red and black ) ARE STILL AVAILABLE TO BUY I CHOSE TO RESTORE IT USING THE ORIGINAL SEATS AND DOOR PANELS THAT WERE REMOVED FROM THE CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP AT THE ORIGINAL PURCHASERS REQUEST (where they remained in the original building until I found them), i.e. HOW IT LEFT THE SHOP OF B. GAMBONDINI IN CARROZERRIA.WHEN I RESTORED IT I COULD HAVE PUT A BLACK INTERIOR IN IT AND SOMEONE ELSE (buyer down the road) WOULD HAVE WANTED A RED OR WHITE INTERIOR ETC. SO I CHOSE THE UNIQUE COLOR COMBINATIONS BASED UPON REDS THE WAY IT WAS MADE, WAY AHEAD OF IT'S TIME IN 84 AS BERTONE OFFERED MULTI-COLORED INTERIOR DOOR PANEL AND SEAT section COMBINATIONS AT EXTRA-COST, AS ALL EXOTIC CALIBER CAR MAKERS TODAY WILL PRODUCE ANY COLOR INTERIOR/EXTERIOR COMBINATIONS THE CUSTOMER IS WILLING TO PAY FOR. ACCORDING TO RESEARCH I DID 16 YEARS AGO THIS CAR SOLD IN NEW IN 1986 FOR MORE THAN 23K ACCORDING TO THE CALIFORNIA BUREAU OF REVENUE AND LEGALLY HAD TO BE FITTED WITH A RECTANGULAR CYCLOPEAN BRAKE LIGHT (for the 1986 model year) MOUNTED IN THE FOIL (WHICH WAS LATER IN THE RESTORATION PHASE FITTED WITH THE MORE MODERN AND AESTHETIC CONTOURED LED LIGHT YOU SEE IN IT TODAY.
WHEN THIS CAR WAS REPAINTED GOING ON 16 YEARS AGO THE FRIEND PRICE WAS $8000.00. I COULD HAVE JUST PAINTED THE CAR RED AS IT WAS REPAINTED LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER ITS INITIAL PURCHASE AND WAS THE SAME (then) FLAT RED WHEN I BOUGHT IT FROM A POOR GUY WHO WAS IN IT WAY OVER HIS HEAD. THE CAR HAS NEVER SPENT EVEN ONE DAY IN THE SUN (without the custom cover on it) SINCE IT HAS BEEN PAINTED WHICH IS WHY IT LOOKS LIKE IT HAS JUST BEEN PAINTED! TOOK OVER TEN YEARS TO EVEN GET AROUND TO BUFFING THE CAR OUT.
I HAVE PLENTY IN THIS CAR AND WOULD BE LUCKY TO PROCURE THE PARTS TO DUPLICATE IT TODAY FOR A SOLID 5 DIGIT FIGURE BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT OUT THERE TO BUY! DID NOT BUY IT TO FLIP IT TO MAKE MONEY, JUST KNEW IT WAS A SPECIAL CAR, HAD TO BE PRESERVED. IT HAS BEEN MY PERSONAL CAR AND NOTHING WAS TOO GOOD OR EXPENSIVE FOR IT, BUT TODAY THERE IS LITTLE MORE FOR ME TO DO WITH IT, DON'T HAVE TIME TO DRIVE ANY OF MY OTHER CARS AND ITS NOT LIKE I WILL EVER RESTORE IT AGAIN (which is my main joy) AND I HAVE MANY MORE PROJECTS AND CUSTOMERS PROJECTS THAT TAKE MY TIME SO ONE MORE TIME FOR EBAY THEN AN AUCTION.

1.)THE ENGINE HAS LESS THAN 5000 MILES ON A COSANTINO BASIC LONGBLOCK REBUILD. SINCE ITS REBUILD I HAVE REBUILT THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS BECAUSE I CAN AND IF I DECIDED TO GO ON AN EXTENDED ROAD TRIP I DIDN'T WANT THERE TO BE ANY DOUBT. ALTERNATOR REGULATOR BRUSH PACK(bosch), A/C WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT, TB TENSIONER BEARING. VALVES SHIMMED, BELTS, HOSES, 50%ANTIFREEZE50% DISTILLED WATER, THERMOSTAT REPLACED SYSTEM BLED,THERMO TIME SWITCH, AUXILLARY AIR VALVE RECALIBRATION, COLD START SWITCH CLEANED/CHECKED, TPS RECALIBRATED, FUEL INJECTORS REPLACED/NEW F.I. LINES/CLAMPS, A/C CHARGED WITH R12, O2 SENSOR WAS REPLACED BEFORE I BOUGHT IT IN PART TO PASS L.A. SMOG.2) TRANSMISSION: I HAD TO INSTALL A NEW REVERSE IDLER GEAR, SECOND GEAR SYNCHRONIZER, STANDARD RING AND PINION/RATIO, NEW GASKETS, SEALS AND BOOTS. NEW CLUTCH AND PRESSURE PLATE/THROW-OUT BEARING. SLAVE CYLINDER AS WELL AS SLAVE MASTER WERE REBUILT OR REPLACED (standard procedure on these)FLUSHED NEW FLUID. STARTER WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW UNIT. side note: One of the main reasons 1979 (carbureted) 1980 carb/F, and 1981 cars are so popular is not that the earlier five speed cars are so much more powerful it is because the gear ratios on the counter/main shafts are different than in the later cars which makes the cars accelerate with more torque which equates to more fun. They (earlier ratios) are a little different/better to some unless one changes the ring and pinion which is a big game changer, but they are difficult to find. Point being I will include an 81 transmission for those so inclined even install it if the buyer is willing.
3) BRAKES ALL NEW COMPONENTS FROM REBUILT MASTER, PERFORMANCE ROTORS,TO CALIPER INTERNAL REBUILDS, RUBBER LINES REPLACED. NEW WHEEL BEARINGS WERE INSTALLED PRIOR TO ME BUYING THE CAR BY SOME SHOP EMPLOYED BY THE ORIGINAL OWNER.
4) PARTS: NEW PARTS, N.O.S. DASHPAD ($1000.00 plus labor), N.O.S. RUBBER DOOR MOLDINGS, TXP (thermal expansion valve[A/C]),CHROME VANITY GAS CAP, TPS, 13" X 7" FACTORY BERTONE OPTIONAL WHEELS AND STEEL TRIM RINGS. N.O.S, NEW TOYO PERFORMANCE TIRES,FUEL SENDING UNIT, N.O.S. CARELLO CORSA DRIVING LIGHTS,N.O.S. metal painted BRAKE LINES.N.O.S. PEDAL PADS, N.O.S. BERTONE LEATHER SHIFT KNOB, N.O.S. BOSCH DISTRIBUTOR CAP/ROTOR, N.O.S. S STRUTS WERE INSTALLED BY ME 15 years ago AS I PURCHASED THEM WHILE I STILL WORKED AT THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE PRICE WAS RIGHT (did not own an S car at the time). N.O.S. high end BLAUPUNKT CD PLAYER WITH FREE FLOATING SPEAKERS.
5) WINDOWS/GLASS WINDOWS HAVE HAD AN ELECTRICAL MODIFICATION THAT ENABLES THEM TO GO UP AND DOWN THE SPEED ONE WOULD EXPECT PW WINDOWS TO MOVE (WITHOUT HELP/ demonstrated within composition video). ALL GLASS IS ORIGINAL INCLUDING WINDSHIELD THAT HAS HAD A CHIP PROFESSIONALLY STABILIZED AND HAS NOT SPREAD IN 16 YEARS.

You can read much more about the genesis of this car in an OLD EBAY AD by googling 1985 BERTONE X1/9 VSS CORSA FLAMINIA PROTOTIPO and clicking on either AUTOQUID.com or TOPCLASSICCARSFORSALE. YOU CAN ALSO SEE THIS CAR BEST FROM EVERY ANGLE IN ACTION ON YOU TUBE BY TYPING 1985 bertone x1/9 corsa flaminia6credits1, or more of an expos'e of the X1/9 in the marketplace and qualifications of the tech as well as a value comparisons to other pre-OBD iconic collector cars of the era from 1st hand experience by googling: BERTONE X1/9 COMPOSITION.

Sound too good to be true? I see x1/9 cars on ebay with seat covers portending disappointment of who knows what, dash covers hiding cracked and evenpainteddashes, huge dents obscured in corner angles, torn worn out carpetingetc. under the guise of low miles and originality selling for good money. LOW LOW miles is often a euphemism for inactivity if not neglect in any car, beware with an ultra low mile car that has not been run or maintained regularly (given the sunshine treatment) you just may end up with a lot more cost/maintenance and disappointment than you expect! The mindset here (my mindset) is that a new buyer my customer has a good experience rather than a spiral of bad experiences that somehow end up besmirching the car maker!

IF YOU HAVE ANY TREPIDATION OF WHAT I SAY OR MECHANICAL OR COSMETIC STATE OF THIS CAR THE DIRECTORY OF THIS AREA (klamath falls OR.) IS FULL OF QUALIFIED BODY AND MECHANICAL SHOPS (I have no affiliation with) THAT CAN BE CONTACTED AND IF YOU ARE A SERIOUS BUYER ARRANGE FOR A THIRD PARTY REVIEW BY ANY ONE OF THEM OF YOUR CHOOSING AND I WILL PAY FOR IT. DELIVERY CAN BE A SCARY THING WITH CLASSIC CARS ESPECIALLY GOING CROSS COUNTRY, BUT I HAVE EITHER PICKED UP OR DELIVERED EXOTIC/MUSCLE CARS HUNDREDS OF TIMES IN THE LAST 35 YEARS (trailer photo in the bertone composition video) AND NEVER PUT A SCRATCH ON ANY OF THEM WHICH IS THE POINT OF DOING IT ONESELF. I CAN BRING THIS CAR TO YOUR DOORSTEP AT A COMPETITIVE PRICE OR YOU CAN ARRANGE YOUR OWN CARTAGE. PEOPLE SELLING CARS WILL OFTEN TELL YOU ONLY WHAT IS RIGHT WITH THEM AND NOT WHAT MAY BE WRONG WITH THEM. THERE ARE NO MAJOR ISSUES WITH THIS CAR AS SOLVING ISSUES IS WHAT I DO. NATURAL CRACKS IN LEATHER INTERIOR EXISTS BUT DOES NOT DETRACT FROM THE INTERIOR. CHIPS IN THE PAINT ARE NON-EXISTANT. IT Is A STRAIGHT CAR AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN A RUST FREE EXAMPLE AS YOU CAN SEE. Also the intent with this car for me was not to create a $40,000 trailer queen, rather it was prepared to be a showable driver to be enjoyed!