"The first time I saw an X1/9 was on the cover of Car & Driver magazine in 1973. I read every word of the article several times and every other subsequent magazine the car was featured in. The X 1/9 was and is a unique vehicle so it actually appeared in quite a few publications and especially in the early days. I almost immediately went to see the local Fiat dealer in Milwaukee and ended-up number three on the waiting list to purchase one.
Daum Motor Cars was typical of the Fiat dealer network in that it was a former Packard and Studebaker store that no longer had a new car franchise. They usually picked up Fiat, Renault or some other tentative marketing effort by European manufacturers in America. The people didn't know a lot about the cars and usually less about servicing these cars since they were out of the element for US roads.
The X1/9 was an unusual venture in many respects. The car was actually designed to sell in the US market with no plans to push the car in Europe. The target was to capture sales from popular British sports cars by offering something no one else had - a mid engined, overhead camed, four wheel independent suspended, four wheel disc braked, targa toped, Bertone designed car built to American safety standards.
There were only three areas where Fiat miscalculated. First, Bertone expended great energy and innovation in fitting everything into as small a package as possible. Small size was not a sought after feature to the vast majority of Americans.
Second, Fiat lived in the land of taxation by engine displacement and historically high fuel prices. The engine was sized to give entertaining performance within these restrictions by using high RPMs and constantly rowing the gearbox. A displacement of 89 cubic inches was considered dangerous by a public that felt any type of four cylinder vehicle didn't belong on interstate highways. Fuel prices were lower than any European could even dream of paying.
Thirdly, Fiat commissioned Bertone to have the new design meet the anticipated rollover standard for the USA. The standard was never enforced because only Fiat and Volvo could meet the 85 MPH rollover standard. This made the X1/9 heavy for its size but incredible stiff considering all of the openings in this targa topped car.
In early 1974 me and my wife Nancy took a trip to San Francisco with a stop planned in Las Vegas on the return to Milwaukee. While in San Francisco, we purchased a brown X1/9 from European Motor Cars that was still on the boat. The car was transported to Chicago, the trip to Las Vegas was canceled and we had the beginning of Chocolate Chip Racing.
The first time I drove an X1/9 was when my car arrived at a Chicago freight terminal. My wife and I took turns driving it to Milwaukee. The car was dirty in and out, the weather was terrible and still the X 1/9 did not disappoint. I have never found another car with a comparable fun factor. Soon after this trip we had begun a relationship with Art and Sue Bayless in Memphis, an SCCA membership. We were off to the races!"
"Chocolate Chip Racing was conceived the same time we purchased the brown X 1/9. This car was modified with no bumpers, a rear deck lid with integrated spoiler and larger tires. It looked like a chocolate chip and that's what everyone called it. We were competing in Solo II, winning our class and often setting Fast Time of Day (FTD). Eventually, the car had a head change, dual downdraft Webers, high performance camshaft, CD ignition sway bars and a few other things. By 1978 we decided to go professional.
We looked around for what we would like to do and where the greatest opportunity lied. We wanted rapid results. I am not always sure I know why it turned out to be SCCA Pro Rally. The thought was we had a great basis in the X1/9, Pro Rally did not have a great deal of competition at this time compared to other levels of pro racing, and, we felt we could make a presence before the sport exploded on the American scene. Well, it seemed to make sense to me at the time.
Fiat was world champion in FIA World Rally at the time with everything from the Lancia Stratos to the Fiat 131 coupe. Abarth, the acquired performance division of Fiat had just developed a Rally version of the X1/9 using the larger twin-cam engine that was successful from the start. It was time to talk to Fiat of North America.
This is when we found-out that Fiat was not all that enamored with North America. The new car market wasn't kind to them and they really did not like the SCCA and NARRA's version of performance rally. Unlike FIA races, pace notes made by running the race route before competition was not allowed and most of the races were politely called car breakers . As far as Fiat was concerned this was rather Bush League and amateurish.
We were back at the local Fiat dealership, now owned by an entrepreneur by the name of Bill Dimond. Bill represented the new bread of Fiat dealerships and became interested in the project. Dimond Motors became the home of Chocolate Chip Racing. As far as we can tell it was the only X1/9 effort in Pro Rally. Our discussions with Fiat, in the form of representatives like Tony Ciminerra, resulted in enthusiasm but not a lot of support. We had all the parts and cars we needed, but not the Abarth Rally car or any of its specially developed parts. Development of the Rally X1/9 would be left to us.
We built a new home during this time. Included in the plans for the house was a racing shop. The racecar visited Fiat for maintenance, bodywork, standard parts and paint. All the development of the X1/9 with the single cam engine took place in Colgate, WI. Testing of the components were done at a family cottage located in the backwoods of Crandon, WI near the Canadian border.
I could chronicle suspension development ad infinitum. By the last racecar, the seventh I believe, we were using a great deal of circle track components with fabricated tubular trailing arms and A arms. The suspension was entirely adjustable in racing trim with hemispherical rod ends in place of bushings. The X ran in Open Class so there were no appreciable restrictions to what could be done to the car.
PBS components were used to increase displacement of the SOHC engine. Dual Weber 45 DCOE sidedraft carburetors fed an engine that could run all day and night at 9,000 RPMs. With everything on-board, the car weighed-in at 2,300 lbs.
The X was quick, especially on smoother courses. Because of geometry limitations, the car could not obtain all of the suspension travel necessary for some of the rougher stages. One competitor said it looked like a frog hoping down some of the roads in upper Michigan." _________________
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