After an 18 month rebuild, my '78 X1/9 Lido passed its MOT this morning.

An interesting reacquaintance - non-servo brakes, no PAS and amazing visibility due to very slim windscreen pillars. Not exactly rapid with c. 75 hp in a heavy structure and a four speed 'box, but that's not the point of it.

The fantastic packaging for such a small car still amazes me - two useful boots, central fuel tank and clever spare wheel storage - and that I can actually get in it and drive it being 6' 3".

Only a couple more minor jobs to attend to, mostly involving trim and sorting a noisy water pump, and it will be finished.

Strangely, I got a bigger buzz out of getting this sorted than when I picked-up the new S - funny thing nostalgia.

 

Very nice - I so wanted one of these when I was younger

 

That looks mint, well done

 

Nice looking car

 

Absolutely gorgeous - the best X-1/9 version.

Yes, the car was (like the S2000) rather heavy because of its safety bodyshell, but the packaging brilliance shows up most modern crap.

The Boxster comes close (and apes the suspansion design) but is massive.

The X-1/9's tiny width and good visibility make it not much slower than a modern down twisty roads. You could drive everywhere at 90 mph!

 

Very impressive! 18 months of hard work well worth it IMHO

 

Thanks for the kind words chaps.

Nick will no doubt have noticed that the car has the

 

Nice....

 

Not seen one of these in sooooo long, very nice job.

 

Nice work