No, not that Carmen, this Karmann: The Forgotten Karmann Ghia. You know, that is a sweet-looking ride.
We drove a 1979 Fiat X1/9 many, many, sigh, many years ago and we always liked the shape of it. We didn't like our ability to roll backwards into cars, stall at lights, buck and shake in front of Sue Sherba as we pulled out of a level parking spot. Crap, what the hell is wrong with us? Can't we just pull out of the spot without having Sue point and laugh? Then lean over to her girlfriends and laugh some more while drawing really insulting caricatures? And, really, was the wedgie necessary?... Why did we like this car again? It was a mid-engine, targa-topped box of coolness. It was the only car we've owned that was cooler than we were (which really goes to show what beaters we've driven since we're about as far from cool as Alison is close to sweetdamnhotness).
So, which car is too cool to be forgotten?
That's a snap of a '78 Fiat X1/9. Ours was white and therefore cooler.
We are currently restoring a 1988 X1/9 (one of 666 imported to the US and the last year imported). This is the 7th X1/9 I have owned over the past 30 years and is still great fun to drive to this day. One of these were used as a very reliable daily commuter with 200,000+ miles on the odometer. In many ways, it's chassis is better than most two seaters built today, but great chassis designs are not what this market values in a car, power and acceleration has far greater market appeal. The Lotus Elise is what the X1/9 could have been if development continued instead of being neglected. The X1/9 is currently under reconized, under appreciated great classic.
Posted by: Rupunzel | Thursday, November 02, 2006 at 11:45 AM
I had a '78 in red with tan leather; a '75 in black with black vinyl; and an '81 in chocolate brown w/gold metal flakes and tan leather/canvas (?).
The '75 took out a fire truck's stabilizer leg as I wedged the car underneath. And the '81 came to an undignified end on the front lawn... then I towed the albatross to a new front lawn when I moved.
So sad.
Posted by: Angel C | Monday, October 30, 2006 at 09:19 AM