The best-known Fiat Abarth X1/9 prototipo, the chassis 128 AS 0023003 and the article's author.
Story and photos by Roberto Motta
Last week Roberto Motta described the rally successes of the X1/9 prototipo: This week he photographs two of these rare Fiats and wonders where the rest are…perhaps you can help!
The Fiat X1/9 provided a good basis for a new rally car: mid- engine, good weight distribution, excellent handling, a strong 16 valve engine and top speed of 200 km/h were the makings of a winner.
However, the Protoipo’s history is still shrouded by some mysteries. For example, we are not sure how many chassis were really built.
The first car was the chassis #128 AS 0000133. This car is still in Italy.
Then in the summer of 1974, Abarth prepared five new chassis with a numerical sequence from #128 AS 0023001 to #128 AS 0023005. The first three chassis numbers were definitely registered on September 4th, 1974.
Some years ago, the author endeavored to photograph three of these cars. All these car were found in Italy, near Torino;
#23001 Deila’s car which can be seen below.
#23002 Seen in a Volta, Italy, work shop.
#23003 Macaluso’s car and the first subject car here.
#23004 Legend says that in the chassis series, there was the ‘stradale’ and another spare chassis that was never used in race events. Some think #23004 would have been the stradale chassis, but I never seen the car. Reportedly, this car was in the Al Cosentino workshop, and some years ago the car was sold. Cosentino claims to have bought at least one, but never provided the chassis number.
Periscopes were all the craze at Cosentino's new Faza headquarters..apparently at least one of the prototipos found its way into his hands.Is it 23004?
There are many images of this car, but no one has confirmed the chassis number.
The second mystery is about #23005; was really built? If so, where is the chassis today?
Any reader that has some information or documentation that can help to solve the mystery can send a comment to VeloceToday.
The lateral image show us how aggressive a car can become a car after the 'Abarth Treatment'.
Rear wheels had a size of 8.0 x 13 with tires of 235/55/13, or 10 x 13 with 270/40/13 tires.
Rear engine air intake.
Front wheels were 8.0 x 13 with tires of 185/70/13, or 10 x 13 with 235/45/13 tires.
Another image of the left rear engine air intake.
The rear of the car with the large mudguards for a very large tires.
Headlamps are fixed and not retractable as on the road cars.
The engine is fed by two Weber IDFs of 44 or 48 mm.
A view of the exhaust system.
Fiat Abarth 232 G engine with 4-valve head per cylinder, and a displacement of 1839 cc, is capable of delivering a power near to 200 hp.
Race-ready interior.
A huge fuel tank (80 liters) is mounted in the front compartment.
Totally non-stock piston and connecting rod.
The second car featured here is #128 AS 0023001 in action.
#128 AS 0023001 maintains the original license plate numbers: TO L6 5337
p17
Off in search of the missing Prototipos!
I have information about Al’s Abarth X1/9. It was actually NOT a Prototipo but actually a Stradale. Yes, it was one of the only street versions ever built and possibly the only one left in existence. I spent some time with Al and got the story on it. Feel free to inquire if you want more information.
Thanks
The Stradale is alive and well and living in Australia along with the Abarth 030. See Auto Italia August 2014. Though the Stradale clearly exists and has a 2-litre Montecarlo 8v engine, the chassis number is still unknown. Phil Ward
Thank you from an X1/9 owner. I love the close ups of the engine room. Mine chooses to remain a single cam 1500, but at least I see how if I wanted to.
It’s a shame something mechanically similar didn’t make production. If it had, we would be sitting on a much sought after cult car today.
I was a guest at Al’s house in Thousand Oaks a few years before he died. Al had TWO of these twin cam-engined X1/9s, stored outside under a tarp, and he didn’t want us to see them. But when Al wasn’t looking, I looked, and there they were. Of course I wasn’t able to check any chassis numbers. Al had so many other interesting things it was hard to take it all in.
Yes, the Stradale is in Australia, owner is Michael Miller who bought Al’s things after he died. Maybe the stradale originally was 23004 or 23005, but after Abarth built it for homologation, the car lost its Fiat chassis number and got an Abarth chassis number.
Al told me in 2005 in a phone call, that he sold one of the prototipi (#23002 which is at Deila now, it has still the “Campagnolo” sticker on the front windscreen) and the “prototype of the prototipi” TO H02940 (128AS0000133) to Japan. He told me that he sold many things and cars in a package to a car collector named Shiro Kosaka.
128AS0000133 was seen in a parts shop in Japan, named “Quick Trading Co., Ltd.”. You can see the car on the website of this company: http://www.quick-t.co.jp/takashimadairaInfo.htm I tried to get in contact with someone of Quick Auto (who sold parts of Al Cosentino in Japan in the past) but no one answered to me…
@ Phil Ward: which issue is the one you mentioned above, and is it possible to buy an example of this issue?
The owner of the Stradale, Mr Miller is very hard to contact I managed to get an email address but no reply, although the car appears to be in Sydney Australia no one in the Fiat fraternity here has seen it. To those of us who are X1/9 crazies it is almost a holy grale .
Congratulations Roberto,
What a Great Series of articles on the Fiat X1/9 Prototype plus fabulous pictures, just for the record Michael Miller purchased all of Alfred Cosentinos Faza collection whilst he was alive & the vast majority of his Cars / Parts / Abarth Exhausts / Abarth Posters, Trophys / Historic Photos etc had passed to Australia before Alfred passed away, the Abarth / Lancia 037 has passed to a new owner, I was fortunate to purchase from Michael Alfreds Abarth 027 Racing Car, chassis #3, the very last car which Carlo was personally involved in building, this is the only car of the 3 built to run both the 4 & 6 cylinder Abarth 2Litre engine, the Abarth boys were getting just on 300HP from the 2Liter engines, would love to correspond with any readers who know more of the stories of these 3 factory Abarth SE 027 Racing cars,
Regards,
David Zeunert / Melbourne – Australia – davzeu@bigpond.com
the 037 was mine; i sold it because taking it out surreptitiously every month or so from ’83 to ’88 or so was just so–annoying. it had an owner’s manual in english, and a multipage warranty in typescript. when i picked it up at svat in torino the nice gentleman said re the warranty, ‘of course you realize this means nothing.’ the young gentleman who sold me this car also sold me the stratos in ’76: donato teobaldi. i wonder where he is today. i’d also like to know what’s gonna happen to all the exhaust systems. i’d suggested to al that he bundle all the mercedes and porsche stuff together and offer it at an exorbitant price to bob snodgrass at brumos but the suggestion was met with one of his semi-usual outbursts of abuse. what a character. i did buy an exhaust for my flavia sport that didn’t fit and he gave me my money back…
As did Tom above, I spent a day at Al’s house in California and did see at least one Prototipo. It was perhaps ten years ago and there was such an incredible collection of parts, cars, literature that I was somewhat overwhelmed; the visit might have been three days and I wouldn’t have been able to see it all. He took me to his exhaust system warehouse which was nearby and like a time machine back to the early 70’s; hundreds of Abarth systems hanging from the rafters. Al was willing to sell me three sets of NOS Campy wheels but forbid me to take any photos.
Thanks at all for your attention.
About the stradale, yes I know that the current owner is Mr. Michael Miller.
He has also sent an letter to Auto Italia.
But I would like know the chassis number.
This is only to close a page of story.
At the moment, I would be happy to know only if the car was between the five new chassis built in the 1974 summer and with the numerical sequence from #128 AS 0023001 to #128 AS 0023005.
So, if Mr. Miller has read this message, please give us an answer.
If some readers have more information, contact with us
could send a message to rfmotta78@yahoo.it
Thanks in advance
Roberto
I love all the old Cosentino stories! I crewed for Al and Craig Fisher several times in the late 60s to early 70s. Bought a well used Ex LeMans Abarth-Simca through Al while in the Navy. Worked with Al (nobody worked for him!) for a year when he moved his operation to Daytona. It was the best of times and the worst of times. I did buy an exhaust system for my Alfa Spider from Al, was sent a GTV system which I had to shorten. Great memories!
We all know there are a lot of Al Consentino stories out there. When I stayed at his home I slept in the little house opposite the garage. The bed was a mattress supported by stacks of Campagnolo wheels. Outside he had a dumpster, and when we looked inside, on end, was an old Fiat 500 body!
Jim, if you visited the famed Muffler Museum, Al surely proudly showed you how he had gained free extra space by storing exhaust systems out over the hallway above the suspended ceiling. I asked about (and then purchased) three or four exhaust systems when I was there, and as I told Al the make and model of each one he would eagerly climb up the pile of exhausts just like it was a ladder and totally disappear! We could hear him but couldn’t see him, and then out he would come dragging the pipes behind him. I was fortunate to buy the last Abarth system for an Alfa GTV that day. When we were finished Al gave me a box of original Abarth spark plugs and a few other small Italian gifts.
Perhaps Al had few “friends”, people he trusted, because we soon learned from what he said that either he liked you or you were a “blood-sucking b______”. (My friend thought a person might very quickly fall from one category to the other.)
All in all I never had a bad experience with Al Consentino. He was always honest and fair with me all the years I knew him. Even tho he was born in the U.S. he had the Italian temperment through and through.
Hi Folks,
What good fortune to tumble down this rabbit hole.
I worked briefly for Ferrari of San Francisco, in mid 1977, when the owners were apparently engaged in some nefarious transactions.
As a mechanic, one of these came into the shop, fresh off the dock. I had the privilege of confirming its operational condition, which of course included a test drive…
One of the best definitions of unbridled joy I have ever known, was driving it up Van Ness Avenue, a major thoroughfare on a glistening Indian Summer afternoon, winning every stop light Grand Prix, regardless of length. With the rally gearing it seemed I had to shift as soon as I could shift, all the while the snarl of the exhaust scandalizing the astonished pedestrians. So BLATANT! snorkel peering forward for fresh prey, in it’s dayglo orange and green livery, so ebullient in every movement, fore, aft, lateral, a car built for break-dancing, exactly right for the times, no apologies for being so glad to be alive to that very moment. It did pass inspection, and went off to God knows where…such a lucky guy was I.