By Kamil Kaluski
What you’re seeing here is a Fiat X1/9 with a Dodge Shelby Daytona Turbo II drivetrain, tuned to around 240WHP, and other tasteful modifications. While it is not for sale, compare that the $22,000 “Dallara” X1/9 which Antii featured in the past, and draw your own conclusions.
Reader Alan Arnold owns this car, search for him and the car on the Book of Faces, and he just wanted share it with Hooniverse readers, at the request of Alff. Hit the jump for the money shot.
Interesting part that Alan points out “The rig hanging from the strut towers is an original Fiat alignment jig.”
Our own Rob chimed in with an interesting aside:
An interesting aside, Carroll Shelby once worked on an AC 3000ME with the turbo 2.2.
It was brought to them by an importer looking for a mill after Buick told them thanks but no thanks.
Even though Lee – if you can find a better car – Iacocca dreamed of a new Pantera, I guess It didn’t work out.
The car is presently sitting in a museum or something. You can Google Shelby 3000ME to see some pictures and get a little more of the story.
Thanks Alan! Great looking machine, probably goes as well as it looks, too!
Peter Tanshanomi 
Bradley Brownell 
LongRoofian
So I *was* drooling over this 1st gen Honda Insight with a mid-ship mounted Acura CL turbo v6 [youtube Hh8t2kyEFoI&feature=player_embedded http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8t2kyEFoI&feature=player_embedded youtube] but now I seem to be cured. The story behind this Mopar mashup MUST be expanded!
I miss my X1/9 SOOOOO much right now. I must have another one!
Lovely. Thanks for the pics – I really like the color.
http://clubs.hemmings.com/shelby-dodge/81-ac3000….
Man! I can see that ripping across some gravel, Group-B style.
Probably the only AC Shelby product that isn't worth well into 6 figures.
Hot Diggity!
I'll be a jackass and say the wheel-tire combo are too big for the wheel wells.
Still, I'd hoon this!!
I don't know if you're a jackass or not, but you're definitely correct. By only an inch or two. I wouldn't kick it out of my driveway, though.
The only caveat is that they are the smallest wheels to fit over the big brakes.
Wow I gotta give some props for putting so much power in such a tiny chassis. I swear my Fiat is skittish enough with significantly less power.
In the day, the local supergrocery store would let you bring your car to the curb to load up. Mom would pop the hood and trunk allowing the bagger to load up on both ends of the car. This stupefied the other shoppers. Good times.
The trunk mounted IC on this car reminded me.
Is "Finger Over Lens" an actual Instagram filter?
Thanks for sharing. Cool car – never seen one before, but it looks fun!
Yay, I've always wanted to see this swap done; outstanding work!
I remember seeing that 3000ME concept in one of the auto mags of the day. In that quiet corner of the library, a moment of misguided prescience made me think, "hm, Lido and Carroll together again; high power engine in a small chassis; it's just like the Cobra! . . . but with a smaller engine; perhaps they could call it the Viper. . ."
Beautiful project, and the BRG really works- surprisingly well. I hope there's plenty of suspension upgrades that go with the engine: given the short wheelbase and Fiats economical structure, you probably have much more power on tap than is really healthy.
Reliability Improvement x 1000!
Do want! I've always loved the X1/9s, despite not being the best built vehicles, and I owned an Omni GLH with the Turbo II powertrain, so I know they can scoot. This is a great combo.
That alignment rig looks like a home-made clothes-hanger-rack welding project gone horribly wrong….
Well, I now know what I'm doing with the drivetrain from my 1987 Shelby CSX if I give up on restoring the rest of the car….
My first car was an X-1/9 and my second car was an Omni GLH-Turbo. If I'd have known such a transplant was feasible when I was in high school, I'd have given it a try.
Someone had to be the first.. there are currently a few sets of instructions for the transplant of turbo dodge drivetrains to the x19.
the turbo on a glhs hits awfull hard for the little x19. must be a beast to drive,, i have a turbocharged fiatx19 with the original engine running 9psi. its a mild spooling setup, and ive spun that a few times. ive drivin the glhs and the turbo hits really suddenly and very hard. that x19 would require a completely different driving style. be fun to learn though.
I would like to appreciate the welder who has done a great job which can be seen around the wheels of the car. This is quite awesome.
I wonder if it still handels exxcelent ,but the power sure sounds good!
This will guarantee that your recipients have a very wide range on where to go.
Teenagers, school students, and girls of all ages
are typically wanting clothing however do not understand their exact size or preference until they
get into the shop. I slowly found they don’t do whatever they claimed.