Paul Howard’s X19 finds a new home

by: Mark Weinberger

Earlier this year I came across a advertisement for a 1988 Bertone X1/9 in Adelaide. Just so happen to be club captain Paul Howard’s. Knowing of this X1/9 I jumped on the opportunity to buy it and was thrilled to be able to drive it the 3000Km back home to Sydney. There is something great about driving these cars on a long road trip, seeing the Australian country side and staying in magnificent places across Australia.

Seeing I was going to Adelaide anyway I organized to meet up with some FIAT-Lancia Club SA members and X1/9 owners for coffee before I started my journey home.

Coffee with Club members

Spent two nights at the Barossa Valley & driving to the wineries and picking up some of Australia’s best wines

Barossa Accommodation

Crossed the Murray River then did the amazing Great Ocean Road. If you have not done this drive yet then make sure it’s on your bucket list as it’s a stunning bit of coast line and I would do it all again.

The Great Ocean Road

We continued to stay off the main roads and found incredible yet isolated accommodation from farms to cattle stations. From there we went inland into Victoria then ended up on the Alpine road and found the love shack, our accommodation for the night.

Love Shack

With all this driving I have been doing in many Fiats I have bought over the years I have had the opportunity to add to more tourist attraction pictures that I call “Big things with X1/9s” to my collection. Hopefully I will see them all

The Big Lobster

We then continued our drive inland in to NSW and over the snowy mountains to the coastline where we stayed in Tilba followed by Berry for the National Motoring Heritage car show.
I really enjoy getting my X1/9s out and driving all over Australia. They create fond memories and have been a fantastic experience.

Statistics

I covered 3055Km and used 214.87 Liters of 98 fuel.
That works out at 7.16 Liters per 100Km

See the full video of my drive at x19.com.au