A Sight To Behold: 1985 Chevrolet X-11 Citation

When GM renames its compact offerings (like it does every 5 years or so) it is a feeble attempt to wash the taste from the last pile of junk out of your mouth (unlike Honda who has made the Civic for a billion years or Toyota with the Corolla, etc)…and the Citation was no different. However, GM decided to let Chevy have a little fun with their newest econobox and they built the X-11 version, which with a high-output version of Chevy’s 2.8 V6 and a 5-speed manual could hit 60mph in just around 8.5 seconds, which if you remember 1985, was pretty fast. Find this 1985 Chevrolet X-11 Citation bidding for $5,300 (with buy-it-now of $10,500) with 2 days to go located in Garrettsville, OH via eBay.

Some words from the seller:

Very rare 1985 Chevrolet Citation II X-11, one of only about 1100 built that year. The only year with this interior, seats,and fuel injection!

They never made a manual in 1985 and this one was professionally converted and works better than a new one would have.

This car went through an extensive restoration and upgrade back in about 2006 by an automotive engineer. The car has about 22k on that restoration, and has some wear and tear from age use, but is still extremely nice, solid, reliable, and very well sorted.

I’d put this X-11 up against the best in the world!! If you’re looking for one of these, do not fall asleep or you’ll miss out. No BS this is a very nice car and a blast to drive. Fly in and drive it home or have it shipped.

I would trust this car to drive it coast to coast today!! I have driven it over 2500 miles this summer and it hasn’t failed me once, it’s like better than new 1985 X-11. it has cracking in 3 of the “4” bumper fillers but anew set of “4” go with the car. There are a few scratches and such here and there, but the paint is still beautiful!

Previous owner added a sweet-sounding Bluetooth sound system and tinted the windows also!

The only reason I am selling is to work toward buying my dream car 1969 Corvette or I’d never sell this car. If reserve is notmet, I will gladly keep it and enjoy it for years to come. This is my 5th X-11and I have owned this exact car twice once in 2003 and then after finding it and buying it back last year.

What I have done since I bought it back:

Just installed a new GM OEM AC pump and completely serviced by the local Chevy dealer, $1004.00 job just completed 07/25/22! AC blows ice cold!

“4” brand new 235/60/14 BFG Radial TA tires

Extremely rare rear window louver set that is still in the box and not installed yet!

New lift struts for the back hatch.

A complete set of new chrome lug nuts.

Fresh Mobile one synthetic oil change and filter.

Coolant system flush and replace with new coolant.

Black stone guard headlight covers.

Fog lights, new but still need to wire them into the marker lights and add install the switch.

NOS grill emblem

NOS side front marker light assemblies.

Perfect used tilt column and 1 year only X-11steering wheel and new turn signal/wiper switch installed.

Car cover

NOS headlight switch for a spare

“Orange” turn signal tail lenses as an alternative the factory all red in the pictures, you get both sets.

Comes with crazy rare NOS rear window louver still in the factory box!!!

This car might be the nicest X-11 left.

It needs minor touch up:

A scratch in the paint on drivers door, a few stone chips here and there, a bubble in the lower rear quarter panel lip, and needs the new bumper filler panels finished, painted and installed.

There are waaay to many things to list so I am quoting what was done by the restorer in 2006 below to add with what I have posted above. Keep in mind these details below are still relevant but written in 2006. It is well worth the read!

“Summary:

This is in like new condition. It looks and drives like it came off the showroom floor. It was completely and lovingly rebuilt because it was my 3rd 1985 Citation X-11. The exterior is Torch Red. The gloss is so deep you can read a book in it. The X-11 has the factory original grey seats with red bead trim. Just like it came from the factory. Ithas a 2.8 MFPI engine with a 4-speed Muncie manual transmission which includes a real leather sift boot! Everything in the car works 100% accessories includedA/C PS PB AM/FM Bluetooth CD player (comes with original GM/Delco unit with graphic equalizer as well. OEM type decals, body side moldings, 235/60/14 BFG tires are new, KYB struts/shocks, front strut brace, front chassis brace, rearant-roll bar. Dynamat sound insulation in many places, fabric insulation in many places make the car very quiet. Chassis has 160,000 miles with only 9000miles since the total rebuild including body, interior, engine, transmission,and all other wear components (electrical, mechanical, computer). This car has a nice exhaust sound but does not drone at speed. The car is actually pretty quiet until you put your foot into it. I can conduct a cell phone call at 80mph. It’s quiet because of the Dynamat, insulation, reflective backing, carpet insulation, and new carpet in the firewall, front floorboard and exhaust hump.

History:

This 1985 Citation X-11 participated in the”2003 Cannonball, Tire Rack, One Lap Of America” , especially in the handling events. A complete restoration was done with full details below.Carfax checked out with no accidents (and body/chassis condition supports this)and no problem except that the odometer exceeds the mechanical limits (this is normal for any car over 100,000 when the odometer can only read 99,999. I have invested over 12,000 (for receipts I can find) in this car plus more than 1,000 hours of my time. I am an engineer that has worked in the automotive industry, and I Have rebuilt several vehicles prior to this one. Major cost items are:

Base car $3000.00(in 2004)

Body/paint 3450.00

Engine Rebuild 2,200

Transmission rebuild $1,500

All other replacement parts $2,000

Labor 1,000+ hours

1985 was the last year for the ChevroletCitation X-11. It was also the first and only year for the 2.8 MPFI V-6. Onlyapproximately 1,100 Citation X-11 were built that year. This is very likely thenicest 1985 X-11 in existence, and it has no rust. All 1985 X-11’s came with a 3-speedautomatic transmission. This one was converted in 2003 with the 4 speed Munciemanual transmission. With the Muncie and 235.60.14 tires, the car turns 2,200RPM at an actual 60 mph. Due to the tire sidewall height the speedometer isexactly 10% low. When the speedometer reads 60 mph, you are going 66 mph.

Car was originally purchased in Texas in 1986.The first owner drove it until 86,804. It was then purchased by an owner inLouisville, KY, in 1990. This owner repainted the car the original darkred. Up until that point the car was all original. Sometime around140,000 it was purchased by a gentleman in West Bloomfield MI in 2001, This MIowner maintained the original state of the car but participated in the 2003 OneLap of America. Pictures of the car during this event have been posted on theweb, but I am having trouble locating them. it was then sold to an X-11aficionado in Ohio (That me-Tom VanKirk, lol). He kept the car for less thanone year at which point I purchased the car in 2004. After driving the car afew thousand miles, I decided to completely rebuild it starting in 2004. At thispoint the car was essentially totally disassembled and rebuilt. The processtook about 1-2 years. Finally in 2006, the car was completed. Since that time,I have put only 9,000 miles on what is essentially a new car. My longest tripwas about 1800 miles from TN to FL in a period of 1 week. It has had the oilchanged at 1,000 miles at which point I switched to Mobil One Synthetic, inaddition, I have changed the oil every 2,000 miles, again with Mobile OneSynthetic. It is trouble free with no problems. I have never had a trouble codeor problem with the car due to the complete rebuild. I refuse to keep the caroutside in the elements. Yes, it has been in the rain. However, it never satoutside during the day or night, outside of driving it. I would not hesitate todrive this car from coast to coast without any issues as evidenced by my longtrip. Car has emissions tag and door tags. You can easily read the emissionstag and the tire tag on the door. The outside door tag is faded.

Body:

The car was completely disassembled for paintand prep. The only paint line I can think of is at the rear quarter windows andrear hatch window. These were not removed for painting. All other componentswere removed. These were sanded down all the way to make sure there was norust. Most of the vehicle was sanded down to the bare metal prior to painting.Some areas were in great shape and were only sanded down to the first layer ofpaint or primer. It was sprayed with primer and then an epoxy sealer. Afterwardsit was sprayed with a generous coat of epoxy acrylic Torch Red paint made byDimension. There are no flaking or noticeable defects in the body or paint. Itshines like a mirror and looks brand new. You can see yourself perfectly thereflection. Pictures show this luster, and I always get stopped and asked aboutthe paint. The beautiful shine in the pictures is not a camera trick. It lookseven better in real-life. Everyone that sees the car believes it to beclear-coated, but it is not. People walk up to me all the time and can’tbelieve it’s a 1985! The paint was allowed to cure in the garage for weeksprior to driving or washing it. At that point it was polished twice and washedtwice. Since then, it was waxed 3 more times and washed maybe 7 or 8 times.With proper care, this paint will last 25= years. To demonstrate the originalcondition and to reduce overspray, the door jams and engine were not painted.As a result, it is easy to see the original condition of the X-11. All of theseare in excellent original shape, and it was not necessary to repaint them.Underneath the car was cleaned but is all original. A little bit of overspraygot on the edge of the underbody, but 80% or more if the underbody is alloriginal and never touched since it left the factory. As a result, you can seethe condition of the chassis by looking at the bottom of the car. The wheelwells were coated in rubberized undercoating.

Mechanical and Electrical replacement andupgrades:

All fluids have been completely flushed andreplaced at least twice, new thermostat, rebuild vacuum pump, new hoses, addedan adjustable thermostatic electric fan switch, new engine, water pump, oilpump, Fiero valve covers, 100% all new electronics, starter, battery,alternator, MAF sensor, IAT sensor, TPS sensor, IAC valve, fuel injectors 9Newstyle Black Accel 15lbs/hr with three nozzle tips, not the cheap yellow ones),distributor, ignition coil, cap, rotor, plug wires, plugs (factory gap), ECM,PROM (from a 1985 Camaro w/5sp manual, this improves drivability over theexisting PROM which was designed for an automatic), heater core, all newgaskets, PS pump, AC compressor, R134a conversion, AC accumulator, R134acycling switch, blower resistor, EGR valve, EGR control belonoid, fuel pump,fuel pulsator, fuel strainer, fuel filter, new tires, brakes, new KYB strutsshocks, anti-roll bar bushings, spring pads F/R, new carpet, new visors, newheadliner, rebuild instrument cluster with new glass, new bulbs, painted trimoriginal silver flake, new floor mats, original spare and jack included, newwipers, Dynamat sound insulator in the cowl, in firewall, in floor, in doors,new insulation in doors, firewall, and floor, new exhaust system, newtransmission, new clutch, throw out bearing, flywheel, engine mounts, O2sensor, new MAF relay, fuel pump relay, new belts, new lights, new light bulbs,new (not rebuilt) L/R CV axles w/joints, new F/R bearings, and other new partsI am forgetting.

Performance:

The car is very quick. It has a Fiero air filtersystem with a K&N element. The exhaust is 2 1/4 mandrel bent and sounds strongbut does not drone at speed. The intake gaskets were port matched. Right now, Iam running advanced timing of about 18 degrees over TDC. Factory is 10 degrees.As a result, I have used premium fuel from day one. It does not knock/detonateeven at 100-degree ambient temperature with A/C. The fuel injectors are highperformance Accel three nozzle and were installed with the engine rebuild. Theengine is a factory rebuild from Recon. The transmission was rebuilt by ManTrans with all new synchros, bearings, seals, and wear parts. I have not putthe car on a dyno but estimate around140-150 hp. It gets about 26 mpg on thehighway and 22 around town with the current tune, When I set fuel pressure at factoryspec, it gets 29 on the highway and 24 around town. If you drive aggressive,the mileage in town will drop to 21 mpg. I don’t know the top speed, but Imomentarily had it to 4,800 rpm (130 mph) and it was still accelerating alittle. Acceleration 0-60nis somewhere in the high 7’s to low 8’s. It does notshake or shimmy at any speed including 130mph. The brakes are good and firm anddo not pulsate.

The suspension is firm due to the new KYBstruts/shocks. It also has a front strut tower brace, A-frame brace, and rearanti-rill bar. The tires are 235/60/14. The car handles like a dream. No leanin the corner with much less understeer than your average X-11 as a result ofthe rear anti roll bar. I estimate 0.85g in the corners (stock factory was0.83g).”

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