1986 Saab 900 Turbo - White
Discussion
Thanks NGRhodes! Plenty more items to follow. To misquote MacGuyver:
"What's in the garage?"
"Oh its not its not for what I've got, its for I find along the way."
The degraded, crumbly wiring has been giving me nightmares of late, so I went hunting for a loom from later years, after Saab realised that soya-based wire sheathing was not suitable in any way for 900s.
After a bit of delving on Saab sites, it seems 16V turbo looms all had their idiosynchracies by year, but 1985-1989 should be mostly compatible.
A breaker listed 'complete T16 loom' on eBay with some ok pictures, so I bunged it on the watch list and squinted at the scant photos to see if my key crumblypoints - engine looms in the front wings - looked ok.
The seller sent an extremely generous offer with 24hrs, and I accepted, figuring some of it should be useful. I asked him to chuck anything connected in the box as well, all donations greatly received, details of the project for the wife etc.
I think I lucked out. Opening the boxes again revealed several kilos of unicorns entrails, and much more!
Not only did he include the APC (matching to mine), but also the Bosch ignition module, ECU and fuse box, all relays and pretty much anything even vaguely electrical for a T16 Saab.
This is going to be a mammoth task, but with time an patience hopefully doable. One section at a time to not break things, and I may even order the Bentley manual to check any intra-year changes.
Anyone know a good source for complete classic 900 electrical diagrams?
Kettle on, eyes down...
"What's in the garage?"
"Oh its not its not for what I've got, its for I find along the way."
The degraded, crumbly wiring has been giving me nightmares of late, so I went hunting for a loom from later years, after Saab realised that soya-based wire sheathing was not suitable in any way for 900s.
After a bit of delving on Saab sites, it seems 16V turbo looms all had their idiosynchracies by year, but 1985-1989 should be mostly compatible.
A breaker listed 'complete T16 loom' on eBay with some ok pictures, so I bunged it on the watch list and squinted at the scant photos to see if my key crumblypoints - engine looms in the front wings - looked ok.
The seller sent an extremely generous offer with 24hrs, and I accepted, figuring some of it should be useful. I asked him to chuck anything connected in the box as well, all donations greatly received, details of the project for the wife etc.
I think I lucked out. Opening the boxes again revealed several kilos of unicorns entrails, and much more!
Not only did he include the APC (matching to mine), but also the Bosch ignition module, ECU and fuse box, all relays and pretty much anything even vaguely electrical for a T16 Saab.
This is going to be a mammoth task, but with time an patience hopefully doable. One section at a time to not break things, and I may even order the Bentley manual to check any intra-year changes.
Anyone know a good source for complete classic 900 electrical diagrams?
Kettle on, eyes down...
PurpleTurtle said:
Lovely job on the cam cover, am following the thread just because I have an all round love for these cars, great to see an owner taking so much care over it.
Just doing what we can to keep it going for another 190k! It needs a fair amount of time and money still to come up to standard, but its heading in the right direction.Recent stumbling when cold and low idle rpm possibly down to a miserable-looking dizzy cap. I put it on when we got the car a few years back but I don't think the spark is clean enough. We'll see.
Here it is out and about in May in between rain showers...
@Cambs_Stuart - not intentional, but all the better for it!
The Saab has been used less of late as I spotted the steering rack gaiters were decomposing, and the extent to which bare wire was visible in the wings caused me distress.
Also the exhaust blow was getting annoying, the idle back to a former erratic mode of 600-850rpm and, as a final straw, the horn stopped working. Which is an essential tool as the bleary-eyed public is now back to driving 3 ton SUVs at 80mph everywhere.
First job was the wiring - The loom will go in when I have a spare 3 months, but for now I've applied, as a test, a load of the liquid tape. I also cleaned, fixed, recrimped and generally tidied as many of the scary looking items I could find. I do wonder what the last person here was thinking, but it was probably 'that'll do, let's hope it runs'.
Ready to see a tangled mess of terror? Here you go:
Oh dear:
Notice how the spade connector in the background isnt actually in the spade holder...
Some time later, messy but less risky, all crumbliness removed:
The previous owner's predilection for cable ties has also ensured several wires were pinched, had trapped muck around them and were generally unable to dry properly.
Tomorrow - steering rack gaitors...
The Saab has been used less of late as I spotted the steering rack gaiters were decomposing, and the extent to which bare wire was visible in the wings caused me distress.
Also the exhaust blow was getting annoying, the idle back to a former erratic mode of 600-850rpm and, as a final straw, the horn stopped working. Which is an essential tool as the bleary-eyed public is now back to driving 3 ton SUVs at 80mph everywhere.
First job was the wiring - The loom will go in when I have a spare 3 months, but for now I've applied, as a test, a load of the liquid tape. I also cleaned, fixed, recrimped and generally tidied as many of the scary looking items I could find. I do wonder what the last person here was thinking, but it was probably 'that'll do, let's hope it runs'.
Ready to see a tangled mess of terror? Here you go:
Oh dear:
Notice how the spade connector in the background isnt actually in the spade holder...
Some time later, messy but less risky, all crumbliness removed:
The previous owner's predilection for cable ties has also ensured several wires were pinched, had trapped muck around them and were generally unable to dry properly.
Tomorrow - steering rack gaitors...
Edited by Spinakerr on Friday 25th June 13:39
The rest of the year I hope has a running order of:
July - MOT, fixed idle, new exhaust.
August - Roof rust removal and repair (I have all the bits, need time), underseal top-up.
September - Paint roof, rear quarter, front quarter, maybe bonnet.
October - Retrim the front seats, install headlining (been in the garage for 18 months...)
November - North Coast 500.
Ambitious but doable, fingers crossed!
Oh and fix horn somewhere in there.
July - MOT, fixed idle, new exhaust.
August - Roof rust removal and repair (I have all the bits, need time), underseal top-up.
September - Paint roof, rear quarter, front quarter, maybe bonnet.
October - Retrim the front seats, install headlining (been in the garage for 18 months...)
November - North Coast 500.
Ambitious but doable, fingers crossed!
Oh and fix horn somewhere in there.
Thank you both - my life seems to be ruled by to-do lists, but my brain does seem to release endorphins when things are ticked off, so I'll keep them. Especially for the cars!
One thing off the list yesterday, the perished steering rack gaitors/boots. When the two replacements turned up from PFS Saturday morning and I had a clear afternoon without rain or blazing sunshine, my die was cast.
I had read on various threads that the tie rods and the nuts can be a Herculean task to undo, so I soaked them in PlusGas while I faffed about with jacks and axel stands to find a good angle.
Wheel off, more wire brushing and soaking ensued.
19mm socket loosened the nut, but it sounded...wrong - I wound it back up but either I crossthreaded it or it had been put on badly when fitted. Blast.
Quick measure of the thread and lock nut, in addition to the traditional 'count the turns' for completeness.
I loosened the 22mm locking nut and 21mm tie rod end, then popped the arm off with a lump hammer. So far, so good.
The old boot was in two halves - the access it really miserable so this is where I slowed down a bit. There is an air pipe at the bottom of the rack that transfers air between the boots, and after cleaning the area it was apparent this fitment was not going to be as easy as removal!
The new boots have the hold, but not on the inside - lots of forum members emphatically urge people to check the inside, and a quick prod with a screwdriver and a Stanley knife opened them up.
Not also some unnecessarily familiar pipework at 11 o clock, just in case anyone thought access could be worse.
I found it impossible to get the air pipe located from the outside, so I performed a little shuffle on my back with a torch to fit it from under the car. This was very tight but having one hand on the outside, one on the in and locating the air pipe first made it much simpler.
Everything went hack together nicely, but my fears of a broken thread were sadly true - this nut was not going back on...
A big exhale. I took a break to clean up, untelescope my spine and order two new tie rod ends for a 900 classic.
It was then 5pm on a Saturday, wife out, beer in the fridge and the world was my oyster. I did what any normal petrolhead would have done - I started on the other side.
Glad I ordered the two - rubber almost shot here:
The 22mm nut was a pain, but after a fair amount of bother I manoeuvred an old Record vice I recently picked up for a few quid into the wheel arch...
Glad I did this....
Second side time elapsed was 1/3 of the first side.
18:00 - Now it was time for that beer!
I've stuck the old ends back on to stave off rust/dirt on the shaft. The Saab can live on the stands for a week, then we should be all set for the MOT.
One thing off the list yesterday, the perished steering rack gaitors/boots. When the two replacements turned up from PFS Saturday morning and I had a clear afternoon without rain or blazing sunshine, my die was cast.
I had read on various threads that the tie rods and the nuts can be a Herculean task to undo, so I soaked them in PlusGas while I faffed about with jacks and axel stands to find a good angle.
Wheel off, more wire brushing and soaking ensued.
19mm socket loosened the nut, but it sounded...wrong - I wound it back up but either I crossthreaded it or it had been put on badly when fitted. Blast.
Quick measure of the thread and lock nut, in addition to the traditional 'count the turns' for completeness.
I loosened the 22mm locking nut and 21mm tie rod end, then popped the arm off with a lump hammer. So far, so good.
The old boot was in two halves - the access it really miserable so this is where I slowed down a bit. There is an air pipe at the bottom of the rack that transfers air between the boots, and after cleaning the area it was apparent this fitment was not going to be as easy as removal!
The new boots have the hold, but not on the inside - lots of forum members emphatically urge people to check the inside, and a quick prod with a screwdriver and a Stanley knife opened them up.
Not also some unnecessarily familiar pipework at 11 o clock, just in case anyone thought access could be worse.
I found it impossible to get the air pipe located from the outside, so I performed a little shuffle on my back with a torch to fit it from under the car. This was very tight but having one hand on the outside, one on the in and locating the air pipe first made it much simpler.
Everything went hack together nicely, but my fears of a broken thread were sadly true - this nut was not going back on...
A big exhale. I took a break to clean up, untelescope my spine and order two new tie rod ends for a 900 classic.
It was then 5pm on a Saturday, wife out, beer in the fridge and the world was my oyster. I did what any normal petrolhead would have done - I started on the other side.
Glad I ordered the two - rubber almost shot here:
The 22mm nut was a pain, but after a fair amount of bother I manoeuvred an old Record vice I recently picked up for a few quid into the wheel arch...
Glad I did this....
Second side time elapsed was 1/3 of the first side.
18:00 - Now it was time for that beer!
I've stuck the old ends back on to stave off rust/dirt on the shaft. The Saab can live on the stands for a week, then we should be all set for the MOT.
B'stard Child said:
Beep beep - unless you've fixed it 
You know what I had - one of the button works now, the other needs refitting and a little strengthening of the standard fragile plastic tabs, plus a spring probably from a Biro to fix the return element.untakenname said:
Had a similar 900 and this thread has brought back memories.
With the state of that engine harness it might be worth getting the T5 engine control system out of the 9000 or NG900, has a lot of benefits (better fuel economy, smoothness, power) but the chance of getting the parts out of a breaker for next to nothing are probably slim compared with a few years ago when supplies were more plentiful.
Yes looked into it, but I think that's further expenditure for later once some essentials see below) have been fixed. I do think the idle and rough running may be down to the APC and a connector or loose earth somewhere. I'll go through and clean it methodically, and perhaps swap it with my new spare APC unit to see what happens.With the state of that engine harness it might be worth getting the T5 engine control system out of the 9000 or NG900, has a lot of benefits (better fuel economy, smoothness, power) but the chance of getting the parts out of a breaker for next to nothing are probably slim compared with a few years ago when supplies were more plentiful.
Thanks all - good news and bad news today.
Good news - the tie rods are renewed and steering back together. Despite ordering last Sat, SaabBits only emailed on Wed to say they only had one...very annoying but all refunded and two not-dreadful QH units arrived from eBay this morning.
I like this design with the Torx hole for tightening - much better.
Both went on with the same required number of turns, and the calipers held the same values. Easy.
Bad news - I did what no classic car owner should do - prod the underseal...
Hmm this should be a drain hole...
And this wasn't rustproofed by the garage that fitted the wing...
Oh and these bits look a bit filo pastry...
This giant layer of underseal at the jacking point looks a bit damp. Oh...
And this underseal appears to have been applied over mud...
Well now. I think this may give me the final push to buying a welder and learning the basics! Disheartening but not unexpected I suppose - a car of this age is always going to have something, I'm just disappointed the previous owner (/garages) applied underseal and paint directly over available surfaces, seemingly to created damp pockets and headaches for the future incumbent.
Nothing too serious or dangerous though, and all fixable. Just a shame to be going backward when I was getting excited about IPA white paint for the summer, it seems I'll be on the winter-stout waxoyl for a bit this year!
Panels are available, but these holes are all about the size of a 50p piece and relatively accessible... I'm going to have a chat with a long time friend who is a blacksmith and bribe him with beer to teach me the basics!
Everything else I can stab with an implement so far seems solid. Time to learn a new skill!
Everything else I can stab with an implement so far seems solid. Time to learn a new skill!
B'stard Child said:
I can say with some honesty it was a heck of a journey initially as I bought a very cheap brand new SIP MIG welder before I found www.mig-welding.co.uk
Thanks for this - looks like I have some reading to do! I'll also be taking advice from some friends with experience and hopefully try some units out. Unfortunately a key consideration for me is size...The vice was very useful! I wish I had thought of it 20 minutes before I attempted complex spanner sculptures.
Jazoli said:
I've enjoyed reading this thread, I had a 1989 900T16 about 20 years ago and never had any of the issues you had but it was only 10 years old at the time, it's great to see an early one getting some love, I've recently bought a 9-3 Cab Turbo for summer and I'm gradually sorting its niggles out.
Love the idea of a cab for summer, but I'm already fully booked on time and money with the current fleet. a rusty sunroof will have to suffice!The 900 passed its MOT, but only just and definitely some further work to be tackled in the near term.
First I refitted a slightly glued missing horn button. It was still intermittent but looked a lot better.
I also chipped off any rusty scabs, and applied Bilt Hamber products in the correctly ascending order in an effort to tidy up what I had uncovered. I thought Nelson's tester near Acton had a balanced, realistic approach to classics. Sadly not.
It failed. On various items like 'dim stop lamps', 'right indicator arm needs to be held' and 'intermittent horn button'. Also jacking point rust (which was there last year) provided a red mark on the report. This required a temporary fix, and Nelson kindly swapped some bulbed plus the steering wheel (!) to get it through the test, all for a very reasonable sum.
So I have a 900 but clearly some work to do at ground level before I get carried away with exhausts and paint this year.
This was the Monday of the 'large deluge' in London which left several vehicles flailing and inoperable on the route home. The Saab shrugged off the floodwaters without a glance.
So... MIG welding courses then....
I'm a strong believer that working on a car yourself strengthens the bond between owners and four-tyred carriage.
Two items in particular always feature prominently for me - getting new number plates and replacing the steering wheel.
For the Saab, its (1984 dealer option) ItalVolanti Corsa four spoke leather wheel was a big factor in my wife's attraction to it, embossed SAAB logo and all. It wore all of its years and we occasionally entertained the notion of having it retrimmed when the seats were done.
Here it is on the day of purchase:
Unfortunately the past few years have revealed the inherent fragility of the horn buttons (see posts passim) and the creeping necrosis of the leather. Following a battle with the last MOT station that 'only one button worked intermittently', I went on the hunt for a suitable replacement.
Fortunately, a 1987 model for a Mercedes came up. Only downside was that it was in Cornwall... and I was most definitely NOT buying another wheel with broken horn buttons!
Last week my wife and I took our first holiday in a long little while to... Cornwall. We also happened to pass Bespoke Traders (I know, the name makes my eye twitch to this day), and took a look. I had removed our wheel to triple check it would fit the boss. Surely reached the tensile limit of these little allen keys!
A slight talk and haggle later it was secured, with my obsessive button pushing unsettling the shopowner a tad. Importantly, when I told the story they said I could return it within 30 days if not suitable - no question asked. Nice.
Today I had a few hours to play with the new wheel - each moment hoping its factory-fresh condition indicated the buttons and wiring were in order, not 'neutered for display purposes only'!
A few allen screws later... this is looking good...
The only different was the 'two wire' setup, rather than the original single spade. A quick check of grounds and relays wensured operation if an earth was added to the boss. A few crimps later... success! A new earth and all the buttons work perfectly! Factory fresh, fortunately on all four corners. Take that, grumbly MOT tester.
I fitted the original SAAB central section as although it is black on not dark grey, the car has these two shades in the interior already.
My wife, and I, are very happy indeed. Very expensive, but as we all know every once in a while you have to make these kind of purchases for your project to give an octane boost to the motivation reservoir.
Two items in particular always feature prominently for me - getting new number plates and replacing the steering wheel.
For the Saab, its (1984 dealer option) ItalVolanti Corsa four spoke leather wheel was a big factor in my wife's attraction to it, embossed SAAB logo and all. It wore all of its years and we occasionally entertained the notion of having it retrimmed when the seats were done.
Here it is on the day of purchase:
Unfortunately the past few years have revealed the inherent fragility of the horn buttons (see posts passim) and the creeping necrosis of the leather. Following a battle with the last MOT station that 'only one button worked intermittently', I went on the hunt for a suitable replacement.
Fortunately, a 1987 model for a Mercedes came up. Only downside was that it was in Cornwall... and I was most definitely NOT buying another wheel with broken horn buttons!
Last week my wife and I took our first holiday in a long little while to... Cornwall. We also happened to pass Bespoke Traders (I know, the name makes my eye twitch to this day), and took a look. I had removed our wheel to triple check it would fit the boss. Surely reached the tensile limit of these little allen keys!
A slight talk and haggle later it was secured, with my obsessive button pushing unsettling the shopowner a tad. Importantly, when I told the story they said I could return it within 30 days if not suitable - no question asked. Nice.
Today I had a few hours to play with the new wheel - each moment hoping its factory-fresh condition indicated the buttons and wiring were in order, not 'neutered for display purposes only'!
A few allen screws later... this is looking good...
The only different was the 'two wire' setup, rather than the original single spade. A quick check of grounds and relays wensured operation if an earth was added to the boss. A few crimps later... success! A new earth and all the buttons work perfectly! Factory fresh, fortunately on all four corners. Take that, grumbly MOT tester.
I fitted the original SAAB central section as although it is black on not dark grey, the car has these two shades in the interior already.
My wife, and I, are very happy indeed. Very expensive, but as we all know every once in a while you have to make these kind of purchases for your project to give an octane boost to the motivation reservoir.
Cambs_Stuart said:
20+ years ago i did a two week welding course but have not picked up any of the tools since. It looks like the technology has really moved on. Modern welding visors look much easier to use.
I will let you know for sure - sadly my friend has had to cancel given work commitments in his workshop but I'll be taking friday to make a full & frank assessment of work to be done. I may also prod the MIG welding sites others have sent me thus far...900sAds said:
That wheel looks great - the outer rim, looks like my Nardi steering wheel in my 900c.
Not sure if you have someone lined up for paint, but my car is booked into a bodyshop for a new wing in October and some paintwork. He seemed to know his way around Saabs.
Yes that's a good point - very 'Nardi' motif, the black band and leather centre actually gives it a more 80s/90s feel somehow, as opposed to a wood & spokes 60s 'Moto Lita' type.Not sure if you have someone lined up for paint, but my car is booked into a bodyshop for a new wing in October and some paintwork. He seemed to know his way around Saabs.
I would be very interested in any paint shop for a 900. Quotes and quality are all over the place. Our will never be a show car, but I would like the paint to stay on!
In August after the steering wheel replacement, we jumped in the Saab on a whim and headed to Whitstable, aiming for fish and chips on the beach on a balmy Sunday.
All accomplished without an issue, until the return M25 journey turned even noisier than is usual dreadful cacophony. The hum changed with speed but not engine rpm or brakes... the telltale of wheel bearing....
I have a fear of wheel bearing disintegrating ever since a scary little chapter in a 1.6 Capri I had, so I called time on Saab use until they could be sorted. Nelson at NDS has a slot in late October...no problem. I checked nothing else had play, was leaking or was loose - fortunately all was well.
Sadly the slot was two days after the damn ULEZ dropped its arbitrary iron curtain on road users, so I duly paid 12.50 and set off early one morning for NDS Saab.
A slight rattling from the APC system turned out to be the customary loose connection/damp in in the connection to the box, so that was sorted with ease. The Saab, despite being covered in autumnal detritus, grime and cobwebs wound up on the first crank, hopefully thanks to all the attention lavished on it in these pages.
Dropped off with Nelson, no issues in the operation to replace both fronts, and picked up again in the evening. Significantly quieter all round, and now I can finally start on that rust!
The drive home was sublime, even in central London with all the other crackpots and aggression - the Saab now has such a well-poised and predictable gait, the turbo responsive when some recent design abortion attempts to undertake you, and everything in the cabin just...works. The size allows you to squeeze into gaps with ease, the large bumpers confidence others will back off. Really loving having this car back. I may even wash it before we break out the power tools.
All accomplished without an issue, until the return M25 journey turned even noisier than is usual dreadful cacophony. The hum changed with speed but not engine rpm or brakes... the telltale of wheel bearing....
I have a fear of wheel bearing disintegrating ever since a scary little chapter in a 1.6 Capri I had, so I called time on Saab use until they could be sorted. Nelson at NDS has a slot in late October...no problem. I checked nothing else had play, was leaking or was loose - fortunately all was well.
Sadly the slot was two days after the damn ULEZ dropped its arbitrary iron curtain on road users, so I duly paid 12.50 and set off early one morning for NDS Saab.
A slight rattling from the APC system turned out to be the customary loose connection/damp in in the connection to the box, so that was sorted with ease. The Saab, despite being covered in autumnal detritus, grime and cobwebs wound up on the first crank, hopefully thanks to all the attention lavished on it in these pages.
Dropped off with Nelson, no issues in the operation to replace both fronts, and picked up again in the evening. Significantly quieter all round, and now I can finally start on that rust!
The drive home was sublime, even in central London with all the other crackpots and aggression - the Saab now has such a well-poised and predictable gait, the turbo responsive when some recent design abortion attempts to undertake you, and everything in the cabin just...works. The size allows you to squeeze into gaps with ease, the large bumpers confidence others will back off. Really loving having this car back. I may even wash it before we break out the power tools.
Thansk all!
All painter recommendations welcome. There's no way we can afford a full paint job and really any effort should go on the underside, but locallised panel work at a decent price would be welcome.
bolidemichael said:
There's some fine titivation going on here. The re-stretched fabric on the door card is particularly satisfying for me. It reminds me of the spectacular renovation of the Rover 3500 roof lining undertaken in 1275GT's family living room -- with a team effort from his parents!
It's due a paint job now -- I do have the details of a 'Man' in East London that was ventured to me by some members of the MB Club as he has done excellent work for them in the past. It is in East London, however, which us SW Londoners (I think that you're around here/there) know is a hell of a schleck. However, it's not your daily and you can't top a recommendation.
Oh yes I love that thread, and the final result was, as always with his work, aspirational. I do have a complete headlining in the garage I bought over 2 years ago, but I just need to purge any rust, redo the wiring for the rear screen, track down all the correct clips... you know how it goes...It's due a paint job now -- I do have the details of a 'Man' in East London that was ventured to me by some members of the MB Club as he has done excellent work for them in the past. It is in East London, however, which us SW Londoners (I think that you're around here/there) know is a hell of a schleck. However, it's not your daily and you can't top a recommendation.
All painter recommendations welcome. There's no way we can afford a full paint job and really any effort should go on the underside, but locallised panel work at a decent price would be welcome.
Cambs_Stuart said:
Good update, as always!
25 years ago I had a mk3 escort where the front driver's side wheel bearing suddenly went from slightly noisy to utterly failed in the fast lane of the M25. Since then I've always hated any unplanned noises from cars.
The under bonnet shots and interior shots of the saab are looking great.
Exactly - never want to experience anything like that ever again! 25 years ago I had a mk3 escort where the front driver's side wheel bearing suddenly went from slightly noisy to utterly failed in the fast lane of the M25. Since then I've always hated any unplanned noises from cars.
The under bonnet shots and interior shots of the saab are looking great.
curvature said:
I've just read all 17 pages. Keep up the good work!
Hey thanks - glad to hear its of interest, sorry the ending at present leave a bit to be desired but we are getting there.One long-term issue sorted - the exhaust. As long term /full thread readers will have picked up, the original exhaust was miserable, I collected various stainless steel items, added in an original Saab mild steel item as a stop-gap. In 2020 the whole system started crumbling with broken hangers, lpoor fitment, rust and the car's nemesis - speed bumps.
Having used Redhill Classics to finally sort out my Alfa 164, I booked the Saab in... with a bootfull of parts...
The rear twin 'Carlsson' section is from a reputed Saab parts dealer. The end looks good but the welds were atrocious - seriously miserable and messy. The back box was an old Scorpion item, and the other parts came from a Saab fanatic. The mid silencer was... not one - it was a straight pipe. All these sections had slightly mismatched diameters and odd hanger placement - sleeves and welding required...
Redhill took it in their stride - a custom central silencer, other parts adapted and hangers fixed, I was very happy to leave this:
And come back 12 hours later to this:
The car sounds superb - not rorty but no leaks, hisses and no more clunks or scraped over speed bumps.
Very happy indeed - and look how much better that twin pipe shineness is over the original 'vacuum cleaner extension' pipe!
darkyoung1000 said:
Now that is a very good thing to come back to. I'm very glad you have another exhaust ticked off and that it sounds good. It can really make the character of a car or bike!
One more to go, which I'm aiming to tackle myself! Good idea in the winter on my own, right? It'll probably be fine...Cambs_Stuart said:
That is a nice exhaust. Good to see more time and attention on the SAAB.
So, are you hoping for a MIG welder or a welding course for Christmas?
Both! Given the last 18 months of disruption I haven't been to my freind's workshop... I think it'll be a home lesson via Zoom in the new year.So, are you hoping for a MIG welder or a welding course for Christmas?
bolidemichael said:
You could detail/protect it with FinishKare1000 or Bikt Hamber Double Speed Wax. Either of those (amongst a number of alternative options) will make subsequent cleaning of the exhaust deposits a simple task.
Excellent idea - in my ignorance of 'nice things for cars' I didn't realise you could actually protect the shiny bits effectively. Too many years poking rust and replacing bits, not enough keeping them looking smart! Thanks.The wife took it for a good run yesterday and is very happy - crucially no hint of gasses in the main cabin, and not a single ding from a speed bump.
I will look into a video at a suitable venue - it will need both of us, bear with me...
I took it out to a local brewery to take shipment of their latest stout yesterday. Still in love with this shape.
The 900 has been in a lot of use of late, so much so that we both missed a big number...
...but I think that exemplifies this car - it used, year round, leant on, stacked full of plants, parked ont he road, down muddy tracks and off at the drop of the hat for 200 miles for a midnight emergency. My wife missed the 200k as she was flying down the M3 - so it goes.
To do list for 2022 look surmountable - patch holes, find reputable paint shop, fit headlining and trim driver's seat. Keep driving it.
Oh and the exhaust high temp wax only turned up after the wife took it through the aforementioned...
Never mind.
...but I think that exemplifies this car - it used, year round, leant on, stacked full of plants, parked ont he road, down muddy tracks and off at the drop of the hat for 200 miles for a midnight emergency. My wife missed the 200k as she was flying down the M3 - so it goes.
To do list for 2022 look surmountable - patch holes, find reputable paint shop, fit headlining and trim driver's seat. Keep driving it.
Oh and the exhaust high temp wax only turned up after the wife took it through the aforementioned...
Never mind.
mercedeslimos said:
Strange how the valance only comes down as far as the bumper - very rare to see that nowadays more like a fifties vehicle.
Yes the Turbo typically had either a full Aero body kit or a bumper that came down further with a cutout.https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b...
This car had all its trim removed by the previous owner to make it look like a 90/99, so its a bit of a mongrel looks-wise. The exhaust is a bit 'obvious' but I think the metal will dull with rage and I'll just keep the final twin tip waxed.
Cambs_Stuart said:
Good to hear It's providing reliable service and 200k is a good innings. Have you narrowed down the bodyshop options?
It might have to be the cheapest and worst one available - me!mercedeslimos said:
Liking the sound of the exhaust rage
Sort of a type there, but actually so do I know I reread it!occrj said:
Neat to see your SAAB, a spitting image of the '85 8 valve I had years ago, even down to the Super Incas and absent wheel arch trims. I remember the head gasket going on it, it was replaced by a local garage but they re-used all the old manifold and exhaust gaskets so I ended up re-doing them myself. It also had a curious habit of cutting out on rapid left hand bends, I forget what cured that little foible now.
I was tempted by the remains of a flat front 16S a couple of years ago, but it was in a bad way with rust in every panel so I declined.
Lovely! White is a devil to keep clean as you know, but that number plate probably kept you attentive (OCD)! Yes Super Incas are more common on the 8Vs I think - these were definitely a retro-fit but sadly wheel choice it limited to 114 wheels for earlier 900s due to the flat front peculiarities (I think the front handbrake is the main issue). I do have some plans as the front tyres need to be changed...I was tempted by the remains of a flat front 16S a couple of years ago, but it was in a bad way with rust in every panel so I declined.
Cut out on bends it often something in the fuel lines - old pumps/tanks pumps and filters. Nothing troublesem yet on ours... and the fuel lines look relatively recent but not tempting fate on the E10 too much. Regular use seems to be key.
A rusty flat front will be a full time project - this one did not attract my instant affection and plenty still to do, but it is solid in the right places. "Always buy the best you can afford" etc.
bolidemichael said:
200k is quite a significant threshold to have surpassed without having captured! I passed 170k in the FFRR on the M6 recently and missed that too. Most unusual for me, then again, I haven't significantly contributed to its prolonged roadworthiness as I have the E500 which, incidentally, aslo recently crossed the 170k threshold. Well done for maintaining its road presence, however!
Ha! Congrats on the E500, and the RR thread and your trips recently have been a great write-up on real life ownership experiences. I think one of those would be too complicated for me! Only 30k to go - good luck!
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