and now for something completely different ...

[Troike]

After 9 years of owning exclusively Volkswagens, I've finally bought an alternative Euro (having been a Saab fan since I was too young to drive).

I loved my Golf, but aside from making it faster, I was done modifying it. And this was a lot cheaper

so I saw this 99 (that's the model, not the year .. ) for sale on the local CraigsList, I had to have it. My good friend in town (ex-gf actually) has an '81 900 Turbo 4-door that's been parked & neglected; these will hopefully be co-projects.


specs
1979 99 GL .. 4-speed manual, 2.0L fuel-injected 'B' engine (non-turbo) w/ 124K miles (per working odometer).
straight body; runs pretty well (aside from being noisy / leaky / having cold-start + idle issues)
Apparently was restored at one point, though it is mostly original (excluding the paint, formerly dark blue).
Does have 4-wheel disc brakes with newer pads/rotors/master cylinder; power brakes are weak/nonexistant, though, so perhaps the booster is bad.
Needs new interior carpet, tires, and some electrical issues sorted out, plus above issues.

plans
Daily-driver slow-resto.

Ordered some Kilen springs for it; going to add new shocks & all new suspension-bits w/ new tires. Maybe new wheels if I can find some spare 900 wheels or something; keep the current Incas as a snow set.
Going to replace the Valve-Cover Gasket (leaking) soon and try to source other leaks. I think it needs a Valve Adjustment but hopefully not much else.

I picked the wrong time of year up here for a Project car (I have no garage and still have to daily-drive commute this thing), but when I have time I'll be scouring area junkyards for any parts I can find.
Main goal is just to keep this thing running & looking good, but I love to modify/OE+ upgrade my cars, so as I learn more about 99s & c900s I'm sure my project will progress.

If anyone down South runs across 99s somewhere, let me know, I could probably use a spare Everything
I might grab random 900 parts from yards too, either for my friend or for the benefit of other SAABers.





p.s. don't have any good pictures yet, so I just attached one from my weekend of raking.
Van is not mine (though some parts in it were on a previous Van parked there that was mine )
the 110-year-old House is Project Numero Uno .. just got it re-fi'd though

[elwood]

I had an older 99. Unfortunately, it was the model with the Triumph engine (Schwinn bicycle chain for a timing chain). I still liked the car, though. I had the engine/transmission out about 5 times (really easy if you pull the headlight-grill-radiator assembly off as one piece). Saabs I've owned:
1968 Saab 96
1974 Saab 97 (Sonnet)
1971 Saab 99
1994 Saab 900 V6 (timing belt slipped)
2005 Saab 9-3 Arc
2000 Saab 9-3 Coupe (Base LPT)

The last one is my current one. Best of the lot in my opinion. Has the stiffer GM chassis, but still has a Saab "H" engine.