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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816   
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Zag, WOW, very jealous. You undoubtedly will fill all the nooks and crannies with Dinitrol first.
 You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation.
http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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6th Sep 2013 8:21am |
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| GUM97 Member Since: 05 Feb 2012 Location: Cheshire Posts: 3555  
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Not quite my taste, but she does look a beauty!
An engine to TDi for!
"Land Rover- Proudly turning drivers into mechanics since 1948"  |
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6th Sep 2013 8:29am |
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| SteveG Member Since: 29 Nov 2011 Location: Norfolk Posts: 660 
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That does look to be in very good condition. I assume it's spent most of it's life garaged. I like the original looking roof rack too.
Are the bumpers painted or coated? Looks like it will look great with just a good clean and compound polish. Cheers Steve  |
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6th Sep 2013 8:33am |
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| Zagato Site Supporter Member Since: 08 Jan 2011 Location: Billingshurst West Sussex Posts: 5013
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Thanks folks, not to everyone's taste for sure but it's causing quite a stir within the SAAB fraternity. Most good ones like this (maybe ten other original, unrestored examples) have been known about for years but it shows there are some still hidden away in garages.
She is not perfect, although garaged all her life with cardboard wrapped around her waist she has a couple of dings down the side. The bumpers are made or honey comb sections which can be swapped after a crash within the rubber outer. She has only been taken out of the garage for occasional runs and for MOT's the last few years. The owner can no longer drive her to due to a bad back... They have column gear changing and free wheel which is great fun. When you take your foot off the accelerator the gearbox disengages from the engine and you just coast whilst the engine ticks over - when you press the accelerator the engine picks up drive and off you go again. You don't need to use the clutch apart from in first. SAAB made many new innovations which peole think Volvo came up with but as a small company compared to Volvo didn't have the marketing nounce. For instance they had crumple zones from the 1960's and heated seats as standard from 1971 - toasty 
After all these years it's slowly proving that front wheel drive, a stiff monocoque body and column/sequential gearing in a well balanced car was the way forward. Most cars will have this set up eventually. The development largely came out of the successes of rallying... |
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6th Sep 2013 8:34am |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8582
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Absolutely lovely and lime green to boot. Might not go all the places a defender does but still beautiful.
Barbara |
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6th Sep 2013 8:57am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17450 
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Wow, what a find! I would have thought that it must be one of the last of its kind.
Whe had a succession of SAABs in the family from 1972 on, including one of the first 2-litre 99s (in a hideous plum colour), two further 99 saloons (a two door and a four door), before the arrival of the first "Combi-Coupe". Later came a 900 Turbo (what a car!) and a few other 900s. Sadly never a 99 Turbo though. Completely agree with your comment about the SAAB innovations, most of which are incorrectly attributed to other makers especially Volvo. I think SAAB were the first to introduce a folding rear seat to allow the boot space to extend forward, possible the first heated seats, certainly the first to fit self-regenerating impact absorbing rubbery bumpers. It woudl be interesting to compile a full list of SAAB "firsts". A shame that the inevitable finally happened and SAAB disappeared, and good on you and like minded people for preserving a bit of history! |
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6th Sep 2013 9:09am |
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| Zagato Site Supporter Member Since: 08 Jan 2011 Location: Billingshurst West Sussex Posts: 5013
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Thanks Barbara, the ladies do like a SAAB 96, this one was owned by an aunt & niece. They are both still alive and are very upset to see it go. Must be hard after 35 years of ownership especially having kept 'Ruffles' so well. The main criteria was that it went to someone who would put the investment in to preserve her and to use her considerately. Luckily I am well known in the SAAB arena for my anal attention to condition and originality and of course I fell in love with her from the get go. They just don't come up like this anymore, people who have them keep them within the family and just don't sell them for any price offered so I am VERY lucky to have her... The kids are fighting over her already for when I snuff it
 Last edited by Zagato on 6th Sep 2013 9:27am. Edited 1 time in total |
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6th Sep 2013 9:14am |
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| jimbob7 Member Since: 06 Jul 2013 Location: uk Posts: 2055 |
Nice
SAABs have never appealed to me,but can certainly appreciate their innovations AND the condition of your car. |
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6th Sep 2013 9:16am |
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| Martin Site Admin Member Since: 02 Apr 2007 Location: Hook Norton Posts: 6611 
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Great find
 1988 90 Td5 NAS soft top
2015 D90 XS SW |
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6th Sep 2013 9:20am |
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| Zagato Site Supporter Member Since: 08 Jan 2011 Location: Billingshurst West Sussex Posts: 5013
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Thanks guys...
Yes 'Wolfy' she is one of the last registered as you say. You had a few nice one yourself
SAAB was a great little company, top class engineers with very high standards, they improved many other comapnies products over the years but this unfortunatley led to their downfall in todays climate where evey penny is squeezed to make another component shared euro box, HOWEVER the Factory at Trollhatten opened it gates to the work force only two weeks ago to get the factory line sorted to go back into production whilst they have the tooling, this is just as a stop gap to pull money until the new units are developed which is all still unknown, maybe electric cars or maybe a new line of combustion engined cars, who knows but there is huge international interest/support in getting SAAB back up and running. |
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6th Sep 2013 9:24am |
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| Nick-St Member Since: 23 Apr 2013 Location: Surrey Posts: 267 
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My mum and dad went through a SAAB phase while I was a kid... mum had 3 99's, & my dad had 2 900 Turbos & a 99 Turbo...
My sister had a much later SAAB (93?) - It wasn't the same, it had lost the quirky charm.... |
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7th Sep 2013 1:56pm |
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