UKSaabs

See, one of the problems with getting into Saabs are Saab friends.. They know your weakness' and they lead you unto temptation...

This 900 was nothing different. I got a call from Saabstudent of this very parish; "would you like to come and have a look at a 900 convertible with me? It's just along the road and it looks quite tidy. I think it's well priced too.."

Well, with that I set off early on a busy Saturday morning when I had lots of other things I was meant to be doing and certainly no time or money for a new project. I drove there telling myself we really didn't need another car and that I was only going to look politely and return home.

Upon arriving at the garage there she was. Sitting inside, dry, clean and looking very tidy: I hopped out and started looking round all the usual rust spots. Boot floor was very tidy, door bottoms look good too, chassis rails all solid in their usual places. Then of course it's near enough a one owner car, it's had an engine rebuild and new turbo as a bit of earlier digging by Graeme had discovered. Downsides are a very frilly bonnet and two small localised spots that will need paint.

So, Graeme turns up, we throw some trade plates in and head off out. She drives well. Gearbox works well but is very sloppy. Engine is quiet and pulls well, doesn't smoke and holds a solid temperature.

After a few negotiations involving pointing out a leaking oil cooler, the bonnet and lack of leather we agree a very acceptable price with the chap who also agrees to drop it to Graeme's house the next day.

Now, the original justification for this little slice of open top loveliness was that we run her for a few months before selling her on and splitting the difference. However, in March, my girlfriend Marta will have had her licence for a year. She is currently driving a wonderfully reliable but ageing Astra. Time for an upgrade and to join the Saab family.

And with that a plan was hatched, Graeme and I would enjoy tinkering, upgrading and driving the convertible. Then in May, Marta will take over ownership. Just in time for summer!

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Speak softly and carry a big hammer.

So here is what we're starting with. One very tidy, but fairly basic convertible 900.

A turbo is present, but no intercooler. Leather, nice wheels a suitable stereo upgrade are all to come along with lots of smaller maintenance jobs.

Oh, and it's also got the tightest, newest feeling indicator and wiper stalks I've ever felt in a 900!


Here she is waiting for a service, new oil cooler and some love to the gear change.

While she was having the first bits of work done I drove down to Essex to meet a nice chap from this forum called John who had some pretty cool wheels; 16" cross spokes.



To this;




Now, this is as she's been dropped back down so the front is sitting a little higher than we'd like (Graeme said something about heading for the sky!)

I've got some very nice three spoke Carlssons with larger profile tyres that we'll put on in the next week or so to see how they look.

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Speak softly and carry a big hammer.

Next, time to bring the interior up to speed. Leather, heated leather, is needed.

Fortunately for us, but not for the previous owner. A rather nice Le Mans blue convertible had just been written off. In it was a nice grey leather interior.

A week later and Devon; our friendly local Saab tech dropped the seats round to my house.

Marta and I then spent a Friday night working away on the leather with Gliptones finest leather cleaner followed by a good conditioning session. Might have to re condition it all further in a weeks time but overall very pleased with how well it's all come up.



Next morning, whipped the old seats out, cleaned up around them. Very pleased with how nice the interior is on this car.





Then, seats bolted and plugged in. Will be wiring in Manual heated seat controllers too so that each seat can be controlled as in a 9000.

As you can see, Marta was pretty chuffed with her new seats;



And that is where we've got to so far. Weather turned yesterday so there are still rear seats and the very nice leather door cards to go in.

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Speak softly and carry a big hammer.

Nice one

Get the roof down Marta . . . . .have a blast.

Heater on full chat ( big arrow just to left of 6.00 O'clock position gives full power ) and a cover over your knees and you are sorted. . . . . .well, almost . . . .. Keep a look out for a wind deflector / baffle thingy. Tip:- you can fit a later deflector from the later generation cars with a minor bodge. You should be able to find one of those cheaper than the early one's.

Have fun . . . . .I will be out in mine today with the roof down

Cheers

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96 V4 1968
99 GL 1984
C900 16i Vert 1992
C900S LPT Vert 1993

"We are one, we are SAAB"

Nice to see another Convertible c900!

Good luck with it! Just hope the weather improves for the top to come down!

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Other car drivers just don't know what they are missing!!

Home at last!!

Nice looking car, as long as hood is dry mine goes down.

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SAAB 9-5 Vector 2.2tid auto

Thanks for the replies chaps.

Stig: Good shout, a wind deflector is on the list for the future. The roof itself is in great condition and goes up and down in no time. Easily under 30 seconds.

The heater is no where near up to Swedish standards at the moment. Pretty sure it's the heater control rod as it just blows out gently warm air right now.

99t and rob: Yes! Hood down if it ain't raining. She'll be getting used properly.

Also they look better with the top off too I reckon!

Tonight I'll see if I can find some clear indicators to go on the front. Sure I've got some somewhere..

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Speak softly and carry a big hammer.

Chris also forgot to mention it had a recent hood as well, so that's all good, and it came with a set of (almost unused) hard tonneau covers.

Not bad, considering its purchase price only just nudged into four figures

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92 T16s
91 T16s, 93 900i X2
S/C Saab-engined VX220
Ex NG9-5, c900 vert, 9K track car, 93 9KAero

I also blame saabstudent for my dabble with the ng 9-5
It was Graeme waxing lyrical (and with pictures ) about his time with the ng 9-5 that pushed me over the top.
He is a very bad man
(but does appear to have a good eye for a nice saab)

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1998 9-3 vert-sold
2010 ng 9-5 -sold
but i did take care of them,honestly.

Yep, Graeme is to be blamed for lots of these things - his old c900 was the first quick 900 I ever drove..

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Speak softly and carry a big hammer.

Lots and lots has been done since the last update to Śnieżka (Snow White)

The car was suffering from poor running from cold and a few other oddities. Sadly a blown head gasket was diagnosed (suspect due to hardly being used over the last few years).

Whilst the head gasket was being sorted I sourced some Honda mtf as well as a few bits to tighten up the gear shift. Much better than it was now.

As soon as the car was back together the clutch release bearing started screaming so that was replaced, thankfully the clutch was reported as having lots of meat on it.
Various other small jobs like hood lubrication were done too.

The interior is now fully in with just the manual seat controllers to wire up. I have replaced the very very tired original front speakers with some much nicer Pioneers and the rear speakers with some good strong Alpine mids.



As I don't have the planned head unit ready yet I thought I'd use this one as I had it knocking about - totally forgetting 'til I'd put it in that it has no display! Still, works okay for the moment.

25 internet points if you can name where it came from..



Thanks to a heads up on here I found a white rust free bonnet all the way up in Stoke. It was miles away and too big to put in a car so we drove up and swapped it while we were there - one of the joys of 900 ownership is how easily the bonnets come off.

Bonnet


Naked


Overall did about 400 miles in her this weekend after the work was done and we're certainly moving in the right direction. One month to go till she needs to be complete and ready..

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Speak softly and carry a big hammer.

Great stuff. . . . . .looks good in White.

Just a thought on your poor running . . . . .my one ( same year as yours with 218 k miles) responded extremely well to upgrading the vacuum lines. . . . . .tick over now rock steady and running very well.

Have fun

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96 V4 1968
99 GL 1984
C900 16i Vert 1992
C900S LPT Vert 1993

"We are one, we are SAAB"

The grommets into the inlet manifold can also allow air to bypass as well. they are worth a check.

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Saab 9-5 2.3t Arc auto estate (Big Red)
Saab 9000 2.3 CDi S auto
Saab 9-5 2.0t Airflow
Lexus LS430

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Other car drivers just don't know what they are missing!!

Home at last!!

Vauxhall?!

Car looking good! Keep up the good work!

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Other car drivers just don't know what they are missing!!

Home at last!!

Thanks for the suggestions chaps, after the head gasket being done it's runs well.

I think it'll be worth doing the vacuum lines as a matter of course in the future though.

99t - good work, it's from an Astra with the separate radio display

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Speak softly and carry a big hammer.

Well, today was her first day using the car and she's very happy! I'm chuffed.

Since the last update the seats have been cleaned again and fed. New door cards fitted too.

The Vauxhall stereo has been changed for a nice Kenwood one which sounds great with the new speakers. Possibly needs a little more punch though..

Today I cleaned the car and gave it good polish, the paint has come up well, although it reminded me it'll need a little cosmetic work to one of the arches before too long. It's okay for the moment though.

Then I fitted new badges (thanks to TR autos swift service as usual), it's always such a satisfying job to finish with!









Oh, and here's the £10 bonnet..

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Speak softly and carry a big hammer.

Superb...thats coming on a treat. What rear speakers did you use.?

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Sent from here using a 2nd class stamp.

Thanks John

Sorry, I'm not sure about the speakers - my local Saab guy gave them to me and I didn't take note before I put them in. But they were quite decent, just a nice Alpine Mid. Combined with the tweeters up front and a little hidden sub somewhere it should give good sound whilst remaining subtle.

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Speak softly and carry a big hammer.

I'll second that. That's looks a really really nice car

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Ex:9-5DE tid,Aero stg3,Hirsch Aero, Aero,2.3 Airflow Stg1, 2.0 Stg5 & 9-3 HOT, c900 Aero, '71 99