UKSaabs

I've been looking at V4's once again as they seem to be the most readily available compared to Sonetts and Two Strokes but I wanted one in VERY good structural condition that had not been messed about with or restored (it's always a gamble isn't it, you never know how the restoration has been done unless it's been done by a known specialist!).

Nothing grabbed me until I went to see one that a friend had just heard about.

She is a family owned car owned by Aunt then Niece with complete service history, MOT's etc having only done 73,000 and always garaged from new. She is a very original/structurally sound motor and I am of course chuffed to bits.

I'm really going to enjoy getting her home to clean up the engine bay.

POW! Opal Green, LOVE IT















Rear wing had a small dent knocked out and resprayed after an angry "youth" hit it with his fist!



Never seen an original boot interior kept so well, hardly a scratch and the boot wood and mat are like new - looks like the ladies care for interiors better than us blokes. I've only ever had three 96 V4's with no sun damage to rear seat top and didn't think I would find another like that. Rear shock just showing signs of corrosion and two side panels have dings in them. Badges, light lenses, rear vent badges unblemished and not faded and the door window rubber strips have not shrunk with no cracks, the rear boot handle has no rust on the inner side which is rare. Carpets are as new as they have laways been covered. 'Ruffles' really is a nice example and one I am keeping to the grave The front grill has a broken slat but I have a spare so will get that sprayed up to put on (fiddly masking job best done with sellotape but brings them up like new )

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rust correction/prevention

I like that colour and sounds a good rolling part resto do you have any other plans for it?

Just love them..........looks like you,ve got a nice example.

Look forward to reading your updates.

Where is there a nice Red one

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96v4 Blu
99GL 84 Silv
900i 84 Red
900SE 91 Silv
9-5 1.9tid grey
C900 trailer

Hi Matt, yeah to make it into a rally replica NOOOOOOOOOOO WAY (She will need some careful work to get her into A1 condition)

I'll keep an eye out for you 'Red'

This one's too good to be messed with, she will be driven properly to establish if anything needs doing engine wise but she sounds sweet, starts on the button, ticks over nice etc. Just needs an engine flush, oil/fluids change and damn good service.

The wings will be taken off, any hidden rust treated, same with all interior panels but I don't expect any but it doesn't harm to look.

Time to methodically go through her with a combination of acid converting rust treatment, ACF-50, Dinitrol and POR-15 - this I love doing, the best part of new ownership. She will come up beautifully

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rust correction/prevention

Nice one, Chris, that looks like a proper keeper! Always been a fan of Opal Green, it's so 70s!

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S6 Avant 4.0 V8T 450bhp/550Nm
9-5 Aero ~600Nm FB3
Sonett III
96V4s

I love Opal Green but in not a fan of the rubber bumpers on the later cars. Certainly looks in good nick, there is a guy who used to be around on here with an identical one, from Leamington Spa I think. Oh, and Nick has one too, he's got a couple of everything though!

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It's not true that life is one damn thing after another, it's the same damn thing over and over.

Thanks Al, I was besotted from the get-go. I had to have a V4 back in my life. I will really enjoy getting back into the scene. Need to join the clubs again and have fun free wheeling to the rallies. She won't be in my garage for a while so it's going to be a long, painful wait!

I saw one bombing along near Chichester a few months ago Ian, looked great This one is from Nottigham. It's such a fresh, vibrant, modern in your face colour, you could never get bored with it I don't think

Chris

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rust correction/prevention

Great looking car in a great colour.
You will need tyre levers to get that battery in and out!
Looking forward to seeing how this progresses.

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Cheers John, I'm sure I'll be in touch re some kind of help with it.... er or just a beer

She has always been known as 'Ruffles', so like boats I'm not going to tempt fate and re-name her Bloody waste of good shampoo too!

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rust correction/prevention

Very nice, another fan of Opal Green here

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When you think you know it all, it's a sure sign you don't.

Wow!! What a stunning example. Opal green is great and I'd love a 99 in the that colour.

Enjoy!!

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1964 96 2st
1976 99 EMS 2dr
1978 99 EMS 2dr
1981 99 Turbo 2dr
1983 99 2dr parts
1983 99 2dr parts

" This one is from Nottingham. "

Thought I recognised the reg no, but can't remember who had it.

Nice example, hope you get loads of enjoyment out of it.

Thanks guys.

Woody you may have seen her about years ago, how could you miss her she wasn't a rally goer but was well known locally with many people asking to buy her over the years, someone also from the Enthusiasts left his details also - thankfully for me all the contacts had been lost. She is only being sold as the the owner has a bad back and has not been able to drive her for a long time - she will be very upset to see her go but I have promised to drop in every now on the way to rallies so she can see her. Have say it must be hard to let go after 35 years...

For the last few years she has not been driven apart from around the block and for annual MOT's so it's best I trailor her home the 130 odd miles back from Nottingham or maybe to someone that knows V4's around Nottingham. Shame Graham Macdonald doesn't live in the area but I could tailor it to him. I can't think of anyone in my area

I have always used Robin Stockley in Weymouth and Tony at A&D Motors in Yeovil, both are ex SAAB mechanics of the Yeovil Jack Astley SAAB branch who worked on 96's, together actually, when 96's were still built. Tony had an orange 96 and early Sonett. I prised some Ronal alloys off him ten years ago and stupidly sold them with my last Souvenir model

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As did I. I think it was for sale at some point in the last couple of years, I remember seeing it advertised.

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It's not true that life is one damn thing after another, it's the same damn thing over and over.

No she has never been advertised Ian. Just received an E-mail from the owner saying "The car has not been advertised whilst we've owned it". She wasn't this time either, just word of mouth...

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rust correction/prevention

Think I may have been thinking about this one.....

http://www.saab-v4.co.uk/speedball/topi ... pic_id=603

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It's not true that life is one damn thing after another, it's the same damn thing over and over.

About 30 years ago I had a Fiat Strada in that colour I always thought it was GT green, where 'GT' didn't stand for 'Grand Tourisimmo' but 'Goose poo'

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9-3 2.2TiD Van Aaken, now gone :0(

I noticed this one also after Googling the other day, shame about the rot/welding in the boot picture Wonder who has it now.

Read in an old Driver issue that the Swedes call the colour Opal Grun - Grun standing for gor blimey green

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rust correction/prevention

I noticed the battery, I think it may have been located about 2ft above then dropped and allowed gravity to position it!

The front scuttle cover is black, which is odd? Also being an 'L' I'd have thought it would have had the later black plastic mirrors? Hey ho, very nice anyway, some chrome bumpers and soccerballs and that would look amazing.

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It's not true that life is one damn thing after another, it's the same damn thing over and over.

This is a really special car. On a "R" plate it's one of the last RHD V4's..rubber bumpers and the later plastic grill..not to everyones taste but a real gem.
The more I look at that engine bay the more originality I see, apart from that huffin great white breeze block of a battery (it's part of the car so should stay)
I know i keep banging on about using classics rather than looking at them but "it's only original once".
I would predict that if it's not tampered with too much we will see this car in the classic press for quite a few years...it has every thing they are looking for, great "quirky" colour, originality, and a story.

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