The Saab 9000 CC adventure picks up speed (2)
A few days ago I read a good sentence regarding old cars. We are only the temporary trustees, responsible for handing them over safely into the hands that follow us. There's truth in there. Another thing is whether old cars have a soul. You might think so with the Saab 9000i from 1989.
After we stand at the Saab hangar with the Saab, transporter and trailer, a question arises: does it start or not? The dealer had started dismantling because the Saab gave the stubborn system refuser. We want to know what's up, give the Swede a new battery, start and ...
Does the Saab 9000i have a soul?
...the box is running. With a brutal sound because the exhaust is through. But he's alive. Why he previously stubbornly refused is his secret to this day. Maybe he had no motivation to end his retirement somewhere in Kazakhstan. It was more likely our positive Saab vibrations, or the happily waiting Saab pack in the hangar. These considerations are stupid, that's for sure. Nevertheless, I have the impression that the other Saabs are happy when a newcomer enters the hangar.
End of the philosophical part.
First test passed, off to the hangar, inventory. The sky is hanging, as is the use of fabric in the doors. So the sky has to be dismantled soon and the inserts of the doors have to be re-upholstered. The fabric is 26 years old, not torn, can continue to be used.
The originality is preserved, our saddler does it for little money.
An inner fender is missing, a wiper on the headlight. All fluids and filters are begging for change. Urgent! The ventilation only works on the highest level, a known bug. The paint is spotty white, the oil dipstick for the ZF automatic (Link) eaten away by dripping battery acid. In many things we notice the neglect of recent times. Little things that will cost a lot of time but only little money.
Otherwise the condition is very good and it will be shown later on the stage that there is no rust. 26 years in the Rhine-Main area, which is poor in road salt, has had a positive effect on the condition.
What rocks is the red-brown interior. That puts you in a good mood and makes you want to see this generation of cars. Whether with or without turbo!
The 9000i is Saab project number 3
It is also clear that this will be a project that will keep us busy for a long time. Which means three 9000 projects are running in parallel, which isn't great. So, to speed it up, we're giving one to friendly, outside hands. Another Saab story running on the blog from June.
Before we start working, we want to go on a test drive to get an impression of the mechanics. In order not to get involved in a neat conversation with the race management, it is advisable to change the exhaust. We need a new middle pot, the old one is done.
Of course, Orio AB cannot deliver, a look at the 9000 CC spare parts inventory in Nyköping brings a flood of tears to our eyes anyway - which I will come back to again this week. A supplier of exhaust parts says he can deliver, but has to back down.
There are two versions for the Saab 9000i, with and without a catalytic converter. Our blog car has a cat, the variant is not available.
Blog Supporter Skandix (Link) has what we need from stock. After I had the correct spare part number found in Kiel to avoid the wrong purchase (Thanks to the always patient helpers Lafrentz), the exhaust and assembly parts are in the incoming goods department the next day.
Quality, price, delivery service at Skandix are right. Excellent!
The installation is without problems; a free workshop - a few meters away from our Saab hangar - takes the old Swede on stage. Exhaust fits, all dismantled parts are reassembled. The Saab is running!
On to the test drive! How does the 26-year-old Swede drive, does he drive at all? Or does the stupid blind buy take revenge and the adventure ends in disaster?
The first outing will be very, very short. After a few meters the 9000 announces “check engine“. That is not good at all! Normally, the engine then jumps into an emergency program and only runs with reduced power. In our case, he just keeps going. Nevertheless - we break off the trip, fly to the Saab hangar.
What now? But bought junk? Problems with old cars must be approached in a relaxed manner. First we eliminate the maintenance backlog, order all filters and parts through a Saab partner, change all fluids.
This is how we bring the Saab to a good status. Then we fly out again. In the next few days we will start the last part.
Very cool box ... and please leave it exactly like that! 🙂
That's pure joy if you read something like that, who has already bought an old car recognizes every sentence that Tom writes here.
Great; I am looking forward to read on.
The color combination takes some getting used to but sometimes I even shudder when I see pictures in which outfit I dared to hit the street in the eighties. And a Saab definitely has a soul. I do not know what it is, but sometimes, when I have not moved it for a while, it makes me sounds that sound like a sigh, as if to say to me: Boy get the key, I want to let off steam again.
What about the dealer warranty and reverse transaction? Or were the two points “bargaining chips”?
At Skandix I have already bought one or the other part ... if it was not original, then it was OEM or their house supplier. Everything has always worked and fitted - a real alternative if you want to do the work yourself.
By the way ... you're talking our mouth watering about the interior - but where are the matching pictures? Does the best come at the end? 😉
They were bargaining chips. There was a good price for that. No Risk - No Fun 🙂
The first pictures of the interior can be found here: http://saab-youngtimer.de/2015/04/20/saab-9000i-1989-bildergalerie/ More to come ...
Hm, everyone can do it, right? 😉 Well, as I said, as long as you know what to do and have the money ...
To be honest, the interior disappoints me a bit ... as much as I appreciate a deviation from the standard black / gray / anthracite, the more the seating reminds me of worn cinema seats. Pretty much faded red. Or was it the camera?
That's pretty blasphemous. The pictures were taken in the hangar, bad light, no external flash. Better impressions are replenished.
Congratulations, that sounds promising.
But honestly, you start for a first test flight after (how many?) Years without first changing filters and fluids? Hardcore.
No, the 9000i was still moved four weeks earlier. So we are not really hardcore
I'm looking forward to the sequel.