CoC Saab archive saved!

The recipient of the letter from the year 1979, the Saab Germany GmbH, had its address in the Berner Strasse 89 in Frankfurt. Saab, a member of the Saab Scania Picture Division, was a proud importer at that time. No amputated relic incorporated into the GM organization as it has been in recent years.

The content of the letter: An emissions report of the Saab 96 to increase performance on 80 PS, sender of the Rheinisch-Westfälische TÜV in Essen. He gave the 18. June 1979 Saab Germany green light for the desired increase in performance, carefully documented with pictures and specifications. How do the documents for the blog come from? The story from the beginning.

The German COC Saab Archive.

The documentation of the German importer included works releases, homologation documents and, from MY 1995, the CoC Saab archive. The CoC, Certificate of Conformity, became obligatory in the EU for all vehicle manufacturers as of 1996, but only passed on to dealers and customers from 2005. Previously, the documents remained in the hands of the manufacturer. Saab directed the documentary himself, in Frankfurt and later in the Taunus.

The times changed around the year 2004. Saab Germany moved to Rüsselsheim, many functions were integrated into the GM organization. The archive was taken by parade, the last folder carry the Opel sign. At some point, the CoC service (merchants could request originals) was outsourced to an outside company. Car Service Erkens took over the homologation, the issuing of new COC, the administration of the archive. The service was continued after the end of production in Trollhättan. Saab owners and dealers were able to obtain the original CoC, the birth and provenance of their vehicle, at cost to Erkens.

In 2016, Car Service Erkens moved to a new company building, and when moving house you usually think about taking things with you. At that time, the CoC Saab archive was no longer a business, a manageable number of requirements contrasted with costs for administration and space ...

Who wants 153 Saab folder?

Where to go with about 2 tons of documentation? The professionally dry should be stored, preferably in air-conditioned rooms. Erkens could have made it easy and the paper mountains could easily be recycled. The obligation to Saab no longer existed, but luckily the option was not available. Instead, they reached out the feelers and came through contacts to the blog.

Saab release increased trailer load

Air suspension level control for Saab 900

Test protocols Saab Turbo with water injection

Saab COC

No question that we wanted to and needed to be active. In recent years we have helplessly taken note of the loss of much Saab history in Sweden without being able to intervene. The German archive was not allowed to disappear, only where do we get the necessary shelf meters? Fortunately, my company has an air-conditioned and secure documentation center, and the space was ready.

The price for the takeover was symbolic and fair, a big thank you to Joachim and Jörg Erkens! Two pallets were provided, a forwarder picked up and delivered a few days later 17 moving boxes. The CoC Saab archive, the homologation documents, they got a new home!

We are only administrators on time

Our vehicles are getting older, and those who survive the years are becoming classic cars and classics. If they have reached a lover's status, papers are lost, reimporting or completing the documents, the CoC is important as evidence. At the latest from summer 2016 we would like to have integrated a CoC service, to request the proof, as a service in the blog.

We see ourselves only as temporary administrators - like with our vehicles. Committed to keep the archive in good condition in order to hand it over to a successor at some point. Perhaps the Saab brand will make a comeback one day, and the new company wants to maintain the great history. That would be the ideal case and the right place for the German archive. There may also be a foundation whose founding idea some friends are playing with. It could keep Saab history in Germany alive and would also be a good place for an archive that has its origin in Berner Strasse in Frankfurt.