Sold Save A Saab - C900i 8v 3-door Auto Project - Reserved.

[Zelandeth]

Edit: Now reserved.  Should the sale not work out for any reason this thread will be updated accordingly.

 

----

 

I've come to the conclusion that this poor old girl just isn't going to get sorted by me. 

 

She was parked up in this corner mid last year when the head gasket (which had been giving me the occasional warning by starting on three cylinders occasionally ever since I got the car in 2012) finally decided to call time on life and let go a few hundred yards from home by dropping to three cylinders and and trailing a proper James Bond style smoke screen out the tailpipe.

 

I've picked up a head gasket set (Victor Reinz branded if I remember right), but just haven't had the time nor inclination to deal with it yet.

 

There's also a bit of emotional baggage attached to the car for me, which I think is something which will prevent me ever really being able to properly enjoy it again - simply put, it was travelling in this car that I had the last ever real conversation with my mother before she quite abruptly passed away in a matter of days after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

 

As such, I feel that it's time for me to move on and time for the car to find a new home.

 

I've driven quite a few Classic 900s over the years, and despite a laundry list of little niggles this is one of the nicest driving examples I've ever been behind the wheel of.

 

 

[] 1989 Saab 900i.

[] Normally Aspirated 8v Engine.

[] 3-speed automatic (actually works really well with the 8v engine).

[] 133K Miles.

[] Front tyres have less than 1500 miles on (Cooper branded I believe).

[] New battery fitted early last year.

[] New full exhaust system fitted over the last couple of years (tailpipe in 2016, the rest of the system followed in 2017).

[] Has had welding in the usual places on the driveshaft tunnels in the past.

[] Central Locking is somewhat temperamental, requiring the driver's electric window to be poked several times before it will unlock the passenger's door and boot.  It's done that since I got the car and I've never managed to get to the bottom of it.

[] Driver's electric window doesn't close fully - I reckon this is entirely my own fault as it worked perfectly until I closed the door while winding the window down one day - Think something has jumped out of position.

[] Passenger's window sticks.

[] Door bottoms could do with some re-constructive surgery, but aren't beyond saving by any means compared to many I've seen.

[] Rev counter is intermittent.

[] Nearside headlight could do with the reflector reconditioning - it's been an advisory for "poor beam image" since about 2005.

[] Philips radio/CD player (with USB/iPod connectivity) with illumination that matches the dash fitted.

 

She's currently parked up in the corner of our yard just off the driveway - under a tree which does a good job of making anything that's parked there for five minutes look like it's been there for years.

 

It's also currently got a whole bunch of junk stored in there which of course will be cleared out prior to any sale!

 

 

 

 

 

...Here's a better photo showing what she can look like when cleaned up.

 

 

 

As any coolant will immediately exit directly into the sump there currently isn't any in there (the oil has been flushed a couple of times subsequently prior to the car being laid up to try to minimise contamination).  The engine will still run sufficiently to get her onto a trailer, but she will need to be trailered away.

 

I'll try to get some better photos when it's not bloody snowing, and give her a quick wash to get rid of the bird muck.

 

£400 or an offer vaguely in that general ballpark.  Though I'm more interested in the car going to a good home where she's got the best chance for restoration than the money to be honest.

 

I'm not going to scrap this car, I've too much an attachment to it and consequently have a vested interest in its continued survival.  She's an odd combination of spec as well, and autos are getting rare to see now. 

 

If nobody wants it as a project as it is, I'll look to get the head sorted when the weather gets better and shift it on in the summer hopefully with a year's ticket.

[The Moog]

I would love this!

 

Will have to see if I can sneak it past Missus Moog. 

[Shep Shepherd]

I'd love this as well, but I have no spare car space 

[Zelandeth]

Should add that there's no particular urgency here if people want to have a think about it or need to shift something else on first.  It's not actively taking up any room really - just want to see if move before it winds up being beyond saving simply due to sitting around.

 

It's the ideal companion for your Volvo I reckon, Shep...

[purplebargeken]

900's are Very Good Things.

[Zelandeth]

900's are Very Good Things.

 

They are - and I know full well that in a few years I am going to be absolutely kicking myself for selling this one.

 

Only real downside to it from a day to day basis was that she's rather a thirsty old girl...mid 20s mpg really is the best you can expect on a day to day basis.

[drum]

Much wantage. I've fancied a 900 for a while but currently weighed down with projects.

I might get a Shipley quote anyway, just for my info of course.

[Skizzer]

Nice, very nice. Doesn’t sound like it needs much so could be a bargain way into these lovely things for someone.

[Fabergé Greggs]

Those trims though. Swoon

[Tamworthbay]

Put me down as interested as well, always fancied one of these.

[wuvvum]

I have a new head gasket for a C900 still in its wrapper, but it's for a T16S so bugger all use for this one.

 

 

As you were...

[djoptix]

Wonder how difficult it would be to transfer the engine from a 2.3t 9-5 to this...?

[HMC]

Love this , +1 on those amazing wheel covers and the general swoopy saabness of it. Tempted but in a similar vein to China and their former policy on numbers of offspring, I'm on a state sanctioned one car policy.

[Jim Bell]

Spicy like WaSaabi.

[Zelandeth]

These wheel covers I definitely agree are one of the most lovely pieces of design ever.

 

 

Seriously, who needs alloys?  These look ten times better I reckon and are a heck of a lot easier to keep clean.  They need a good polish and wax once or twice a year and that's it.

[Fabergé Greggs]

Where’s that appropriate trims thread?

 

Edit; http://autoshite.com/topic/18497-a-propreate-wheelz/

 

On the mobile so can’t quite get it together to add them

[Zelandeth]

Okay folks, I've got two people who've both expressed a solid interest here via PM, so I'm going to mark this as reserved for the time being.

 

Should that change, I'll obviously update this thread accordingly.

[Saabnut]

Wonder how difficult it would be to transfer the engine from a 2.3t 9-5 to this...?

 

Not practical I am afraid. The c900 has the gearbox under the engine driven by chain. The 9-5 has it on the end. The c900 is North South, the 9-5 East West, crank in a 2.3 will hit the gearbox, etc etc. Whilst anything is possible, it would be a huge amount of work....

[Zelandeth]

Not practical I am afraid. The c900 has the gearbox under the engine driven by chain. The 9-5 has it on the end. The c900 is North South, the 9-5 East West, crank in a 2.3 will hit the gearbox, etc etc. Whilst anything is possible, it would be a huge amount of work....

 

Seems a bit pointless to me at least as well - at least half the character of the C900 to me is the engine.  It doesn't sound or smell quite like anything else, especially in 8v form.  I've never actually owned a 16v one, but have driven a few and don't recall them having quite the same charm.

 

Especially with the auto, an 8v 900 is a lazy cruiser, not a warp speed hot rod.

 

...at the same time, they handle astonishingly well and this one - even absolutely stock, with 118bhp on tap *and* a 3-speed slushbox - will keep up with things on a twisty road that it has absolutely no right to if you look at the numbers on paper.  Makes a lovely noise while doing it too.

[wuvvum]

Not practical I am afraid. The c900 has the gearbox under the engine driven by chain. The 9-5 has it on the end. The c900 is North South, the 9-5 East West, crank in a 2.3 will hit the gearbox, etc etc. Whilst anything is possible, it would be a huge amount of work....

I once had a 99 which had been fitted with a 2.0 T16S engine from a 9000.  Not very well fitted as I could never get the aux belt to line up completely true, but it went in.  That car was an absolute flyer - looked like a standard silver 99GL so made an amusing sleeper.  It had also had PAS fitted so none of the desperate arm-twirling that normally results from attempting to drive a 99 in an enthusiastic manner.