Project Collectioneering - Moogs Mootahs

[gadgetgricey]

Yes indeed - cheap puma with new brakes, bj and clutch.

 

Is it possible to get it with the new brakes and clutch and pass on the final one.

Interesting sales technique though

[The Moog]

Like you need inducements to buy more cars!

[The Moog]

Decision made and Mgf is going to be up for sale.

[loserone]

Swap for SMOLL ALTO?

 

Thought not, somehow!

[The Moog]

Sadly could do with cash monies

[The Moog]

Grabbed a spare hour to fettle the puma this morning in advance of track day

 

First up was a set of Toyo T1rs fitted to the front. The cheapy ones grained up pretty quickly on the trackday and in the rain were lethal.

 

 

Then set of brembo pads.

 

One is the new set, the other is a set of Drive tec pads after a trackday plus 500 miles.

 

There has been a misfire under load - new sparkplugs were acquired and fitted

 

Or not. Four of the bolts holding the engine cover on rounded, requiring a tickle with the grinder to cut a slot then application of a BFO screwdriver.

 

Oh that doesn't look good

 

Took the opportunity to play with new scope

The oil snuck in when taking the plugs out.

 

The road test show that under load in 3rd misfire has gone.

 

I assume the oil is from leaking cam gasket so will add that to list. It also is leaking coolant under the distributor which will need fixing.

[The Moog]

Thought that whilst the rain hadn't arrived I would try and fix the coolant leak.

 

Yucky

 

 

So pulled it all off to clean

 

Coolant leak seems to be fixed. Fingers crossed.

[The Moog]

I saw a Saab 900 Carlsson for sale for silly money so decided to dig out pictures of mine 

 

Being flush with a new job i decided to get my dream car. I had always wanted a Carlsson and after many 900's the time was ripe.  Internet was scoured and car identified up north in Leicester way. It was up for the princely sum of £1650 - what price for your dream car (well £1650 obvs) 

 

In the days before I could dream of doing a digital collection thread, I did an analogue collection thread and got the train up to be met at the station by a decent chap. It was a sunday morning 

 

A chat and drive before the haggling started. I offered £1400 and he accepted.  My delight was unbounded as I had bagged the big one, the dream beast. Not only did it still have all the Carlsson extras it also was listed as a Carlsson on the V5. 

 

These were a top of the line 900, made in extremely limited numbers with special bodykit 

 

The world came falling down when they counted the money and I was £20 short. Damn you burgerking. Luckily I was hustled to a cash point to procure said notes. 

 

The drive home was a fabulous hustle through the highways and byeways of England. All going well untill BANG ... the front right tyre burst.  At 3 pm on a sunday my options were limited and so visit to Kwikfit and the only tyre they had in stock fitted I made it home. 

 

Bursting with pride I drove my car to work the next day. I was Daddy cool, the Man, Sex on a stick.  I was working as a lecturer part time at a local college, the students were quite impressed with the 3 inch straight through exhaust. 

 

Here are the only pictures I still have of it. 

 

 

At 3pm I get a call asking if the old black car was mine, if so could I come to the car park.  

 

I went out to be greeted by the sight of the front  bumper pulled off and all of the front of the car damaged. A lady driving a minibus had reversed back into the car, not realising there was a massive metal step. 

 

Being analogue age there are no digital pictures of said car but they are engraved on my heart.

 

Utterly heartbroken the only way to get the car home was to borrow a saw and cut off the rest of the front bumper. 

 

My dream car had lasted 24 hrs in my possession before it being trashed. 

[gadgetgricey]

No sorry, the rear decor panel is damaged.. I'd have bought something else.....

 

 

That is frikken awesome. I've also had a few C900's but never a Carlsson. It appears to have every option. Did it have the three Saab dials as well.

The rear wash wipe was a god send.

 

I loved all of mine but sold my pride and joy a few years ago to some bloke from Ireland. Need to check the reg when I get home to see if its still going strong.

 

I remember taking it to collect a fridge freezer and the bloke was amazed that it fitted so easily in the back. Ok the tailgate didn't close fully but the it went over the top, so the freezer was not going anywhere.

 

Any plans to get another, or would a 9000 be of interest. (Faster but not the same)

 

You've made my morning with those pics, just sorry that you did not have it that long.....

[The Moog]

The rear decor panel was broken by an over enthusiastic guy at a hand car wash with a pressure washer. I was most gutted. 

 

Had everything including whaletail spoiler, the saab gauges, special seats, the bodykit, steering wheel and red APC.  (found some pics) 

 

 

 

 

So after arguing with the insurance company I managed to get a pay out of £1000. This was after having words with one of the assessment ladies who said it was effectively scrap as it was an old car! 

 

The next part was to find some bumpers.These were exclusive to the carlsson and made out of a rubbery plastic. 

 

Carlsson was only made in about 600 cars so the chances of finding proper ones were limited. In the end I got a set of fibreglass replicas (which I drove from London to Leeds and back in a day to collect) to fit.

 

The repairs costs more than the £1000 but as I had accepted the settlement the insurance company didnt want to know. 

 

I paid to get the car totally rust proofed via Rustmasters - it sprayed the car and all the box sections throughout. It was some guys in a massive barn in hatfield.  (From their email The coldest winter and snow levels in thirty years is well past us and with record salt deposited on our roads destroying our vehicle's structure before we know it when it's all too late we realise we have put off what we promised ourselves we would do like have our vehicle rust proofed for the coming winters! With this in mind to jog us all back into action, Rustmaster is pleased to offer to all customers who book and have their vehicle treated before June 30th a one off £100 discount.)

 

You can see the wax here under the bonnet 

 

Sadly after that I was too scared to drive the car much. I think knowing its rarity and how hard it was to get bits for, I lived in fear of getting it crashed or scratch. I put it up for sale and got £3000 for it which is the biggest margin I ever made on the car.  

 

Strangely I could have sold it many times over. I had people stopping me in a petrol station to give me their business car as they wanted to buy it.

 

 

After that I went back to standard 900's because they were just as fast but I cared less about the damage to the car. 

 

 

 

 

TLDR dont buy your dream car, it will only break your heart 

[Supernaut]

Good for me, I don't really have a 'dream car'. Simply attributes that I like in a car.

 

Very well written story though, and it looked ace! I love how old Saabs look.

[gadgetgricey]

Yep, my best one was an LPT with a Manual boost controller so almost as fast as the full turbo.

Only having been an LPT for most of its life the gearbox was great.

 

I also had the same open stud aero wheels fitted as your D reg one above.

 

People dont expect such an "old car" to have such a turn of speed when you put your foot down.

 

I keep thinking to myself I want another C900, but as you know I say that with most cars

[gadgetgricey]

Just remembered a couple of mods I did on my old one.

 

Did you ever fit the bulbs for the front reversing lights within the front indicators. Sounds strange but was a really useful addition. Not sure if all had the wiring but my red one did, just fitted additional bulbs and it looked as though the front sidelights came on when reversing. Was actually really useful when reversing at night so you could see where the front of the car is if reverse parking etc.

 

Also the VW relay to add variable intemittent wipe, I think it went under the back seats. Turn on the intermittent wipe, off and back on again, and the amount of time it was on, was now the timing for the wipe.

Really simple addition, but made things easier.

 

I'm off to look at UK Saabs

[The Moog]

I did the VW 99 relay mod for the wipers. Was one of the best things aside from fitting straight through exhausts. Always had the intention of moving the battery to the boot and fitting a less restrictive elbom plus FMIC but never got round to it. 

 

I had 2 x 8v flat fronts, 4 x1 6v slopey fronts & 1x Carlsson all turbots. Then my first car was a 90016v which I adored.  Never bothered with LPT as couldnt see the point. 

 

Have you seen the price of them now? 

[gadgetgricey]

Prices are scary.

 

Had forgotten that I also did the straight through. Made its sound even nicer, but main reason was no longer running aground when going over speed bumps.

 

One of the C900's actually let me find Auto Shite as Lanky Tim was selling on RR, and I traced it back here.

[beko1987]

Amys brother in law has a Carlson 900 under a tarp in his garden. It's utterly fucked, and he won't do anything with it...

[The Moog]

Ohhhhh can you get photos??

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

So enjoyable morning was had.

 

Old and new clutch. Old was a motorcraft one, I don't think that is OEM.

Bolted on

Then came the fun of getting gearbox on. Took me a fair while and many many swearwords. In the end I used ratchet straps to take the weight whilst I fiddled it into place. The clunk when it met was delicious

 

Refitting is the reverse of taking apart - and no bolts left!

 

Need to bleed the clutch to finish it off.

 

I am awaiting driveshaft boot clips, lower arms with bolts, caliper mounting bolts and some CV grease to be delivered during the week.

 

Underneath the puma is very non crusty so hopefully it wasn't wasted.

 

 

TOP TIP for refitting gearboxes: have a couple of long bits of stud approx 6 inches long and wind them into the block either side of the flywheel. Slide the box onto those studs and it's 124553 times easier to locate the input shaft into the clutch plate.

[The Moog]

If I hadn't known that earlier it would have saved 1000 hours!

[gadgetgricey]

Just found a few pics of my old C900's. (and 9000 Aero )

 

You might recognise the GM900 in the first one Will 

 

 

 

Posting these pics just makes me  think I must get a C900 again one day.

Do you want to go halves on the Carlsson

[The Moog]

I had a few 9000s but didn't quite do it for me.

 

For me the grey T16s with whale tail was the ultimate.

 

I think my 900 days are over unless can find one for sub £1k

[The Moog]

Starlet update 

 

So the guy they arrested pleaded guilty in court on 19th June. It now has been adjourned before sentencing. 

[320touring]

Starlet update

 

So the guy they arrested pleaded guilty in court on 19th June. It now has been adjourned before sentencing.

Good news!

[Felly Magic]

Pleads guilty to get a lighter sentence no doubt, at least they confessed

[Bucketeer]

SCRAP HIM.

[beko1987]

Brew up a load of that nectarine wine that even Bucketeer wouldn't drink, invite said crim in for a 'no hard feelings m8' chat/grab the cunt from the streets, tie him up to a chair and force the whole lot down him. Maybe even half brew a batch. Use out of date ingredients etc, maybe a bit of brake fluid...

 

Then drive him out to the woods 200 miles away and leave him there, still tied to the chair

[BorniteIdentity]

Brew up a load of that nectarine wine that even Bucketeer wouldn't drink, invite said crim in for a 'no hard feelings m8' chat/grab the cunt from the streets, tie him up to a chair and force the whole lot down him. Maybe even half brew a batch. Use out of date ingredients etc, maybe a bit of brake fluid...

 

Then drive him out to the woods 200 miles away and leave him there, still tied to the chair

 

Jesus Christ.

[Eddie Honda]

^^^^ he's a fluffy leftie usually

[Matt]

Forgive me if I missed it, but do you actually know where the Starlet ended up?

[tooSavvy]

Brew up a load of that nectarine wine that even Bucketeer wouldn't drink, invite said crim in for a 'no hard feelings m8' chat/grab the cunt from the streets, tie him up to a chair and force the whole lot down him. Maybe even half brew a batch. Use out of date ingredients etc, maybe a bit of brake fluid...

 

Then drive him out to the woods 200 miles away and leave him there, still tied to the chair

Hmm... Watched 'Reservoir Dogs' last night

 

 

TS