Project I boughted a Saab

[Uncle Jimmy]

One difference I noticed when running the car with a full exhaust rather than open headers is that there appears to be far more oil haze/exhaust coming from the rocker cover ventilators. I guess that's because of back pressure from the exhaust.

That's another job to do, find a suitable airbox and rig up the offside rocker cover hose to it.

Three others, replace the bonnet, get the driver's seat back in and replace the brake calipers. Then I can have a short drive. 

[Uncle Jimmy]

Whilst I look at the photo...the fuel line and filter need rigging up safely away from the exhaust header too. 

[Uncle Jimmy]

A bit more done the last couple of days; got the electric spray gun out again. The bonnet was the only panel on the car which had no dents so didn't take too much prep. Photos don't do it justice but I'm very happy with the finish.

[Uncle Jimmy]

The underside was very good; neighbour passed by and remarked on how tidy it was for a 50yr old car.

Back to work on Wednesday so won't have much time to spend on the cars for a while

[N Dentressangle]

Nice work - that's really coming on!

I used to get 30-35 out of my 96V4 with a FoMoCo carb, so it shouldn't be that bad. Air leak somewhere perhaps? Or needle valve in the carb not closing properly?

[njic]

Hi Nibblet...I've just signed up to this site and I am enjoying your renevation exploits greatly...Brilliant in fact.  One point though is your exhaust manifold problem. It isn't that the muffler flange was too small or the thread at the port not long enough...The problem is that there should be a metal shaped take-up collar between the two parts to take up the distance and make the correct joint.

 

Link to a free workshop manual  http://www.saabv4.com/index.php/saab-factory-manuals/saab-factory-workshop-manual-english/  hope it works.

 

[Uncle Jimmy]

Yes; I think there was a part missing on the car when I purchased it, with it the exhaust might hang a bit lower. There are no leaks and the new Jetex system works very well though now thanks.

[Uncle Jimmy]

A small update on the '96 here.

Despite many stoppages progress has continued, starting with making A throttle linkage, which took some time owing to the Nikki carb being very much in the wrong orientation. 

Having managed, through trial and error to get a smooth, progressive throttle linkage, I moved back onto the clutch operation.  The lovely new master cylinder I had, which I'm 99% sure is for a BMC Mini had a 3/8" pipe fitting, the old Saab cylinder is a 7/16...

So I bought an adapter.  Then found that the clutch barely operated. I wondered if the old cylinder, whilst visually looking the same had a larger volume. So I changed back over.

There seemed to be a marginal improvement. I got to thinking, and worrying about the Sachs clutch I had fitted. However, it was the spitting image of the old clutch...

Turns out that the original diaphragm type clutch that these cars were fitted with is long since AWOL. The clutch I took out was fitted over 25yrs ago

 

 

[Uncle Jimmy]

Anyhow, the Sachs clutch is not nearly as progressive, it is, quite on/off in operation. I was able to select 1st and 2nd and rev but no 3rd/4th.

Now, the '96 has a column change, made more complex and having more backlash because it is a rhd car.

Rhd cars also have two side mounted engine/gearbox mounts or stays. I was able to push the whole driveline towards the offside of the engine bay using these stays, changing the resting length of the gearchange shaft.  Doing that and adjustment of the gearshift rod up and down the steering column gave me a full house of gears.

It took multiple  attempts to get these and I had to find out for myself but got there in the end; it shows just how primitive and hand built these cars were. I know that in rallies, V4s sometimes retired due to gearbox shifting problems if the came down heavily enough to distort the floor pan or move the engine on it's mountings.

[Uncle Jimmy]

Having got some gears it was onto refitting front calipers....No matter what pumping and bleeding I did I could only get 1/2 of the twin circuit system to work. So I bought a master cylinder refurb kit.

Naturally the cylinder used on '69-'71 cars is unique to them and rare as hens teeth. It is also a total bastard to fit new seals.

Having fitted it there was no improvement....I have replaced brake cylinders and bled multiple cars in the past with no issues but this Saab had got the better of me for now.   

[Uncle Jimmy]

The next approach was to take a vetinary syringe full of DOT4 and attatch to the nipples on the calipers, a lot of pressure was required but that blew air out into the reservoir and I had brakes and very powerful ones at that.

There is a leak to the rear of the master cylinder, where it joins the servo, I thought that the considerable pressure of the syringe might have precipitated that but on inspection- again....it all looked good. I rather think that it is the quality of the kit, so another will be purchased from Malbrad this time.

However, after a mere 6? years I have a functional vehicle. This is the only car I can say that I have rebuilt but I have shown that I have the skills know-how and profanities to achieve it.   

 

[Jim Bell]

Six years very well spent man. That looks fantastic.  

And it stops. 

Which is a bonus.  

[Uncle Jimmy]

Found this earlier. The '96 is on an Anglesey plate and spent most of it's life there but I was unaware that I had the disc and BMC garage holder from Pentraeth.

With the winter weather on the island I'm amazed it survived.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

Look at that 'phone number - from the days when managing to convince the GPO you deserved to be sold a 'phone was really difficult so hardly anyone had one! - It's probably why 'sixties and 'seventies TV shows always have banks of telephones on the big man's desk - to show how powerful he is by having so many 'phones!

When I was at school in the sixth form one of the lads had a SAAB like this in a paler green - more of an olive colour. It was a lovely car and I remember it fondly, even though it was falling to bits.

[High Jetter]

It's why some ads proclaimed ABC 123 (5 lines) to show off. I guess they rented 123 though 127.