Description
This beige-yellow Saab 96 V4 from 1973 is a true timeless classic from the Swedish marque that has unfortunately since gone bankrupt. It still looks good in its gleaming paintwork, with the odd superficial spot of rust here and there along the top edge of the guttering and doors. But after 53 years on the road in Sweden and the Netherlands, that's naturally to be expected. There's little damage to the paint, the odd scratch here and there and a small dent on the left front wing about the size of a coin. Hard to spot unless you really look for it.
The chassis is also in good condition. Very little rust, certainly no structural corrosion. Mostly surface rust beneath the Tectyl coating the 96 once had.
The interior has been fitted with different front seats and a bench. These show little wear and blend well with the rest of the interior. There are a number of worn trim pieces to be found inside. Particularly some plastic components would ideally be replaced for a perfect restoration. But these are minor things and absolutely not necessary.
It still drives excellently. With the Simon's sports exhaust and Weber 34ICH carburettor, the 96 pulls nicely along the roads and is absolutely no slouch. Of course there are a few noises that weren't there from the factory. But that's not surprising for a 1973 car. The gearbox whines a bit and there's a rattling noise coming from the front. Presumably from the auxiliary belt. This noise disappears if you spray some WD-40 on it. The CV joints have just been replaced on both the left and right sides. Of course the driveshaft gaiters were replaced as well. There are also new brake pads fitted.
In short, it's a very tidy Saab 96 V4 that with proper maintenance you can enjoy driving around in for many years to come.
The mileage will continue to increase.
I bought this car because as a big Saab enthusiast, I of course had to own this iconic Saab at some point. It's a special car with a great rally heritage and it drives like it too! It's a really fun car that also gets a lot of attention from onlookers. They simply don't come around very often anymore.
