Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1999 21:31:58 -0500 From: "James H. E. Maugham" <CaptJHEMnopsamNOT.waterw.com> Subject: Re: Classic 900 with V8
Dan Matz wrote: > > It is possible, but would be extremely expensive. The SAAB engine and > transmission are mated together so that in order to do major work to either > one you have to remove both of them. This is true of almost every FWD car/van manufactured today. Nor would it necessarily be extremely expensive. > In most cars, the engine is positioned in front of the transmission, and the > assembly is elongated and most of the transmission is underneath the > vehicle, whereas SAAB has the engine and transmission positioned on top of > one another, as well as backwards to the way most are (drive belts in the > rear). I'll grant you that most RWD cars are as you describe, but this isn't true of the majority of cars on the road today, which are FWD. The 9000 has the engine/transmission mounted transversely, as do most FWD cars. > It would be possible, but so much modification would have to be done to both > the trans and the engine that it would probably never run correctly, and > you'd have to be a frickin' genius to GET it running. Even after that, > you'd have to be a master if anything needed replacing, and getting a hood > to fit over the top and still be recognizable as a SAAB would be a work of > art. It wouldn't take that much work or modifications. The only two must fit criteria are overall length and, most importantly, crankshaft/clutch centering. Get those two and you've got it licked, although I will admit you're not going to get the hood to close. Regards, James the Elder