1964-1974 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
If my memory serves me correctly (I,m 46 by the way)...
In 1981, when I was 24,I attended a vintage motorcycle/car race at Westwood race track just outside of Vancouver, B.C. Canada. As I was touring the upper pit area I noticed a very stunning sports car. The proud owner informed me it was a Saab Sonett V-4 (Sonett = So neat). I always had wanted a sports car! I took the last two photos left on the roll of the car and left in love.
In 1984, three years later, I received a phone call from a friend attending BCIT, a technical institute ten miles away in Burnaby, informing me there was one there with an instructor's decal on the windshield! He also said the car looked different than the one I had photos of. At the time Canadians could only import used cars into Canada if they were 15 or more years old and Saab had begun selling cars in Canada in about 1976. Every day for about a month, on my lunch hours, I drove to BCIT and scanned the parking lot trying to locate the car. The Security staff I was able to help and I was finally in contact with the owner. Later I viewed his great looking 1973 Sonett III and I got to go for a ride! He was the original owner who when working in the US in August of 1973 and feeling the full impact of the "oil crises", made the decision to trade his 1970 Plymouth Barracuda
Grand Coupe in on a more fuel efficient vehicle. He had originally gone to the local Datsun dealership to buy a 240Z. When told there was a waiting list he crossed the street to the Saab dealership and bought
the Sonett right then and there.I dared to ask if he would ever consider selling his car and was asked to keep in touch.
In 1985 before I moved to Cranbrook I asked again. Finally in April of 1986 I again checked in and was elated to hear that he was planning to sell the car. We agreed on a price and I booked my flight to Vancouver. On I became the second proud owner of 1973 Saab Sonett #1635. My baby had over 145,000 miles on her and only the valves had ever been done. She got 42 MPG IMPg (50 MPG USg)while driving the 550 miles from Vancouver to Cranbrook! I have owned this car now for 17 years!
In 1998 I bought my second Sonett III. This time it was a 1971 and here is its known history:
#71500761, a Baja Red Sonett III with leather seats, was manufactured in March of 1971. On April 5th 1972 (more than one year later) it was bought by its first owner in Berkley, Ca. On June 18th 1976 the car was registered (same owner) recorded mileage was 57,252.
In 1989 (thirteen years and 7,992 miles later) the car was sold for the first time. The recorded mileage was 65,244.
On July 27th 1990 the car was sold to the third owner who doubted he drove the car more than 60 miles over the eight years he owned it. In 1998, after the car had been stored in his garage for this time, he advertised it for sale on the Saabnet.
On October 31st 1998 I met with this owner on the US side of the
American/Canadian border and became the fourth owner! The mileage was 66,576 therefore the car had been driven only 1,332 miles since it was last sold in 1989! In the past twenty-two years, since 1976, it had been driven only 9,324 miles!
In 2001, my 73 Sonett became a temporary parts car when I started to get the 71 Sonett ready for the road. I was finally able to drive the car for a few months after having the car safety inspected and registered.
In July 2003 it had been 27 years and 10,036 miles since it was re-registered in 1976.The speedometer read 67,288 miles. In August I drove the 71 Sonett 550 miles to Burnaby to attend BCIT (my 73's old territory)for about nine months. I am using it for my daily means of transportation as a student here.
The speedometer is now reading over 69,000 miles and counting!
I love these cars! And swear a little when I have to work on them too!
Jim
posted by 142.232...
, Mon, 27 Oct 2003 23:17:48
, Fri, 24 Oct 2003 15:58:21
, Thu, 23 Oct 2003 20:17:23
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