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FrankenSaab, Prologue Posted by Arabiflora [Email]  (#1129) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Arabiflora) on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:15:30
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Just a warning, this will likely be a recurring thread, since I will need the collective wisdom of saab.net to get me through this. The backstory...
I bought an '88 900S 5 speed NA from a good friend in Boston, circa 1997. It had ~235k miles on it then, 383k miles now. The drivetrain is still solid as a rock-- 27-30 mpg and minimal oil consumption-- but, as we all know, rust never sleeps, and I'm afraid that critical components are going out.
Enter car 2, stage left: I call it the Philly Saab, a Burgundy-colored '93 900S automatic that I purchased in an flea bay auction for my wife in ~2004 or so-- 125k mi, 4 dr, clean except for a body dent on lower panel pass side (and inner driver failure that I fixed later). Presented it to my Sweetie on Christmas eve, but auto trans failed in the following June and it's been sitting beside the garage ever since (with mods, both man-made and natural, see below).
Enter the final cast member, also a Burgundy '93 900S, auto, but 3 door, ~200k when I picked it up for "free" in 2006. Very clean body and interior, and PO was entirely upfront about his reason for parting with it-- an increasing accumulation of engine oil in the coolant reservoir-- and sure enough, it had blown a head gasket. I did the R&R, including head milling and valve stem replacement, reassembled and got the Arkansaab back on the road-- until the auto on that one failed, too. It's been sitting out beside my buddy's barn outside of Madison for the past 1.5 years.
It's time to fish or cut bait (according to my significant others). My plan: First pull all remaining useful parts from the 4 door PhillySaab beside my garage, including drive train, fuel pump, lenses, etc., and have the salvage yard come take the remains. It pains me ro let a rust-free 4 dr chassis go down that way, but a wind-borne BB hoop to the back window last fall and squirrel/cat vandalization make the remains a hard sell.
Second-- Do likewise to the silver '88 Saab. I'm SO close to 400k that I can taste it, and I really want it to make it... but, on the other hand, I don't want to die or kill a passenger in such blind pursuit of a selfish goal. I'll part it out, and it will serve as 5 spd conversion donor to the Arkansaab.
So, to recap:
PhillySaab-- parts car to maintain FrankenSaab
SilverSaab: 5 speed and accesory parts donor to ArkanSaab rejuvination
ArkanSaab: My future ride?
Ah... The things we do for love. This seems like a reasonable plan to me (although most of my non-Saab owning friends just roll their eyes). What do you think?
So here's my plan
, Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:15:30 <-- Viewing This Message
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