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Re: Body Differences
Posted by Larry West (more from Larry West) on Mon, 22 Jan 2001 10:07:23
In Reply to: , Kok Chen, Sat, 17 Dec 1988 12:00:00 

Just how detailed do you want to get?

Aside from the fact that there were convertibles, 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-doors
available (what you could get depended on the market), from 85 through the
end there were very few differences.

The major differences were the seat mountings (changed on any 900s with
'passive' seatbelts and all from MY 1991), and the handbrake (changed in
88 for the rear wheel emergency brake).

Other than those differences, it's all the same...
---
Saab changed many things, but the title of your original message was BODY
differences.

In 89 or so, the dash changes *slightly*. It's taller & a lighter
color. That probably means new a-pillar covers too.

In 1988, the 900 got the 9000 brakes, hubs & wheels, meaning a change in
bolt pattern, and a move to put the handbrake on the rear wheels.

Paint??? Paint varied from year to year and market to market. The colors
sold in the USA were not necessarily what you could get in NZ. You can
often determine a year range with paint, but not often a specific year.

The BIG changes: ****SPECIFIC TO USA MARKET****

1979 & 80: first 900s. 99 hatch, upright std. spare, 'B' motor. 79 had
older fixed headrest seats. 79 also had 99-like grille on non-turbos.
1981: 'H' motor intro (distributor in head), flat 'compact' spare, smaller
rear seat headrests. new front hubs (lighter & easier to work with)
1982: APC intro (mid-year)
1983: large dipstick tube, no filler cap in valve cover, Bronze tint
windows instead of green, center console standard on turbo First year for
leather
1984: grille changes
1985: first 16v turbo, first appearance of Saab Scania blue roundels
1986: first 16v non-turbo, side turn signal lamps, center, high brake
light. Turbo gets anti-roll bar standard. First convertibles. First vented
fromt brakes
1987: biggest visual change - 'conformal' bumpers, sloped headlamps NO
SHEETMETAL CHANGES.
1988: suspension modified for 9000 brakes. handbrake moved to rear wheels
1989: first appearances of air bag and ABS (late). All 900s now get 16v
motor.
1990: few or no changes
1991: non-turbo motor bored to 2.1 liters (140 HP)
1992: black window trim on all 900s
1993: dropped base model.
1994: convertible only for Classic 900. All made before mid-1993 to enable
them to be sold in the USA (dual-airbag rule went into effect. NG900 sedan
had them, but NG 900 convertible not ready yet)

These ar ejust the major changes. I could go on for pages about minor
changes...

Larry West
NJ Saab Owner's Club

Posts in this Thread:
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