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The SAAB Way - History of the Marque
The SAAB Way Part 2
The design and early development of the first car had been undertaken at Linköping while part of the factory at Trollhättan was being converted from aircraft production. In fact the first three prototypes for the 92 were all built at the Linköping plant. Although the war in Europe had ended, raw materials were in very short supply and the tensions of the Cold War meant that there were still priorities for military supplies. Difficulties in getting steel, coupled with the need to fabricate many components in Saab’s own workshops where tooling had to be set up to do this, resulted in the initial car production at Trollhättan being rather slow. However, there were enough cars to whet the appetite of the home consumer and to allow the world’s Press the chance to test drive this radical newcomer. It had a performance and agility that amazed its testers.
- Roomy cabin, flat floor + transverse engine.
- Light, strong monocoque body.
- Max. speed…………...65 mph
- Fuel consumption:
- Steady 30-40 mph….. 50 mpg
- Loaded/hill driving….. 37 mpg
- Easy gear-changing (free-wheel + synchro on 2 & 3)
The new Saab was soon seen to be a useful small car for rally sport, which had become an extremely popular pastime in Scandinavia at the time, and was often bought with this in mind. In support of this interest the main dealer, Philipson, invested in rallying from an early stage. Cars bearing the chassis numbers 007 and 008 were prepared for Philipson and entered in the Monte Carlo Rally in January 1950. They finished in only 69 th and 55 th places (Svedberg/Mellde and Molander/von Essen respectively) but it was a start. During this event both cars suffered loss of power while climbing in snow storms and it was discovered that in these extreme conditions the carburettors were icing up. Subsequently this led to pre-heating the air by passing it over the exhaust before it reached the carb. In the hands of the development team early rally cars were taken straight from the production line and strengthened as necessary to stand the stresses. Many of these modifications were then applied to the production cars.
Greta Molander won the Coupe des Dames in the 1952 Monte and swept the board in her class in practically every big event in 1953 driving a 92. The little 2-cylinder engines were tweaked within the rules to deliver a few extra hp above the standard 25 hp, however, the cars remained seriously underpowered.
It was not until the modifications incorporated in the 93 that it really became the exciting rally car for which many people were hoping. The 92 had become the 92B at the end of 1952 with a redesigned rear end which included a boot lid and larger rear window, and there were also less obvious changes such as the position of the battery, fuel tank and spare wheel.
Later, in 1955, Gunnar Ljungstrom radically changed the suspension for the 93 by replacing the independent torsion bars with coil springs Inside a new front end, restyled by Sixten Sason, the engine and transmission were also replaced. The new unit comprised a 3-cylinder 2-stroke engine mounted longitudinally ahead of a new gearbox and the power was increased to 33 hp. Also there were improvements to the cooling, braking, steering and electrical systems which added up to a much more attractive package for the home market and for an expanding American market. These cars were still a very rare sight in the UK. (Right-hand drive models did not appear until the beginning of 1961 with the 96).
During this period Saabs were driven in numerous rally competitions, especially in local events throughout Scandinavia where many talented young drivers had the chance to develop their skills in privately entered cars. To compete on the international stage, however, it was necessary to have, not only good cars and good drivers, but also good mechanics, essential spares and thorough preparation. Saab saw the benefits to car development and to marketing and willingly provided the support that was needed. These efforts were not always repaid by glory but occasionally victories came their way and the motoring public began to notice this tough new breed.
While the legendary Rolf Mellde, K V Svedberg, Greta Molander, and Per Nyström were grabbing the early headlines with the 92, a young man called Erik Carlsson from Trollhättan was honing his scrambling skills on motorcycles. Obviously, living where he did, he also became interested in Saab cars and rallysport. He eventually got an opportunity to demonstrate his rallying abilities by co-driving with Per Nyström in the 1952 Swedish Rally. He bought a secondhand 92 and proceeded to master the art of high speed driving on rough tracks around the town. While competing in local events driving his own car he continued to learn rallying skills by co-driving in National events. He was determined to succeed as a driver and in 1954 he won his class in the Swedish National Cup. In 1955 he was overall winner in a Saab 92. Erik Carlsson had established himself as a capable Saab driver – his career had begun just as the 93 appeared……how very fortunate.
Mike PalmerNext Chapter
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