SAAB Addict (1)

The arrival of the stylish new 9-3 has brought the SAAB marque to the attention of yet another new generation of car users. It has also caused many long-time SAAB enthusiasts to reflect on the “glory” days when earlier SAAB cars achieved those unparalleled successes in rally and racing and laid the foundations for today’s sublime image.

As with so many other older SAAB enthusiasts my conversion occurred at an impressionable age. I was brought up in rather more austere days during and after the Second World War and I spent much of my childhood in admiration of the sports and racing cars of the 1930’s. Of course, in those days cars were scarce and only the more affluent could afford to own one, especially a sports car.

Developments of the classical pre-war styles remained popular but at the same time designers and engineers were beginning to experiment with the “modern” look. Those flamboyant bonnets and radiators, streamlined wheel fairings and rigid axles began giving way to box shapes and independent suspension. A lot of development was also taking place on the race track with brilliant minds like Chapman and Cooper building lighter, faster cars and influencing the thinking of production car designers.

I learnt to drive in the 1950’s and my first cars were rescued from scrap yards: an elderly Austin Seven and a Morris Eight from the 1930’s - and I was passionate about them! The roads appeared to be full these and other oldies plus growing numbers of Morris Minors, Ford Populars, VW Beatles and the like.

So, I want you to imagine how I felt when I attended a “local” off-road event deep in a Swedish pine forest while doing vacation work in that country during my student days long ago in 1959. The noise was incredible as a dozen SAAB 2-strokers competed flat out, dirt flying, the smell of oily exhaust hanging in the air, the sight of bent metalwork and crazy driving!!!

As far as I was concerned it was like stumbling on another world. At that time I knew nothing of rallying, nothing about SAAB and nothing about mad Scandinavians brought up on ice racing. I soon discovered a lot about all these things just as the rest of the motoring world was finding out how very good and how very special the little SAAB was, not only in Sweden but wherever it was tried.

The success of this amazing performer is well documented. SAAB took part in motorsport to win. They were blessed with a confidence built on experience of racing at home. The car was rugged and agile and proved capable of considerable development. At the same time motorsports events in Scandinavia were encouraging the development of driving skills needed for winning world class events - a new breed of driver was emerging with a potent new car ready to rewrite the record books.

Erik Carlsson’s victory with a SAAB 2-stroker in the 1960 RAC Rally couldn’t have been timed better for the launch of this car on the British market. Series production of right-hand drive cars started at the beginning of 1961 and in that first year 370 cars were sold in Britain.

Availability and price meant that I didn’t get my hands on a SAAB until 1971, and even then it was s/h (all my cars have been very…). By the time that particular 96 was built (1969) the V4 engine had been around for 3 years and was then the only engine option available here.

To be fair, that SAAB 96, which was our faithful family transport until the early 1980’s, was my pride and joy throughout that period. It covered many thousands of miles with only minor problems. In my hands it undertook several return journeys to its homeland, much to the intrigue of the locals - most of whom had never seen a right-hand drive version before. When it came to parting (an MOT failure through excessive iron-worm damage) I was gratified to see grown men fighting over her in my driveway. (I hope her good parts were able to breath new life into other ailing 96’s before the scrapman came)

So that’s why I have a respect for the SAAB 93/96 2-stroker, a soft spot for the SAAB 96 V4 and an enthusiasm for all things SAAB - including the new ones!!! What I am hoping is that these reminiscences will provoke an avalanche of correspondence and articles to the magazine from all those with long memories (and short memories) about “SAAB’s wot I have owned”. There must be loads of interesting stories out there……please!

Mike Palmer

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