SEC 10 Year Anniversary Event - Calne

The Saab Enthusiasts Club held it's National Event, it's 10 year birthday celebration, at Blackland Lakes near Calne in Wiltshire on 20th, 21st and 22nd August 1999.

Our journey started in a 1991 900s lpt in Brighton at about 2.30pm on Friday. En route to Calne, we stopped to see our friends at the Garage near Winchester to collect the 1975 96V4 that had previously been suffering from a hot-start problem.

The V4 fired into life first time and ran smoothly, so I jumped in and set off again with the 900s in hot pursuit! I did not take any wrong turnings, I just took a scenic route on A and B-class roads! The first wrong turn I made was after entering the campsite... lots of Saabs in the other field, I thought.

Once we had found the way to the correct field, we pulled the 900 and the V4 up alongside the biggest crowd of people, jumped out and said hello. Not only had Wally discovered the ideal venue for the celebration; he had ensured good weather, too! What's more, a whole field full of Saabs was certainly a sight to behold!

After the introductions, I went to move the V4, turned the ignition and click, whirr, nothing! I tried it again and could not get the engine to fire - the hot start problem! How embarrassing, in front of all these people! The Friday evening was, otherwise, a relaxed one with beer, wine, fish & chips and we all retreated into a big tent when it became too dark and cold in the open.

Report: John Winter

This website © 1999 - 2002 John Winter on behalf of The Saab Enthusiasts' Club, CALNE, Wiltshire, SN11 9AX. United Kingdom. Website designed by John Winter.