Cheap Fun: 1969 Saab 96 V4
Here on eBay and craigslist is a wonderful example of Saab’s V4, a 1969 Saab 96 sedan. In my short experience with Barn Finds, good deals have been rare, so I’m surprised this car has hung around long enough for me to get around to writing about it. The price is $4,975 at eBay, with no reserve. The seller wants to move on to a “true barn find” that he found recently, so he needs to clear it out of his Charlottesville, Virginia garage. The car has accumulated “a few thousand” miles since a restoration in 1991, and though that’s long ago, the car retains a fresh feel since it was subsequently stored for many years. The paint is a bit hazy and the seller notes minor prep-related flaws. The interior has a tear in one seat. Rust repair on the floors is recommended. The seller reports that the V4 starts immediately and runs and shifts great. We have Pat L. to thank for this honey of a tip.
Nothing makes me hyperventilate more than the rounded curves of the early V4, unless it’s the 93F. Proportionally, it’s just perfect, and Erik Carlsson – famous rallyist – must have thought so too, as he occasionally rolled these cars through hairpins. Production of the Saab 96 commenced in 1960 and with several changes along the way, the model persisted through 1980 becoming the equivalent of the Beetle to Swedes. This car has a vintage roof rack and factory wheels with original dog-dish hubcaps. The tires do need to be replaced. The sale includes binders of receipts and a trophy.
The engine is a Ford Taunus four-stroke V4 displacing 1498 cc’s with a single barrel Solex carburetor, good for about 60 bhp. The car was not quick but rowing through the column shift manual could achieve a top speed in the 90 mph zone. This car has a new electronic fuel pump and fuel lines, and the tank was cleaned out at the same time.
The interior has new carpets and a perfect headliner. The aforementioned tear in the driver’s seat looks like it’s along a seam, so it might be an easy fix. The eBay ad shows both floors, which the owner has treated with POR15. Of course, rust is like cockroaches: where there is some, there’s more, so a closer examination of the undercarriage is called for. As to price, the market is favoring the early 96s with their two-stroke engines. Those sell in the teens up to the mid-20s. I like the purest form of a car as much as anybody, but the German-built Taunus is a fine engine used in many cars – so parts are plentiful. Am I nuts, or is this a pretty good price for this V4?
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Comments
Well,one thing at a time. With your interests,,,yes,,yes you are nuts, take it from one who knows “mishuga” 1st hand and 2nd, it’s a smokin’ deal. My traveling days are over, save for the weekly trip to Wallyworld, and the Jeep does fine, but if I DID have someplace to go, I’m goofy enough to be seen in a Saab. It’s one of those “don’t care how fast it is” cars, it’s a major improvement over the ring-ding. I hold Saabs like this dear,it’s the very 1st car I “driveway” drove. Steam must have fizzed on these, couple years back, seem to recall 5 figures. Mmm-hmm, here you have one of the quirkiest, nicest cars even for today, and 60 watchers, but no bids. Anyone alive that recognizes European quality, this, by all rights should be long gone and the owner with a big smile,,,hmmm,,same hmmm,,
This is almost a dead ringer for my Saab:1969 but I think the red color on my car was not as bright. I bought it used in about 1971, a used car at the Littleton NH Chevy dealer, formerly owned by a chicken farmer. We had to dig out the manual to figure out how to get it in reverse. The gravel roads did their worst to the front fenders, holes the sie of my fist at the top, but they bolt right off. The caution for any buyer: the transmission bearings, started to seize up on the original trans, and then on the replacement used one too. I had the Saab dealer rebuild with new bearings but it ran and drove great, much more comfortable than the Beetles of the day, and a heater almost the size of the engine was a pleasure. If a 95 were to show up I might be tempted, and there are shops close in close-by Berkeley CA, but I still have the factory service manual and the come-along to pull the drive train: 3 bolts!
It always bothered me that these were all two-doors, but with a fender cut line right where the shutline would be for the rear doors of a four-door.
Today, it bothers me “cars” are all 4 doors, already with 4 door “mustangs” available – & soon, 4 door camaros! …
https://boydcoddingtonwheels.com/the-new-camaro-will-be-a-four-door-sedan/
Strong engine but the two cycle version is more interesting.
Amazing that Saab was peddling this sort of body style in 1969.
Saabs were stodgy and never had competitive styling, and the key in the console never made much sense either.
My old neighbors bought one of these brand new. Compared to the 57 Chevy in our driveway I thought the Saab was a car from the future.
A friend of mine had the 2 stroke. Went for a ride and he told me it was a 3 cylinder I was shocked. It moved that car down the road quite nicely!
A reasonable deal for one of these.
Great little cars. We had several in succsession, all eventually consumed by rust. Very economical to run, unbelievably roomy and comfortable to drive. The trunk was large and the rear seat could be folded or removed for extra cargo space, the limiting factor being the door and trunk lid dimensions. These were extraordinarily capable in snow, and with reasonably high ground clearance and the 15″ high sidewall tires they would go where only 4wd’s would otherwise be needed. The best all-around “Swiss Army Knife” of vehicles of their era, eclipsed only by the RAV4 and Subaru Forester types which were much later. I still miss mine.
Feed your inner Erik Carlsson on the cheap. Mount the super Oscars, and put on the skinny snows. Find your snow covered forest road and give it a go.
Parts are not plentiful for the engine or transmission! I know!
agree parts are not plentiful but I’ve never had any problem with just a little bit of internet searching. There are a network of Saab parts hoarders all over the U.S.