Sweet Swede: $4,500 1968 Saab 95 Wagon
Saab has made some pretty unique vehicles over the years, and one of the more distinctly-styled ones is this 1968 Saab 95. A claimed rust-free California car which now resides in Vancouver, WA, it’s up for sale with an asking price of $4,500 here on craigslist. Thanks Barn Find fan Matt H. for the tip!
The 95 model was Saab’s 2-door wagon version of the 96. It might be hard to believe, but this wagon actually has room for 7 people to sit! There’s a small rear-facing jump seat in the back. The listing says 6 people, but I believe that is incorrect. Can’t imagine it would be very comfortable, but Saab has always been known for being creative and getting a lot out of small packages.
The 95 was originally introduced in 1959, and production ran through 1978. At first it came with the free-wheeling two-stroke 3-cylinder engine, but in 1967 it started to have the same normal 4-stroke engine that was used in the 96, Sonnet, and German Ford Taunus. That is what this car has, and it also has a manual column-mounted transmission with a newer clutch. Saab had a long rich history of rally racing, so a lightweight car like this should be fun to drive, even if the actual horsepower rating isn’t especially high. The owner says it’s running and driving, and the engine bay looks tidy and complete. With receipts dating back over 40 years, I think it’s been well cared for.
The interior of this Saab is extremely simple. A few gauges and switches fill up the painted dashboard, and the door panels and vinyl seats look to be undamaged save for a few cracks on the driver’s seat. A careful detailing is really all that is needed to get this car looking great again, although there does appear to be some surface rust on the painted metal surfaces in the trunk.
The owner says this is a rust-free car, though there are no photos under the car. However, the only real rust spots I see are in the mounting holes for the missing trunk trim. Fortunately, the seller does have the trim and it’s included in the sale. The west coast is a great location to find classic cars since salt isn’t used on the roads, so hopefully the condition of this car is as good as we are told. This car has definitely seen some use, but also can be driven just as it is. It’s not often that these old Saabs are seen restored – would you restore it, or enjoy it?
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Comments
Nice looking 95.Needs Minilite style wheels and 2 big driving lights.Drive and enjoy.
Awesome looking car. I’ve never seen a Saab (sob) 95 wagon before. I had a neighbour when I was a boy who had a similar Saab. His was more of a sedan/coupe version. I find this wagon way more attractive. Assuming everything is all there, working like they should, and parts are available, I can see this being a good restoration project. Given its condition, I’d pay between $2,000 and $4,000 for it.
These are wonderful little cars!
I had a 1968 95 wagon just like this only white with red interior. Loved that car. Drove it all over the US. Coast to coast. Solid as a rock. The 68s are less common than the newer ones. If I wasn’t 3,000 miles away and short on time ($), I would have already sent the money for this one!
How is the floor at the firewall ? All of my 96 and 97’s have bad or repaired floor/firewall joints. Neat cars, love the 3 cylinder engines. But that floor/firewall fault is a bummer.
Given the Saab market lately this is a steal for an unrestored running wagon, especially with the documentation
Given the Saab market lately this is a steal for an unrestored running wagon, especially with the documentation and in this condition.
I too think this is a great deal, as mentioned. These older Saabs were another “flash in the pan” for a spell, and the fact it’s still available, tells me the steam, like most “flashes’, is running out. Less and less people today actually want a car like this. A time is coming, and not far off, folks will ask, “what’s a Saab, anyway”? Like all the other great cars that have disappeared, it’s a shame Saab is no longer with us. They made simply the best cars, for a more simpler time. I’d love to have this, but that “moratorium on buying stuff” thing,,, you know. Great find.
love to get my hands on this. Always wanted to tune a bent4. Look’n C if turbo would be easy (~5 lbs boost) w/blow thru H/W 32/36 (progressive).
Make the body up Monte Carlo style w/the thin alu/wood rack’n rally lights on grill? Just s ooo p e r !