1969.  Many argue it was the best year of the muscle car era.  GM offered the SS 396 Chevelle, the GTO, and the Camaro ZL1.  The Mach 1, Boss 302, Boss 429, and Shelby GT350 Mustang were offered from Ford, not to mention the Torino Talladega and the Mercury Cougar.  Mopar gave us the Roadrunner, the ‘Cuda 440, and the Charger among others.  It doesn’t seem possible that a quirky car like the Saab 95 would stand a chance during a time like that.  Nevertheless, a number of these cars were sold here in the U.S.  There aren’t a whole lot of survivors today, however, which makes this 95 estate wagon a bit of a rare find.  It’s fresh from 24-year storage and is located in Chester, Vermont.  Available here on Craigslist for the alluring price of $2,300, the sale also includes a 1970 Saab 95 for parts!

The seller admits there are a few minor rust blisters and although the car needs new tires and perhaps some brake work, it’s reported to run and drive without issue.  It looks solid in the photos provided so my next step is to try to value this thing.  $2,300 seems like a good deal for two 95s, even if only one of them is in running condition.  For reference, I’ve scoured Saabnet.com which lists a handful of 95s for sale ranging in price from $1,000 to $9,500.  I’m becoming more and more intrigued but before I make a trip to Vermont with $2,300 cash in hand, something tells me I should swing by urgent care for a quick checkup and make sure I’m not afflicted with yet another case of Craigslist delirium.  I’ve come down with it before and I’ve got all of the symptoms: restlessness, fever, and worst of all, I think I could be hallucinating.

There are only two remedies for CL delirium.  The first is to promptly turn off the computer, go outside, do some yard work, and quickly forget ever seeing an ad like this which might be too-good-to-be-true.  The second: bite the bullet and drive to Vermont to get a firsthand look at the car.  After all, there is a chance it’s solid and the seller is honest (believe it or not, that actually does happen occasionally on Craigslist).  The only way to know for sure is to get on the ground and crawl underneath the thing and get a good look at the condition of the frame.  If it’s starting to crumble that would explain the seller’s low asking price.  If not, then huzzah!  Rare Craigslist gold has been struck!

As mentioned, the car is reported to run but will need a new battery.  55,000 miles are shown on the odometer which is believed to be accurate.  Beginning in 1967, Saab offered a four-stroke Ford Taunus V4 in the 95, the same motor found in the 96 and Sonett models.  The V4 is mated to a 4-speed manual transmission.  Unfortunately, there are no photos of the second 95 parts car offered in the sale.  It’s in non-running condition, according to the seller.  And although the motor isn’t complete the transmission is all there and is presumed to be operable.   It’s reported the body of the 1970 model is in rough shape, the chassis rusted, and the rear window was broken at some point in time.  All in all, with minimal effort and money it seems like the ’69 95 could be back on the road in no time.  At the very least it might be a good candidate to be flipped.  Anyone care to take a trip to Vermont?  I’m going to do some yard work.