As work starts on the silver 9000 Aero rescue, so does the search for new and unusual parts to give it a few desirable touches that us Saabists seem to cherish.

Currently the interior has a standard black plastic dashboard which although inoffensive doesn’t have the style this classic Saab deserves, so the first option to source was a wood veneer dashboard to replace it with.

Most available are now broken, faded and a little worse for wear, but managing to find two filthy ones at my Saab specialist gave me hope. I set about a full clean and polish and was surprised to discover the maker’s original production checklist hidden on the back of the dashboard; William Lawrence & Co. Ltd, a fine furniture maker in Nottingham, England founded in 1875 by a local Quaker named William Lawrence.

I’ve always been impressed by the quality of these pieces; genuine walnut veneer that helps create individuality in each car, but now realise that the process took some seven days, from first pressing and pigment to polish and final finish. Although not perfect, these dashboards really are works of art, small details that make Saabs special, this was a nice discovery to make and one I had never known before.