Wabi-sabi is the Japanese acknowledgement that there is beauty in every aspect of imperfection.
As time marches on and our SAABs continue their loyal service, Wabi-sabi is something that we have naturally learnt to embrace. We accept them for what they are, sometimes seizing the opportunity to improve where possible. Even the youngest examples are comfortably now over 10 years old, meaning wear and tear is par for the course.
Us SAAB enthusiasts often hear that repeated question: “Where do you get your parts from?”. Surprisingly to some, many parts are still available new and of course there is a loyal fanbase between whom there are various used parts out there.
As with all marques, you will always get parts which are NLA (no longer available) and rare to find used examples of which are in decent condition. If you were to plot parts demand versus availability, there is that small section of the graph where engineers/enthusiasts/entrepreneurs get excited.
9-5 (98-05) beige front door handles are a great example of this.
For some reason, presumably the chemical compound, the 98-05 beige handles wear much quicker than the grey equivalents, often adopting a green tinge and/or delaminating in the process.
SAAB fanboy James has decided to do something about this. Taking a NOS (new old stock) pair of grey handles and associated caps, he has used these to create a rather complex silicon mould, allowing a polyurethane copy to be cast. The result is a geometrically identical reproduction. He has matched the colour as closely as he could to a beige plastic door-bin but does acknowledge that they’re a lighter shade than he’d hoped for.
In his own words, “They’re not perfect, but they are a solid 9/10. If you want better, you’d best hold out for a genuine set, and have your wallet at the ready!”.
James is producing a limited run of reproductions, knowing that after approximately 50-60 casts, the integrity of the silicon mould will degrade and be retired to the shelf.
A set of 2 handles and 4 caps available from James for £110 plus post. He has even gone to the bother of sourcing the clips from Sweden (part number 9797200), and these are available for £7 per set (whilst stocks last!).
Parts can be sent anywhere in the world, but typical postage cost is £5 within UK, £15 within Europe or £20 to U.S.A.
James can be contacted via: Email | www.uksaabs.co.uk (username jamesvey).