Circles of Trust

My longstanding fondness for Hirsch Performance is no secret, I’ve always felt their ability to make meaningful modifications that actually enhance our Saabs was really special, especially when it came to wheel design.

'Hirsch Performance has developed alloy wheels in four outstandingly stylish and distinctive designs, enhancing the appearance of your Saab. The high-performance wheels are either flow formed (S-twin spoke) or manufactured using a low-pressure casting process (3-spoke and 6-spoke) and are both outstandingly lightweight and robust. The reduced unsprung mass improves both dynamic properties and comfort. What is more, perfect roundness has been ensured, minimising the need for balance weights. These characteristics may be hard to notice for the untrained eye, but you may notice the smooth, vibration-free ride.'

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I’ve historically preferred the classic simplicity of the original 6 spoke, and also the clean lines of the 5 twin spoke, but have never been a massive fan of the larger 19” 3 twin spoke.

A recent opportunity made me take a little more time to admire the design, and decided to take a leap of faith and buy a set. They weren’t in the best visual condition, with a few minor buckles and kerb scars, so they’ve been lovingly refurbished by the team at Perfection Alloys to match my recent set of classic 6 spokes. To finished them off, they’ve been treated to a set of Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres, which have performed admirably on my Sportwagon in 225/35/19 combination.

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Now for the hard decisions; which Saab do they go on, the og 9-5 saloon or the dame 9-5 Sportwagon. Offering them up to the silver cars, they work equally well on both, the contrast in colour is absolute perfection, and offers each a new look, it won’t be an easy choice whatever I choose.

Hirsch Perfection

When my old 9-3 arrived home a few weeks ago, I was devastated to see the condition on the Hirsch alloys, not only were all 4 badly marked and kerbed, but 2 of them had rather large flat spots - quite honestly, i’m not sure how wheels get in to this condition, but they needed urgent attention.

Luckily, I’d still got a spare from my first ownership back in 2011, it was also damaged, but not to the same level as the worst wheel. I’ve used Perfection for many years and on numerous sets of alloys, so we’ve chosen the best set and fully refurbished, straightened and balanced them again, and as ever, the quality, service and craftsmanship is literally, perfection.

The unmatched tyres have all been replaced with new Goodyear Eagle F1’s and they’re all ready to be fitted back on to the 9-3 when a few more items have been taken care of.

Hirsch Perfection

Over the years of owning Saabs, I’ve always loved the opportunity to chose just the right wheels for each project, and without doubt, these are some of my all time favourites. The original Hirsch 18” six spokes are a perfect match for early 9-3 and 9-5 Saabs, they’re designed to enhance the car’s lines and aesthetically, feel as close to perfection as any wheel choice I’ve ever made.

These wheels, as with most Hirsch modifications, have become increasingly difficult to find, there seems to be a better supply in Europe, but here in the UK, very difficult. I asked around a few months ago, and luckily, another Saab owner had a set he’d been keeping for a future project, but with a little persuasion and an enjoyable road trip up to mid Wales, I had them safely stored in the back of the Sportwagon.

At some point in the past, they’d been refurbished, but having sat for a while, they’d picked up some marks and also began to corrode and peel on the inside, they’d also been finished in a darker metallic grey. As I wanted to create a Sportwagon as close to the original silver Hirsch one launched back in the early 2000’s, I decided to have them fully stripped again, realigned and powder coated in a bright metallic Silver.

To finish off, the’ve now got a new set of genuine, Swedish made, Saab wheel centres, a set of new black Hirsch performance rim stickers and freshly wrapped in new Goodyear tyres. They’ll be going back on to the Sportwagon in a the next few days, but I couldn’t resit taking a few photos of the precious cargo in the back of the 9-5.

The team at Perfection have done me proud once again, going above and beyond to help me give another Saab the wheels it truly deserves, their work is quite literally perfection.

Simple Pleasures

As I work through the many and varied jobs on the 3 Aero rescues, there are rewards and simple pleasures to be enjoyed throughout the journey. The iconic six spoke Hirsch alloys needed some attention, and although not terrible, looked tired and pitted, so having stripped off all 4 worn tyres, they've now had a bare metal refurbishment and refinished in a slightly darker metallic grey than the original bright silver.

A few years ago, I also found someone who had cleverly remade the tiny Hirsch Performance rim stickers and i've also purchased a set of genuine Saab hub centres, i've chosen the rebrand black centres as they'll suit the black Aero perfectly. Finally the rims have been fitted with a new set of 235/40/18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres finishing off the refurbishment perfectly.

Simple pleasures that make such a big difference.