Face Off

September 24, 2019 Eleven

Work continues on the 93 Aero Black Edition project, the obligatory sump drop, fluids out, brakes off stage is well underway and it appears the car has been well maintained, but having been stood for a while it needs a thorough refresh. The turbo has some play in it, however we’ll reserve judgement until it’s run for a while, then, if it needs a change up, we’ll do it then.

The Bilstein B8’s are on together with the Eibach lowering springs and is now sitting on the 18” Turbo X alloys with Bridgestone Potanzas all round, we’ve popped on the new DO88 Intercooler and Induction kit, Karl at Noob is currently performing magic on the ECU and a stainless steel Jetex exhaust system is on its way. Whilst it’s in bits, we’ll also pop a strut brace on for added handling strength too.

Cosmetically, I’ll leave the 93 to settle in first, then I can work out what needs some attention, Gliptone Scuff Master and moisturiser has been ordered to give the seats a refresh but other than that, only time will tell how it’ll progress, Autumn is upon us so less opportunity to lavish it with TLC.

From Field to Road

July 1, 2019 Eleven

Having taken the 9-3 Aero from field to road in such a short space of time, I’d envisioned numerous teething problems before it settled down to be a trusted companion and that’s currently what’s happening.

We’ve changed a crank sensor to elevate a hot starting problem and had another remap done to ensure the ECU aligns with the performance parts correctly, but a few issues still remain unsolved. It has a flat spot under extreme acceleration, at around 5000 rpm it holds back a little, not much but it is there, it also holds the revs when I take my foot off the accelerator, so both of these will need to be addressed.

I also gave it a nice roof down 200 mile road trip to London last night for a quick bowl of pasta and pizza at one of my favourite haunts, and noticed it slipped out of 5th gear twice, a little unnerving when overtaking on the M1 so a few issues still to be sorted. A final and far less important issue is the subtle smell of mould, the entire interior has been stripped and cleaned, but there’s still a slight odour, especially when the car has been in the sun, roof down and this soon vanishes, but it’d be nice to clear completely.

Of course, I’m picking on details now, overall the transformation from a field find to an iconic, modern classic with undeniable road presence has been ridiculously rewarding, the Bilstein B8 setup has given it the final stance and handling it deserved again and the Turbo X 18’s are just perfection.

I happened to ask a question over on Twitter at the weekend “Still one of the most beautiful and timeless convertibles ever created, Y or N?” and had resounding agreement, although some still consider the Saab 900 to be the ultimate convertible, having owned both, I personally still believe this is more timeless, i’d give a joint first for beauty.

Aero Rescue Mission Report

May 9, 2019 Eleven

I can't seem to keep up with the folks at Malcolm Miles, before I knew it, they've taken the old engine out, stripped off all of the performance parts and the new 57k block is already installed and running, all within a week.

They've literally replaced endless perished and missing hoses, clips, nuts, bolts and pipes, checked the lovely TD04 Turbo and installed a new clutch slave cylinder, 3" downpipe and an uprated Viggen clutch to handle the extra power. Brake pipes have also been replaced together with new discs, pads and cleaned calipers.

We've been slightly nervous about the inaugural roof opening, but besides the handle falling off, it opened perfectly, a bit glitchy and in need of a damn good clean and lubrication, but it opened and closed, we have a convertible!

Still one hell of a lot to do, but it now starts, stops and rolls without being dragged about on seized running gear. So what next? the new stainless steel Jetex exhaust system arrives tomorrow, Noob Tune will be matching an ECU upgrade to the new spec, another rare set of 18" Turbo X alloys are on their way together with 4 new Bridgestone Potanzas and the new Aero front seats have to be installed, once we've got the mechanicals sorted, hopefully it'll pass its MOT and on track to be another great Saab saved.

Be Different

April 3, 2019 Eleven

I've had this idea brewing for a while now, a personal obsession to rescue older Saabs, sort them out, add something unique and keep them on the roads for years to come. It always surprises me that folks are willing to spend thousands of pounds on terrible, middle of the road cars that are neither reliable or beautiful, it just so happens Saabs are both and offer exceptionally fantastic value too.

My obsession with Aero models specifically has led to me hunting out ones that are a little different, it might be they have some rare Hirsch Performance parts, or an unusual colour, or maybe just the wonderful heated and vented leather seats, but always something that makes them stand out from the crowd. Once I've had the amazing folks at Malcolm Miles ensure the mechanics are back on point, I set about adding more unique touches, subtle details that make all the difference, from handcrafted satin black and anodised mesh grilles to rare Hirsch spoilers or Nappa leather steering wheels.

Stance and sound are always important, so exhausts are changed to stainless steel Jetex sports ones and maybe paired with a commissioned APH Performance downpipe to really maximise the flow. Bilstein suspension together with MapTun, Eibach or Abbott Racing lowering springs and strut braces ensure drive is given a modern touch and all finished off with a decent set of alloys, usually Saab originals, but sometimes others that really give a unique touch to the overall style. Power wise, I aim for reliable but smile inducing, between Stage 3 and 4 with ecu upgrades by the very talented NoobTune, this is generally reinforced with upgraded intercoolers and filters to keep things beautifully smooth.

I genuinely do this to keep Saabs on the road, and much to my wife's upset, I usually lose money on each an every one, but if it works, other Saab folks will benefit from a unique desire to drive something a bit different, after all, why spend £5k on a boring car when you can drive a truly exceptional Saab - reliable, timeless and above all, individual?

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