More than the sum of its parts

March 5, 2024 Eleven

The decision has been made (for now) to work on the Nocturne Blue Aero and see if we can get it fighting fit again. As many of you will know, this was bought as a donor car to save the beautiful Graphite Green Aero, but needless to say, it has won me over and I can’t bring myself to break it for parts. After an initial inspection, it needs plenty of maintenance items; genuine DI pack, starter motor, spark plugs, oil trap hose assembly, discs and pads, tyres, handbrake return springs, a good service and stopping the power steering fluid leak.

However, amongst its long list of modifications and equipment, it came with a number of Hirsch parts, one being a Hirsch front grille, sadly though, the two side kidney grilles were missing. After a catch up with a Saab friend in the US, he happened to have a pair of them spare, a few weeks later, the entire 3 piece grille has now been reunited. It’s a small detail, but one that fills me with joy, apart from the kindness of the person who helped me out, it provides a positive step forward to bringing this Saab 9-5 back up to the level it deserves. In the next few weeks, I’m hoping to get the headlights de-misted, the maintenance work done, and maybe even repair the heater and uneven dual exhaust pipes.

Although I’ve been used to modified 9-5 Aeros in the past, most have been running around 300hp, this one however, is 350+hp. It really is a weapon to drive, especially on quiet country roads where it’s refined handling really proves its worth, the limited slip differential also transforms the traction and gets the power down rapidly and confidently.

I wasn’t entirely sure about the 18” Team Dynamics wheels, but again, they’ve grown on me and suit the car’s aesthetics perfectly, in fact, once some of the more urgent work is done, I’ll be refinishing them and treating them to some decent new types; I’m not convinced the Landsail rubber is up to coping with the amount of power, although so far, I’ve been surprisingly impressed with their performance. Now all I have to do, is find yet another engine and gearbox for the Green Aero.

Silver Linings

June 26, 2023 Eleven

Well, I waved goodbye to the Volvo V70 R after only a few months of ownership, for many reasons, I decided it just wasn't for me. However, my need for an estate still remained and this is its replacement; another Saab 9-5 Aero Sport Wagon.

The moment it arrived, I knew I'd made the right decision again, Saabs just feel like home, something that makes me feel at ease with them, what had been a bit of a dark cloud with the Volvo, soon turned in to a silver lining.

It's one of the more expensive 9-5 Aeros I've bought over the years, but wanted one that was a solid foundation for a bit of Aeroriginal modification, sadly, its not quite as good as the price led me to believe, some of the paintwork is extremely poor, with badly sprayed doors, scratched bonnet and even masking tape still attached to the driver's door, the aluminium wing mirror mountings are more corroded than I've ever seen, and there's vegetation growing out of the window rubbers. Really not what I'd have expected from a well respected Saab dealer; Hagstrom Saab.

Saying that, I quickly fixed the broken vented seats with a new switch, and the rest of the interior is exceptionally clean, besides the vented leather, it also comes with the beautiful dark mahogany dashboard and the Harman Kardon upgraded audio; AS3. I wanted this as a personal Saab, one to keep and enjoy, so plans are already in motion to give it a few touches that'll really bring it alive again.

Firstly some paintwork; bonnet especially, but then a new rear bumper, roof spoiler and wing mirror mounts, I'd ideally like to address the doors, but that might need to be a second visit. I'll be taking a road trip up to Wales tomorrow to collect the first part of the transformation, needless to say, the right wheels make all the difference, whilst a set of upgraded Abbott Racing springs have arrived this morning and there's a whole array of parts currently upsetting my wife in the conservatory.

Project Graphite Green Progress Report

February 24, 2023 Eleven

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The 9-5 Aero in super rare Graphite Green is quickly rising from the ashes after being rescued from a dismantlers back in January. We noticed a lot of oil leaking from both the head gasket and sump, so they've been removed, cleaned and refitted with new gaskets and bolts. A complete overhaul has also been done with new oils, filters and hoses where required, we've also fitted an upgraded intercooler, 3.5 bar fuel pump and got Karl at NoobTune to do a Stage 3 remap.

It's been polybushed all round together with Bilstien B8 shocks and Eibach lowering springs, upgraded big brakes and callipers. All finished off with a refurbished set of 18" ALU56 wheels in a metallic Satin Anthracite to compliment the stealth look of the gorgeous dark green paintwork and Michelin Pilot Sport 4

It now needs running for a while and the obligatory snagging starts, then we'll concentrate on getting the bodywork up to scratch, it needs the rear arches doing, a new side skirt and a bit of elbow grease and time to get rid of the horrendous carbon look vinyl that's been applied to the B pillars and the lower front spoiler, but it's coming back to life beautifully.

Turbo X

February 1, 2023 Eleven

It's been a long six months since the illustrious Turbo X arrived. From the moment it was pulled off the transporter, it became evident that something was very wrong; it just would not start. After endless advice from the Saab community, sadly, none of which worked, we finally came to the realisation that it was something more than a failed fuel pump, weak battery or faulty electronics.

The engine came out and the diagnosis of a slipped timing chain came to light, an entirely new chain kit and followers were sourced together with a new upgraded clutch, gaskets and hoses, and today, the engine has gone back in place. A load of work still to do, a 'spare' 2.8 V6 lump by its side and various modifications yet to be done, but it shows vital signs of life again.

Any other Saab might not have warranted such financial pain, headaches or time, but the Turbo X, especially a manual, is one that deserves the extra effort.

I'd been searching patiently from an unmolested example for a long time, and the original Turbo X brochure words capture the reasons why so perfectly :

Black is back. Thirty years ago, Saab stunned the automotive world by revealing its first turbocharged model. Now, with the Saab Turbo X, Saab for the first time unleashes its jet-inspired turbo power through Saab XWD. It’s not just all-wheel drive, it’s an innovative cross-wheel drive system. Thanks to 'rightsizing', the 280 bhp, 24-valve, 2.8 V6 turbo engine has the characteristics of a V8 engine: 295 lbs-ft of torque and an acceleration of 0–62 mph in 5.7 seconds. As if this wasn’t enough, the sport-tuned chassis, brakes and electronic control system combine to give you the ride of your life. The Saab Turbo X is the true heir to the classic Saab Turbos of the 70s and 80s. It is available in a limited edition and only comes in jet black as an homage to the original Saab 900 Turbo. So take a good look, a car like this only comes around every thirty years.

The jet black limited-edition Saab Turbo X is the extreme performer of the new Saab 9-3 range. Descended from the iconic Saab 900 Turbo, it introduces Saab’s innovative XWD technology that delivers an impressive level of driver involvement and dynamic chassis control never seen before from Saab. Quite simply, the Turbo X is Saab’s ultimate driving experience. We lowered the sport-tuned chassis by 10 mm and optimised the springs and dampers to minimise body movement. Larger internally ventilated disc brakes at the front and externally ventilated rear discs increase stopping power. 30 years in 5.7 seconds. The heart of the Saab Turbo X is, of course, the engine. A 24-valve, 2.8 V6 turbo powerhouse that generates 295 lbs-ft of torque between 2,150 and 4,500 rpm and maximum power of 280 bhp at 5,500 rpm. Press the pedal and it takes you from 0–62 mph in 5.7 seconds. Just like that, Saab’s 30 years of turbocharging experience flashes by. This has to be the fastest history lesson ever. And the most enjoyable.

We've got a way to go yet, but hopefully, over the next month, I'll finally get to drive the Turbo X. I'm truly hoping it lives up to it's reputation as Saab's ultimate driving experience. Finger's crossed.

Every Cloud

December 8, 2021 Eleven

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I haven’t written anything for a few months; a combination of feeling a bit down, getting a bunch of lowlifes commenting on the work i’ve done with some recent Saabs and generally a lack of inspiration to keep rescuing Saabs with absolutely no return. But, of course the love for Saabs doesn’t diminish, and as fate / luck would have it, a number of very special ones had been offered to me in the space of a few days, every cloud as they say.

One of these, was a Silver 9000 Aero, Rocky Black leather, super Aero alloys and just 107,000 miles. Its last owner has had it for the past 12 years, but over the past few has left the Saab unused. Although very clean, it has a lot to focus on; oil leaks, faulty sensors, loose belts, cracked tyres etc, but overall has the potential to be a wonderful example of this amazing car.

It has a little rust on the inner rear quarters which will be welded, it needs a new front passenger wing, dents removed and the rear bumper has a slight crack that needs welding. Other than that, it needs a load of tlc, cleaning, polishing and maybe a few enhancements.

1 / 195 Limited Edition

September 23, 2021 Eleven

The 9-3 Monte Carlo is a rare Saab indeed, rumour has it that only 195 were released worldwide. There were 3 and 5 door versions, but the coupe has to be the chosen one with its HOT B204R T5 engine, stunning interior that's inspired by the iconic 9000 Aero interior by Recaro, and of course the shear beauty of form; extended doors, large rear side glazing and the timeless curves.

It's a Saab that I'd been looking for for an exceptionally long time and finally, one showed up that was hard to resist. Having been stored for more than 10 years, it's bodywork is near on perfect with none of the rust these early 9-3 are beginning to suffer, what's more it had only covered 73,000 miles, was a manual and had an interior that's as close to new as you can possibly get.

Early signs were fantastic, it drove beautifully, smelled like a proper Saab (those who know will know) and truly didn't have a mark on it. But of course with any 20 year old car, not everything can be right and after a full and thorough inspection, we discovered the obligatory split bulkhead had happened, so the work began.

The engine was totally removed, all signs of associated corrosion addressed, the bulkhead repair kit fitted and welded and the entire area rustproofed and resealed. Whilst the engine was out, we took the opportunity to fit a new Viggen clutch and Abbott Racing lightweight flywheel, drop the sump for good measure and generally replace anything that might need doing in the future together with a 250hp remap by Noob Tune.

The legendary Viggen rescue kit by Abbott was also fitted together with new Bilstein B8 shocks and Eibach springs, new bushes, new arms, front discs and pads and finished off with the beautiful classic Hirsch 18" rims.

Whilst all of this work was going on, I happened to find one of the rarest parts I've ever come across, a genuine Hirsch carbon dashboard and leather covered centre console which together, have absolutely perfected the already special interior.

I've noticed the speakers aren't good and might need replacing, I'm also moving towards a 3" downpipe and stainless exhaust so I can give it a stage 3 remap, but other than that, this is almost perfection in my eyes, this one just might be a little harder to let go of.

Perfection

June 3, 2021 Eleven

Perfection isn’t a word to be used lightly, but the Saab 9000 Aero comes close to it for me. Don’t get me wrong, it does have its faults, but all in all and being able to compare it to over 150 cars, I’d say it’s one of the best I’ve ever driven.

During the past year, I’ve been lucky enough to own what I’d class as the all time 90’s super saloon greats; the Mercedes Benz W124 E500, Audi C5 RS6 and the BMW E39 M5, and I can confidently say, the 9000 Aero stands its ground beautifully and dare I say it, in some areas, wins.

It’s got almost unbeatable proportions for instance; 25 years old and still comfortably seats four adults in sublime comfort and style, it’s a hatchback too, and with the rear seats down will take an enormous amount of stuff, and when you want it all to yourself for a full on B road blast or just a relaxed cross country cruise, well, it just handles that too.

This isn’t quite your standard 9000, it’s had various performance enhancements to make it feel utterly at ease with modern driving; a Turbo Technics Hybrid Turbo, upgraded intake and indiction kit, large downpipe and free flow stainless exhaust together with a lovely remap running at around 300hp. The suspension has been totally upgraded with Koni shocks and Eibach springs, and it’s just about to receive a full set of Abbott Racing motorsport drilled and vented discs, pads and a set of Michelin tyres.

I might just be a little biased here as this has been a long awaited dream for me, but in the first month of ownership, it has completely justified its high ranking spot on my list of best cars. They’re getting rare here in the UK, especially the Aeros, and ones without rust are like gold dust so I count myself a lucky man to have found a lovely example. These things should be easily worth 2 to 3 times their value, the stunning interior designed and made by Recaro, is worth buying a 9000 Aero for alone in my book, they’re possibly the best looking, most comfortable car seats I’ve ever sat in.

I have lots of questions for myself at the moment, modify or leave well alone, larger wheels or just stick with the iconic, sixteen inch Super Aeros? I’m sure it’ll continue to get lavished with care and new parts, but for now, I’m just enjoying automotive perfection.

9-3 Hirsch Edition. Phase I

March 8, 2021 Eleven

It’s always a combination of excitement and Intrepidation when a new Saab Aero project arrives, especially as I often go with my gut instinct now rather than being able to see the cars in the flesh. This latest 9-3 Aero convertible comes with an amazing service history and is also a local car to me, looked after by Bond Street Saab for most of it’s life, and from the moment I noticed it had a set of rare 19” Hirsch alloys, I knew it would make another exciting Aeroriginal Saab, and my instinct wasn’t wrong luckily.

Not only did it have the Hirsch wheels, but came with Hirsch springs, Hirsch single exhaust system and diffuser, 345mm brake upgrade and Hirsch 240 remap, however, it’s covered just over 150,000 miles, not too much for a Saab, but after driving it for a few weeks, the list of ‘to do’s’ began to grow if I wanted this to be as special as it can be. The clutch was slipping and has now been replaced with a new one together with flywheel and slave cylinder, the leaking radiator has been replaced with a brand new one, air con all fixed and working again and although the Hirsch exhaust was great, it’s condition wasn’t amazing, so we’ve taken the opportunity to replace the entire system with an APH handmade downpipe and a full stainless dual system from Jetex to give the rear a more purposeful look.

The suspension was also in a bit of a mess, rattling, lumpy and awkward, so that’s also received a full refresh, upgraded Sachs Sport Shock together with a new set of lowered Hirsch springs, new arms, top mounts and bushes make it feel totally sorted again and most importantly, no rattles. The Hirsch rims have had a full refurb in a slightly darker metallic grey and treated to a new set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres, it’s had a full service; oil, filters, brakes removed and cleaned, and it’ll be having a new remap by Noob shortly.

Whilst it’s always great to feel the difference of on the mechanical work, the visual enhancements always excite more, and I’ve been going about collecting parts that will really make this look exceptional, the entire front end has had a refresh with the 4 piece Hirsch grille set complete with new genuine Saab satin chrome surrounds, the rear diffuser will now be from the rare Turbo X and it’ll be off for some bodywork shortly, bumpers repainted, dents removed and a tiny area of rust cleaned up and repainted, it’ll get a full machine polish and them the roof treated to a deep clean and reseal.

The interior is also being treated to a host of goodies; a genuine Hirsch Carbon dash has been fitted, another Nappa leather flat bottomed steering wheel is on it’s way from TunStyle, new Hirsch leather door and centre handles, and a set of Hirsch aluminium pedals to finish it all off beautifully.

As the sun begins to warm and the days of roof down road trips are in the air, I can’t help but admire the shear timeless beauty of the Saab convertibles, throughout each generation they have perfected their design language, and this model features some truly genius touches, the beautifully curved covers for the roll bars for instance, the lines flow into the cover like the old speedsters, the gloss body coloured mappings that flow along the entire edge of the car, and the seamless flow of form into the large bumpers and wonderfully proportioned front and rear lights,

Details Matter

December 18, 2020 Eleven

It's been a few weeks since i've done an update on the current Aero builds, sadly, due to a lack of B12 Pro-Kits coming out of Bilstein currently, we've had to put the Green Aero on hold until we have all the parts ready to progress, we've been told January, so fingers crossed for that one.

I've been slowly making progress on the Hirsch 9-5; after all of the mechanicals were sorted back in October, the car has been driving absolutely beautifully, we've got to make a few adjustments on the new gear linkage, as 5th is hard to select and the Hirsch alloys will be coming off and going for a full refurbish together with a new set of rubber and balancing.

The main focus has been sorting the worn interior out, an exceptional flat base Nappa leather steering wheel has arrived from the folks at TunStyle, and as always, I truly feel to quality and craftsmanship is better than the genuine Hirsch ones I used to have, it really is a thing of beauty. I've got a new genuine Saab leather gear knob, gear gaiter and handbrake gaiter to fit, a new dashboard has been carefully wrapped in 3D carbon and the ugly Parrot system and wires will all be removed. The door card decorative strips have also had the carbon wrap and will be reinstalled next week together with a set of gorgeous MapTun carpets.

I'm still a little undecided about the seats, as usual, the dark fabric inserts are crumbling whilst the leather parts have worn beautifully, the cutting corners with materials really does show in these later 9-5s and just don't hold up as well as the earlier 'Saab' models, I might go with my heart and recover the entire seat set in a better quality Bridge of Weir leather, but always concerned that the value of these Saabs just don’t warrant that level of spend sadly.

As always, I'm truly inspired by the people out there that continue to work hard to craft parts to keep our Saabs looking sharp, in reality, it is getting harder to rescue them, the lack of Bilstein suspension kits has really hit me this time - will this continue to be the case, will Brexit make is far harder for the UK to get parts from the global community? will we slowly run out of Saabs worth rescuing? For now though, I have 2 beautiful Aeros that deserve to be pampered.

Hirsch Edition 9-5

December 3, 2020 Eleven

It’s been a few months since I collected the Hirsch 9-5 and I have to say, I love this thing, yes, even the ‘Dame Edna’ front lights. I reserve judgement on whether I’ll be keeping the full chrome look, but going from not liking it at all to really liking it has surprised even me.

We’ve concentrated on the mechanical side first and foremost, the sump has been dropped and cleaned, with fresh oil, filters and plugs, it’s had a new Saab DI pack and we’ve also replaced the gear linkage as it had become a little sloppy, the DI pack has cleared up the slight hiccup it had on full throttle and it runs ridiculously well again.

I’m always surprised at just how exceptional these hugely rare Hirsch editions are, they made such a difference to both performance and handling and really did create a wonderfully rounded executive saloon. The power is smoothly delivered throughout the gear changes and being a manual allows you to use ever drop of of the 300+ hp on tap, what’s more, because it has the upgraded Hirsch intercooler, the power remain consistent no matter what the weather’s like outside.

The Hirsch 18” wheels will be going in for a full refurbish and new Michelin tyres all round and then it’s on to the interior. all door cars have been removed and are currently having a refresh of the poor quality decretive strips, together with a new genuine Saab leather gearknob, new handbrake, gear gaiter and Nappa leather Hirsch steering wheel.

Finally it’ll go in for some minor bodywork including the rear arches, rear bumper and possible de chroming but that’s still to be decided. In the meantime, I’m thoroughly loving this Saab, it’l be a difficult choice whether to sell the Gen 1 Green over Tan 9-5 or this one.

Viggen from the Flames

August 4, 2020 Eleven

Almost 5 months ago today I purchased the Saab 9-3 Viggen convertible, I’ve done a number of updates throughout the journey, but today, it finally had it’s full exterior detail.

It’s not perfect, having covered 140,000 miles for it’s 5 previous owners, that’s almost 6 times around the Earth, it has stories to tell; stone chips and a few dents, but totally honest and with virtually no rust I couldn’t ask for more, it deserved to be saved, pampered and then enjoyed.

A local detailer has given it a good scrub down, clay bar and treated with Soft99 Fusso; a Japanese paint sealant which will protect it for up to 12 months whilst the roof has also been given a good clean with G101 APC together with a Fabsil Gold waterproofing.

Having driven it for a few hundred miles now, there are a few niggles to deal with, the Air Bag light needs reseting after removing the interior, the outside temp sensor needs replacing and there’s a slight knocking from the driver’s side front suspension set up. Other than that, the short shift gear knob is taking a while to settle in and has a tendency to pop out of 2nd when downshifting, and if this can’t be adjusted satisfactorily, I’ll change it back to the standard shifter instead which will be a shame, but essential.

As this was always a project to save another beautiful Saab, it’ll be up for grabs once the issues are all addressed, you’ll find the full build over on Aeroriginal soon.

Mechanically Sound

July 22, 2020 Eleven

Feels a little like half time, I collected the 9-5 today from Malcolm Miles and as ever, they've done me proud, the stage 4 remap together with the long list of performance upgrades has made the Saab feel almost as lively as my Alpina D3 Bi Turbo, and that's saying something. The twin Jetex exhaust coupled with the handmade downpipe from APH sounds absolutely superb and really suits the look of the car too.

Pause for 3 weeks.

Then we're off to the bodyshop to have the rusty rear arches cut out, the rear bumper removed and repainted and the front bumper replaced with a later shark nose version, the Saab rear spoiler will also be fitted and a couple of areas given some attention. During it's time at home, I plan to give the interior a full valet, clean and feed the leather and give the carpets a full on deep clean too.

With only 80,000 miles under its belt, this 9-5 Aero just needed a bit of vision to bring it back up to one of the best wagons <£5k can buy in my eyes. It offers ridiculous comfort, safety, individuality and reliability not to mention the Saab smile. This is going to be a hard one to let got of I think.

Dad Racer

July 15, 2020 Eleven

Whilst the Viggen goes off for more bodywork, the attention has turned to the 9-5 Aero, the folks at Malcolm Miles have been fastidiously replacing warn parts and perished hoses, performing a full sump drop, clean, oil change and replacing a few pipes to the gearbox which had been leaking oil.

The DO88 Intercooler and pipe kit has gone on, a new fuel pump, new induction kit and a Stage 3+ remap from Karl at Noob Tune, the ever gorgeous handmade downpipe from APH Performance has been put on together with a full stainless steel Jetex exhaust with dual pipes giving the wagon an understated but purposeful look, whilst new discs and pads, a Bilstein B12 Pro Sport suspension setup and a serious MapTun strut brace have really sorted out the Aero’s handling.

Sleepless nights and many Photoshop mock ups finally made me choose what I consider to be the perfect alloys for this Saab; Japan Racing JR18 in a Matt Bronze to really enhance the Hazelnut Metallic, 19x8.5 with an ET35 offset and Pirelli P Zero 235/35/19 rubber.

The underneath was looking a little flakey, so has been given a good wire brushing and treated to some Waxoil whilst a few areas will need a small amount of welding to secure them for the future. Once the mechanics have been done, it’ll need to go to the bodyshop and have the rear lower arches cut out and fixed, the bumpers removed and repainted and a new bespoke satin black mesh grille fitted.

This is the first Aero wagon build I’ve done and I absolutely love it, the style is just so timeless, an old Saab ad campaign claimed it was a Dad Racer and I tend to agree, but with these modifications, it also becomes one the ultimate sleepers, and the colour…

…Love it. Thank you Saab.

Viggen Rescue Update

June 25, 2020 Eleven

It’s been a busy fews weeks down at Malcolm Miles, the 9-5 Sportcombi has been dropped off and some serious work has started on the Viggen.

Firstly, some housekeeping, although the sump had been dropped only a few hundred miles ago, it was actually back in 2015, so that’s been dropped again, oil completely drained and refilled with new oil, filters and spark plugs. The power steering pipe has been replaced as have a number of other pipes and perished hoses, the brake lines all cleared out and new high performance Tarox brake fluid added together with Tarox Japan Street drilled, grooved and vented discs, pads and braided hoses. We’ve also added a new oil cooler together with a new DO88 intercooler, Nordic Performance induction kit and a Stage 3+ ECU upgrade by Karl at Noob Tune.

The Bilstien B8 shocks and Eibach springs are now fitted together with the Momo Stealth alloys wheels, chosen for an updated play on the original Viggen 5 spokes, 215/35/19 tyres from Hankook have been used, but from early thoughts, we could upgrade these to 225/35/19 tyres and still fit without issues. The gorgeous craftsmanship from APH Performance has been fitted in the form of a 3” stainless steel downpipe, this links up to the original Viggen middle and rear exhaust section to keep the style right.

Inside, the original tape only head unit has been replaced with a CD unit and an AUX input, the new Hirsch style Nappa leather steering wheel has been fitted and a new OE leather gear knob tops off the superbly tight short shifter from Jam Saab, all in all, the Viggen is beginning to look like my vision, progress continues and this iconic convertible should be ready to take its first road trip in 5 years.

Ramping Up

June 10, 2020 Eleven

The 9-5 Sportcombi went in to Malcolm Miles for it's inaugural ramp check today, it went so badly I was sent home on the train as the car was condemned as undriveable.

That sounds dramatic but it seems to have an oil leak that needs to be sorted and fast, there are a number of pipes that need replacing underneath so we'll hit those at the same time. The front downpipe is about to split in half, a number of bushes need replacing and the springs and shocks are all pretty much past their sell by date.

It's easy to forget these earlier Saab 9-5s are getting on for 20 years old, they will have some rust, they will need parts replacing and they will need some TLC, but invest some time and effort and you'll reap the rewards later on.

Surprising thing for me, is that it drives possibly better than any other 9-5 I've owned, I'm looking forward to making this one a bit special, it deserves the attention and will make for a pretty rare Sportcombi.

Cafe Racer

June 8, 2020 Eleven

Whilst the Viggen project slowly comes to life, I continually miss having a Saab 9-5 Aero alongside, every time I sell my latest 9-5 projects, I immediately long for another.

They remain one of the most underrated sleepers that has ever been crafted, the design is timeless, they're fast, reliable, super comfortable and ridiculously stylish and well built, both inside and out. I'm always searching for the next Aero, one that offers something different from the rest, heated and vented seats, sunroof, unusual colour, Harman Kardon audio - anything that captures my imagination and gives me a starting point to create another Saab build and rescue it for the future.

I'd seen this particular 9-5 for the past few weeks, only 2 owners from new and spending most of its life in the royal town of Leamington Spa, very low miles at just 80k and most importantly, a rare colour, the gorgeous Hazelnut Metallic.

Love or hate it, but the light tan interior with the exceptionally rare light Walnut dash is something I adore, the car feels cosy, warming and timeless. The whole interior needs a nice deep clean, the seats need cleaning and feeding but it's in truly immaculate condition.

Sleepless nights imagining what can be done to this one, but feel it needs a little time to settle in to its new life before the transformation begins. It'll be going to Malcolm Miles shortly for its inaugural check up, sump drop, oil change and to check its overall worthiness but plans are falling in to place and some must haves are already on their way.

Perfectionism

June 6, 2020 Eleven

For a few years I've been commissioning Fraser to hand craft bespoke mesh grilles for my early Saab Aero builds, I've learnt a lot from the grilles he's made, not least his constant strive for perfection. He'd told me about his own Saab project a while back, a Saab 9-3 convertible Turbo Edition in the ever stylish Silver metallic and he's finally found time to take some great photos and scribble down a few words about it. All I can say is - Perfection.

Purchased back in June 2019 from family in Edinburgh who had owned the car since new with only 38k on clock and a full service history. The Saab had been kept in an underground car park all its life so was in good condition, but then restoration started to take over and it has kind of developed from there.

Firstly I treated it to a complete service including all filters and sump drop (spotlessly clean), I then fitted the latest rev6 PCV kit, throttle body, MAF and cleaned all fuel / air delivery sensors. The whole engine bay degreased and various components and brackets refinished.

I fitted a magnetic sump plug, new camshaft core plug then fitted new turbo, cleaned out intercooler and associated pipework and filled with mobil 1. A brand new genuine Saab coilpack and NGK plugs to make sure it was ready for the Noobtune stage1 ECU upgrade I have installed taking power up to 220 hp and extra 120 nm torque which has be very handy for overtaking.

All door cards, side skirts, and bumpers removed and waxoiled sprayed into all doors, cavities and sills as well as chassis box sections and inner wings etc - luckily the car had no rust, just a couple of floor pan bungs (front 2 under footwells always the first to go) that were just staring to rust but easily fixed.

The entire braking system has been replaced with new discs, shoes, pads, return springs, calipers and fluid together with rear brake pipes, calipers and flexis. All disc splash guards have been soda blasted then phosphur coated and black gloss coovar applied. New rear shocks and springs and a complete new exhaust system fitted with new hangers, clips and all jubilee clips on underside replaced.

The chassis has had a six point chrome chassis brace from Jamsaab, 22mm rear ARB, steering rack clamp / brace fitted as well as new fabricated front top suspension turret brace (made myself), new front track rod ends and drop links, new front lower power steering pipe and fluid. I removed the rear axle beam and blasted then repainted with black gloss Coovar and refitted with Powerflex purple spec bushes.

Moving on into the interior, its had new leather Aero spec door cards and steering wheel, I've installed a genuine Saab hands-free phone kit, fitted boot mounted 6 disc changer, refurbished the ACC and SID units, fitted SID cup holder and centre armrest coin / cup holder (all the way from Albuquerque in the US).

I’ve also found a new genuine Saab roll out bumper protector and cargo net for the load area, installed a windbreaker and made a custom black gloss fine metallic dashboard which really sparkles when the sun hits it.

It's also had a number of handmade parts including a tow ball for mounting my bike on, with dedicated 6 pin electrics wiring kit for a light board from Germany (only place they're available). A colour coded grille and matching fog light grilles and I've also fitted same mesh to the lower intake.

The convertible roof has also had a deep clean and re colour / proof, i've fitted the refurbished 17” double Ys with new Continental Contisport tyres and treated it to a full bulb upgrade on all lights and replaced the orange light monitoring relay and windscreen washer level sensor.

There's probably hundreds of other jobs left to do that Saabs have a habit of throwing at you, but the only other project planned now is front and rear parking sensors if I can find the genuine Saab ones that plug straight into loom. It's taken me just under a year of working on her including lots of long days and skinned knuckles and god knows how much spent to get it up to this condition.

Now it's finished, I'm just itching for a road trip up here in Scotland, already planning a tour around the far North on the iconic NC500 route as soon as things get back to some kind of normal.

Bespoke Mesh Grilles | Fraser Davison

Saab Style 2020

May 28, 2020 Eleven

Do you ever try and imagine what a 2020 Saab might look like, what would a new 9-5 look like, more to the point, what would an all new Saab 9-3 convertible look like?

Sadly, except in my imagination, none of us will ever know, but what we can do, is work our magic on the iconic Saabs we already have and continue to maintain. I have an obsession with wheels. and although I love original equipment rims, most are just too small for today’s aesthetic, so what would a Saab rim look like today?

I’m currently stock piling parts for my next project, it’s one i’ve never had before but always been on my most wanted list, a Lightning Blue Viggen convertible. As well as collecting the usual suspects; Bilstein B8s, Eibach lowering springs, full Tarox drilled Japan Street brakes , DO88 Intercooler, Nordic Performance induction kit etc, I also wanted to update the wheels whilst still honouring the original Viggen 5 spokes.

It’s taken me a load of time to choose the perfect set but think these Stealth rims by Momo are bang on, two tone similar to the Saab Turbo X rim, simple and timeless in design and just in a league of their own, very Saab. As it’s going to be a few weeks before I can try them out on the Viggen project, I had a little play in Photoshop, but truly believe they’ll be just as Saab might have fitted today.

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.

Driven by Beauty

February 14, 2019 Eleven

Back in 2011 I took delivery of a new Carbon Grey 9-3 TTiD Turbo Edition, it not only featured plenty of lovely Saab options including premium leather and navigation, but I managed to squeeze virtually every available item from Hirsch Performance, including the exceptional Nappa leather steering wheel.

More recently in 2017, I rescued a beautiful 9-5 Aero that also had a Hirsch steering wheel, and once you’ve had one, it’s very difficult to forget how beautiful they look and feel. Sadly, Hirsch no longer manufacture these steering wheels, but the kind folks at cardyourcar commissioned a number of exclusively crafted replicas, I’m not entirely sure if they came from the same factory, and some contouring it different from the Hirsch version, but non the less, it looked beautifully made.

I made the leap and ordered one on Monday from Germany, it arrived Wednesday and was on the car that same day. First impressions are excellent, the contours are different, but have been carefully considered and provide exceptional grip, materials seem to be equal to the Hirsch ones, and has definitely given a final bit of luxury to my newly refreshed Aero interior.

An early morning country drive with glowing sunlight seemed like an ideal opportunity to snap a few photos, I still can’t praise the Saab’s interior enough, it really is timeless, it just makes me smile every time I drive it, and with the new steering wheel, it really is pretty much perfect.