Caped Crusader

November 24, 2020 Eleven

It’s always a privilege to share Saabs from around the globe, especially ones that are obviously loved and exceptionally well cared for. This beautiful 9-3 SE convertible spends its life in the warmth of Cape Town, South Africa.

According to its owner, Kurt ‘The original owner cheated and didn't buy an Aero, but chose the larger Turbo Aero spec together with a wooden and leather steering wheel, leather gear stick and all the pretty stuff, god bless him’.

With its utterly original specification including 15” three spoke ALU20 wheels it’s a thing of beauty and I can only imagine how it feels to drive along the West Coast Road toward Grooto Bay, roof down and enjoying the warm South African air.

Free Saab*

November 18, 2020 Eleven

Since 2011 I’ve been happily photographing, writing and sharing stories about Saabs, mostly mine, but some others that have grabbed my attention, together with stories about folks who are also dedicated to keeping our Saabs on the road, oh and creating the Saab High Mile Club of course.

But, for a while now it’s felt a bit one sided, does anyone really read or need Saab vs. Scepticism? is it just a personal journey for me to enjoy? or does it actually go out into the big wide world and inspirer other Saab folks?

So, how about a bit of Free Saab Talk? ( *sorry, not actually a free Saab involved but got you reading ), how about others getting in touch, commenting or contributing to this Saab archive. If nothing else, I’d truly love to know if it helps or inspires other people.

Comment below or send me a Saab Story with photos

Holy Grail

October 26, 2020 Eleven

Over the past 20+ years, there's only been a couple of Saabs I've genuinely regretted selling, I love them all of course, but some are just slightly more special than the rest. My old Gen II Hirsch Aero for instance.

As i'm already neck deep in the rescue of the green Gen I Aero, I wasn't specifically looking for another just yet, but once you begin, even for a moment, it's bloody hard to stop. I'd spotted a rather nice black Aero saloon on Ebay and not only was it a rarer manual, but it had a very generous list of Hirsch performance parts from new, and as any true Saabist will know, that's kind of the Holy Grail.

It comes with the iconic 18" 6 spoke alloys, the downpipe and stainless steel duel exhaust, intercooler, induction kit, fuel regulator, 345mm brakes and lowered suspension. But, it did have a personal downside; it was a Gen III, the rather less popular final update of the original 9-5 Aero, the one with the odd light surrounds and less stylish bumpers.

Having said that, I've already begun to like it's irregular beauty, yes I'll be doing some visual modifications, but I do like the twin round headlights and the large single centre grille, I also like the rear lights and bumper with the Hirsch diffuser and twin exhaust, and the Aero boot spoiler just finishes it all off nicely.

It needs some tlc; the usual sump drop, oil change, DI pack, plugs etc will be done, together with a bespoke remap to make the most of the Hirsch goodies. It needs some bodywork doing and some interior changes, but it really is a very special Saab, this might just be the keeper.

First Class Cabin

October 14, 2020 Eleven

Alongside my lifelong love affair with Saab, I also have a bit on the side; air cooled Porsches. In that world, it's not unusual to see folks ripping their entire interior out of their pride and joy and reimagining it to suit their personality, In fact, I did just that with my last 964 build and plan to do it again on my latest 993, but rarely have I seen it done to a Saab, until now.

I've been excitedly following a complete interior refit of a Saab Turbo X from Tartu, Estonia, where a design and trim specialist called Imredning has done an absolutely stunning job. The interior, in a deep rich brown colour features in-house handwoven leather door panels using a mixture of Alcantra and Nappa leather, genuine carbon fibre and some exceptional type embossing including 'Move Your Mind'. The dashboard and seats are all trimmed with matching Nappa leather and the contrasting orange stitching is exquisite.

Hopefully I'll get more photos of the completed project soon, but for now, just wanted to share and congratulate both the trimmer and owner for investing such care into yet another very special Saab.

Imrening Design | Instagram

Aeroriginal Green over Tan Edition

September 24, 2020 Eleven

Made in Sweden, the first generation Saab 9-5 has a purity of design the later models lost, it's also one of my all time favourite Saabs. They're getting exceptionally rare to find now, especially with service history, low miles and only a few owners, add a ridiculously rare colour to the mix and it'd be hard the beat.

As I continue to do my best to search out Saab Aeros that have a few unique touches, my latest find literally stopped me in my tracks, smitten from the moment I saw it, Scarabégrön (aka Scarab Green) with the always luxurious Sand leather interior. 4 owners from new, full service history with reputable Saab specialists and only 83,000 miles, it was expensive, but as a foundation for my next Aeroriginal, it seemed to tick all the boxes.

I've been trusting sellers lately and buying some of my projects without seeing them, after all, I pretty much tear them apart and replace anything that's not right and it's been ok, until now. The new 9-5 Aero arrived a few days ago and I felt so disappointed it almost put me off going any further, it's got small dents everywhere, the bodywork has been over-sprayed by what looks like a child with a spray can, the front spoiler falling off, fog light broken, interior worn and a number of fittings broken.

But then I took it for a drive and to my surprise, it was one of the smoothest, rattle free early 9-5s I've ever bought, it still feels lovely and sharp despite all of it shortcomings, yes the heat either blows ice cold or boiling hot, half the console buttons are either covered in dirt or worn out and there's enough dirt on the carpet to have been lived in by pigs. But that's half the point of my Aeroriginal Saabs, to rescue one's that have potential, and this one has plenty.

Before being taken to Malcom Miles for it's thorough work over, i've started to collect the parts required to make it feel special again, the amazing folks at Perry & Prouse Saab in Somerset have saved some late Sand leather front Aero seats for me, more sculptured and far more comfortable, it's an upgrade hard not to love. A new set of leather lined door cards to replace the filthy velour lined ones, a new armrest, new dashboard, new Nappa leather steering wheel, new SID, new foglights, new rear light cluster, all to give it that love it truly deserves.

I'll also be doing my normal touches; Bilstein B8 suspension, Powerflex bushes, braided brake lines, Tarox Sport Japan drilled, grooved and vented brakes, APH downpipe, Jetex stainless steel exhaust, DO88 intercooler, Noob Stage 3+ remap and plenty more.

We'll then move on to the bodywork and for now, I'm leaving it untouched, once i've got it driving and handling exactly how I imagine, it'll go in for cosmetic surgery to have it looking great again. I truly believe these early Saab 9-5 are iconic, they've turned out to be utterly reliable, beautifully built and a modern classic car that has an understated luxury and presence that makes you feel special.

I doubt this is going to be a cheap project, but after living with if for a couple of days, i've fallen for it, my first Green over Tan Aeroriginal.

Mission Complete

September 11, 2020 Eleven

In many ways, the task of a Saab rescuer is a thankless one, we take all the risks associated with renovating a 20 year old car and reap none of the financial rewards associated with more valuable modern classics, and yet we still do it.*

For the past 4 months, we’ve all been working hard to rescue this stunning Hazelnut Metallic Saab 9-5 Aero estate, it has the perfect foundations; low owners, full service history, low miles, yet as with many other Saabs, it hasn’t been pampered like it truly deserves, that has now been rectified.

I call it the Café Racer Edition as not only has it got the exceptionally rare paint, but is complemented by a full Sand leather interior and a light Walnut dash, I’ve now enhanced that with a set of stunning 19” Japan Racing wheels in Matt Bronze.

It hasn’t been an easy task; endless parts replaced, more bodywork than thought, a small fire, but in the end, and with the help of a multitude of exceptional Saab folks, it’s risen from the flames once again and feels fantastic to drive. With only 81,000 Miles, it really is like a new Saab, no rattles, everything feels exceptionally tight and with the performance and handling mods, almost better than original.

It’s hard to describe the feeling I get to have another Saab with an exciting future ahead of it, I’m still not sure why I continue to do it either, it’s expensive, time consuming and without profit, but for me, I love the sense of another Saab saved, given the love it deserves whilst I get to design them how I think they should be.

It’s now ready for the next part of it’s journey, written about, photographed and driven, you’ll find this very special Aero wagon for sale here.

*Words adapted from one of my all time favourite films; Ratatouille, just seems so apt.

Aux In. Tunes Out.

August 8, 2020 Eleven

Without fail, owners of older Saabs will have faced the same problem, want to hold on to the super cool looking OE stereo but have no simple way of connecting their phone to allow for all you favourite tunes to blast out.

Endless hours of research always pointed me back to one solution, the CD Connect Aux function from Skyddet in Sweden. It a simple little gadget that replaces your CD multi changer connection, it's all totally invisible besides a discreet 3.5mm Aux jack that can be fitted to a black button on your dash somewhere.

After fitting one to the Viggen, it works beautifully; sounds clear, crips and loud, pretty much all it needs to do, however, it doesn't offer any control via the head unit besides the volume, which is a shame, but a small price to pay to keep the Saab looking sweet. Not cheap at £180 but highly recommended if your Saab aesthetic is important to you.

CDConnect Aux | Skyddet Sweden

The Rains Came

August 6, 2020 Eleven

…Just, but enough for me to run outside and see how well the detail on the Viggen had worked. I don’t think I’m alone in getting a bit excited about some tiny beads of rain sitting atop newly detailed paintwork and fabric, it’s one of those simple pleasures that just makes any petrolhead smile.

From early signs, it seems as though the Fabsil Gold on the roof has worked a treat, keeping to interior dry and cosy whilst the Soft99 Fusso has worked equally well on the Lightening Blue paintwork, reassuring considering it’s been sat in hibernation for the past 5 years. I’ll looked forward to a proper English downpour with fingers crossed next.

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.

Black and Blue

August 3, 2020 Eleven

It might sound strange, but one of my favourite parts of any new Saab rescue is the interior refresh, I look forward to it, I plan what I need to do and how to approach it, I even like stocking up on the products iv’e trusted for years.

After a good few months of the Viggen being made mechanically right again, the interior has languished in 5 years of dust, dirt and tiredness, the leather looked sad and neglected, cast off parts all over the back seat and numerous fittings missing, lost over its 20 year journey.

I like to remove all of the seats, that way, I can treat each one to a full clean and 24 hour feed with Gliptone, bringing the leather to life again, the distinctive Viggen blue leather has come up a treat, it looks bright and firm again, and although the drivers seat has some cracking, the moisuriser has given it a new lease of life and left it with a lovely patina to help tell the car’s story.

I used a foam cleaner by Autoglym for the carpets and plastics and finished it off with a light rub of Autoglym Trim Gel which brings out the grain and colour perfectly.

The new CD head unit replaces the old cassette unit and a subtle AUX input has been fitted, the gorgeous new Nappa leather steering wheel by Tun Style and a genuine Saab replacement leather gear knob.

Tomorrow, the Viggen will be pampered even more by Harry the detailer, the body gets a full clay bar treatment and polish and the roof gets cleaned and sealed again ready for its first outdoor Winter in 5 years.

Cheap Thrills

July 28, 2020 Eleven

Saab 95 Aero_Cafe Racer_1_0001_Layer 1.jpg

Saab 95 Aero_Cafe Racer_1_0000_Layer 2.jpg

Since buying my latest 9-5 Aero back in June, it’s been a whirlwind of activity to build my very first Saab wagon the way I’d always imagined they should be.

The Hazelnut Metallic gave me the inspiration to create something a bit different; embracing the beige exterior, the supple sea of tan leather and the rare light walnut dash and enhancing it with 19” JR18 alloys from Japan Racing to create a kind of Saab Café Racer, a retro wagon for today.

A few teething problems needed sorting in the first few hundred miles, the car stuttered under hard acceleration so a new genuine Saab DI pack has now been fitted and the Stage 4 tuning has also highlighted a need for upgraded brakes at some point soon.

On to the part I relish doing on every new Saab I buy, giving the interior a deep clean. It took me an entire weekend, but the Aero is looking absolutely exceptional again, the comfortable tan leather seats have been cleaned and fed, the carpets and headlining have all been given a freshen up and the plastic, rubber and glass all cleaned and fed. This 9-5 also has a glass sunroof and that, together with the light interior just gives the whole car a luxurious, cosy and warm atmosphere, perfect for relaxed road trips and creating a genuinely impressive arrival at any grand café throughout the land.

The value for money of such a car is truly astounding, what other car could you buy with this much style, individuality and comfort for this sort of money, to say these Saab Aeros offer cheap thrills is an understatement, they really are exceptional cars that have stood the test of time. This is a very low milage example with just 80,000 miles, but double that and for a Saab, it’s still low, looked after and cherished, they’re built so well they’ll reward you for many years to come.

Mid August will see the Aero go to the bodyshop to have a few areas of rust cut out and fixed, the genuine rear Saab roof spoiler fitted and a front shark bumper to finish off the build beautifully.

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

Arts and Crafts

May 29, 2020 Eleven

For years I've been designing Saab builds, essentially to save some stunning cars from being broken up as parts but mostly to make the best possible version of each and every one.

With each build it's hard not to notice the exceptional folks who continue to invest their engineering skills into handcrafting special parts for our Saabs, in my eyes, these folks are Artists. The Viggen project parts store grows daily with many, many more to source but some recent deliveries really are just pieces of art, and all bespoke.

The 3" downpipe from APH Performance Almost too beautiful to hide, these all Stainless construction pipes have either a free flowing 200 cell cat or no cat at all if specified, tig welded and purged with V band joints for a perfect fit. I've commissioned five of these now and I'm sure the get better each time.

The Black Edition Grille Again, i've had a number of these commissioned and Fraser has done an exquisite job on each, he takes the best OE grilles he can find, cuts away the plastic louvers and replaces them with a perfectly fitted black metal mesh. I have mine finished in a smooth satin black finish which so far has suited each build, can't wait to see what this latest one looks like on the Lightning Blue Viggen.

The Viggen Short Shifter After a long and enjoyable conversation with Peter Raw about the Viggen Project, he suggested a part that he swears by, a bespoke short shift gear mechanism from Jam Saab. It's the first time I'll have fitted on to a build so will report on the difference it makes in a few months. Needless to say, the standard gearing is just a bit long for such quick cars, it generally feels slightly spongy and I have a feeling this will give it a more engineered, accurate feel.

Viggen Project parts list (to date) :

Tarox Sport Japan fully drilled and grooved vented discs
Tarox Sport Japan brake pads
Tarox high performance braided brake lines
Abbott Racing stainless steel subframe brace
Abbott Racing rack brace kit
Abbott Racing rear body strut brace
Bilstein B8 shocks
Eibach springs
DO88 Performance Intercooler
Nordic Performance induction kit
Momo Stealth 19" 5 spoke rims
Hankook Ventus S1 Evo tyres
TunStyle Nappa Leather steering wheel
Skyddet Aux kit
Viggen side badges by Raw Saab

The Viggen should be returning from the bodyshop soon after some required welding and paint, it’ll then land at Malcolm Miles once again for Jason and Andy to work their magic. Our aim is to build a super stylish Viggen convertible with a very capable 300+hp. The story continues…

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.

Laser Red Aero

April 28, 2020 Eleven

Although the Saab High Mile Club has been going for some years now, I’m always thrilled when another great Saab drops in to my inbox, this gorgeous rare Laser Red Aero is the latest.

The Saab Story “This car is very special to my family. My grandparents leased it in 2006, my dad purchased it after the lease was over, and now it is my car. We all have loved the rare laser red paint color and the heated and cooled leather seats. It has been an excellent car for the last 167,000 miles, and I hope it will last at least another 167,000”

What I love most is just how beautifully this Saab has been kept, just shows how well these cars hold up to high milage. Keep them coming, I do add them to the club at random points. Join here.