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.
