Belated introduction

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RadioFlyer
Posts: 918
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2011 11:08 am
Nickname: RadioFlyer
Number of Saabs currently owned: 7
Location: Utah

Belated introduction

Postby RadioFlyer » Tue Oct 15, 2013 1:41 pm

I just realized how rude I've been. I have been on SaabRally multiple times per day for about the last two years ... without ever having introduced myself! Bad form.

My name is Sam - RadioFlyer was the name of my first Talle Red SPG (named after a small child's red wagon - friends seemed to think that was appropriote). I got into Saabs when my dad bought a 9000 CSE when I was in high school (after many years away from Saabs). I loved it enough to get my license revoked for speeding and evasion and when I finally got it back, no one would insure me. Finally found a loophole of sorts - one insurer would give me liability only, which made it only worth it to buy a cheaper car - thus, my dad came home one day with a '93 900 NA and the true addiction began. Below you will the most up-to-date list of past Saabs. Enjoy.

1977? 99 5-door red (My dad's - mom had a matching one in white when I was little. I believe one of these brought me home from the hospital)

1991 9000 S tan (My dad's - he taught me to drive in her and I taught my little sis to drive her at age 13).

1995 9000 CSE dark green (My dad's - drove her to prom. Got three speeding tickets for more than double the speed limit. And outran what would have amounted to countless additional tickets)

1993 900 S Black "8-Ball" (Purchased in VT for $1500 after being kicked off the insurance for losing my license for speeding. Little sister claimed it when I left for South America and fell asleep at the wheel on I-91 in VT, flew off a 35' drop onto boulders and rolled into the trees. Only broke a nail climbing out the passenger side window. And you could have driven the car home. Now still a parts car.)
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1991 9000 S ($1500 purchased in VT, lost the brakes in Hanover, NH. Repaired and sold to a first time driver.)

1987 900 SPG Edwardian Grey (Purchased for $800 in Virginia, restored, sold to a guy who never paid and gave it to his sister, saying he got it for free before going to jail for a hit and run and fleeing his parole. I tracked it down years later - it had been driven to a pulp, crashed into, rolled down a hill into a tree, and left to rot behind a barn. I helped the parents sell it to a guy for a second restoration - still going strong!).
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1990 900 SPG Airflow Talladega Red "RadioFlyer" (Purchased in NH for $1700 - the guy was asking $5000 - removed airflow kit and drove across the US from Maine to California towing a uhaul trailer. Turned into a camper and hit every major park in Utah and Idaho - got let in for free at almost every one when they saw our camper setup - nearly lost the tranny after a season going up and down Powder Mtn in Utah and sold to my little sister who completely ruined the tranny within a month, helped her sell it to an enthusiast for full restoration - still going strong!)
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1987 900 Turbo Black "Black Widow (occupants)" (Purchased in Roseville, CA for $400 - it had sat for 14 years in a garage with an electrical short until the owner won the lottery and gifted it to a friend. The friend found the short, but couldn't figure out the dead battery. Sold to me - replaced the battery, towed to Utah, modified, drove for a winter, busted CVs, and a guy knocked on my door and insisted on buying it as-was for $2000 cash without any of the modifications - bone stock. I agreed. We remained friends ever since and he restored the Saab - still going strong!)
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1985 900 SPG Black (Free. Spotted sitting behind a barn in Utah next to a white '88 airflow. I stopped in to talk Saabs and when I asked about the '85, the guy offered to give it to me free if i could get it out of there. I obliged. Wiring harness was burned out and the car was infested with mice and black widows. Parted out.)

1994 900 Commemorative Edition Convertible #308 ($2700 in Utah from a guy who had just lost his job and wanted $6000 for the car. It was pretty much perfect. My wife claimed it for herself and then had a fender bender. Repaired and sold for $6300.)
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1990 900 SPG Talladega Red "RadioFlyer II" (My wife was getting sick of me spending too much time on the Saabs, so I bought this one that was said to be perfect. Came with a matching parts car for $4500. The car was NOT perfect! Everything died within about a month and needed almost a full restoration. Fixed almost everything and modified - it was GREAT FUN! Until everything went wrong and it turned back into a lemon. Sold to an enthusiast for another restoration - still going strong!)
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1990 900 SPG Talladega Red (Matching parts car that came with the above SPG - had been hit in the rear quarter while parked by a drunk driver in a Mustang in California. Owner got a $7000 insurance payout and gifted the car to a friend who drove it to Utah crabbing on a bent frame - went through 3 sets of tires on the way! Parted out.)
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1980 900 Turbo Aquamarine Blue "Lightnin" ($1200 in Oregon. Sat in the high desert for 20 years before an enthusiast rescued it and restored everything in the engine bay. I took a 23 hour bus ride sight unseen to buy it. It started right up and made the 14-hour drive without a hitch. Now fully restored and driven almost daily. Drove our first baby home from the hospital in it).
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1991 900 SE Monte Carlo Yellow "Carlos" ($800 in Utah. Had been looking all over the country for one when this came up on a local classified about 15 minutes from home. All the owner knew was that it was a Saab and that he wanted it out of his driveway. I was happy to oblige. Now fully restored and made the drive from Utah to NH without a hitch. Driven almost daily.)
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DrewP
Posts: 2084
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2007 8:27 pm
Nickname: TANK
Number of Saabs currently owned: 1
Location: Monrovia, CA

Re: Belated introduction

Postby DrewP » Tue Oct 15, 2013 4:27 pm

Haha, welcome! Excellent story telling.
"You can educate ignorance, but you can't fix stupid."

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Saabina
Posts: 106
Joined: Tue Sep 24, 2013 8:35 am
Number of Saabs currently owned: 4

Re: Belated introduction

Postby Saabina » Tue Oct 29, 2013 3:46 pm

Hi Sam:
Great belated intro! Real pleasure meeting you in Utah and seeing those awesome Saabs. You will be happy to hear the '90 SPG is going strong with new 24# Densos, a 2.8 FPR and a bunch of other tune-up/tweaking. First month or so was pretty frustrating but finally got it right and it's the daily driver now (to save the Vert.) A couple fun mountain trips and we're already up to 225k!
Cheers!
- Bill
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RadioFlyer
Posts: 918
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2011 11:08 am
Nickname: RadioFlyer
Number of Saabs currently owned: 7
Location: Utah

Re: Belated introduction

Postby RadioFlyer » Wed Oct 30, 2013 7:51 am

Bill!!! Hey great to see you finally got back online! Man, that spg still looks so sexy. You can see why it was impossible to turn down when I found it in Salt Lake - even though the seller was super sketchy (he mentioned that he had owned a few different red spgs, one of which he lost control of on the interstate in CA back in '95 or so and apparently flipped it end over end in the median - he survived but the spg did not). Anyway, really glad to hear she's running so well. What do you think was causing all the problems? Injectors? Mixture?

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Saabina
Posts: 106
Joined: Tue Sep 24, 2013 8:35 am
Number of Saabs currently owned: 4

Re: Belated introduction

Postby Saabina » Wed Oct 30, 2013 11:33 am

Definitely a head-turner, especially with the factory whaletail.

Long story: I hacked on it almost daily for nearly a month and bit-by-bit the issues went away. Biggest improvements, not in any particular order, were new non-resistor plugs at 0.024 (the old ones seemed OK but had a bunch of small cracks in the ceramic I didn't notice until later,) new cap, rotor and timing, eliminating a couple hidden vacuum leaks (one on cruise control which now works perfect,) replacing AMM (even though the old one seemed fine,) adjusting TPS and throttle plate position (it was a bit off and the shaft was loose and leaking air,) new/used but excellent condition fuel rail, new 24# Denso blue tops and seals, new 2.8 bar FPR and thorough AIC cleaning. I also changed a bunch of other stuff like O2 sensor, temp sensor, some intake plumbing and pulled the turbo and sealed any existing exhaust leaks around it with new gaskets and high-temp compound. The injectors really changed the drive-ability and 2.8 seemed best FPR amongst 2.5, 2.8 & 3.0 with the injectors and 'tweaked' APC. Also set base boost higher while 'tweaking' the APC potentiometers. The only remaining issue is a slight momentary and random hitch in an otherwise rock-solid idle every 4-5 seconds - especially when hot.

Like pretty much any Saab I have ever owned, it likes to be driven and seems to adjust itself to the driver as time passes. I like to believe they have a soul and personality but after driving the '93 Turbo yesterday for the first time in several months, I discovered a lot of it is actually me since it is also a great car but drives much different.

Whew! But, you asked....


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