White 74 LE

[Sam]

Its more about not wanting to compromise the originality of the shell. Anyone can take a grinder and cut holes, but if enough people do that there won't be any original shells left.

I could cut the thing apart this weekend and then do some shoddy work with the flux core and crappy home depot arc welder we have, but where does that leave me?

Every single D-jet piece of this car is missing or broken. D-jet box broken, no injectors, no working distributor, cut harness, no airfilter box, every sensor corroded, wiring beyond repair. Bringing this d-jet system back from the dead would be very costly when i have a running 900T worth of parts to work with. In fact all of the wires are still attached to the 900 engine ready to be dropped in.

So if i could get the B202 in there without cutting i would be ecstatic. Are the belts going to rub or not?!

[airsweden]

I've put both H 8v and 16v motors in 99's. They fit with some shoving on the firewall. Not too much though because then your gas pedal starts to get all kooky. The belts aren't a problem either if you run a single pulley on the alternator. The alternator does need to be moved though, it hits the brake booster if not. I put a big dent in a booster to avoid moving it once but it really has to go somewhere else to be legit. The motor mounts are a basic swap with 900 barrel type, just need to drill a couple holes. I've even changed the water pump without removing axels, just need a jack under the motor in the right place.

You could probably find a running beater needing less work though. If you're gonna go through the trouble of getting this car together, might as well do it right. Get Luke's "Firewall kit". I'll bet he could sell a few of those.

[DrewP]

Get Luke's "Firewall kit". I'll bet he could sell a few of those.

Awww, dammit, I am at this stage right now in mine, and I am not enjoying it, if only because I generally try not to get too in depth with sheetmetal work. I end up working on it for an hour, then staring at it for a while and go do something else.

Repeat the next day.

I am now at the stage where there is just a big hole where the firewall should be, and am fitting a patch panel in, and am wishing that the original firewall was more.... planar....


Best,
Drew

[Jordan]

Get Luke's "Firewall kit". I'll bet he could sell a few of those.

Awww, dammit, I am at this stage right now in mine, and I am not enjoying it, if only because I generally try not to get too in depth with sheetmetal work. I end up working on it for an hour, then staring at it for a while and go do something else.

Repeat the next day.

I am now at the stage where there is just a big hole where the firewall should be, and am fitting a patch panel in, and am wishing that the original firewall was more.... planar....


Best,
Drew

My experience/feeling exactly . I cringe every time I have to drill a new hole in the thing...my anxiety level is proportional to the hole size though.

[Luke]

My opinion is to do it right and give yourself plenty of clearance and make a nice fitting panel that almost looks like it was meant to be, or don't do it at all.

Sam, my recommendation would be keep the firewall stock. Modding it on a 74 opens a whole can of worms... trust me. 75+ is much easier due to the location of the brake pedal box.

[Hans]

If you're keen to keeping it looking original, maybe look online for pics of the firewall shape that Saab used on the later (Euro-only) 99s with H motors. They scooped it out to accommodate the alt pulley.

As for Jetronic working on a B motor -- I don't see why it wouldn't work just fine. An air mass meter system can adjust pretty well. I ran a Volvo Jetronic for a 2.3L turbo on a Saab B212 for a few years. The car passed emissions with flying colors (twice), started fine, and ran at stoichiometric all day long (until I went into WOT, at which point is was too rich). If you do end up with Jetronic, the newer the system, the better.

[DrewP]

....my anxiety level is proportional to the hole size though.

**teeheehee!!*** [/inappropriate laughter]



You can imagine what my emotional level right now is:






How are things coming for you Sam?

Best,
Drew

[Geoff]

hey bebe, nice hole

[Sam]

So i have been sitting on this project forever.

I have an opportunity to pick up a 1980 900 turbo motor on craigslist. I really don't know anything about those early 8v turbos. From the pictures that come up on google it looks like its just a B engine with a turbo on it. Will this fit in in the 74 without hacking up the firewall, or was the firewall pushed back in the later iterations of the 99?

[Geoff]

The 99 firewalls were the same (or virtually the same) from '75 until the introduction of the H engine. A B turbo engine should fit fine.*

What is the condition of the '80 900? I hope you're not getting a nice running, rust-free early 900 and pulling the drive train out for the dirty 99...


* the B engine with turbo was always a relatively tight fit in 99s.

[Sam]

Its just the engine and a bad trans thats for sale. I gave the 99 engine to luke in the very questionable condition that it was in. If this goes through I will have a good running 88 turbo engine still attached to a good 900 wiring harness to get rid of.

[Jordan]

The engine fits fine. The transmission front covers are different (which is the front engine mount)... you'd need to swap that for one from an '80 99 to use a 5-speed or you could just mate it to the current 4 speed transmission if it is any good.

A couple of other things that came with the turbos that you wouldn't have are the battery shelf, twin pusher fans and oil cooler setup. The oil cooler setup from the 900 might work, but I'd imagine the fans and battery tray might be different on the 900. You'd need the engine wiring harness as well unless you plan on doing something custom. Probably some other things I'm forgetting...coolant hoses maybe?

[Sam]

Yeah I have the rebuilt 4 speed that it came with. That should have more favorable gear ratios for the less powerful 8v turbo anyway. He is now saying that the syncros are bad in the transmission but that the engine is good.

I will have to take a look at what the guy has got. Hopefully its not a swapped H motor. The rarity of the B turbos and an '80 900 makes me skeptical.

[Geoff]

I wouldn't use any 5spd from a 1980 car. Too weak. Check the GM# to see if its a 1980 box or not.

[Sam]

Yeah, the 4 speed one is an Eriksson. It has the extra reinforcement fins inside the oil pan so i think it is a strong box.

I wonder what kind of power can be made on the 8v. 135hp doesn't seem like much but it wasn't that much less than the early 16v turbos. I wonder what kind of power it could make with a GT28.