Rally Service Car - '79 GLi

[Luke]

Because I desperately needed another project to work on, I picked up a 79 Gli that came up for sale in the area. Ok so it turns out I dont need another project at all, but I couldnt pass this one up as I saw good potential in the car.

The details on the car:
1979 900 GLi Chamotte Brown.
8V B motor, 4 speed, Manual steering, No AC, no power anything, non-catlyst, 61K original miles from the 2nd owner and always garaged in winter. Its about as simple and spartan as a 900 ever came - which I love.
When I picked up the car it ran fine, but the fuel tank would not hold fuel as there was a giant hole in the tank that looks like it was caused by a jack being placed under the tank.
I've had the car sitting at the shop for a while but over the past few months I've begun to do some work on the car. The goal is to create a simple rally service chase car like the works team used. Something that can be used for recce, running to the parts store between services, and general errands during a rally weekend.

[Luke]

The car the day I picked it up:



The basic body was in really nice condition for its age. I noticed there was one funky spot on the drivers side rear quarter where some collision damage had been repaired what looked to be early on in the cars life.

[Rallyho]

Sweet project man. Do you have any more info/pics other than what's in "From Two-Stroke to Turbo?" I used to have a SAAB chrome roof basket...would have been perfect!

Do you plan on doing away with the rear seats?

[SwedeSport]

Having seen this project in person I can attest that it will make for a sweet ride. Not many early 900s running around anymore. The roof basket is a must. You could mount some Saab fog lights on sides of the basket to illuminate the makeshift service areas. You could build a rack that attaches to the basket to carry 4 spare tires standing up. A raised ride height and some lights on the front too. I totally dig the early grille. It definitely needs some soccer ball wheels. The 200mm Hella H4 lenses with the 90/130 H4 bulbs would really help. I actually have a set of Cibie lenses that I may be convinced to part with. You would have to upgrade the wire harness to handle the watts, but its well worth it. I have the mod done on my car, but I also have the parking lights modified to accept h3 55 watt bulbs in place of the 5 watt units, but your car doesnt have them.

It desperately needs some Team Sorensen graphics too. Im thinking black and white as the main graphic colors? Maybe throw in an accent color or 2.

Cant wait to run to NAPA with this thing at a rally.

[Luke]

Sweet project man. Do you have any more info/pics other than what's in "From Two-Stroke to Turbo?" I used to have a SAAB chrome roof basket...would have been perfect!

Do you plan on doing away with the rear seats?

I have some other pictures I've collected of the support cars, usually they were either opal (spring) green or indian yellow (sunset orange) 99 combi coupes, but this one popped up and I like the chamotte brown better than those colors. Still funky and 70's but a little less in your face.

I'll probably leave the seat in and just fold in down. The seats are actually in remarkable condition. I'm going to try to keep the interior unmodified and just outfit with rally stuff as needed.

[Rallyho]

So some sort of stripped down service kit?

odo, aux lights, roof basket, skidplate, ham radio, stiffer springs/yellar shocks (for load and recce) basic tools, lightweight jack, air can, couple of wheels, fuel jug, basic spares kit, cooler of PBR and a blow up doll?

[Luke]

So some sort of stripped down service kit?

odo, aux lights, roof basket, skidplate, ham radio, stiffer springs/yellar shocks (for load and recce) basic tools, lightweight jack, air can, couple of wheels, fuel jug, basic spares kit, cooler of PBR and a blow up doll?

Exactly my thoughts, add to that list a trailer hitch for emergency towing and we'd be set.

[Luke]

Oh and a dual vent hood of course, always good for 20hp at least.

[airsweden]

Nice, I was driving a medium/dark blue '79 900 GLi in 1991 and maybe 92. I did all kinds of dumb stuff to try to make it look newer. I put the hatch, steering wheel, grill, bumpers, wheels, etc from an '86 turbo on it. Funny how things change, now I'd want it just the way it was when I got it.

[Luke]

Nice, I was driving a medium/dark blue '79 900 GLi in 1991 and maybe 92. I did all kinds of dumb stuff to try to make it look newer. I put the hatch, steering wheel, grill, bumpers, wheels, etc from an '86 turbo on it. Funny how things change, now I'd want it just the way it was when I got it.

Yeah I got an '80 900 in '96 and did pretty much all the same stuff, sprayed flat black paint over all the nice chrome trim too.
I really like the clean look without the center hatch lights, If I was one of those guys with a $12K slammed SPG i'd definatly "shave" the center lights.

[Luke]

Sweet project man. Do you have any more info/pics other than what's in "From Two-Stroke to Turbo?" I used to have a SAAB chrome roof basket...would have been perfect!

Do you plan on doing away with the rear seats?

Heres a few pics I dug up:
None too great but you see the rack,hitch,lights etc



Notice that in two of the shots theres definitely a spare axle beam strapped to the rear of the rack :)

[SwedeSport]

I have that spoiler on my car, the sport and rally ducktail. I should pull a mold and make a few copies. Starting with one on the service car.

[Luke]

I have that spoiler on my car, the sport and rally ducktail. I should pull a mold and make a few copies. Starting with one on the service car.

Yeah as I said before, I'll buy all the materials for the mold and stuff and we can use my vacuum bagging setup to pull a really nice mold. Would be a good winter project if we can get the thing inside.

[Luke]

The original metal gas tank has a big hole torn open in it, either somebody drove over something sharp or a mechanic put a jack under it. I swapped it out for a plastic one out of an '80 900 , thats a single year tank that will fit an early 3door.

[Jordan]

Is that the tank that we pulled from that '80? auto EMS in PA somewhere....? I have those funky fender braces from that car somewhere I think.