75 99 ITB racer

[Geoff]

The interior pieces might have had to do with IT rules about trying to keep the interior similar to a stock car. I don't know if they still require stock interior parts in IT but I think they used to.

The notched/slotted cam gear is pretty typical for a milled down head. Helps you get your timing back where it should be (or where you want it) with the shorter head.

Looks like fun! Good score.

[paulh]

So, finally got around to taking the fuel cell out to investigate a bit, this is what I found:






Dated 7-90, so I guess we know roughly when the car was put together now





picked enough crap off the bladder to see that its a Fuel Safe RB108, which they actually still sell bladders for, its an 8 gallon cell, and the bladder is $585 looks like I'll be figuring something else out for that.



foam was even in good shape still, and it had this handy little surge tank setup in the tank as well





shame they're so expensive, looks like it was a pretty nice fuel setup, maybe I'll just look around for a regular stock gas tank as most sanctioning bodies don't seem to require a fuel cell.

Paul

[Luke]

So, finally got around to taking the fuel cell out to investigate a bit, this is what I found:






Dated 7-90, so I guess we know roughly when the car was put together now





picked enough crap off the bladder to see that its a Fuel Safe RB108, which they actually still sell bladders for, its an 8 gallon cell, and the bladder is $585 looks like I'll be figuring something else out for that.



foam was even in good shape still, and it had this handy little surge tank setup in the tank as well





shame they're so expensive, looks like it was a pretty nice fuel setup, maybe I'll just look around for a regular stock gas tank as most sanctioning bodies don't seem to require a fuel cell.

Paul

Thats a really common cell, you can get likely get a bladder for around $250 if you shop around, look for an ATL "saver cell" bladder or a Fuel safe "enduro" they are the crosslinked poly material and hold up really well over time and are cheaper. I have the same surge tank as that in the rally car, it works great, it was about $150 alone as I recall. By the time you find a decent non rusty inside 99 tank and get it all cleaned up and find decent condition filler hoses and the sludge out, $250 won't be such a bad deal for a real fuel cell, since you already have like $400 of parts sitting there to make it work....

[paulh]

Ahh I didn't realize it was that common, I'll have to poke around and see what I can find, I agree that it would be nice to use the setup that it has, seems like a real nice setup, just needs a few fresh lines at this point.

Paul

[paulh]

Hey, how about an update! Decided it was time to dust this thing off and do something with it, especially since Gary keeps bugging Delorean and I about more Saabs at the hillclimbs. So, going to build this thing up with hillclimbs in mind, not going to run ITB, too restrictive, instead I'm shooting for running it in SMF. Which of course means that the motor it has is going to be nowhere near enough power, so thats out:





Planning on using my gripper that I got from the group buy in the 4 speed that came from the car (78 99t unit I think), along with a 16v frankenstein motor made from a 90 NA block and pistons and a 2.1 head. T5 of course, and I think I'm going to throw this HX30 I've had sitting around on the thing, but we'll see about that as things progress. Brakes will be wilwood all around (any suggestions on sizing with the stock master/booster?) It's already got a proportioning valve installed, and I'll be piping in this el cheap-o ebay hydraulic handbrake:



found this cracked caliper, looks like they were really heating up the solid front rotors!



The body is a total mess, not a lot of structural rust, but its got patches of rust all over it, and 20 year old graphics stuck on it, and a bunch of fun crash damage. Think I'm going to throw some 900 doors on it to cut down on the amount of work required there, and since that will make it easier to install some door panels and such, since thats all required in SMF. So far it's just more apart than it was before



Also went crazy and got some $120 (shipped) Hoosier slicks off ebay, Spec Miata take-offs, pretty decent tread left, should be interesting to try out. You can also see the ATL bladder for the fuel cell.



So yeah, think thats the plan so far, still need to get a cheap seat for it, and belts, and a whole mess of other things...

Paul

[SwedeSport]

Sounds cool... you just need to have it done by June.

[gmreider]

Good to see more SAABs in PHA Hillclimbs. After we make the other competitors crazy with our big turnout, we can then concentrate on building a group "Lemons car".
After watching things at New Hampshire Friday and Saturday, Carolyn and I are hooked. We had to leave Saturday afternoon unfortunately. I understand things went bad for Norman , but have not heard the details.
I've located a 91 900S 3 door as a shell and will pickup Thursday. I'll let it sit in the lower field until it's time.

[Crazyswede]

:yay: Good to see more SAABs in PHA Hillclimbs. After we make the other competitors crazy with our big turnout, we can then concentrate on building a group "Lemons car".
After watching things at New Hampshire Friday and Saturday, Carolyn and I are hooked. We had to leave Saturday afternoon unfortunately. I understand things went bad for Norman , but have not heard the details.
I've located a 91 900S 3 door as a shell and will pickup Thursday. I'll let it sit in the lower field until it's time.

this was one of the pictures texted to me on Saturday:

[DeLorean]

Wow, that was a bit of an off! Hopefully the turbo didn't get smashed in that impact.

[Luke]

Ok now that the cat's out of the bag, I guess its time to explain. I killed Norman, but in my defense he tried to kill me first!

The car had been running great all day and had already been out for about 5-6 hours that day, We had just done a driver change and fuel, and I had been out on the track for only a few laps. The car was really a blast to drive and I was in the midst of negotiating a pass while entering back from the roadcourse onto the NASCAR oval when, without any prior warning, the steering wheel was no longer influencing the directional inclination of the wheels. I quickly glanced down and saw the lower steering column bouncing off my toes, disconnected at the connection to the rack! I got about 65 feet of braking in from about 70-75 mph before slamming directly into the concrete wall at high speed, spinning back onto the track, being hit by another race car, and then crashing back into the inside wall several hundred feet down the track, backwards. Almost immediately, an engine fire started at which point I crawled out the window and was promptly greeted by the paramedics who helped me into an ambulance. After examination and questioning, I was released. I am still stiff and sore today, but overall amazingly unscathed.

[SwedeSport]

We are all glad there were no injuries.

At least there are plenty of Lemons quality Saab 900s floating around.

[DeLorean]

Wow, Split shaft air-bag type steering shaft? So I am going to go check my SPG's right now then.

If I recall correctly, those steering shafts are typically installed using


So, dang. that should not have fell out! Glad you are ok after that.

[Luke]

Wow, Split shaft air-bag type steering shaft? So I am going to go check my SPG's right now then.

If I recall correctly, those steering shafts are typically installed using


So, dang. that should not have fell out! Glad you are ok after that.

It believe it was a pre-airbag lower column, what we think happened it that there had been known in/out play in the upper column for some time, as all C900's tend to get, but the play was not just internal to collaspable section but actually the whole upper column moved in and out, pulling on the lower column u-joint (that is hidden behind the black rubber boot) Eventually, from all the banging up and down the splines acted like a broach for the safety cross-bolt and after some time it no longer has anything phyically restraining it... As I crossed the bump during the transition onto the oval it probably knocked the column up enough to finally pull it right off the rack...

[DrewP]

Wow. I am glad you're ok.

Is that about your worst incident during competition so far then?

[Luke]

Wow. I am glad you're ok.

Is that about your worst incident during competition so far then?

Yeah, also the most scary in that I had enough time to fully acknowledge what was happening. The rally incidents I've had have always occurred so fast I really didn't know what was happening until it was over.