Swede gone US-style. ;) Say hello to Mr Blackie Flatnose.

[saabfan9]

any progress-updates-pics?

[ReinO]

Nah, not really. I had a go at swapping the engine, but ran in to difficulties, so i had to put the stock engine back together. All did not go well sadly. The oil cooler had totally messed up threads on one of the connections. Now i have made a loop instead, until i can fix another cooler.
The intake had a small piece of gasket left on it, so i had to take that off again to clean it and seal it properly.

Afterwards, after i drove the car from my moms place, to my home (50 Km-approx. 30 miles), i discovered a disturbing amount of oil in the right side of the engine bay. Apparantly i hadn't gotten the oil return from the turbo, fitted in the engine block properly either, so oil was gushing out of there when the engine was running.

Anyway, i didn't attend to the cars needs until this night when i fixed the oil return. Dropped one of the MoF***** screws of course! And i didn't find it, but i hope it will stay tight enough 'til i get a new one, or find the old.
So the most important now, is to change the coolant fluid, since i just topped it up with water, hence raising the freezetemp to just above -10* Celsius (14*F), wich is bad, as the temperature here in Sweden now are around -15 -20*C (5*F).

Luckily, the engine wasn't frozen when i tampered with it tonight at least, but it's just plain stoopid to wait any longer. I'm a little exited though, to put on the winter wheels on it, since the steels are not rusty and ugly any more, but bright red. together with the small original hubcaps and chrome rims, i think it will look awesome on this car.

I can give you some pics though. Like, one on the wheels and one before the failed engine swap.





Btw, thoughts about T5 are starting to grow in my head.

[SwedeSport]

That wheel treatment should look cool on a black car.

[ReinO]

Here's how the wheels turned out. :D

[SwedeSport]

I like it, but it needs to be slammed stupid low now.

[ReinO]

I can happily report, thet Mr Flatnose went through the car inspection with blank paper, i.e no problems at all. Even though i fail to see how the f**k i managed to pull that off.


I went on a small trip to a junkyard nearby afterwards, to see if there was anything fun to be found.. and there was...

These beauties!


Found them on a 9000 A50 (i think), and i got them for 500 swedish crowns, witch is like less than half of what they are worth. With the currency as it is, it converted to exactly $78.99. =)

Cheers
//Seb

[ReinO]

Okay, so the Super Aeros won't find their way onto this particular 900, since i don't think they fit the style of the car. It should be a bit more old school.

I do however, own a set of Silver Spokes that awaits some paint, and i am rolling on a set of booring Soft Spokes now. It's sad when the winter wheels are nicer than the summer wheels. But that is all going to change now, since i got myself some Square Spokes! :D I think they will fit the car really good. :)

[Geoff]

Those are wide wheels too.

[SwedeSport]

I vote for the 5 spokes over the 9000 Aero wheels.

[tweek's Turbos]

A set of 4 with tires for $78!

[ReinO]

Im glad to say, that i will attend the Saab Festival in Trollhättan! So if there is anyone here who are going, you will be able to look at this car there on saturday.

I've taken some new pics too.









And just the other day, i got to put some chrome trim in the bumpers.

[Geoff]

I like the way you painted some of the trim black to make the chrome around the bottom and back of the windows look like a Sport and Rally "swoosh". The front end of that car must look pretty different in Sweden!

[tweek's Turbos]

I will be there!

[SwedeSport]

The half chrome trim around the windows is actually stolen from the NG 9-5.


Car looks good! The earlier 900s had so much more style.

[ReinO]

Thanks guys! :D

Just as SwedeSport writes, the window trim is a feature from the ng9-5, that i saw a guy painted on his 9-3, actually. The trim was originaly all black, but i swaped the trim on the door to a chrome one. Around the rear side window, i put on some aluminum foil tape. It's not perfect, but it looks good from a distance.