And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Saturday, January 1, 2022
At the same time as I own the Avanti, I should have one of these. Imagine the choice of what to drive every morning! Insane!
I remember them when I worked on the NJ Turnpike at a Cities Service station. Fill it up with regular after adding 2 quarts of Non-detergent oil to the gas tank.
we had a Saab dealer in my home town, and herds of Saabs. after I left I did not see many Saabs, which makes me wonder how far you can get from a dealer and not get nervouus.
Back in the day, I carpooled with a guy who had a series of the three cylinder Saab's. Mostly, I had a '67 Ford but also had an Alfa Giulietta Sprint which I was working on. One day I drove it to work and on the way home, the float stuck in the carb and it flooded out. He pushed me out of the middle of Courtland Street in Atlanta with a Saab. I was so embarrassed.
Bought a SAAB in Europe in 1967 new for $1,300.00. If one put 1000 Km on the odometer the Feds considered it a used car if it were brought into the USA which I did and no Duty was charged. SAAB brought the car to New Haven, CT for free where I picked it up. I kept the car six years putting 125,000 miles on it @ circa 40 miles per gallon hwy on regular gas. It had a 47 Hp three cylinder SAAB Shrike oil injection engine and could cruse easily at 80 mph on Western USA roads. The European model had thicker steel for the body than the American model and better paint but the electrical system was not as good--had problems starting in wet winter weather. When I registered it in the USA I had to replace the super bright European head lights with American standard dimmer sealed beams. The Monocoque construction of the SAAB insured a squeak free service life. In the 1970s bought a SAAB 99 and drove that car for over 125,000 miles as well. I gave it to the son of an employee for him to take when he left home to go to a technical school to learn computer drafting. The boy took the car from the North West to Phoenix and when he finished his training took the car to a job in California eventually selling it a few years later as it was still running. SAABs were solid cars, fun to drive, and reliable.
I'll take the Avanti every time.
ReplyDeleteI always thought the Avanti was from Studebaker, not Saab. I DO remember the Saab Sonnet though.
ReplyDeletewoops, should have scrolled more.
ReplyDeleteImagine having one of each, well restored and running, in the garage. Weird, very weird, but fun!
DeleteI remember them when I worked on the NJ Turnpike at a Cities Service station. Fill it up with regular after adding 2 quarts of Non-detergent oil to the gas tank.
ReplyDeleteWonder how long before their spark plugs had to be de-grunged?!
Deletewe had a Saab dealer in my home town, and herds of Saabs. after I left I did not see many Saabs, which makes me wonder how far you can get from a dealer and not get nervouus.
ReplyDeleteCo-worker had a Euro-spec SAAB 9-3 Viggen.
ReplyDeleteHe loved the curvy sections of VA Route 193.
Could also make 'Vette drivers very embarrassed.
Back in the day, I carpooled with a guy who had a series of the three cylinder Saab's. Mostly, I had a '67 Ford but also had an Alfa Giulietta Sprint which I was working on. One day I drove it to work and on the way home, the float stuck in the carb and it flooded out. He pushed me out of the middle of Courtland Street in Atlanta with a Saab. I was so embarrassed.
ReplyDeleteBought a SAAB in Europe in 1967 new for $1,300.00. If one put 1000 Km on the odometer the Feds considered it a used car if it were brought into the USA which I did and no Duty was charged. SAAB brought the car to New Haven, CT for free where I picked it up. I kept the car six years putting 125,000 miles on it @ circa 40 miles per gallon hwy on regular gas. It had a 47 Hp three cylinder SAAB Shrike oil injection engine and could cruse easily at 80 mph on Western USA roads. The European model had thicker steel for the body than the American model and better paint but the electrical system was not as good--had problems starting in wet winter weather. When I registered it in the USA I had to replace the super bright European head lights with American standard dimmer sealed beams. The Monocoque construction of the SAAB insured a squeak free service life. In the 1970s bought a SAAB 99 and drove that car for over 125,000 miles as well. I gave it to the son of an employee for him to take when he left home to go to a technical school to learn computer drafting. The boy took the car from the North West to Phoenix and when he finished his training took the car to a job in California eventually selling it a few years later as it was still running. SAABs were solid cars, fun to drive, and reliable.
ReplyDeleteDan Kurt