1950-1966 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Just a few thoughts from a former "vintage" SAAB owner (I owned them when they were new).
The reason you don't see any 96s in your area can be summed up in one word:
RUST! The early SAABs were not nearly as rust-proof as today's SAABs are, so the salt applied to the roads in the Northeast did most of them in eventually. In my opinion, the most important thing to look for in vintage SAABs is rust. Most mechanicals can be rebuilt or replaced, but a rusty SAAB is a lost cause - no matter what you do to fix it, it will keep on rusting away. So get a SAAB with a clean body, as near rust-free as possible. For 96s, look for rust in the doors, in the rocker panels, pick up the carpet/mats and look for rusty floors both front and rear, look at the trunk floor, and at the seam where the rear fenders join the body of the car. Given the importance of buying a car with as little rust as possible, I highly recommend that you either inspect the car yourself, or have someone else inspect it for you if you cannot get to the seller's location. Maybe someone on this list who lives near the car you decide to buy would be willing to look at it for you. I would be highly suspect of any 96s for sale in the Northeast in terms of rust - if you decide to buy a 96 from the Northeast, you need to make sure that it isn't 50% body filler (bondo).
As to whether to go 2-stroke or V-4, in spite of my many fond memories of my two 2-stroke SAABs, I would have to recommend the V-4 engine. First of all, it will be easier to find parts and people willing to work on the V-4. Second, its additional power makes the 96 more fun to drive, I think, and allows you to drive at highway speeds. You can drive 60 or 65 mph in a 2-stroke, but after an hour or so, your ears will be hurting from the high rpm noise. Also, despite what others may say, I believe that the 2-stroke's longevity will be significantly decreased by driving above 50 mph. Remember that the 2-stroke engine is not made anymore, and parts are hard to find. You can still get V-4 parts from Ford, since the V-4 was used for many years as a Ford industrial engine. Although the V-4 is a more "conventional" engine, it is peppier and more fun to drive than the 2-stroke. I am sure there are people on this list who will argue with me on this point, but that's my opinion. Finally, when you get the V-4 engine, you also get the 4-speed transmission. Many of the 2-stroke 96s had a 3-speed transmission, which only accents the 2-stroke's lack of power compared to the V-4.
If you decide to get a 2-stroke, stay away from the 1965 model year, which most classic SAAB owners agree was a bad year for SAAB production in terms of quality. The last year for the 2-stroke engine was '68. The V-4 engine was introduced in 1967. Many V-4 lovers say that the '67 and '68 years were the best, because of minimal emission controls on the engine those years. By '72 and '73, the V-4 engine had lost some of its responsiveness due to increasing emission controls. The last year for the 96 V-4 model in Americal was 1973, I believe. Some later model 96s were equipped with air conditioning. I recommend against buying a 96 V-4 with air conditioning, or one that had air conditioning (it may have been removed by a previous owner). AC put a heavy load on the V-4 engine, and you will pay for that with more repairs and less reliability.
Good luck in your 96 quest!
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