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Stick with the 95 ring & pinion -- shorter ratio (more RPMs needed for same highway speed) but all the experts say the pinion gear is a lot stronger than on the Sonett r&p. Gives more torque, too, so you can have fun doing smokey burnouts from stoplights. Original Sonett r&p was taller because Sonett is lighter than 95/96, so didn't need as much torque; nicer for highway cruising, plus makes it possible to achieve 100mph (factory redline on stock tire size = 99.9mph.) But today, given scarcity and fragility of Sonett r&p, the 95/96 gears make more sense. Lots of autocrossers swap out Sonett box for a 95/96 to get the stronger gears.
Original Sonett had NO brake boost -- again Sven & Ole probably felt was not needed because of lighter weight. No boost gives better brake feel, too. Master cyls and boost units varied slightly by year, so yours may not be exact same as on your 96 -- but then again might be, or close enough. Brakes may be touchy with boost, though. If you can't keep from locking them up, guess you always could disconnect vacuum hose from booster and plug the port where it takes off!
Rust situation sounds promising, but don't assume rest will be good because what you found so far is good. Not uncommon for Sonett floors to rust from the inside out, up in the footwell area -- snow would get tracked in or rain would leak in, soaking carpets, and eventually rust would start and work its way along the inner rocker panel seams. Floors can look pretty solid in center but be ready to fall out because seams have rusted away!
Take up carpets (easy -- just two big pieces) and particle-board floor inserts if still present, and give the whole area a hard look; ditto all along the rocker/sill panels from underneath. 'Crunchy' spots = bad. Small problem areas can be patched (cut out around damaged area and get a sheet-metal shop to fabricate a replacement with correct channels & flanges, then weld 'em in); big pieces available from Jack Ashcraft or some from Saab Club Sweden.
If you've got a 95 driveline & brake cyl, sounds as if your car has been subject to 'creative engineering' by previous owners -- may be fine (sometimes an improvement) but can make parts-shopping a headache, so I suggest getting hold of Sonett shop manual and maybe one of Tom Donney's photo sets, then go over whole car noting carefully how & where it's different from original. Also a good time to note what else needs to be fixed or replaced; then you can make a plan and prioritize what jobs you want to do first, so you can have fun in an ORGANIZED way!
posted by 204.76.11...
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