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Belgian paintjobs on 99's... Posted by IrieTom [Email] (#1032) [Profile/Gallery] (more from IrieTom) on Wed, 7 Mar 2001 14:20:29 In Reply to: Re: 99 or 96, if 96: 2-stroke or V4?, GregS, Thu, 1 Mar 2001 22:20:41 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
The 1st two cars I ever drove were a '72 96 (V4) and a '78 99L. They were both very fun to drive.
The 96 was fun in a wierd, V4, column-shift, "what-the-hell-is-that?" kind of way. Acceleration wasn't shabby for late '60s-early 70's small cars, but not great. The handling will leave an ear-to-ear grin on your face.
The 99 was fun in a happy puppy "Hey! let's go here!" enthusiastic get-up-and-go-as-fast-as-you-can-all-day-long kind of way.
The decision should probably rest mainly on the condition of the cars you are looking at. Any car this old should be checked thoroughly for rust. Pull up carpets, unbolt door sills, look under the trunk floors, etc. I think the seam between the floor pan and firewall is a problem rust area for 96 models.
The 1978 99L was purchased by my dad in 1978 and recalled by the SAAB company in 1986 and bought back. The car had considerable rust even though it was 8 years old and had been repainted during that time. I remember hearing that the paintjob at the Belgian assembly plant was the reason for excessive rusting, and SAAB wanted to get these cars off the road in order to continue development of a more upscale image (remember the yuppie '80's?)
I've never driven a 2-stroke SAAB, so I can't compare those to your other choices. The best bet is to drive a few different ones, if possible. This is a highly subjective, emotional topic. Listen to your instincts. Given the choices, you really can't go wrong.
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