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I remember it like it was yesterday. My story begins in 1985 at a car lot in El Paso Texas. My father was looking for a good cheap second car so that he could dump his problematic two year old S10 Blazer. At first, dad was interested in a yellow Volvo 245, but mentioned that he liked the look of Saabs. Somehow I knew what a Saab was. Call me crazy, but I remember clearly telling my dad "That's a Saab". There in the back of the lot was a little yellow 73 99E. My dad responded with "that's not a Saab" (He was only familiar with 900s). Not long after the test drive, he was signing the paperwork.
For the next couple of years, I only ever wanted to ride in the Saab. I remember the drives to Ruidoso and Cloudcroft New Mexico quite fondly. Eventually, the little 99 ate the jackshaft and water pump leaving it "play car" for my siblings and I. At one point, my dad stuck a for sale sign on during a garage sale. This upset me so much so that I pulled the sign off and stuck it on the family car. It was then that my father realized how much the Saab meant to me, and that he wanted it to be my first car.
We moved to San Antonio, and dad started to work on the 99. I would go out and wash and wax the long dead 99 every month or so. It was mine, and I couldn't wait to receive those keys. Sadly it was never meant to be.
In 1994, my dad decided to pull the engine out of a 74 LE he bought two years prior to get the little 73 going. After the transplant, dad sent it off to get a fresh coat of paint. Unfortunately, he went with a paint and body guy that my dirt bag uncle used and recommended. Sadly, this was a true case of "you get what you pay for" and the 99 was painted a nasty beige instead of yellow. We went to pick the car up, only to discover the screw up. My dad demanded a repaint and the paint guy acknowledged this and promised to make it right. After months of getting the run around, the car and the body man disappeared. The paint shop he rented a spot from said he skipped town, and likely went back to Mexico. He apparently sold other customer cars.
Sadly, I never saw the little yellow 99 again. It was to be my first car, but I never got that first drive. Since then, I have owned more than 20 Saabs and hope to continue to do so until the day I die.
Posts in this Thread:
- Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, Scott Paterson
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 07:44:43- Today's Winners!, Scott Paterson
, Sat, 26 Oct 2013 09:08:01 - It all started at age 4, Ed_F
, Thu, 24 Oct 2013 23:03:41 <-- Viewing This Message - $1,000 to spend... More car than a bug.., Mike Lynch
, Thu, 24 Oct 2013 14:00:23 - like an engineer, jeff in MD, Thu, 24 Oct 2013 11:40:42
- Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, cgwiz
, Thu, 24 Oct 2013 10:07:17 - First Saab was my wife's car, JimBlake
, Thu, 24 Oct 2013 09:25:18 - Invited to a Saab Test Drive event in Boston in '99...., Paul H, Thu, 24 Oct 2013 08:46:17
- As a teenage passenger in a Sonett..., GFW3pedals
, Thu, 24 Oct 2013 08:06:22 - I traded in a 1999 Corvette for a 2000 9-5 Aero., Norm9-5, Thu, 24 Oct 2013 07:59:45
- Just made sense, John J, Thu, 24 Oct 2013 07:38:18
- Friend had a Saab and I was sold, Caarl
, Thu, 24 Oct 2013 07:34:37 - Garage sale, Tim, Thu, 24 Oct 2013 07:00:11
- Looking for a Volvo, Dale, Thu, 24 Oct 2013 05:57:38
- as a young Army Captain with a new daughter, John in Bismarck, Thu, 24 Oct 2013 05:39:03
- 9000 with for sale sign, Mike Johnson, Thu, 24 Oct 2013 04:48:15
- $600 beater 95, jimmy, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 20:54:27
- Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, steve, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 20:29:29
- High School..., MikeinVT
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 19:40:45 - It was late 2001, rpm2
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 19:27:18 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, Kristjan
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 19:21:47 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, Erik919kt, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 17:40:11
- Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, RonD
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 17:22:20 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, JoeK, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 16:59:28
- It took a few years from intrigue to purchase, MI-Roger
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 16:21:49 - It was a long, drawn out process, No Snaab, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 15:50:51
- Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, SRS900S, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 15:48:30
- Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, Dan Burkert, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 15:38:11
- I was working at a tire store, DougM
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 15:26:50 - Arlo Pear subliminal recomendation, Sondeen
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 15:14:36 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, AdamSAAB2kAero
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 14:44:56 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, turrbo
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 14:08:44 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, EGD
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 13:22:17 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, Slug
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 13:15:03 - In a baby seat., PGAero
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 12:52:45 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, 93Gator, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 11:49:16
- Just like all of my Saabs...., Skip, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 11:44:22
- Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, ELaw
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 11:43:13 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, Chris9k
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 11:32:45 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, Dean, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 10:53:35
- Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, SWEDECAR
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 09:55:58 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, SteveinCT, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 09:45:00
- Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, RS
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 09:39:58 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, RMinNJ, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 09:23:56
- Thru Saabnet, natch, ahanson
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 09:23:07 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, Gene N
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 09:20:21 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, aizzo
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 09:03:29 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, NCCaniac
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 08:52:13 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, Bri, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 08:51:33
- By pure chance., B Millar
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 08:33:57 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, AeroDave, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 08:31:21
- My wife liked the car, Notnoel
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 08:25:12 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, Erik Holmberg, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 08:06:19
- Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, Steven Wrigley, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 08:05:10
- Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, Clay McNeely
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 08:04:42 - Well, thru the passenger door actually..., Baggsly
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 08:03:33 - Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, dtechakacheaptech, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 08:00:36
- Re: Today's Prizes - How did you get into your first Saab?, Bill Homer
, Wed, 23 Oct 2013 07:57:30
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