Fav clip on you tube. Put in 'Saab singing in the woods' and turn up the sound. Not only that it sorts out the real petrol heads from those who do not really understand what doing things on old cars are all about and normally comment 'what a lot of noise for not a lot of speed'. Yep, more interested in shiny things and willy size, so not really one of the gang.
Not suggesting a Saab is for everyone but having had Wartburg, Deek and Saab, the last is the pick and of them. Of the Saabs the Bullnose is the best as its balance is perfect. For a standard engine of 32 bhp on a good day, pulling a ton of car, the performance is incredible if you can drive it correctly. Much like a Messerschmitt, do not touch the brakes unless you have to! The more tuned they are the more difficult they are to drive but the rewards when you get it right is very fast a to b times for a car its age, all on skinny tyres. My Bully could drive round the outside of youngun's in their turbo terriffics on half size roundabouts like Watchfield leaving them no where to go when they wanted to turn out and having to go around again. A proper car not a Carlos Fandango of girt wheels, scoops and changing half the suspension. Saab basically got it right and it is in the rare class of car which offers a whole experience which can be progressively improved till the two stroke engine could produce no more advance in power and was deemed dirty.
Most eventing cars are the Longnose as it has a more amenable layout, better engine and shares panels with the V4 if you have a bump. I have Tony Brookes' old eventing car here. I prefer the Bullnose though so I will be keeping that and selling the Longnose, so there is your chance if you really want one of the 100 or so strokers left in the UK. I have a very tuned bellowing rally engine, a mildly tuned MacDonald and about 3 other spare engines and good bits so that is a project ready to be sorted out.
For me, the V4 is a disappointment. It is the best version of Fords V4 engine rebuilt properly by Saab (as Saab did with Truimph and others later with the same result). The balance is gone as has the challenge of keeping the kettle boiling. It is a compromise. Now stick a Wankel in and get the balance back again.......
It is interesting that circuit eventing is popular with owners as I would not have thought it was where a 96 would really excel. Their real habitat is on the back roads and lanes where the totally predictable handling can see off all but the skilled or well prepared opposition on an ever-changing course. On a circuit the opposition gets the chance to learn the corners and negate the Saab's natural advantage. The 96 always lacked power so pretty soon it cannot compete without hurting itself. Like a faithful horse it will willingly do so but you are left with a broken car which will limp on for some time. Again the sign of a proper car rather than rubbish that just expires in smoke at the least provocation.
There seems to be an annual thrash round a circuit in Sweden, Kunkenknunknukenooky or something, and there are a lot of clips of those. It shows the different performance of cars as several very fast cars put rings round the standard offerings. Unlike rallying a circuit offers a quantifiable risk and a centre for social activities in private so I can see the attraction. Why I suggested a National MIcrocar Rally at a Kart track for a change, like Little Rissington within spitting distance of Nether Westcott. Could be enormous fun, but I doubt the campervans would get round the corners, poor dears.
I am fascinated to know why you race with an aerodynamic roof rack on.
Saabs, you have got to love them if you are a petrol head.
