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Jerry From LA
Jerry From LA HalfDork
2/1/11 2:47 p.m.

...not just the turbo.

I'm offering my 1983 SAAB 900 Turbo to anyone who wants to come by and pick it up....with a few caveats but more on that later.

I parked the car a few years ago intending to fix the blown head gasket, leaky front main seal, worn turbo and toasted front suspension (not just worn. The upper control arm bushings were GONE). In the interim, I got married and the money for all the parts and machine work went elsewhere, etc etc.

We have to demolish the garage ceiling for repair work and I don't have anyplace else to store the car so I have to part with it. I have a clear CA title.

The good stuff The body is straight, the tranny is excellent, the paint will buff up, the interior is good (I redid the driver's seat springs) and there is absolutely no rust on this bad boy.. The car only had about 110K miles when I parked it.

Caveats: I'll give it up free to anyone wishing to restore or restomod the car. I can't sell it as a LeMons, CrapCan, or any other cheap racing candidate. Autocrossing is fine.

Additionally, this car has the 8V Turbo engine with APC so it's better than the 16V down low or off boost. The 16V didn't show up 'til 85 iirc. Plenty of spares go along including CV joints, etc.

Please PM me with an email address and I'll answer any questions. Thank you.

4cylndrfury
4cylndrfury SuperDork
2/1/11 2:50 p.m.

Too bad youre Jerry From LA and not Jerry From Lebanon Ohio or the like. Thats an amazing deal I really wish I could jump on because thats exactly my price range ;)

Jerry From LA
Jerry From LA HalfDork
2/1/11 2:55 p.m.

It breaks my heart to give it up. Frankly, trailering it back would be worth it. A lot easier than making rust repair panels and cheaper too.

mistanfo
mistanfo SuperDork
2/1/11 5:24 p.m.

Trailering it to VA would be cheap, and I drive for a living. Unfortunately, I don't leave the state... And don't have nearly enough vacation time to attempt something like this. Good luck!

sachilles
sachilles Dork
2/1/11 5:27 p.m.

I too wish you were closer. I regret giving up my 83 900 turbo(many year ago). I have a local guy that's a saab guru, that would have all the parts to make it like new, even some shelby rims.

4cylndrfury
4cylndrfury SuperDork
2/1/11 5:34 p.m.

Hmm...I will be out west-ish on a cruise this spring. Wait...what am I thinking? I seriously cant even imagine what Carnival would want to haul that thing back to port lol

Rusted_Busted_Spit
Rusted_Busted_Spit Dork
2/2/11 10:16 a.m.

Count me in the "too bad you are on the other side of the country" camp. I learned to drive on an 83 900s that my dad bought new when we lived in Germany.

donalson
donalson SuperDork
2/2/11 1:39 p.m.

i'm glad you're on the other side of the country :)... I even have the bentley repair manual that I snagged from a junk yard some years back... such a neat car... always thought that drivetrain could make for a neat mid engine locost type thing... I wanted one some years back... but haven't seen one in a few years :(

Jerry From LA
Jerry From LA HalfDork
2/2/11 3:01 p.m.
donalson wrote: ... such a neat car... always thought that drivetrain could make for a neat mid engine locost type thing... I wanted one some years back... but haven't seen one in a few years :(

Don't know how good it would be in that application. The motor sitting on top of the tranny makes for a pretty high center of gravity. The Barber SAAB series used the 9000 version of the motor with a Hewland transaxle if I recall.

I still see 900s out here quite a bit. They have a club in the San Diego area. You should come out and get this one because you won't see yourself driving in another lane if you get my drift.

The costs of towing from the salty-er parts of the country would be offset completely by a much lower-priced (either dollars or hours) rebuild and the zero-dollar purchase.

Also, anyone interested with a friend living out this way can have it hauled to their place. Then you can pick it up when it stops snowing.

HappyAndy
HappyAndy HalfDork
2/2/11 11:02 p.m.

I pasted up a link over at SAAB rally. com. there are a few west coasters over on that site that might be able to put it good use.

Jerry From LA
Jerry From LA HalfDork
2/3/11 10:01 a.m.
HappyAndy wrote: I pasted up a link over at SAAB rally. com. there are a few west coasters over on that site that might be able to put it good use.

Thanks very much. With a little time and some elbow grease, it'll be a very nice ride.

Gearhead_42
Gearhead_42 Dork
2/3/11 10:43 a.m.

dammit dammit dammit dammit

/Pennsylvania SAAB lover

best luck, hope it goes somewhere nice!

Jerry From LA
Jerry From LA HalfDork
2/7/11 1:51 p.m.

One guy came and saw the car. Two days later, he decides he'll hold out for an SPG. Good luck with that. Even tired old SPG hulks go for thousands. I can't believe giving away a car could be so hard. It's FREE.

dculberson
dculberson Reader
2/7/11 2:21 p.m.

I spent months trying to give away a Type 3 squareback. VW enthusiasts would look and look then not get back to me. It ended up scrapped. Charging something, anything, for it seems to make it easier to move it. "Free" tends to bring out the flakes.

Brett_Murphy
Brett_Murphy Reader
2/7/11 4:23 p.m.

In reply to dculberson:

+1 to free bringing out the flakes. Charge $100 for it and watch it be gone in a week.

Jerry From LA
Jerry From LA HalfDork
2/7/11 4:37 p.m.

Made another appointment with another guy who is a 900 enthusiast. If this round doesn't work out, I might charge a hundred just to see what happens.

oldtin
oldtin Dork
2/7/11 4:45 p.m.

I'd take it in a heartbeat if I were within a few hundred miles instead of a few thousand

Jerry From LA
Jerry From LA HalfDork
2/7/11 4:56 p.m.

Yeah, it was fun to drive and great for high altitude mountain passes with the APC-controlled turbo.

killerkane
killerkane New Reader
2/11/11 4:44 p.m.

Do you still have this car? Pretty interested.

Jerry From LA
Jerry From LA HalfDork
2/11/11 6:22 p.m.

Check your email for the status.

artemis
artemis
2/16/11 8:32 a.m.

Hi! I'm Diana from Dana Point! Last night I dreamt of my first love... a black SAAB 900. Any chance yours is still available???

Jerry From LA
Jerry From LA HalfDork
2/16/11 12:59 p.m.

Yes it is, Diana. I have a guy who wants it but he's having a hard time arranging transportation for it and he's not answering my emails. I was just going to post it again on Craigslist but for $100 as was suggested earlier in this thread. If you want to look at it, you get the grassroots 100% discount.

Jerry From LA
Jerry From LA HalfDork
2/17/11 11:59 a.m.

Okay, so I'm tired of waiting for the other guy and I re-list the ad with the craigs for $100. So far, I have two guys who want to junk it and someone named "Margareta" in the 507 area code (Mankato, Mn or thereabouts. I'm in the LA area). It looks like a form letter with a pdf attached but I ain't opening it. If it quacks like a scam.....

triumph5
triumph5 Dork
2/17/11 12:16 p.m.

Who'd thought in LA, of all areas, getting rid of a car would be so hard. Quadruple the price or more--too low, THEN people will consider it.

CharlieFoxtrot
CharlieFoxtrot
2/17/11 3:25 p.m.

Damn, I was ready to haul it from LA Louisiana, but then I got a clue. LA Los Angeles is a bit too far from Florida. Truly amazing you can't give it away. Put it on Ebay for $500.

GLWTS.

kevin

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