I didn't even know these things existed, but it's pretty cool.
http://allentown.craigslist.org/cto/2158359574.html
I didn't even know these things existed, but it's pretty cool.
http://allentown.craigslist.org/cto/2158359574.html
I've seen a few. But none that are rust free as this one is called.
Damn... we love those... I test drove one we looked at a few years ago in NJ... and have regretted not buying it ever since... it was a little cheaper than this one, but it did have some relatively minor rust issues. Was the first (and only) column-shift car I've ever driven.
I love column shift. My dad had a 64 Chevy pickup with three on the tree and I have missed it ever since I sold the whole truck for $75.
I iceraced a 96, one of these with a fastback, not a wagon.
Hoowaaah, 4-speeed on the column! 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV0YVU8W0wk
oh, i like that 
I want. In fact the 96 is on my bucket list. There is one at the Pick-N-Pull in Nashville. I was so surprised when I saw how small the engine is lengthwise.
There's a mechanic shop here in Denver that has a really nice, restored one that they use around town. They may even have two of them. Really nice. I'll drive by there on my way home and see if I can see...
Back in the day, 95's were a popular ice racer. Almost as popular as th 96. I ran a 2stoke 96 summer and winter. Ice race and autocross and a couple track days. Fun car.
The ad says that it has no structural rust. That's different than saying "rust free"
that said, the V4 is 1/2 of a SBF. Lots of parts available for those. 200hp is not out of the question.
I've driven one of those. Interesting car. IIRC, it isn't exactly what I would call column shift. The shift pushes/pulls out of the dash, and twists left-right at the same time. I could be confusing it with the Citroen 2CV though.
It also has a free-wheeling transmission, so you don't have to use the pedal once you're off, just give it a lift and shift. This also means no engine braking.
Interesting car, ton's of character. If I'm not mistaken, the V4 has Ford? DNA. EDIT: Per beat me to it. :P
It was my buddy's car and was fairly reliable. His was near-mint with under ~70k original and it was only ~$4500. I think he played with it for a couple of years and sold it for $5400.
The push/pull shift you saw was in a 2CV, the Saab shifter is on the column. Also, I'm not 100% sure on this but I think the freewheel feature came on the older cars that had the two stroke three cylinder engine.
the V4 is NOT half of a V8, but 2/3 of the Cologne V6 (2600,2800)
The freewheeling mechanism goes back to the earlier two-strokes that didn't have the oil injection pump. I.e. oil mixed in the gas tank. So when you closed the throttle, you had no oil entering the cylinder. The free wheel let the engine revs drop, instead of providing engine braking.
Totally worthless on the later V4. Saab even provided a lockout lever on the V4s. We typically lockout the freewheel mechanism completely when we rebuild the trans.
Per's comments about 200hp V4 is pretty funny. Especially considering the last of the factory Saab rally V4s (with fuel injection) were in the 185hp range. Most hot rod V4s are likely in the 110-120hp range, assuming lots of head work, cam, carb, exhaust etc.
Chris H.
oldeskewltoy wrote: the V4 is NOT half of a V8, but 2/3 of the Cologne V6 (2600,2800)
Actually, I think the Cologne V6 is 3/2 the Cologne V4.
The V4 is a Ford. Even says "Ford" right on the valve covers. It's still in production as an industrial engine. When the other half was looking at these cars a few years ago, she ran into a fellow up in NY who does all sorts of performance prepping for them.
I sent her the CL link... She's got a serious case of 'want'.
Per Schroeder wrote: The ad says that it has no structural rust. That's different than saying "rust free" that said, the V4 is 1/2 of a SBF. Lots of parts available for those. 200hp is not out of the question.
Not true.
The V4 is a German based engine. Much used as an industrial engine. Difficult to get power due to head design.
Came in two sizes, 1.5 and 1.7 .
SAAB did make a neat crossover manifold. Not really much help though.
Oops; I guess everybody already said that. I should have read the posts first.
Yea, sorry, I got some brain cells mixed up---as I thought the architecture (rods, valvetrain) from all of the V4/V6/V8s were similar.
That said, I've talked with owners of vintage-raced V4 Sonnetts that were right around 200hp.
Ian F wrote: The V4 is a Ford. Even says "Ford" right on the valve covers. It's still in production as an industrial engine. When the other half was looking at these cars a few years ago, she ran into a fellow up in NY who does all sorts of performance prepping for them. I sent her the CL link... She's got a serious case of 'want'.
No marking on the valve covers on the Saab. Nor on any of the industrial engines we've built. Saab valve covers were plain, as shown on the 1700cc engine we've built for a customers 95 Wagon restoration project:
A few shots of the internal guts of a V4 can be found here:
http://saabjournal.blogspot.com/2010/07/pistoneering-part-1.html
and
http://saabjournal.blogspot.com/2010/07/pistoneering-part-2.html
Pretty compact motors. But as stated, they need a lot of cylinder head work, and work to let them rev to produce power.
Chris H.
Hmm... I could swear I saw blue ovals when looking under the hood of that 95... 
Back when I ran Sonnets I could never get the diff to hold together in spirited driving even with economy 145mm section tires... and that's after welding out the fragile freewheel mechanism in the tran. Chris, how are you dealing with that issue with your customers?
My quickest car had a warmed up engine in it (reportedly built to some specific race spec, but I never bothered to check), but likely didn't have more than 120hp (frankly I would have had difficulty getting more to the ground) and the hottest big valve V4 I drove had maybe 150-160, but was really too peaky for street driving.
I think Ford made made 2L versions of this in the UK... always wanted to get one to play with... but the diff issues is one of the reasons the Sonett got put on the "won't buy again" list...
I think (and Jack would emphasize this) that rebuilding the Saab trans requires the use of the Saab trans jig. Jack still has his since he had the Saab dealership:
Also, over the years, Jack has assembled (or built) a good many special tools for rebuilding transmissions:
In my time, we've never had a trans break on any of our personal cars, including race cars. We've seen lots of dead transmissions people send us to get rebuilt, so we've seen lots of horror stories. One you already mentioned, welding the freewheel mechanism. That is a butcher (no offense) job way to lockout the freewheel. We use a neutering sleeve/kit that Jack developed a few decades ago.
In addition, we've always used Amsoil synthetic fluids, and we change them frequently. For the most part, we see a lot of issues in transmissions we open up from lack of lubrication.
But i think the jig is key. We've seen numerous V4 transmissions that were "recently rebuilt" by Joe Shmoes Saab repair that bit it within a few thousand miles. So the owner sent it to us. It is very obvious a great many Saab repair shops don't have the factory jigs/tools.
Chris H.
Thanks Chris.
No offense taken; I've never actually welded out a freewheel myself, but every trans I've worked on (except for the completely stock musuem car I had) had it already done. (And it was a couple decades ago that I had my last hot one anyway...)
We always used Jack's ring and pinion (and that survived far longer than any stock bit), but they all tended to break at least annually. Usually in the winter. When I had no garage. And I got tired of pulling the body off... ;-)
If you can build a transaxle that will survive, I might actually consider building another car... I had great fun in the last one. Guess I shouldn't have sold my OEM 2bbl manifold... though it brought nearly as much as my Sonett did!
Bill
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