RMSC News 2013 Issue 4 - Rocky Mountain Saab Club

RMSC News 2013 Issue 4
July-August 2013
Club Web Sites: http://www.rockymtnsaabclub.com
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/rmsaab
To send email to Group: [email protected]
To send email to Pres: [email protected]
To send email to Editor: [email protected]
The August 13th meeting will be 7PM at Breckenridge Brewery at 5th and Lipan in Denver. This is
the annual business meeting with board elections for 4 of the 7 positions open. Also finance
review and planning the labor day drive.
From your Club President
Next month SOC13 will happen in Albany, NY. I
enjoy attending these events. Since 1995, there
has been only one I have missed. My first SOC I
attended was in Atlanta, GA in August 1995. I
remember it well. I remember it like it happened
yesterday. The weather was called "squared".
Never heard of that term in Colorado. Squared
means the temperature is 100 degrees and humidity is 100 percent. I have never experienced
this before. It was hot!!! Once you got used to the
temperature, it was OK for a while. You need to
take a break from the heat you go inside the refrigerated lobby of the hotel which felt great.
Then you would freeze because your cloths are
wet from sweat. Then you would go outside to
warm up. It was a cycle you needed to get used
to.
We toured Corporate Saab's facilities tech center, warranty center, corporate offices and facility layout. I, for the first time, met John Moss
when he was in his prime with Saab. Very
knowledgeable individual. John was in charge of
technical department. He tried to make things
break. It was impressive to see his facility.
Because Corporate was in the same town as the
convention, all of the staff got involved with the
event. I met many personal and to this day I still
Atlanta was the home of Saab at that time. The
convention was centered around Saab Corporate. Having Saab in Atlanta had a huge advantage. Saab supplied many new cars for display and to test drive the new product, That year
was the NG900 & 9000. I test drove them all.
Saab at that time had the NG900 equipped with
Sen-Sonic shifting . Five speed shifting without a
clutch. Impressive but different. As many years I
have been driving, I never dreamed of a five
speed without a manual clutch. It seemed like a
gimmick not a car. James Uhl, product specialists for the Sen-Sonic program explained how it
worked and it made sense however the product
never took off.
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From your Club President (continued)
know of them. I got to meet Deborah Ennis-Kelly,
first lady president of Saab. She was responsible
for the 9-2 & 9-7. She was not the most favorite
president because of her choice. John Moss, Senior trainer & Technical division, Randy Risley Director of Product Training, Mike Race, Product
Trainer. First time I met Erik Carlsson. There are
many more who I know of however have not kept
in contact with over the years.
Saab and they have had the opportunity to meet
me. People like Paul Perry - Saab Factory in California, , Bud Clark- J&B Imports, Bill Jacobson Sport Car Service, Tom Donney, Marty & Annette Adams - Iowa City Saab, Jack Lawrence Motor Sport Service, Eric Kloot - Goldwing, Jack
Ashcraft - DrakenParts and there are many
more...
We will find who and what is happening in the
Saab world without Saab this year. I will keep you
posted.
Eighteen years of Conventions have been fun. I
have acquired many friends over the years from
these conventions. I have had the opportunity to
meet many key people on the independent side of
(Photo by Charles Stoyer)
Paint A Junker
by Jerry Danner
I went to purchase art supplies in Denver at Meininger fine art supplies and I came across this 1968
Saab 96 in the front of the store. I had to inquire.
Richard Duggan, Team Leader for Meiningers,
gave me the scoop. Henry Meininger (owner)
wanted to create an art event that was different.
He named this event "Paint A Junker" He had his
staff locate a "Junker". This car was found on
craigslist and it was reasonably priced. They
picked the Saab because it was quirky. It had no
wheels. He located wheels, which do not match,
just to get the car to be pushed. He invited several
artists to participate. Sign painters, graffiti painters, pin stripers, the public and fine artists. All
gathered to create art and this is the product. Notice the eyes! "Salvador Dali" was painted by
Richard Duggan.
If you get to Denver, look up Meiningers located
499 Broadway, Denver Colorado, 80203 to see a
piece of our Saab history as graffiti art.
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RMSC Meeting Minutes June 11th 2013
by Larry Beetham (photos by Tom Nelson)
The meeting was
brought to order by
club president Jerry
Danner, at the
Breckenridge Brewery, recalling that we
had an exciting month
of activities.
For tonight we will have an auction of Mats Sjodin's
memorabilia from the 60’s which was donated to
the club by his son Arne. Charles is out tonight af-
New members at the
meeting were Bill &
Shannon Sompayrac
from Fruita on the
western slope, they
have a ’97 Talladega
and are helping Paul Bottone set up the Labor Day
ter his shoulder surgery and Gavin Morris will present pictures from Sweden.
weekend drive to Grand Junction, below. Tamara
Pester with a ’01 9-5 & Jim Jodice from Elizabeth
who has a 95 V4 & red 68 Sonett.
Paul Bottone discussed special events including a
Project Colleen work party scheduled for Saturday
July 13th at Mile Hi, a BBQ at Jerry’s house on Sat
July 20th and a new project car. He listed the club
project cars that have all been named after their previous female owners, such as Laura, Tristine, Lisa,
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RMSC Meeting Minutes June 11th 2013
by Larry Beetham (photos by Tom Nelson)
Greg Russell presented results of the 30th annual
CP car show last Sunday, June 9th. RMSC had 16
Saabs entered and 5 new participants the earliest
Sarah, Colleen, etc., we now have project Rob - the
late long time member Rob Martinson’s 900 SPG.
Other events and drives for the summer will include
SOC13 in Albany, NY August 15-18. Looking into
Ice Driving in Georgetown next winter in coordination with the Audi Club and their instructor.
was a 67 96 and we had 2 2011 9-5s on the other
end of the timeline, a great history of our cars lined
up chronologically. Greg’s Sonnett was in the
Also a Labor Day weekend drive to Grand Junction,
CO with options for touring the wine country in
Palisades, the Tammy Allen Auto Museum, Gateway Auto Museum, Colorado Monument and the
Western Colorado Classic Auto show is that weekend. There are hotel discounts if your car is entered
into the car show, more info is at http://
westerncoloradoclassic.com/
Founder’s Circle and the Favorite Saab Award went
to Miles Bendixson for his 2011 Red 9-5; he
thanked Bruce Harbison and Steve McCoy for judg-
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RMSC Meeting Minutes June 11th 2013
by Larry Beetham (photos by Tom Nelson)
ing and Tom Nelson presented a slide show on the
event at his ElkMtnMan YouTube channel.
In Trollhatten each year
there is a Saab Festival/
Jubilee, June of 2017 will
be the 70th annual. Tom
Nelson is going and is soliciting others to join him.
We had a slide show from
Gavin Manis who's brother, Ethan, has acquired a 2011 diesel right hand drive
Member Dave Finley from Wyoming has been restoring his '68 96 DeLuxe and showed the dash cluster
9-5 Combi from Sweden, there were only 34 built
with these specs and the 16 sold at auction are the
only 16 remaining. It is not able to be imported into
the United States, let alone registered.
frame that he duplicated by measuring his into CAD
for milling. It was an impressive piece that he hopes
he will be able to have produced to help with other
DeLuxe restorations.
We completed with the
auction of Mats Sjodin's
memorabilia and benefitted the club with a total
of $437 raised. We adjourned at 9:40.
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RMSC Summer Barbeque
by Jerry Danner
Rocky Mountain Saab Club of Colorado hosted our
summer picnic July 20, 2013 at the home of Jerry
Danner. Twenty one members attended sporting great
food and wonderful camaraderie. On display were
seven vintage Saab’s. Four of Jerry Danner’s collection. A 1964 Bullnose, 1967 96, 1972 96 & 1973 96.
Greg Russell brought his 1969 Sonett V-4, Wayne
Brewer drove his 1969 96 three hours to attend. Phil
Drury brought his 1972 95 Wagon. There was also a
great variety of other Saabs in attendance. Thanks to
all who made this a great event!
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Club Project: Project Colleen Phase III
by Jerry Danner
The Rocky Mountain Saab Club of Colorado
gathered for phase III of Project Colleen July
13, 2013 at Mile Hi Body Shop. Phase III
consisted of removing the interior, washing
carpet, giving a complete interior detail, exterior buffing and detail.
All our club projects are cars offered to our
club usually in a hard ship case. Project Colleen was owned by Colleen McBride who had
a great 1991 900 NT 3dr she dearly loved. It
has a great body however had mechanical is-
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Club Project: Project Colleen Phase III
by Jerry Danner
car is now drivable and runs great.
Project Attendees - Don Palmer, David Snider, Darrell Christiansen, Eric Johnson, John
Clary, Jerry Danner & Paul Bottone.
We as a club gather for the enthusiasm and
learning knowledge of each project. After
Project Colleen is completed it will be offered
for sale. Proceeds from the sale of our club
projects is what funds our club. If anyone is
interested in a mechanically sound classic 900
at a reasonable price, please contact our club
at [email protected] for more desues. Our Club took on the challenge bring
tails.
her back to mechanical soundness. Phase I we
Our Club just acquired another project.
bench rebuilt a 5 speed transmission to replace at a later date. Phase II we gathered to "Project Robb" 1986 900 SPG 3dr Edwardian
Gray in excellent condition. We will keep you
replace transmission, reseal motor, replace
clutch & water pump, detail engine compart- posted.
ment when engine out, replace headliner. The
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