KEITH AYLING MODERN

GUIDE
KEITH
AYLING
MODERN
The Fastest Selling Line nf Spurts Car
Bonks Ever Published
A series of low-cost books designed to meet the skyrocketing demand
for more information on these trim, sleek, high-performance machines.
Each volume, written by an expert, deals with one of the more popular
makes, or with some general phase of the sport. Fully illustrated, these
attractive and practical manuals are designed for the thousands of
owners, would-be owners, and enthusiastic devotees of rallies, races,
and export road driving.
CARE AND REPAIR OF YOUR SPORTS
CAR by Ritch
FIAT GUIDE by Sloniger
SPORTS CARS OF THE FUTURE by
Strother MacMinn
GRAND PRIX CARS by Denis
Jenkinson
TRIUMPH GUIDE by Dave Allen
and Dick Strome
ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR SPORTS CAR
by Larry Reid
CORVETTE GUIDE by Dick Thompson
RACES THAT SHOOK T H E WORLD
by Rodney Walkerley
VOLKSWAGEN GUIDE by Bill Carroll
YOUR SPORTS CAR ENGINE by Karl
TION by Evelyn Mull
SPORTS CLOTHES FOR YOUR SPORTS
CAR by John Weitz
CAR
SPORTS CAR POCKETBOOK
You CAN DRAW CARS by Jenks
KARTING GUIDE by Patchen
T H E BUGATTI STORY by Boddy
RENAULT GUIDE by Sloniger
MERCEDES-BENZ GUIDE—Ludvigsen
AUSTIN-HEALEY GUIDE—Healey
MOMENTS THAT MADE RACING
HISTORY—Walkerley
LARRY REID'S RALLY TABLES
SPORTS CAR EVENTS (Gymkhanas,
Hill Climbs, etc.) by Robert Clarke
BUYING A USED CAR by John Christy
JAGUAR GUIDE by John Bentley
SPORTS CARS OF T H E WORLD
Ludvigsen
WOMEN IN SPORTS CAR COMPETI-
SPORTS
DKW GUIDE by Keith Ayling
SAAB GUIDE by Keith Ayling
EVENTS—Clarke
by Bob Halmi
GUIDE TO RALLYING by Larry Reid
PORSCHE GUIDE by Sloniger
MOTOR SCOOTER GUIDE
by Richard Kahn
MG GUIDE—Christy & Ludvigsen
GREAT RACING DRIVERS
VINTAGE MOTOR CAR HANDBOOK
VOLVO GUIDE by Carroll
GUIDE TO COMPETITION DRIVING
FORMULA JR. by Morrow
PEUGEOT GUIDE by Sloniger
by Hans Tanner
by Paul O'Shea
SPORTS CAR CLUB by Rueter
SPORTS CAR PRESS
Distributed by CROWN PUBLISHERS
419 Fourth Avenue, New York, N. Y.
1961 SAAB 96
SAABs delivery to sunny Florida are marshalled at facility at Jacksonville. SAABs have made big hit in the south.
SAAB GUIDE
By
KEITH AYLING
N e w York
SPORTS CAR PRESS
© 1961 by Sports Car Press, Ltd.
Published in New York by Sports Car Press, Ltd., and simultaneously in
Toronto, Canada, by Ambassador Books, Ltd.
All rights reserved under International and Pan American Copyright
Conventions.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 61-10706
Manufactured in the United States of America
Contents
1. Birth of a "Wingless Airplane"
7
2. Two Little White SAABs
23
3. Roadability and Solid Comfort
33
4. Why Front Wheel Drive?
49
5. SAAB 95: A "Different" Station Wagon
65
6. SAAB Granturismo 750
71
7. Your Versatile SAAB
79
8. Maintenance
86
9. "The Little Sedan That Became a Racer"
Ill
10. Formula Junior
125
1. Birth of a "Wingless Airplane"
One of the most exciting small cars on the road today,
the SAAB was literally born in the air, being designed
and developed by Sweden's leading manufacturers of aircraft, Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget.
With all the aeronautical know-how that has been built
into the car, you might almost describe the SAAB as a
wingless aircraft. For instance, it has a wind-tunnel-proven
aerodynamic profile that contributes substantially to its
speed, safety and comfort.
If you doubt the value of this application of aeronautical
knowledge, a glance at the pages in this volume which list
the fabulous number of competition records piled up by
this Swedish small car will convince you. These wins don't
stem from accident or coincidence.
I use the term "small car" after considerable deliberation. The SAAB is definitely not a small "big car," like
many of the so-called compacts which are being offered
today. The designers set out to build a small car, and they
are still building one—even if they are progressively
integrating big car features within the perimeters of
performance and passenger comfort.
As a motor car, the SAAB is unique. Although it has,
of course, many features common to other automobiles,
no existing marque is so different from the crowd in
original conception and construction.
Notably, the SAAB lacks the conventional chassis. The
body, which serves simultaneously as the framework, is
virtually a closed shell combining the tasks of supporting
the passengers, protecting them, and, at the same time,
providing the necessary stiffening and load-supporting connection between the four wheels.
When you ride in a SAAB you are, in effect, encased
in an uncrushable steel airfoil on wheels. The aerodynamic
characteristics of the SAAB are not merely confined to
the top of the car but are continued over the entire contour, which undoubtedly accounts for at least some of
its speediness and stability.
The First Priority — Safety
When the management of SAAB decided to go into
the automobile business back in 1946, they laid down
the basic principle that the car was not only to be an
ultra-safe car for the occupants, but also for the pedestrian.
It had to have the best possible braking system, it had
to be skid-proof, sure-footed enough for safe cornering
on icy and gritty roads, simple enough for the ownerdriver to maintain. In addition, the interior was to be
roomy enough to provide comfortable seating for four
average-sized people who were to ride protected by the
highest possible factor of safety. In other words, the
shell of the SAAB had to be practically uncrushable.
The design of the little car was placed in the hands of
Gunnar Ljungstrom, the SAAB chief designer, who dedicated himself to these safety principles. That is why your
SAAB has a foam rubber padded dash, a collapsible steering wheel and safety sun visors, together with a number
of ingenious safety devices which we shall detail later.
Prior to 1961, SAAB fitted a thin metal collapsible dash.
The SAAB design engineers started from scratch. First
they made a clay model of what they wanted their automobile to look like, and then they went to work on the
many complicated problems of bringing their conception
to reality.
Most serious among their problems was the necessity
for maintaining absolute rigidity in the steel welded shell,
and at the same time providing adequate doors and windows. After all, a sightless or "over-blind-spotted" car
would present a more serious safety hazard than any
weakening of the structure due to windows.
8
Tryggve O. A. Holm, President of SAAB, tried out the 96 on the airstrip at Linkoping. A prominent banker and industrialist. Holm is motivating spirit behind SAAB enterprise which builds jet planes and automobiles, and imports American Chrysler car for Sweden.
This designer's drawing of SAAB reinforced body shell illustrates
all steel construction methods employed by Swedish engineers to ensure
highest possible rigidity.
After reinforcing the side windows to their satisfaction
with steel stiffening frames, there was still the problem
of the rear window—which in the early SAAB was on the
small side. This was finally surrounded by a steel frame
welded to the shell, which itself is a continuous unit from the
rear of the car up to the doors.
This part of the body resembles an eggshell from which
a large part of one end has been streamlined. This shell
form is prevented from deformation by inserting a bulkhead or bottom a short distance inside the shell, to produce
a considerable stiffening effect. This bulkhead consists of
the sloping wall which serves simultaneously as the back
support of the rear seats. Although there is a large
aperature in this wall to allow access to the luggage
compartment, the wide surface of the plates on three
sides enables the wall to function stress-wise as if it were
solid.
The roof is rigidly fixed at the top, the floor at the bottom,
and the outer panelling of the body at the sides. The sides
of the floor are strengthened with straight closed-plate
sections. Thus the roof and flooring extend towards the
front, forming two strong beams wihch are fixed at the
back of the shell. The fire wall is located between the
front end of these beams, where the frame for the windshield is mounted.
The fire wall has extra strong lateral side members to
allow it to take vertical loads, the fire wall itself forming
a channel girder across the entire car over two feet in
height. The wheel housings which are located near this
"massively" strong channel girder form the side walls of
the engine compartment and constitute a supporting member for the front of the car, with the flooring connecting
them.
The main part of the spring-suspended weight of the
car (body plus passengers) is transmitted to the springs
through the shortest possible path; the front and rear
spring suspension consists of arms mounted in housings
directly bolted in front of the fire wall and behind the
sloping wall referred to above.
10
Of>
Exploded view of SAAB engine.
11
The dimensions and layout have been chosen so that
all parts cooperate in taking the maximum permissible
stress at maximum loads. Loading tests carried out under
realistic conditions verified this, the strain gauges showing
that minimum deformation was experienced despite the
openings for windows and doors which worried the SAAB
aeronautical designers considerably.
When he settled down to design the SAAB 92, which
was the first car put out by SAAB after three years of
research and development, Gunnar Ljungstrom also had
to shoot for the highest possible economy combined with
satisfactory performance.
Axles and Suspension
As far as is known, few limitations were placed on the
design department. SAAB wanted to build a car, and it
had to meet certain definite specifications, just as would
a new aircraft. Choice of engine, transmission and general
layout was left to Ljungstrom.
One can well imagine that the aircraft designers had
a lot of fun, combined with a tremendous amount of
painstaking research. A great many factors had to be
considered. First, of course, the car had to be able to
perform well in Sweden's winter climate. An engine that
12
started poorly in cold and damp weather was out of
question, as was a car that tended to go into a skid at
the first sign of ice. Also, the body of the car had to provide adequate protection for its riders against extreme cold
and heat.
SAAB selected a 2-cycle engine because of its inherent
simplicity, its starting ability under all weather conditions and its beneficial quality of being self-lubricating.
The early SAABs (Series 92) were equipped with a 2cylinder, 2-cycle water cooled engine employing the
Schnurle principle.
Fuel System
In the SAAB 93, which made its appearance in 1955,
this engine was replaced by a 3-cylinder model. This small
power unit is in itself a tribute to engineering ingenuity,
achieving a considerably higher output by increasing the
number of cylinder to three without increasing the total
cubic capacity.
No one being better qualified to describe an engine
than its designer, let's hear from Gunnar Ljungstrom by
means of extracts from a technical paper he wrote in
1955 prior to the introduction of the SAAB 93 in Sweden
and the U.S.
"The cylinder block and the upper part of the crank13
case with half the bearing seats for the crankshaft are
cast in one piece. The lower half of the crankcase contains
the main bearing caps. These two parts are of cast iron.
The cylinder head is an aluminum alloy.
"The crankshaft is straightforward and rugged in design.
It consists of six identical disks interconnected by main
and big-end bearing pins. All constituent parts are caseor-induction-hardened. The crankshaft is carried in four
similar SKF single-row ball bearings, which all satisfy
stringent requirements on radial play and tolerances on
outside and inside diameters. All main bearing seats are
made to tolerances as close as .0006 in.—another example
of the high precision built into this engine.
"The use of crankcase compression to scavenge the
engine requires efficient sealing between the crankcases of
the three cylinders. This is ensured by labyrinth seals consisting of ordinary piston rings fitted in their grooves
with small clearance and pressing outwards. The distributor drive is sealed off by spring-loaded rubber seals.
The three big-end bearings are designed as double-row
cylindrical roller bearings, with the rollers directly contacting the hardened surface of the big-end pins and connecting rods. The roller cages are die cast in one piece. The
simple construction of the crankshaft, the direct journalling
of the main bearings in the cast-iron seats and the direct
contact of the big-end bearing rollers with the big-end
pins and connecting rods have kept the number of tolerances
to a minimum. This in turn has made it possible to keep
all bearing play within the narrow limits required for
quiet running without having to resort to a comprehensive
selection system.
"The ignition system is of conventional automobile type
with 12-volt primary voltage, differing only in that distributor r.p.m. is the same as crankshaft r.p.m., which is
not the case in 4-stroke engines.
"The cooling system includes fan, thermostat and a
circulating pump with rotor attached to the extended
generator shaft. Generator and fan are driven by a common V-belt. The radiator is positioned immediately be14
hind and higher than the engine so that the fan forces air
through it. Cooling-system capacity is sufficient for continuous city driving in the hottest weather and has also
proved satisfactory for driving over the steepest alpine
passes. Our decision to use water cooling instead of air
cooling was greatly influenced by the wish to provide a
really effective heating system for the car; with water
cooling the heat can be carried in small size hoses from
the heat-producing engine to the most suitable point for
warming up the ventilation air. In direct air-cooling system, the air has to flow over engine parts which are often
dirty, oily, etc.; the ventilation air is also liable to pollution from defective gaskets and similar. Quick heating-up
of the coolant is assisted by a thermostat which shuts
off the flow of water to the radiator during the warming
up period and directs the entire quantity through the heat
exchanger for ventilation air. The heat exchanger is situated forward of the instrument panel and immediately in
front of and under the fresh-air intake at the lower edge
of the windshield. Fresh air thus has only a short distance
to pass through the heat exchanger and into the car.
"The fuel system consists of fuel tank (situated a little
behind the rear seat) fuel line with electromagnetic fuel
pump, electric fuel gauge with optical warning when tank
content has fallen to approximately two gallons and carburetor of down-draught type. (See page 13).
"The inlet and exhaust systems play an important
part in the output of a two-stroke engine and its function
in general. They have been developed in extensive and
intimate cooperation with firms specializing in the field.
The induction silencer contains an air filter. A pre-heater
for the induction air prevents the formation of ice in the
carburetor in damp weather and at temperatures below
60° F. This may be removed in summertime to achieve a
slight increase in engine output.
Power Transmission
"The engine is mounted longitudinally forward of the
front axle. Power is transmitted through a single dry
15
disk clutch and via a free wheel to the gearbox behind
the front axle. A pinion shaft from the gearbox drives
the ring gear, and articulated shafts from each side of
the differential drive the front wheels.
"The construction of a gearbox sufficiently short for the
available space was a major design problem. The space
behind the front axle is not substantially greater than
in the SAAB 92 where, however, the gearbox is forward
of the front axle. A short gearbox has been obtained by
transmitting the power to the pinion shaft by gears direct
from the drive shaft from the engine (2nd and 3rd speeds)
and via a third shaft, which is used for 1st speed and
reverse. Length has been kept to a minimum in all cases
by transferring power to only two gears on the pinion
shaft: the forward gear being used for driving on both
1st and 3rd, the rear for both 2nd and reverse. It is now
easy to change down from 3rd to 2nd and from 2nd to 1st
without declutching, a great help when driving in heavy
traffic. First is engaged by a dog clutch with large clearance. Only reverse is sliding-gear engaged.
"The power unit is mounted on two rubber cushions on
the front end of the engine and one behind the gearbox.
The front pair are of block type and the rear cushion is
circular. This mounting allows the unit to oscillate around
the very axis it would choose if it were suspended infinitely
unrestricted while the engine was idling. The front silencer
is included in the weight of the unit and this helps lower
the frequency and the front end of the above-mentioned
axis of oscillation. All this ensures smooth idling.
Performance
"The remarkable capacity of this type of engine for
high r.p.m. and high loading without greater over-heating
or wear of parts than are occasioned by low r.p.m. and
loading permits continuous driving on open roads at speeds
approaching the car's maximum. Under favorable conditions, such as slight down gradients or following winds,
the endurance of the engine can be utilized to drive at
speeds considerably in excess of the car's maximum level16
Vents on rear pillar posts provide draft-free ventilation even with
all windows closed.
ground, still-air speed without danger of damage to the
engine.
"When overtaking, 2nd gear can be used up to approximately 45 m.p.h., and 3rd provides excellent acceleration
around the 50-55 m.p.h. mark because the engine develops
its maximum torque at a relatively high r.p.m. At speeds
below 35-40 m.p.h., use the gears appropriately to obtain
fullest available power." With the larger 96 (42 hp) model,
the necessity for such frequent shifting is substantially
reduced.
Stability Through Ingenious Suspension
The road stability for an automobile derives from a complicated geometry of layout in which weight distribution,
suspension, and rear axle design play major parts.
You have to drive a SAAB to appreciate the carefully
calculated suspension geometry, which gives the smoothest
ride you can expect from such a relatively small car.
Suspension is by means of coil springs, transverse links
17
Aerodynamic lines combined with increased visibility are features
of SAAB 96 Series.
mounted in rubber, telescopic shock absorbers and a
stabilizer bar. (See page 12).
The rubber bearings are designed to allow angular
movements without any sliding motion. All the relative
movement is absorbed elastically by shear in the rubber.
The roll center lies somewhat above the ground level. The
coil spring is mounted on top of the upper suspension arm.
An anti-roll bar stabilizer connects the two lower suspension arms. The outer ends of these arms are connected to
the steering knuckle housing by ball and socket joints.
Front wheel suspension is achieved by carrying the
stub axle in a single angular contact ball bearing. Extensive
tests have proved this configuration provides both efficient
functioning and long service life.
The rear suspension system is ingenious, consisting of
a "U" sectioned rigid axle attached to the body by a rubber
bearing and by two longitudinal links at the sides. The
central bearing takes up lateral forces and, aided by the
springs, absorbs braking torque. The side links keep the
rear axle at right angles to the car's longitudinal axis,
and absorb the braking forces from the rear wheels. The
coil springs are positioned close to the wheels on the
inside. When operating without roll, they compress an
amount equal to the vertical movement of the wheel
relative to the body. When roll does occur, as in cornering,
18
shock absorber movement is approximately 80 % of wheel
movement; without roll, it amounts to about half.
The SAAB people justly claim that their rear axle
design offers the following advantages:
(1) No rear-end lift when braking; brake torque
produces spring compression which compensates for the
rear-end lift that usually accompanies violent braking.
(2) No swaying in S-bends; the shock absorbers
react to abrupt swerves, cutting down on sway and
greatly aiding the car's steering ability.
(3) Small space requirements; since the central portion of the axle does not move vertically, a maximum of
space is available for luggage, etc.
The use of a rigid rear axle also offers the advantage
of keeping the rear wheels always at right angles to the
ground, even if the car does lean. Wheels so positioned
have less tendency to sideslip than those which incline
outwards when cornering.
Weight distribution is approximately 58% on the front
and 42% on the rear wheels with two people in the car.
This weight distribution ensures good driving wheel grip,
and keeps the greater load on the front wheels except when
the gradient exceeds 25 %. Contrary to popular fallacy, a
front heavy car is not susceptible to side winds.
The SAAB 35A Dralcen armed with U. S. "Sidewinder" air-to-air
guided missiles is high flying brother of the SAAB automobile.
19
Test Procedures
In view of the fact that SAAB was shooting for both
safety and ruggedness, the early models were subjected
to the same type of rigorous component and assembled
testing as the SAAB aircraft. Before being put into production, each SAAB model is put through tests specially
designed to reveal any weakness in construction, wear
phenomena, and torsional fatigue, to name just a few.
Test cai-s are put through routine road tests of considerable severity. Then come special tests which include
the car being driven at full speed in both directions round
a circular track with an uneven planked surface. Runs
are also made over a special track about 100 yards long
studded with four-inch blocks in a pattern contrived to
test wheel suspension, springing, shock absorbers, steering
gear and body-to-load stresses which would only normally
occur if the car ran off the road or was driven over deep
pot holes. An example of the thoroughness of this test is
seen in the fact that no part of the SAAB 93 was approved
before it had survived 1,000 runs over the blocks and 200
jumps from a test jumping board.
A Little History
The SAAB Aircraft Company was founded in 1937, and
since that time it has consistently worked for Sweden's
national defense. After manufacturing several foreign
aircraft under license, the company began to design allSwedish types of military aircraft. Among these was the
SAAB-21 Fighter and Attack Aircraft, which was not only
an unconventional plane in general design but was one of
the first aircraft to be fitted with an ejection seat. In 1944,
SAAB began partial re-conversion for peacetime aviation,
and after modifying a number of American B-17's for
airliner use, began building civilian and commercial transport types.
Today SAAB, which produces the new jet fighter Broken,
is a major supplier to the Swedish Air Force, one of the
most modern and most powerful in the world. The Draken
flies at 36,000 feet at supersonic speed and climbs at ap20
You see more and more SAABs in the city parking lots in Sweden.
proximately 50,000 feet per minute. Top speed in the latest
version is more than twice the speed of sound.
SAAB employs some 8,000 people in aircraft production
and operates a modern subterranean factory, space for
which was blasted out of granite rock several hundred
feet below the green fields surrounding SAAB's handsome
plant.
In 1949 the company produced its first automobile, the
elegant little SAAB 92. This was followed in 1955 by the
SAAB 93, a modified version of the 92, which in its turn
was modified to the current SAAB 96. Both the SAAB 96
and its companion, the 95 station wagon, are illustrations
of the result of considerable engineering thought applied to
the task of meeting consumer needs without sacrificing
established principles.
21
Having driven both the early model SAABs and these
latter offerings, I can report that great progress has been
made without losing any of the good features of the original
car. The major improvements are improved acceleration,
increased flexibility, and more power without any increase in gas mileage.
Tits. I
The series of figures throw a light on some of the facts and problems that have to be studied in the work of design: clearance, driving
position, visibility, position of the center of gravity in a vertical
direction, overall dimensions, wheel-base weight, seating of passengers
relatively to the axles, springing, driving aggregate, air resistance.
2. Two Little White SAABS
One of the strangest aspects of the invasion of the North
American continent by SAAB is the manner in which the
sales beachhead was established. The first two SAAB 93's
arrived in Brooklyn in the spring of 1956. The two little
white cars attracted little notice, but they had been landed
on what might be described as a serious and vitally important mission.
First they were used as conversation pieces and demonstrators with various carefully selected dealers. Then they
made their debut at the International Automobile Show
at New York's Coliseum. The excitement they created
was fabulous. The novel configuration of the engine and
transmission and the car's functional streamlining set
people talking. Even if they shook their heads, they talked.
At that time, however, you couldn't buy a SAAB in the
United States. They were just cars that were being talked
about whenever men talk about cars. Only a few automobile
editors, writers, and selected drivers were allowed to try
them out. Their enthusiastic reports fanned the flashes of
interest spreading across the country.
Meanwhile, the SAAB sales brain trust was considering
the most sufficient way to cash in on the furor caused by
the unveiling of their novel product, which had already
established a reputation throughout Europe.
It might have been easy at that stage to import a few
thousand SAABs and sell them like proverbial hot cakes,
but SAAB was not interested in obtaining mass sales unless
it could service its product.
It sounds wonderful to be able to announce that you
have a coast-to-coast dealer network, but multi-dealer
organizations without service facilities had already proved
23
The reinforced steel shell of the SAAB offers a high degree of rigidity.
Aircraft type stress disposal is used throughout. Note corrugated steel
panels.
to be the worst advertisement for some-imported marques.
No matter how much he likes his car, once he is held up
because of the lack of spare parts or service information
the average American throws up his hands in despair and
makes plans to trade his car in for another product. Worse
still, he's going to talk about his troubles and give the
marque a bad name.
The SAAB people decided to avoid taking any such risk.
They knew their product was good, and they wanted to
launch it soundly, ethically, and profitably. No SAAB would
ever to be sold anywhere in the U.S. where SAAB-trained
service was not immediately available.
The North Atlantic states were selected as the trial
area for sales. A depot was established at Hingham,
Massachusetts, some 14 miles south of Boston. Here, the
newly-arrived cars would be stored and prepared for sales.
With each car came an abundant supply of spare parts,
which were stored and catalogued.
A Key Rally
Some of the new cars were used for demonstration purposes, but it was important to establish a reputation on
24
the American scene. In November 1956, SAAB Motors, Inc.,
now under the direction of Ralph T. Millett—who had
represented the SAAB Aircraft Company in the United
States since 1947—entered a team of three stock SAABs
in the Great American Mountain Rally. Under the direction
of Rolf Mellde, head of SAAB's competition department in
Sweden, the venture paid off. The SAAB driving team
headed by Bob Wehman, now SAAB Service Manager,
partnered by Lou Braun, won the over-all, class and team
awards in what was undoubtedly one of the world's toughest events, perhaps second only to the Round Australia
Rally in punishment handed out to competing cars.
The surprising victory shot SAAB into the headlines.
The little white cars became a hot subject for discussion
wherever sports car fans gathered. SAAB was being talked
about from coast to coast; and the most exciting and
exasperating factor about the new car was that it was
"rare." Everybody wanted a SAAB; but where were they?
A few weeks after the announcement of the SAAB's
first big victory on American soil, the Viking automobile
invasion began. Two hundred and fifty SAAB 93's were
landed in Boston Harbor.
As the cars were unloaded, SAAB's Rolf Mellde was
hurriedly organizing and operating the first SAAB service
SAAB Motors, Inc. President Ralph Millet with Bob Wehman, SAAB
serviceman, extreme left, and Lou Braun, extreme right, pose with
winning cars in Great American Mountain Rallve.
25
Ralph Millet and Rolf Nienae, SAAB Chief Engineer, after Great American Mountain Rallye.
school at Hingham. The men who attended it were learning
how to service the car by means of the latest instructional
aids, including special films and sectionalized mock-ups of
the car and its unique engine.
Here again the company displayed what proved to be
superb merchandising generalship. Each prospective SAAB
dealer had to sign an agreement stating that he would put
his service personnel through the SAAB service school, and
also would stock a minimum number of spare parts.
It was further decided to restrict dealership to areas
where SAABs could be readily supplied with spares. At
all costs, supply lines were not to be spread too thin. Those
dealerships were handed out in strict proportion to the
number of cars that Sweden could export, and in proportion to the available spares.
By the end of 1957, SAAB had some 60 dealers who
26
International commei-_ .. .sen in action at Edgewater, New Jersey,
where Chrysler Valiants are loaded for shipment to Sweden, as SAAB
automobiles are brought in for sale in the United States. This two-way
exchange of merchandise between Sweden and the United States plays
important part in maintaining economic balance between two countries.
27
Early model little wli.:c SAAB in^kes its debut at Cloudbank, New
York hill climb.
sold 1,500 automobiles. Each had a backlog of orders. The
SAAB was literally selling itself.
Quite naturally, the Great American Mountain Rally
victory attracted widespread attention among crack American drivers. People literally stood in line to get SAABs.
The car became a hot favorite as SAAB's astonishing list
of competition victories began to build up. Rarely has any
car caused such a sensation.
By the end of 1958, SAAB dealers were among the ten
top importers in relation to the sales-per-dealer factor.
More than 3,500 new SAAB cars were registered in 1958,
twice the 1957 total.
The increasing U.S. demand for the car was responsible
for the accelerated completion of a new automobile factory
in Sweden. Instead of selling 3,600 SAABs in the U.S. in
1959, the quota was raised to 5,000. Florida was invaded
after a new preparation and factory depot had been set up
in Jacksonville. Next, dealers were appointed in the Middle
West. To ease the load at Hingham, a SAAB storage and
preparation depot was opened at Cartaret, New Jersey.
More spare parts were imported and stockpiled, and additional service schools put into operation.
By the end of 1959 40 new dealerships had been added,
28
Wcw cars are received and prepared for dispat ch to dealers at SAAB's vast facility at Hingham,
•Massachusetts.
Cars disembarked at Edgewater, New Jersey, go to SAABs facility
at Cartaret, New Jersey.
giving SAAB a total of 160. In spite of this glittering success, the SAAB management still refused to "go national."
They remained as conservative and determined in their
conception of sales promotion as in their engineering,
rigidly sticking to their policy of selling only in areas
where they had established supply lines.
Despite the arrival of the domestic compacts, the SAAB
passed its U.S. sales goal of 5,000 units. Today, SAAB has
spare parts valued at over one and a half million dollars
strategically stockpiled in the U.S.
"The emphasis in our program," says SAAB's president
Ralph Millet, "is to provide our customers with the best
in service and immediate availability of spare parts. That
emphasis will remain."
SAAB dealers are largely responsible for the various
improvements that have been put into the SAAB since it
has been on sale in these United States. SAAB Motors
president Ralph Millet regularly sends out questionnaires
to his dealers asking them to report customer suggestions
and complaints, and to add their own ideas for improving
the product.
Since the first SAAB was sold in America, no fewer than
31 improvements have been embodied in the design without
extra cost to the buyer. These are listed below:
1. Heater and defroster
2. Key starter
3. Full instrumentation
SO
4. Larger fuel tank
5. Safety-padded dashboard
6. Windshield washers
7. Self-cancelling turn signals
8. Adjustable lounge seats
9. Safety sun visors
10. Vinyl upholstery
11. Foam rubber upholstery
12. Undercoating
13. Safety belt fittings
14. Safety glass all around
15. More powerful engine
16. Wrap-around rear window
17. Wider 3-passenger rear seat
18. Air circulation vents
19. Opening side rear windows
20. Double size locking glove compartment
21. Larger radiator
22. Larger brakes
23. Theft-proof ignition lock
24. Double acting shock absorbers
25. Front arm rests
26. Adjustable rear seat
27. Dome light
28. Front hinged doors
29. Larger air scoop
30. Improved door locks
31. 23% more luggage space
It is interesting to note that Sweden maintains an ideal
balance of import-exports with the U.S. SAAB, for instance,
imports a considerable amount of aircraft and electronic
components and pays for them in cash, and SAAB dealers
in Sweden import and distribute Chryster Corp. automobiles and parts. This results in a healthy and harmonious
international commerce, entirely devoid of any menace to
either nation's industrial economy or currency.
31
Phantom view of the SAAB 3-cylinder 42 hp two-cycle engine with
gear box and differential.
SAAB 93B comes out on top in hill climb event.
32
3. Readability and Solid Comfort
Roadability in a car is as important as wifeability in
a woman. Within the confines of this book, we shall only
concern ourselves with the former. No matter how attractive its line, no matter how colorful and luxuriously comfortable its seating, without an acceptable function performance and good road manners an automobile amounts
to little more than an expensive oddity.
The SAAB ranks high in roadability. This can be summed
up by saying that it is a highly efficient medium of transportation which embodies maximum safety and passenger
comfort under an infinite variety of surface and climatic
conditions.
The moment you get behind the wheel and sense the
SAAB's big car feeling, consequent on its low center of
gravity and longish wheelbase, it is comforting to reflect
on the sturdiness of its construction. The unobtrusive windshield pillars, for instance, actually contain within them
rectangular steel tubes which amount to "built in" roll bars
similar to those used on racing cars to protect the drivers in
case their cars flip.
Similarly, driver and passengers sit inside the
strengthening members or bulkheads of the steel shell, and
the heavy steel cross members run under the delightfully
padded front seats, the strength of these cross members
offering a superlative degree of protection in the event
of a sideswipe or a sideways crash. Additional safety is
provided by those corrugated steel panels in the engine
and trunk compartments.
If ever a manufacturer came up with an answer to the
generally accepted fallacy that the driver of a small car
must inevitably come off the worst in a road crash, the
33
SAAB people have it. I have seen a SAAB which turned
two terrific end-to-end somersaults on a track, and after
peeling off into a series of six barrel rolls, ended up on
its side. The driver simply released his safety belt and
stepped out uninjured. And there was no damage to the
engine, even though the hood and the grille were smashed.
The SAAB experts who examined the car were not at
all surprised. In fact, if the main structure of this particular SAAB—which was doing 75 m.p.h. when the accident
happened—had been damaged, they would have felt that
they had failed in their object of creating a safe automobile.
Because the dimensions and layout of the spot welded
body were so designed in the early models that every part
of the structure bore the maximum permissible stress, the
SAAB engineers resolutely refused to increase the size
of the rear window, and worried somewhat when their
aeronautical strain gages showed minimal deformation due
to the window framing. This was eliminated by a rearrangement of the rear passenger seating.
The designers figured a view of the road is not so important for the passengers in the rear seats as for the
driver, so they are placed unusually low down. This allows
ample headroom, and also enables the outer roof to be
shaped more favorably from the aspect of reduced air
resistance. The rear window is set so low that the correct
position for the rear window driving mirror is at the
lower edge of the windshield.
However, in response to the wails of the small fry, who
are usually consigned to the back seat, the new model
now has three height settings. The highest still allows the
driver an unobstructed view of what's behind.
An Unexpected Plus: Roominess
Another argument you often get when discussing small
cars is that they're cramped. Even if there is leg room,
say their detractors, the fellow who's broad on the beam
is going to feel like a sardine.
When I took over the SAAB 96, which represents the
greatest change the SAAB has undergone since the 93, my
34
first passenger was a fellow who liked to boast he wouldn't
be seen dead in one of those little jobs. Weighing a shadow
over 220 pounds, and being some six feet tall, he might well
be excused on the score of bulk, but I was merciless, and
so he capitulated after sundry semi-serious objections.
We had only driven a few miles when he burst out,
"Jeeze, there's plenty of room here." I pretended to be
concentrating on the driving. Presently he exclaimed, "And
it's darned comfortable too. Didn't expect they'd have
seats like this."
The temperature outside was under ten degrees. The
semi-melted snow of a previous thaw had been frozen to
solid undulations of gleaming ice. The suburban roads
were dotted with stalled cars, and here and there you
heard the tortured screaming of tires as they spun in icy
valleys, in vain attempts to get traction.
Inspired partly by a natural perversity, and partly by
a sincere desire to test the SAAB's surefootedness, I
headed straight across an icy wilderness of uncleaned
slope. It was about as tough a test as you could inflict
on a car, particularly when we were brought to a sudden
involuntary halt within a few yards by a station wagon
which had shot out of its garage and stopped dead ahead
across our path.
I could almost hear the cynical giant beside me saying
under his breath, "Now what are you going to do?" as I
slipped into first, and steered round the obstruction. In
less time than it takes to write this, we were crossing
the ice, in a series of admittedly noticeable plunges, but
without loss of traction or the vestige of a skid.
As we gained the smooth cleaned main road ahead, my
friend whistled; a whistle of undeniable approval.
The following day, my road tests had to be done in driving snow. The roads were already covered with frozen
snow and treacherous patches of flash ice. It was the kind
of weather in which only the experienced and the uninitiated go out in automobiles. At least in conventional
cars.
As I opened the door of the 96, which I had left out all
35
night, I remembered that in some of the company's literature I had read that the little car was designed to operate
within the Arctic Circle, which covers a large part of its
native Sweden.
Having previously swept the snow off the front and rear
windows, I pulled out the choke (cold start lever), and
activated the starter. As the engine sprang to life, the
quotation "The North wind made the Vikings" came into
my mind. Startwise, anyhow, the Arctic Circle made the
SAAB.
One of the advantages of a 2-cycle engine is that you do
not have to warm it up. You just start and go. Warming
up actually is inadvisable; when the SAAB engine is
running slowly the power required to operate the moving
parts generates very little heat, and so you are only taking
juice out of your battery. Reflecting on this easy starting
as I backed out of the driveway through driving snow, I
felt that these advantages amply compensated for the hard
time the average gas station man gave you when you told
him that you put oil in your gas tank and that he should
put it in first.
You also have the advantage of knowing that in the
coldest ambient temperature every one of the moving parts
of your engine is getting fresh oil.
Then I drove an uneventful 20 miles to work. The uneventfulness was reflected in the total absence of the skids,
swings and stalls that might be expected on such unfavorable road surfaces.
When the engine warmed, the defroster did an efficient
job on front and rear windows, and the hot air/ventilation
system quickly provided fog-free and frost-free vision.
That evening, the take-off over a good five-inches of
snow and the drive home over frozen roads were accomplished with neither incident nor discomfort. Winterwise,
at least, the SAAB was doing everything expected of it in
an extremely graceful manner.
There was something uncanny in the behavior of the 96
under these really perilous conditions. Coming up with other
cars stalled and slithering, I at first succumbed to a feeling
36
of compassion, but later this purely personal emotion
changed to one of content tinged with a streak of pride at
being behind the wheel of such a competent vehicle. Other
SAAB drivers have told me of experiencing the same
feeling.
That was all there was to my winter road testing. You
set out with a minimum of fuss or precaution and you
arrived in comfort. What more could you ask of transportation ?
Summing up, you might almost say that SAAB's the car
that gets you there without a care, which happens to be
the company's sales slogan.
Solid Comfort
Driver and passenger comfort are essential qualities
of a car's readability. The SAAB's hot water heater is
efficient and odorless. The three controls are prominently
placed on the left-hand side of the dashboard. The air control damper allows air to circulate through the heater unit.
While the engine is cold you naturally get cold air, but it
warms up rapidly as the temperature rises. On cold days,
it's a good idea to keep the air flow shut off until the
engine warms up.
The lever marked "Cold-Hot" is pressed down to start the
hot water circulating through the heater element.
The control marked "Floor-Defr." directs the air either
upwards through the defrosting ducts or down to the floor.
Leave it in the middle and you get an equal flow in both
outlets. When the air control "Closed-Open" is operated,
the air stream can be reduced or completely shut off. The
heater fan control has two speeds.
There is also an intriguing chain to the left of these controls. This is one of those refinements you usually find only
on ultra-expensive European cars. It controls a blind behind
the front grille which allows fast warm-up and, when closed,
protects the engine from moisture in the event of a heavy
rain storm.
37
How About Hot Weather?
With so much attention being paid to winter driving, one
is almost tempted to forget the extreme heat which prevails
over some areas of these United States.
Did the SAAB designers visualize the needs of a driver
crossing the Mojave Desert, or sweating it out in a Washington summer? They did. With a little thought and a few
simple jigglings of levers, your SAAB can be practically
air-conditioned.
The first thing you do when the robins arrive is to
uncover the little ventilation holes in the engine compartment and, of course, open your blind. Then the fresh air
intake control is opened wide. The SAAB, incidentally, has
air openings high enough to escape sucking in the fumes
from the exhaust from the cars in front of you. Then
with your windows open, and with the cunning no-draft
device on the side windows, you should be as cool as you
need.
When a car stands for a long time in the heat, it can
get really warm. The SAAB fresh air heater can take care
of this condition. If the engine is cold, move up the heater
control to the "COLD" position. Then pull out the fan button
and cool air will come pouring out of the ducts which
supply warm air when the control is on "HOT." This cool
air can be directed in the same way as warm air, thus
providing you with a degree of air-conditioning which can
be very acceptable.
THE SAAB 96—100 Improvements
The SAAB 96 is said to have approximately one hundred
improvements on the older 93 model which made its appearance in 1956, but most of these are scarcely evident except to the owner. Your SAAB 93 hasn't been outdated
even by what the manufacturers hail as radical changes in
the new model—a bigger, wrap-around rear window, a
remodelled rear end, and a wider rear seating arrangement.
The 93 and the 96 have a close resemblance to each other,
which is advantageous when trade-in time comes round.
38
Dash of 1961 SAAB demonstrates good engineering. Note hooded
"stripe" speedometer, recessed instrumentation and readable symbols
for lights and blower. (Extreme left, conveniently placed defrosting
vents do adequate job.)
There is also more power from the larger engine, and
greater acceleration. If you have never been exposed to
the silky power drive of the SAAB 3-cylinder engine, you
have missed a worthwhile motoring experience. In fact,
having been removed from such experience for several
years, the writer found it even more enjoyable than before.
After a few hundred miles of being driven in city traffic,
on highways, and on a turnpike, the SAAB engine had
gone a long way along the road to selling the idea that a
3-cylinder, 2-cycle engine is eminently more suitable for
small car use than the conventional 4-cycle "four."
Incidentally, your SAAB has a distinctive note when
idling, which some drivers might find disturbing at first,
39
but which familiarity blends into the personality of the car.
One important point to remember is: don't fiddle around
with your carburetor without expert advice. A little
knowledge can be dangerous and costly when dealing with
the fuel supply, as anyone who has handled a 2-cycle engine
well knows.
Brakes
The SAAB hydraulic foot brake operates on all four
wheels. The rear wheels have one double action cylinder
and the front wheels have two single action cylinders. The
brake fluid container is conveniently located in the engine
compartment, left of the radiator. The mechanical parking
brake works on the rear wheels only. Its position between
the two front bucket seats is conventional to many European
sports cars, and although it may seem unfamiliar to new
drivers, its position and power will be appreciated as one
gets acquainted with it.
The manufacturers claim their brakes have exceptional
heat resistant qualities, which enable them to withstand
excessive temperatures without fading. In view of this,
they urge owners to fit nothing but original SAAB linings
or linings recommended by the company. In driving I found
that the braking effect on top gear is powerful and anything
but abrupt.
Free Wheel
Two-cycle engines do not decelerate as quickly as 4-cycle
because of their friction-free design, and this is probably
the reason why most 2-cycle powered cars, including the
SAAB, are fitted with a free wheeling device. This is
somewhat of a novelty in America, although it is widely
used on all kinds of cars in Europe, mainly as a gas saver.
When you get used to it, the free wheel provides you
with a delightful sensation of gliding. At the same time it
saves gas and reduces engine wear. Let's say you are
cruising at 40 m.p.h. When you lift your foot off the
pedal, the car will continue even if engine speed drops to
"idle." The free wheel also allows you to shift down from
third to second and up from second to third without the
40
use of the clutch. If you have to push the car for starting,
you must disengage the free wheel by operating the handle
under the dash.
Driving Hints
Every marque of car has a distinctive personality and, as
can well be expected, the SAAB is no exception. Frankly,
it has one of those personalities which endears itself to
you with closer acquaintance.
Through the medium of a number of succinctly written
manuals and pamphlets, the SAAB people play the mother
hen to their customers in a delightfully friendly and informative manner. They obviously want you to know their
car and to like it. Here is how they put it in one of their
Engine and component configuration of SAAB models permit complete
accessibility. Considerable work can be done without removing engine.
Hood is easily detachable.
41
little books: "If you buy a car with unique features, why
not know what they are." They also remind us that a
lot of people buy a car and do not discover, until they are
ready to trade it in, that it has a number of features
which would have been just what they wanted if they had
known of their existence.
If you own a SAAB—and if you can read—the Swedish
boys are not going to let this happen to you. For this
friendly service, they deserve top marks.
As a SAAB owner, you will learn that you should drive
harder than you normally would in a domestic car, which
means that you should not change up until you have really
reached a "good speed" in your present gear. In other words,
have a hard foot and use it right and your SAAB will love
you.
And here's good news when your battery goes dead, which
has been known to happen to the most careful motorist.
All you do is depress the clutch and pull out the free wheel
lever, put the car in gear, and get another car to push.
You won't have to be pushed far. The 2-cycle engine will
start in about a tenth of the time that it takes a 4-cycle to
respond under this type of treatment. A few trips round the
block will re-charge your battery.
The SAAB dealer service program is one of the best in
the United States. However, there are always spots where
a foreign car of any kind is as rare as a Ubangi on Broadway. And there are always people who regard such a vehicle with awe and suspicion, their attitude being "I
wouldn't like to touch the darned thing!"
If you are likely to be driving in such parts, and even
if you are sticking to civilized areas, you don't have to get
ulcers if some small difficulty manifests itself. Your SAAB
dealer can supply you with a travel kit at a nominal cost
which contains:
1 complete gasket set
1 fan belt
1 distributor cap
3 spark plugs
1 distributor rotor
42
1 set ignition points
1 condenser
1 fuel pump diaphragm
1 set fuel pump points
1 carburetor needle valve
All electric bulbs not easily obtainable elsewhere
If you have not looked underneath the hood of a
SAAB, we might as well tell you that the engine and the
battery and other vital parts are exceedingly accessible.
The hood is readily removed from the car for detailed work,
and most repairs can be done without removing the engine.
Random Observations
A second look under the hood reveals further examples
of the manufacturers' concern for their product, and for
your driving comfort. Even the direction of the flow of
coolant in the radiator is indicated. The type of spark
plugs that should be used, and the appropriate gapping, are
plainly printed on the air cleaner. There is a handy rattlefree clamp for carrying a quart of SAAB oil where it
can be kept warm by the engine heat. The distributor,
directly behind the grille, is protected against driving rain
by a metal shield. Even the fan in front of the rear
positioned radiator is protected by a wire cage.
A cowling or pan beneath the engine compartment protects your engine from mud and road splashes. Years ago
some conscientious manufacturers provided these, but this
valuable courtesy to engine and owner vanished with the
age of mass production. SAAB thoughtfully include it, in
addition to efficiently undercoating the entire bottom surfaces of their cars.
As you become acquainted with the SAAB, you become
aware of various little extra comfort items not usually
found in small cars; conveniently placed rear ashtrays,
foam rubber arm rests, and pull straps for the rear seat
passengers.
Air circulation within the car is particularly good. The
rear side windows open in the 96, and the front side windows are fitted with an entirely novel system of top venting
43
which keeps the rear seat passengers from being disturbed
by in-rushing air. The two-speed blower does an excellent
job of both defrosting and heating. Outlets are provided
beneath the side windows.
The dash is well padded and has a non-reflective finish,
essential because of the SAAB's sloping windshield. Actually, our only anxious moment experienced while driving the
96 came when setting sun hit the glass at an oblique angle
and a careless pedestrian ignored the traffic lights and
stepped right in front of the car at a city crossing, suddenly appearing as a black shape. The brakes, however,
were completely adequate.
Upholstery of individual front seats is solid and comfortable, giving adequate body support. These seats are
easily adjustable. When slid back, they allow ample accommodation for an extra-tall driver or passenger.
The back of the driver's seat has a convenience worth
its weight in gold in bad weather. It can be adjusted so
that you can sit bolt upright in perfect comfort and see
everything possible in front of you.
One thing we liked was the combination of the windshield wipers and the window washers. What's more, the
water really hits the target.
Luggage deck is square and roomy, with spare wheel
located underneath.
Gearbox is quiet and effective, the sturdy gate shift
a delight. No fooling or fiddling for gears; and a clutch
as sweet as you could hope to find. Having handled a
few shifts, and appreciated the advantages of free wheeling,
you realize that some of the big car feeling you experience
undoubtedly comes from the behavior of the gearbox that
never allows you to forget it is a solid engineering job,
capable of performing its function at any speed.
Seven Keen Critics
The SAAB 96 on which we made our tests had just
completed its run in. It was not subjected to any particular
test in which its paces were checked by instrumentation,
but was called upon to undertake the average daily com44
Every SAAB dealer sends his mechanics to a SAAB service school like
this one at Hingham, Massachusetts.
muter and household transportation chores that are imposed
on a family car. It carried various types of passengers;
a heavy six-footer, a long-legged female, and five children
who are markedly candid critics. Their verdict: "It's a
cool car. Let's get one." From the other riders, general
agreement.
To prove our theory that the SAAB 96 and its youthful
ancestor the 93 are easy to drive, we tested this on the
first fine day by putting a new driver behind the wheel;
a gal who's inclined to turn green at the very suggestion
of having to shift a gear. This suggested impending cruelty
to SAABs, so we held our breath a trifle at the start. After
a preliminary stall, however, the driver got off in fine
style and slicked through into third without mishap. When
told that one could shift down without declutching, our
fair pilot uttered a little squeal of delight, and did just
that. From then on, plain sailing. Verdict: "The first
45
gearshift car I feel I could drive, and not make horrible
noises. I like it."
In view of the fact that the weather was vile most of
the time, with seven inches of snow, temperatures slightly
above zero, unexpected thaws and subsequent sharp freezes
which brought about the most perilous icing conditions
imaginable, the SAAB 96 turned in a perfect performance;
it completely ignored the weather, and did everything that
was asked of it.
SAAB production methods combine production line with
custom finish procedures. Bodies are pressed out of heavy
gauge sheet metal. After assembly by welding and soldering, the steel is sanded down by hand and then submitted
to quality control, after which it is conveyed to the phosphating plant where the final effective shield against rust
is applied. Here, after priming, it goes through a series of
ovens in which the enamel is baked on. This is followed by
wet sanding, a rubbing down, and quality control inspection. Then the entire underside of the body, including the
fenders and inside of the boxlike members along the floor,
is undercoated.
Meanwhile, engines and transmissions are manufactured
at Gothenburg where they are test run before forwarding
for installation in the assembly line at Trollhatten.
Driving the car, one is impressed with the complete
absence of rattles and noises. This is achieved by frequent
inspection and by careful insulation of the body against
engine and road noises.
Finally, it would be churlish to leave the car without
paying tribute to the attractive and comfortable upholstery.
The foam rubber seats are covered in a woven plastic
that breathes, thus eliminating that clammy feeling often
associated with synthetic fabrics. The colors are attractive,
matching the color scheme of the car.
46
Contents of this SAAB "carbarn" at Carteret, are constantly changing.
Getting to work on time during the Swedish winter is no problem
with SAAB front wheel drive.
48
4. Why Front Wheel Drive?
Asked what he considered the most outstanding feature
of the SAAB, Bob Wehman, SAAB's Service Manager,
answered without hesitation: "Its front wheel drive, which
allows you literally to aim the car where you want to go."
In contemplating a car with so many different features,
Wehman's statement could appear to be favorably prejudiced to his company's product; but, on reflection,
without front wheel drive the SAAB wouldn't be the car
it is. Its steering geometry, springing, road stability, transmission, seating design—the entire car, in fact—are built
around front wheel drive to enable the automobile to fulfill
a very special function for an established purpose.
It is obvious that front wheel drive has numerous advantages over the conventional layout, even though conservative automobile designers have scrupulously ignored
it in mass production models. But then we find a parallel
in aviation's neglect of the helicopter, which made successful flights as long ago as 1913, and the reaction principle
which is now powering our jet airliners.
Similarly, it was left to the SAAB aeronautical designers
to use a nose wheel for landing aircraft, and thus eliminate
ground looping which was a frequent occurrence with the
conventionally accepted tail wheel. After the Swedes had
proved that this configuration definitely ended ground loops,
it was adopted by aircraft manufacturers throughout the
world.
Without running the risk of star-gazing, it is interesting
to note that a new front wheel drive miniature (not compact) car is planned to go into production in Detroit,
and no fewer than three prototypes have been running
around the Michigan blocks for several months. A recent
49
arrival from England was B.M.C.'s 4-cylinder Mini-Minor
with front wheel drive. Italy's Lancia followed the crowd.
Front v/heel drive is not new. An experience in winning
my first hill climb with a front-wheel-drive Alvis more than
30 years ago convinced me that we really had something,
but we had to wait a long time before the knowledge spread
and was accepted by automotive designers. Oddly enough,
in those days as today, f.w.d. detractors were everywhere.
F.w.d. impaired your steering, they said. You were liable
to flip head-over-heels. You lost traction on steep hills,
and when you got into a skid, you never lived to tell the
tale. And when you encountered a crosswind on an open
road, why you just couldn't hold the beast.
These were the arguments you heard in Europe—at
Le Mans, in Berlin, at Monte Carlo, in Northern Ireland,
Brookslands, England, and in London's Royal Automobile
Club. F.w.d. was a freak. The fact that four-wheel-drive
trucks conquered the Flanders mud in World War I, they
said, didn't prove that front wheel drive was either needed
or practical.
History and prejudice inevitably repeat themselves. Recently I drove into a parking lot in a 1961 f.w.d car. Up
came a bright young man, obviously an automobile buff.
Certainly my load was a smart looking job, he said, but
f.w.d. was definitely not an advantage. It was, in fact, a
shocking handicap. So he went through everything—faulty
weight distribution, side winds, under-steering, etc., and
ended up with the shuddering horror: "And what do you
do in winter? You can't use snow tires or chains, so you're
licked from the start.'"
His final shot: "If front wheel drive was practical,
Detroit would use it."
In laying out the design of his car, Gunnar Ljungstrom
decided to try and satisfy the following broad automobile
requirements:
Operation on firm surfaces as well as soft
On level roads and steep gradients
On open fast roads, narrow lanes, etc.
In summer and winter
50
Driver alone or with full load
Calm and windy weather
Seating comfort and interior roominess
Safety at all speeds and while braking
Driving on slippery roads, in snow, in strong winds.
In view of the generally accepted principle that passengers should be carried between the two axles, and that
a low center of gravity provides excellent ride characteristics, it will be understood that mechanical components
and passengers should be located as close to the road as
possible. This condition is best obtained by having the floor
of the automobile at the minimum acceptable ground clearance, with no integral component lower.
This configuration naturally allows maximum interior
space. The full advantage of this space can be maintained
by the elimination of the transmission tunnel, a condition
that can be achieved by placing the engine with the transmission by the use of either front or rear wheel drive.
Where rear drive involves certain design difficulties and
inherent undesirable cornering conditions, front wheel drive
offers no such problems.
On the matter of load carrying potential, Designer
Ljungstrom has this to say: "The space available between
the front wheels is limited by the suspension and steering
linkages, as well as the steering deflections of those wheels.
In addition, the height of the front end is limited by
requirements in respect to range of vision. Thus, there is
substantially more space available for luggage at the rear
than at the front, while the space at the front is, nevertheless, ample for all commonly employed types of engines;
the actual layout of the transmission-engine unit can be
varied to satisfy individual requirements of different installations. Good examples of layouts of f.w.d. cars are
Dyna Panhard, SAAB, DKW and B.M.C. ADO 15 model.
From the foregoing discussion, the conclusions to be drawn
are that the installation of the engine at the front, with
f.w.d., is beneficial in respect to the following:
Space utilization
Efficiency of rear suspension geometry
51
Height of the center of gravity
Comfort of the ride."
Steering Advantages
How about front wheel drive behavior at speed? Like
other front wheel drive cars, the SAAB has a notable
characteristic of understeer, meaning that the front wheels
are self-centering, with a tendency to align themselves
toward a straight course during a turn. For high-speed
driving, front steered wheels not only help the driver to
return to the neutral position after a bend, but they allow
him to get a "feel" of the amount of grip he has on traction
surface.
Many sports car manufacturers endeavor to give their
cars understeer characteristics by modifying the weight
distribution, it being well known that a tail-heavy car
lacks these.
The following average weight distribution figures will
be of interest:
For rear engined cars:
Two at the front: 43% on front wheels
Five occupants:
40 % on front wheels
For f.w.d. cars:
Two at the front: 60% on front wheels
Five occupants:
52% on front wheels
With a nose-heavy f.w.d. car, understeer is readily obtainable, as is the case with the conventional front-engined
car. But should wheel spin occur with its naturally light rear
axle, the car will obey its tendency to follow its front
wheels and will straighten out: without rear end breakaway.
But don't let us forget that a skid is a skid in any
language and on any surface, and the quicker you master
it, the better. With front wheel drive, all that's necessary is
to ease up the throttle and, bingo, you are in control. With
f.w.d. you can forget all about steering into the arc of the
skid. Just take your foot off and follow your front wheels.
52
en
CO
Two SAABs lead the field at Lime Rock and take first and second place.
SAAB 93F differs outwardly from successor in minor details.
Some Magnificent Skids
As a devotee of f.w.d., I deliberately drove the SAAB
across an ice-capped parking lot to test its behavior. I
tried three types of skid. First I drove straight at fairly
high speed and jammed on the brakes, locking the wheels.
The skid was straight forward, without the slightest signs
of a breakaway which can bring disaster to a heavy-footed
jack rabbit driver on an icy road.
The next test was sheer brutality. Driving at 35-40 mph,
I went into a sharp turn that one would not normally attempt on any surface. The resulting skid was a beaut. As
the front wheels lost their grip, the car left the perimeter
of the turn circle with a crabbing sideways movement—
that followed a straight line. The moment I took my foot
off the pedal, the thrill was over and the front wheels gave
me back control. Elated, I jumped out with my camera
and took a picture of the skid tracks.
The temperature was ten above, the wind beat against
my face like solid ice. I was in a hurry, so I forgot to remove the camera lens cap. No picture!
The next experiment was a goof skid. I braked while
turning and let nature do its worst. The SAAB slipped
gently forward in a straight line, front wheels turned to
the left and locked, and came out with the precision of a
54
West Pointer when the man at the wheel started to behave
himself again.
Hill Climbing
As for hill climbing, don't believe what they say about
the deficiency of front wheel drive on steep slopes. Carrying
only the driver, on upgrades of about 20%, f.w.d. is
superior to the conventional front-heavy, rear-drive car.
For exceptionally steep gradients, a rear drive car with
full load puts up a superior performance.
However, if your front wheel drive car balks at a steep,
badly surfaced hill, you can always go up in reverse. (Not
advised on the highway, of course.)
Nevertheless, in speed hill climbing, your front wheel
drive car has it over all the others. A conventional rigid
axle car with limited-slip differential has a tendency to lift
one wheel on a fast climbing turn, to the right, for instance.
This lift of the right rear wheel may cause the other wheel
to spin, thus depriving the driver of his rear end directional
control.
"The fact that the driving wheels of a f.w.d car travel
a longer distance than those of a rear-driven car leads to
more advantageous utilization of the available torque,"
says Mr. Ljungstrom. "With a car having, for example, a
SAABs are renowned performers on ice.
55
52
(A) front wheel drive; (B) orthodox rear wheel drive with engine
at the front; (C) rear engine, rear wheel drive.
Typical weight distribution values for different types of car on the
level and when climbing gradients in the forward and reverse directions.
The top three in each row are those with the driver and one passenger,
while the lower one is with all of the seats occupied.
wheelbase of 100 in., a track of 50 in., and a turning circle
of 400 in., the front wheels, on full lock, travel a 20% longer
distance than the rear ones. This is true for both forward
and reverse motions, and the good traction of a f.w.d.
vehicle when reversing up a slope can be most useful."
Dr. Dick Thompson, the well known Washington dentist
and racing driver, is a firm believer in front-wheel drive.
Thompson set a record for fastest lap of the day and a new
course record for sedans at Little LeMans in 1960. Dr.
Thompson, who has been a competition driver for about
9 years, started in 1952 with an M.G. at Sebring. He was
S.C.A.A. National Champion in 1953-54 in a Porsche, in
1956-57 in a Corvette, in 1959 in an Austin-Healey, and
in 1960 in the Stingray, which is a modified Corvette.
Dr. Thompson has driven a SAAB in the Little LeMans
56
Typical arrangements of engine and passenger accommodation in popular front wheel
cars.
race at Lime Rock for the last three years. The only mechanical failure in the complete twenty-four hours of racing, he says, was a wheel bearing—in a rear wheel. "Front
wheel drive is unbeatable in competition," he says. "Pulling
the car around the turn has certain fundamental advantages that were proven beyond a doubt as the SAABs
out-handled any other car on the course as well as being
faster down the straight."
After the Little LeMans, Bob Wehman and Dick Thompson took their cars down to Marleboro Raceway and
57
SAAB front wheel drive diagram.
actually licked Alfas, Sunbeams and Fiat-Abarths. This
with an automobile that is designated as a touring car.
All of which demonstrates the stamina and durability of
the SAAB.
In the area of braking, a front wheel drive car must
SAAB front wheel suspension.
58
ENGINE
CLUTCH
FRONT WHEEL
SAAB transmission (schematic).
be given such brake torque distribution as to prevent the
rear wheels locking before the front ones, even when only
the driver is in the car. For all other loads, the margin of
safety against the rear wheels locking will be wider, which
means that when you really have to grind down on your
brakes, the car keeps in a straight line as my own SAABon-ice experiment showed.
Ljungstrom actually recommends that SAAB owners spin
their front wheels purposely, and swing their steering
wheel when driving on icy roads. This he describes as
"useful and educational" because it proves three facts:
that front wheel spin does not mean loss of directional
stability; that the road is slippery; that the car will not
respond if the steering wheel is turned while too much
throttle is being applied.
' 59
As for. the bogey of f.w.d. cars being more susceptible to
high winds, wind tunnel tests have proved that a car with
more weight on its front wheels will tend to yaw less than
one with the reverse weight distribution.
Here's how the SAAB designer sums up nis feeling about
front wheel drive. "If f.w.d. is employed in suitable combination with other elements, the result is a motor car
equal or superior to other types in respect to the following
essential characteristics: comfort, weight economy, space
economy, directional stability and handling under all conditions. Indeed, the only significant disadvantage seems to
be the inferior traction in climbing very steep gradients
with a full load. Although this is admittedly an important
case, it is far from being a decisive one."
To which the author of this volume humbly adds,
"Proven," basing his own conclusion on first hand experience over many years in many countries, on alpine roads,
across desert sands, on suburban streets, country lanes,
highways and turnpikes.
SAAB 96
TECHNICAL DATA
General
Overall length, including bumpers
Overall width
Overall height, empty
Road clearance (2 passengers)
Track, front and rear
Wheelbase
Turning radius
Hill climbing performance
1st speed
2nd speed
3rd speed
Reverse
Empty weight, excl. fuel and water
Empty weight, incl. fuel, water,
tools and spare wheel
Weight distribution
Empty
Fully loaded, incl. 5 pass, and
1(>5 lbs. luggage-2700 lbs.
Engine
Type
Power
SAE at 5000 rpm
60
13 ft. 2 in.
5 ft. 2 in.
4 ft. 10 in
7.5 in.
4 ft.
8 ft. 2 in.
18 ft.
37%
17%
9%
42%
1710 lbs.
1800 lbs.
front 58%
front 48%
two-stroke, three cylinders in line
. . . . 42 bhp
Max. torque at 3000 rpm
Cylinder volume, total
Bore of cylinders
Stroke
Compression ratio, nominal
Fuel System
Fuel tank capacity
Carburetor, down-draft type
Fuel pump, electric
Cooling System
Capacity, incl. heater
Temperature, normal
Thermostat, opens at
Transmission
Oil capacity, gearbox with differential
Clutch
Plate diameter, outer
Gear ratios, total
1st speed
2nd speed
3rd speed
Reverse
Differential gear ratio
Road speed at 1000 rpm engine speed
1st speed
2nd speed
3rd speed
Reverse
Suspension
Maximum spring movement:
Front wheels
Rear wheels
Shock absorbers, type
Maximum stroke, front wheels
rear wheels . . . .
Brake System
Foot brake, four-wheel
Parking brake, rear wheels
Brake lining sizes:
Front
Rear
Total area
Steering Mechanism
Steering gear ratio, steering wheel/
road wheels
Number of turns, lock to lock
Wheels and Tires
Type
Rim dimensions
Tire dimensions
Tire pressure: Front
Rear
59 ft. lbs.
51.9 cu. in.
2.76 in.
2.87 in.
7.3:1
10.5 U.S. gal.
Solex, type 40 AI
SU, type AUA 79
2 U.S. gal.
195" F.
185° F.
2 U.S. qts.
single dry plate with
cushioning device
7 in.
17.2:1
8.5:1
5.3:1
21.0:1
5.43:1
4.1 mph
8.4 mph
13.6 mph
3.4 mph
5.5 in.
6.7 in.
hydraulic-telescopic
3.2 in.
4.4 in.
Lockheed, hydraulic
mechanical
8"x iy ? "
105 sq. in.
average 14:1
V
wide base, disc wheels
4J x 15"
5.00/5.20 x 15"
24-26 lbs/sq. in
20-24 lbs/sq. in
61
FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT
Toe-in, measured on rim
0.08 in. -f- 0.04
Camber
%,"
Caster
2°
"King pin" inclination
7"
Electrical System
Voltage
12 volts
Battery, capacity
33 amp.h
Starter
0.5 hp
Generator
160 watts
Spark plugs:
Thread
18 mm
Thread length
0.5 in.
Electrode gap
0.028 in.
Recommendations
Consistent Slow Driving
Bosch M 145 Tl
(Hot Plug)
Normal and Fast Driving
Champion U.K. 10
Static Timing, advance weights retracted
10 - 12° before T.D.C.
Breaker point gap, distributor
0.012-0.016 in.
Firing sequence (No. 1 is the rear cyl.)
1-2-3
BULBS and FUSES
Philips No.
Watts
Sealed Beam (U.S.A.)
50/40
Headlights (R.H.D.)
12620
45/40
License plate lights, 2
12844
5
Turn and parking lights, front, 2
1034
20/5
Parking lights, rear, 2
12821
5
Turn and stop lights, rear, 2
1073
18
Instrument light and control lights, 5
12913
2
Courtesy light
12844
5
10 + 2 fuses (1 in.)
—
8 amp.
*Tools
Jack and ratchet wrench in bag
Tool bag, containing:
1 Spark plug/wheel bolt wrench (socket and pin)
1 Adjustable wrench
2 Fixed wrenches
1 Combination pliers
2 Screwdrivers (1 Standard, 1 Phillips)
1 Square key for transmission filler, drain and inspection plugs
* All models
SAAB 93 F
TECHNICAL DATA
General
Overall length, including bumpers
Overall width
Overall height, empty
Road clearance (2 passengers)
Track, front and rear
Wheelbase
Turning radius
Hill climbing performance
1st speed
62
13 ft. 2 in.
5 ft. 2 in.
4 ft. 10 in.
7.5 in.
4 ft.
8 ft. 2 in.
18 ft.
32%
2nd speed
3rd speed
Reverse
Empty weight, excl. fuel and water
Empty weight, incl. fuel, water,
tools and spare wheel
Weight distribution
Empty
Fully loaded, incl. 4 pass, and
176 lbs. luggage - 2600 lbs.
Engine
Type
Power
SAE at 5000 rpm
Max. torque at 3000 rpm
Cylinder volume, total
Bore of cylinders
Stroke
Compression ratio, nominal
Lubrication
Engine
Mixing ratio (oil/gasoline)
Oil quality
* during the running in period 1:25
Fuel System
Fuel tank capacity
Carburetor, down-draft type
Fuel pump, electric
Cooling System
Capacity, incl. heater
Temperature, normal
Thermostat, opens at
Transmission
Gear ratios, total
1st speed
2nd speed
3rd speed
Reverse
Differential gear ratio, pinion/ring gear
Oil capacity, gearbox with differential
Clutch
Plate diameter, outer
Road speed at 1000 rpm engine speed
1st speed
2nd speed
3rd speed
Reverse
Suspension
Maximum spring movement:
Front wheels
Rear wheels
15%
8%
40%
1710 lbs.
1775 lbs.
front 587c
rear 427o
front 497c rear 51 %
three cylinders in line,
two-stroke
38 hp
52 ft. lbs.
46 cu. in.
2.59 in.
2.87 in.
7.3
oil mixed-in fuel
1.33 *
Two-stroke,
SAE 40 or 30
9.5 U.S. gal.
Solex, type 40 AI
SU, type L
2 U.S. gal.
195° F.
185° F.
17.19:1
8.53:1
5.23:1
20.01:1
5.43:1
2 U.S. qts.
single dry plate with
cushioning device
7 in.
Wheel radius 12 in.
4.1 mph
8.4 mph
13.6 mph
3.4 mph
5.5 in. *
6.7 in.
63
Shock absorbers, type
Maximum stroke, front wheels
rear wheels
Brake System
Foot brake, four-wheel
Manufacturer
Brake shoe linings-, sizes:
Front
Rear
Total area
Parking brake, rear wheels
Steering Mechanism
Steering gear ratio, steering wheel/
road wheels
Number of turns, lock to lock
Wheels and Tires
Type
Rim dimensions
Tires:
Type
Dimensions
Tire pressures:
Front
Rear (according to load)
FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT
Toe-in, measured on rim
Camber
Caster
"King pin" inclination
Electrical System
Voltage
Battery, capacity
Starter
Generator
Spark plugs:
Thread
Thread length
Electrode gap
Recom mendations
Consistent Slow Driving
(Hot Plug)
Normal and Fast Driving
Timing, advance weights retracted
Breaker point gap, distributor
Automatic spark advance unit
Firing sequence (No. 1 is the rear cyl.)
BULBS, 12 volts
Headlights (R.H.D.)
Sealed Beam (U.S.A.)
License plate lights, 2
Turn indicators, stop and parking lights, 4
Instrument light and control lights for
turn indicators, headlights and fuel, 6
Courtesy light
FUSES
12 (1 in.)
64
hydraulic-telescopic
3.2 in.
4.4 in.
hydraulic
Lockheed
9"xl%"
8" x 1%"
105 sq. in.
mechanical
average 14:1
2XA
wide base, disc wheels
4J x 15"
tubeless
5.00 x 15"
26 lbs./sq. in.
20-24 lbs./sq. in.
0.08 in. + 0.04
%°
2°
7°
12 volts
33 amp.h
0.5 hp
160 watts
M 18
0.5 in.
0.028 in.
Bosch M 145 Tl
Champion U.K. 10
8° before T.D.C.
0.012-0.016 in.
centrifugal
1-2-3
Philips No.
Watts
12620
45/40
50/40
12844
5
1034
23/7
12829
12844
2
5
8 amp.
5. SAAB 95: A "Different"
Station Wagon
Having earned such a terrific popularity with their stock
sedans, it can be easily understood that SAAB couldn't
get away without offering a station wagon; and being a
SAAB, the vehicle just had to be different, with something
extra to offer.
The SAAB 95 made its bow in 1960, billed as an "elegant
roomy family car." It was designed by Sixten Sason, one of
Sweden's leading industrial designers.
Set on the unchanging 98-inch SAAB wheelbase and
powered by the 42 hp engine, the 95 has an overall length
of 162 inches, just a bare four inches longer than the bumper to bumper length of the SAAB 96.
With what seems—to the layman, anyway—the limited
space at his disposal, Sason has done what our British
cousins would term a wizard job. The frontal contours of
the station wagon closely resemble those of the sedan. The
rear end of the welded steel body is extended and is fitted
with a balanced body-wide door which ingeniously swings
upwards at finger tip pressure, giving ample access to the
interior.
What is surprising is that the SAAB 95 is built to carry
five full-sized adults—and remember, our Swedish cousins
are big people. In addition, there is a backward facing rear
seat for two children. Without the kids, the wagon will
carry five adults and 310 pounds of luggage. If there are
only two of you making the trip, you can tote 770 pounds
of luggage in the freight space—which has a floor of plastic
covered steel.
Seating of driver and passengers is identical with the
65
SAAB 95 Station Wagon seats seven, sleeps two, and carries 950 Ib.
load.
sedan's high comfort standard.
Visibility is good. Unimpeded forward vision is achieved
by the use of the same gracefully sloped slender steel pillars
as in the sedan. Another excellent feature is the large rear
window, giving the driver an unobstructed view.
As for the rear bench seat which folds out from the floor
and faces aft, this sacrifices nothing in the way of comfort,
and there is ample room for knees and heads, even for
average-sized adults, although a grown-up doesn't have a
hope if there are children to be transported. With the
juniors it's a case of "Just love that seat."
One is naturally suspicious of manufacturers' claims concerning small station wagons, particularly as to load capacities. With a curb weight of 50 pounds over one ton, it
seems a tall order to load in 770 pounds of freight, plus
at least 300 pounds of adults, and expect to get a smooth,
unswaying ride. You might be excused for feeling that
66
adding 900-plus pounds to the SAAB 95 comes under the
heading of cruelty to small cars.
However, even with such a load, the wagon retains its
unloaded appearance with no semblance of rear drag.
Neither was there any jounce or bounce, the rear springs
cushioning the load efficiently, and no swing on "S" curves.
Steering and cornering and average speed maintenance were
on a par with the sedan, with the inevitable SAAB surefootedness unimpaired. One member of the team which
tested this particular model observed the absence of the
usual "hollow-box" sound often found on station wagons.
Another commented on the excellence of the 95's cornering
capabilities, which yield nothing to the sedan.
One feature which must undoubtedly appeal to young
marrieds, to campers, and to families with small children,
is that the interior can be converted to a 37-inch wide bed
even when the car is being driven. If you happen to be a
Large trunk space in 1961 models is result of U.S. customer suggestions.
67
Wheels on the GT 750 are of a design developed for the SAAB
Sonett exprimental sports car and are built to withstand the hardest
use. Splash guards are fitted to the forward edges of the rear fenders.
"long-ie," the front seat can be set to its most forward
setting and you have a bed length of 80 inches.
Quite naturally, when you add 200 pounds to your chassis
and use the same engine as on the higher sedan, performance has to suffer. You wouldn't expect the SAAB 95 to
have that same joyful nippiness that is characteristic of
the 96.
The designers have compensated for the increased weight
by using slightly lower gear ratios with synchro-mesh on
low, and by offering a 4-speed box as an option. If you use
your gears properly, the 95 is a honey to drive. Cruising
speed is a healthy 65 m.p.h., loaded no less, with an attainable top speed of 75 m.p.h. on a good highway.
Add such little conveniences as well placed interior
lights in the wagon well for unloading or loading after dark,
and seven different seat positions for the front seat backs,
quite a favorable gas consumption, and the SAAB 95 shapes
up as an unusually interesting job.
68
Instrument board of GT 7 5 0 is generously equipped with tachometer
and Halda Speed Pilot ( r i g h t ) . Note also grab handle on extreme right.
SAAB air pre-heater. ( 1 ) Cold ( 2 ) W a r m .
69
Rear side windows open as part of comfortable air ventilation system.
SAAB 95
TECHNICAL DATA
Engine, type
No. of cylinders
Bore X stroke
Displacement
Power
Compression ratio
Torque
Gears
Steering
Brake lining area
Tires, tubeless
Fuel tank
Cooling system capacity
Driving wheels
Suspension
Battery
Wheel base
Track, front and rear
Overall length
Overall width
Height empty
Ground clearance
(2 occupants)
Curb weight
Rated carrying capacity
Freight space floor
Freight space volume
Turning circle diameter
70
2-stroke, gasoline
3
2.76 in. x 2.87 in.
51.3 cu. in.
42 SAE b.h.p. at 5,000 r.p.m.
,
7.3:1
60 ft. lb. at 3,000 r.p.m.
3 or 4 forward -+- reverse
All forward gears synchronized
Rack and pinion, ratio 14:1
105 sq. in.
5.60 x 15
,.
11.4 U.S. gal.
,
approx. 8 quarts
(incl. heater)
front wheels
Coil springs and hydraulic
shock absorbers on all four
wheels
12 volts
DIMENSIONS
98 in.
48 in.
162 in.
62 in.
approx. 58 in.
approx. 7»<» in.
2050 lb.
5 persons + 310 lb. luggage
or 2 persons + 770 lb. freight
or 7 persons
2 persons 63 x 37 in.
5 persons 39 x 37 in.
approx. 39 cu. ft.
36 ft.
6. SAAB Granturismo 750
The Granturismo is a hotter version of the 93 and 96
series which the SAAB people modestly state "may readily
be tuned up for competition purposes."
Its principal differences are a specially tuned engine with
an increased compression ratio and super accurate timing.
In its primary form it doubles in brass as a smart family
sport car with that little extra zip over the other members
of its family, but no sacrifice of any of the customary SAAB
safety and comfort. The front seats—which, incidentally,
are equipped with safety belts—are adjustable to 14 positions, right down to providing sleeping accommodation for
the passenger. The arm rests of the rear seats have roomy
built-in pockets for thermos flasks and sandwiches.
Standard equipment includes tachometer, extra large
brakes, competition tires, racing type wood-rimmed steering
wheel, and a fascinating device known as the Halda Speed
The SAAB Grand Turismo 750, a luxurious sports version of the
standard SAAB 96.
71
Pilot which literally takes the worry out of rally driving
and can be slated to fill the rumpus room with trophies.
The 750 has a 4-speed gearbox, and a special type of
clutch lining designed for rugged going. An appropriate
touch which adds a note of distinction is the red painted
750 engine.
Competition Tuning
If you have a yen to convert your 750 to a "Super" Granturismo, you can avail yourself of a special tuning kit at
any SAAB dealer. But your car must be carefully run in
before the engine is tuned.
The "Super" tuning kit comprises:
Carburetor, twin throated Solex 44 PII
Extra fuel pump with hose and pipe connections
Intake manifold
Modified front muffler
Exhaust pipe of larger diameter
Throttle shaft extension
Air filter
Engine performance will be increased approximately 20%
by fitting these components.
Before going to the start of a racing event, your SAAB
should be thoroughly checked over. To assist owners in
overseeing this all-important job, the SAAB people supply
the following check list that is useful for owners of all
models, remembering that good maintenance is vital to the
life of your car, and to your life as well.
Pattern for a Suitable Check List
Chassis no
Owner
TEST RUN
Acceleration:
Engine:
Charging:
Steering:
Shock Absorbers:
Brakes:
Chassis:
Miscellaneous: . . .
72
Registration no.
Mileage
Date
Work Carried out & Remarks
0—30 mph 0—50 mph 0—70 mph
sec.
sec.
sec.
mile
sec.
POWER UNIT
CHASSIS
Inspection Engine Comp.
Suspension, Spring Arms . .
Carburetor, Throttle Housing
Pivots
Inlet Manifold
Rubber Bushings
Cylinder Head Bolts
Spring Bumpers
Vibration Damper
Screwed Joints, Steering
Generator
Mechanism
Radiator, Themostat and Hoses . Steering Gear, Hardy Disk . .
Electric Cables in Engine Comp.
Tie Rod Ends, Lock Nuts . . .
Electric Cables, Instr. Panel
Brake Linings
Ignition Cables
Brake Drums
Spark Plugs
Wheel Bearings
Distributor Cap
Sealing Rings
Breaker Points, Ignition
Brake Hoses & Nipples
Rotor, Spring Washer
Side Links, Rear Axle
Ignition Coil
Side Links, Body
Fuel Pump, Filter
Center Bearing
Breaker Points, Fuel pump
Stop Straps
Carburetor Fuel Filter
Shock Absorbers
Cleaning (Oiling) Air Filter
Shock Absorber Rubbers
Throttle Linkage, Ball Joints . . . . Wheel Housings
Drive Shaft Joints
Rims (to be changed after 5
Gear Shift Lever Play
Competitions)
Muffler, Exhaust Pipe
Tires and Tire Pressure .
Exhaust Pipe Suspension
Wheel Alignment
MISCELLANEOUS
Battery, Electrolyte Level
Lubrication
Coolant
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brake Fluid
Headlight Aiming
Gearbox Oil
Equipment, Tools
Place for Agent, Workshop, Signatures, etc.:
The passenger seat of the GT 750 is fitted with a head-rest for added
comfort.
73
When doing your own tuning, remember to use the spark
plug types recommended by the makers—in this case Bosch
225 Tl or Champion UK 10 for all but competition driving.
Never use a "hotter" type plug.
A car with such a high speed potential as the Granturismo
750 naturally calls for careful running in. One important
recommendation which SAAB engineers pass on to owners
is:
Don't open the throttle fully during the running in, and
never at low engine speeds: i.e. under 2,800-3,000 r.p.m.
Another, equally important: never let the engine speed
exceed 5,500 except for short intervals. Only when accelerating in 2nd or 3rd gear is 6,500 r.p.m. allowed.
While on the subject of running in, you literally can't
take too much time on this. I had another marque which
was carefully run in for 4,000 miles and raced on several
occasions. When the engine was stripped down at 21,000
miles, some of them as rough as any that you could inflict
on a car, the power unit showed almost no effects of wear.
This condition, coupled with the mileage on the odometer,
prompted the fellow who bought the car to write a letter
asking if the mileage was correct. He simply couldn't believe such a thing could happen.
Competition Driving
When the 750 is used for competition:
1. The fuel mixture should always contain 5% of oil on
models prior to 1960.
2. Use only the clutch linings available as GT spare parts.
A heavy duty pressure plate may also be fitted.
3. Use only the GT brake linings recommended by SAAB.
4. Increase tire pressure up to 30-35 lbs/sq. in. depending
upon the condition of the track.
5. The ignition must be timed to 0°, (T.D.C.)
When "Super" tuning kit is fitted:
1. The ignition must be timed to 0°, (T.D.C.)
2. Use only Bosch M 240 Tl spark plugs, or M 250 Tl.
3. Always use reinforced wheels ; available as spare parts.
When fitting a new wheel, paint should be removed
from the countersunk recesses for the wheel bolts.
74
4. The dual carburetor has no preheater connection. If
there are risks of icing in the carburetor, add 5% pure
alcohol to fuel. Before pouring- the alcohol into the
tank, be sure to clean entire fuel system.
5. Fuel mixture should contain 5% SAAB oil.
General layout of SAAB automobiles.
75
THE SPEED PILOT
1. Knob for setting of average speed hand and (pulled out) the pilot
hand.
2. Hand indicating the determined average speed.
3. Pilot hand.
4. Knob for zeroing the trip meter.
5. Trip meter.
6. Clock with hour and minute hands.
7. Knob for winding up clock and (pulled out) setting of its hands.
Fine adjustment of the Speed Pilot is easily carried out as per the
maufacturer's instructions.
Halda Speed Pilot
To make use of the speed pilot:
Determine the average speed necessary for arrival
at the correct time.
Set the speed hand to this average speed.
Zero trip meter.
Set pilot hand to coincide with the minute hand of
the clock on departure.
As long as you maintain the average speed, pilot hand
will follow minute hand of clock. Should the pilot hand diverge from the minute hand, you will be able to tell exactly
how many minutes you are ahead or behind your time
schedule.
76
SAAB GRANTURISMO 750
TECHNICAL DATA
GENERAL
Hill climbing performance:
1st speed
2nd speed
3rd speed
4th speed
Reverse
Empty weight, excl. fuel and water
Empty weight, incl. fuel, water, tools
and spare wheel
Weight distribution
Empty .
Fully loaded, 5,835 lbs.
(5 passengers and 165 lbs. luggage)
ENCxINE
Power
I SAE at 5000 rpm
*II SAE at 5000 rpm
Maximum torque
I At 3500 rpm
*II At 4000 rpm
Compression ratio, nominal
* "Super" 750
LUBRICATION
Mixing ratio (oil/gasoline)
Gasoline (premium)
Oil
Gearbox oil
FUEL SYSTEM
I Single carburetor, down-draft
II Dual carburetor, down-draft
TIRES
Type
42%
24%
13%
8%
34%
1820 lbs.
1895 lbs.
front 57.5%
front 48%
50 bhp
57 bhp
61 ft.-lbs.
68 ft.-lbs.
9.8
5% competition
3% touring
min. 90-100 octane
SAAB OIL, two-stroke
or SAE 30 oil
SAE 80 EP (4 Speed Box)
SAE 90 EP (3 Speed Box)
Solex 40 AI
Solex 44 PII
Sports car, competition
155x15"
22-24 lbs/sq. in.
21-23 lbs/sq. in.
Tire pressure: Front
(Touring)
Rear
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Type of spark plugs: for competition . Bosch M 240 Tl
for normal use Champion U.K. 10
Timing, advance weights retracted
degrees B.T.D.C. O
77
• f<m
3
00
The driver of 8T-4546 confidently aims his car at worst hill surface he can find.
7. Your Versatile SAAB
There surely isn't another car on the market, with the
same basic design, that offers as much flexibility of function.
As already stated, you can turn your Granturismo 750
into a "Super" by using the competition tuning kit, and
you can modify your carburetor for extra speed at very
little cost.
In addition, you can turn your car into a beedroom—very
handy if you are on a hunting or camping trip, or even if
you have an overnight guest.
If you want to carry some cargo with the sedan models,
all you have to do is to slide the passenger seat off its
tracks, remove the back seat, and you have a surprising
amount of cargo space. One SAAB owner reports bringing
home a lawn mower; another a wheel barrow. Other SAABists tell of transporting a 17-foot Christmas tree, not
to mention ladders and lumber.
Incidentally, the SAAB's trunk can be reached from
inside, so that you don't have to get out to find that allimportant item that the woman of the family inadvertently
packed. It is always the women, of course, who do these
crazy things, but the SAAB designers out-thought them
on this score.
While it may not be a complete solution to the housing
problem, or our population explosion, the SAAB's bedding
device is mighty convenient. The bed outfit is optional. It
consists of a number of interlocking pieces of plywood
which are used in conjunction with the seats. To convert
the car into sleeping quarters, the back of the front seat
is placed in the front of the car, right up to the clutch
pedal. The back seat comes next, and finally the front seats,
79
which make the headboard and the top of the mattress.
These are all arranged level on the flat deck of the interior.
(This is possible only because, being front wheel drive,
there is no transmission tunnel.)
For ultra comfortable sleeping, the manufacturers advise
parking the car on a slightly downhill slope before making
the bed. As a precaution, gearshift should be placed in reverse and the front wheels should be chocked up, aircraft
style. The reason for this is that the parking brake cannot
be used when the car is made sleepable. When not in use,
the bed outfit is stored under the rear seat.
The sun roof, which gives you the convenience of a convertible, is also available.
Safety Belt
Because more fatilities occur to passengers than to
drivers in most automobile accidents, the front passenger
position is often called the "death seat." In a head-on collision, chances are that the unfortunate passenger will go
through the windshield—followed by the driver, unless the
conventional steering column gets him first. Following their
policy of overall safety, therefore, SAAB offers safety belt
shoulder harness kits (standard on GT) as spares. These
are very easily installed, the design of the car including a
reinforced panel to hold the outside ends of the belt, the
inside being attached to the floor between the front seats.
If you are driving with children in any car, safety belts
are a must.
The design of the SAAB safety belt provides protective
retention not only for the top of the body, but for the
lower part as well. When not in use, its unique design holds
it off the floor as a protection against soiling.
The SAAB people deserve great credit for forward thinking in designing a car where such worthwhile devices can
so easily be fitted. If other manufacturers did the same
thing, the sale of safety belts would be greatly increased
and the toll of road fatalities would be correspondingly decreased.
Apropos of discussing the safety belt question, one man
80
Bob Wehman and Lou Braun, winning team in Great American
Mountain Rallye, SAAB's first important American victory.
we know who drives a popular model sports car bought a
pair of safety belts. He still has them in his trunk. Why?
"I'm still looking for someone to install them without boring
holes in the floor," he says.
Fresh Air Heater
Heating being such an important item for driving comfort in the eight-month-long Swedish winter, SAAB offers
a fresh air heater as standard equipment.
The fresh air heater comprises a heater element placed
in the radiator by-pass conduit, an electrically driven fan
and controls. This equipment is mounted behind the radiator on cowl. With the controls, cold or heated air can be
admitted without unpleasant draft.
The control market "Floor-Defr." distributes the incoming air. In the intermediate position, the air flow is equally
divided between the outlets.
81
Rugged going has no terrors for this SAAB after hard driving stint
at Lime Rock.
The heat control "Cold-Hot" closes or opens the valve
which regulates the coolant flow through the heater element.
With the air control "Closed-Open," the air stream can
be reduced or completely shut off.
The fan motor has two different speeds, half or full capacity, operated by pulling out the fan switch to the first
or second position respectively.
The fan is only required when driving in traffic or at
speeds under 30 m.p.h. Over this speed, the air velocity
seems to be sufficent to provide a flow of warm air.
The ideal temperature for the engine coolant is in the
neighborhood of 195° F., which is high on the green part
of the thermometer scale range. With this high temperature, it is best to use ethylene glycol as an anti-freeze solution, inasmuch as its boiling point is considerably higher
than that of water.
It is well to remember that the SAAB has two holes in
the wheel housing walls behind the radiator. These are
82
provided with covers. They should be closed in winter and
removed in summer. By doing this, the cooling system is
readily adapted to the weather outside.
As with any water-cooled engine, you should always be
careful when taking off the radiator filler cap when the
engine is hot. If the coolant is boiling, unscrew the radiator
cap slowly and cautiously to allow the steam to escape.
Ethylene glycol is nasty stuff to handle when it boils, and
it can damage the exterior of the car.
Automatic Clutch
The "Sax-O-Mat" automatic clutch is available as an
optional extra on the SAAB 96, but you have to order it
when you buy the car because its installation calls for some
modification in the engine configuration.
The "Sax-O-Mat" consists mainly of two independent systems, the centrifugal clutch and the servo clutch. The
The SAAB crew at the Little Le Mans take a pride in quick pit service
for the little cars.
83
SAAB Spare Parts Touring Kit.
clutch is disengaged automatically whenever the accelerator
is released or the gear shift lever is touched. You can even
drive with slipping clutch by operating the accelerator very
gently, but this is not recommended.
The centrifugal clutch is installed in the flywheel. Its
function is entirely dependent upon engine speed. At an
r.p.m. lower than 1,000 the clutch is released. As the engine
speed increases, the flyweights are thrown out and the
clutch begins to take hold. At engine speeds above 1,800
r.p.m., maximum clutch pressure is obtained.
The Servo clutch is operated by the vacuum generated in
the intake manifold when the accelerator is released. The
hose connection between the servomotor and inlet manifold
passes through the electromagnetic control valve, which is
controlled by the gear shift lever.
When you touch the gear shift lever, the control valve
opens and the servo cylinder immediately starts to work
if the accelerator is released. The motion of the servo cylinder diaphragm is transmitted through the servo cylinder
rod and the clutch lever to the release bearing. The clutch
is disengaged so quickly that no resistance at all is notice84
19
13
3
12
10
6
A
7
11
1
20
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Fresh air brake
Air distributor
Two-way cock
Damper
Fan motor
Fan housing
Heater element
SAAB fresh air heater.
8. Hose to defroster
9. Defroster box
10. Hose
11. Collector box
12. Radiator
13. Thermostat
14. Cowl
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Windshield
Instrument panel
Distributor box
Thermometer bulb
Pump
Drain cock
able in the gear shift lever. As soon as the lever is released,
the control valve closes and the clutch pressure increases
as the vacuum in the servo cylinder gradually becomes less.
Pressing down the accelerator immediately after releasing
the gear shift lever produces maximum clutch pressure almost instantly.
85
8. Maintenance
Maintenance of the SAAB is best undertaken by qualified
SAAB mechanics, but certain jobs can readily be done by
the owner-driver. If you're the type who honestly likes to
work on your own car, a visit to your dealer to watch the
process of servicing SAAB automobiles will prove fruitful.
This is particularly true because the SAAB's vitals are so
easily accessible, literally offering themselves for loving
care under a hood that comes off as easily as a "loafer"
shoe.
But don't get over-ambitious. Leave the big jobs to SAAB
and don't even start a small one without the right tools.
Bobby pins really don't make good screw drivers, any
more than pliers can double as wrenches. The SAAB use
standard size nuts and bolts and assembly components,
which means that American standard sized tools work on
them. Because some jobs require special tools, however,
it's best to talk over your service problem with your dealer.
He's there to help you.
One part of the maintenance job is definitely yours:
regular inspection, and seeing that adjustments, lubrication and replacements are carried out when recommended.
And that doesn't mean six months later, after the damage
may have been done.
The importance attached to this by SAAB Motors Inc.
can be evaluated by the fact that when you buy a SAAB,
the owners service booklet describes factory service recommendations through to 72,000 miles. At this point it is suggested that thirty items be attended to, ranging from chassis lubrication through brakes, front end, and clutch, to inspecting generator and engine mountings.
After this, repeat what might be termed a major "insurance" inspection every 10,000 miles. It's your car and
your life you're protecting.
After running in, during which you get free service
checks and adjustments at 2,000 and 4,000 miles, SAAB
86
Motors suggests regular service inspections every 2,000
miles. And be a real nut about these checks. Either do them
yourself or watch them being done, and check off each item
as it comes up. No one ever decreased in size by being
thorough.
The 8,000-mile check is reproduced herewith to give you
an idea of the thoroughness of SAAB Motors and their concern for your car and your safety.
Lubricate chassis.
Oil Distributor shaft oil cup.
Drain, flush and refill transmission (SAE 90).
Lubricate inner drive shaft universal splines (SAE 40).
Lubricate throttle linkage and throttle shaft (SAE 40).
Lubricate door hinges and striker plates.
Lubricate pedal pivots.
Lubricate the speedometer cable (SAE 10 oil).
Check coolant level in radiator (check specific gravity of
anti-freeze).
Check electrolite level in battery.
Check for the proper seasonal use of the pre-heater and
air ducts in the inner fenders.
Check tire pressures (standard model 26 lbs. front—20-24
lbs. rear) (GT model 22-24 lbs. front—21-23 lbs, rear).
Check for proper operation of all headlights, tail lights
and directional light, license plate lights and stop lights.
Check for proper operation of the windshield wipers,
heater motor, horn, etc.
Check the tightness of all electric connections under the
dashboard, on all fuse and terminal blocks.
Check, and if necessary adjust, the clutch free pedal play.
If Saxomat equipped, check as per Saxomat Service Bulletin.
Check, and if necessary adjust, the toe-in adjustment.
Check, and if necessary adjust, the fuel pump breaker
points.
Rotate wheels as per owners manual.
Tighten to require torque where specified:
a. Cylinder head bolts (50 ft. lbs. cold)
Clean and lightly grease both battery terminals.
87
Clean and lightly oil the air filter.
NOTE: On those cars fitted with paper element filter
inserts, the filter element must not be washed or cleaned
but should be replaced every 20,000 miles or two years,
whichever occurs first. Care should be used when changing
the paper element filter so that no impurities fall into the
carburetor.
Carefully clean the bakelite tower of the ignition coil, the
inside and outside of the distributor cap, all the spark
plug wires and spark plug insulators.
Remove, clean, file and gap the spark plugs.
Remove distributor cap and rotor, check distributor
points, clean and adjust, replace if necessary. Lightly lubricate felts and breaker arm pivot. (When replacing rotor
be sure lock washer under locking set screw is replaced.)
Adjust the ignition timing to 8° BTDC on 93, 93B models.
Adjust the ignition timing to 12° BTDC for all 850 c.c.
Std. series.
Adjust the ignition timing to 6° BTDC on GT 750 models.
Adjust the ignition timing to 0° BTDC on GT 750 when
fitted with tuning kit.
Adjust the carburetor to obtain the proper idle mixture
and idling speed.
Inspect the condition of the rubber boots on all ball joints,
steering gear tie rod ends, axle shaft outer universal joints.
Remove and clean the fuel filters of the fuel pump and
carburetor.
Inspect, tighten and if necessary adjust the steering mechanism upper and lower ball joints and all suspension bolts
and tie rod ends.
Inspect and tighten: generator bracket bolts, engine
mounts, carburetor and intake manifold bolts.
Roa test car.
The same philosophy is evident when we get to Service
Inspection #39 for 72,000 mile veterans:
Lubricate chassis (Note—lubricate emergency brake
cable fittings sparingly).
Oil distributor shaft oil cup.
Drain, flush and refill transmission (SAE 90).
88
Lubricate inner drive shaft universal splines (SAE 40).
Lubricate throttle linkage and throttle shaft (SAE 40).
Lubricate door hinges and striker plates.
Lubricate pedal pivots.
Lubricate speedometer cable (SAE 10 oil).
Check for proper operation of all headlights, tail lights,
and directional lights, license plate lights and stop lights.
Check for proper operation of the windshield wipers,
heater motor, horn, etc.
Check for tightness of all electric connections under the
dashboard, on all fuse and terminal blocks.
Check and if necessary adjust . . the clutch free pedal
play. If Saxomat equipped check as per Saxomat Service
Bulletin.
Check and if necessary adjust . . the front alignment.
Check and if necessary adjust . . the fan belt tension.
Check and if necessary adjust . . the foot brake operation.
Check and if necessary adjust . . the hand brake operation
(this should be checked only after the foot brakes have
been adjusted).
Check and if necessary adjust the fuel pump breaker
points.
Rotate wheels as per owners manual.
Tighten the following to the required torque where specified:
a. Cylinder head bolts (50 ft. lbs. cold).
Clean and lightly grease both battery terminals.
Clean and lightly oil the air filter.
NOTE: On those cars fitted with paper element filter inserts, the filter element must not be washed or cleaned but
should be replaced every 20,000 miles or two years, whichever occurs first. Care should be used when changing the
paper element filter so that no impurities fall into the carburetor.
Carefully clean the bakelite tower of the ignition coil,
the inside and outside of the distributor cap, all the spark
plug wires and spark plug insulators.
Remove, clean, file and gap the spark plugs.
Remove distributor cap and rotor, check distributor
89
points, clean and adjust, replace if necessary. Lightly lubricate felts and breaker arm pivot. (When replacing rotor be
sure lock washer under locking set screw is replaced.)
Adjust the ignition timing to 8° BTDC on 93, 93B models.
Adjust the ignition timing to 12° BTDC for all 850 c.c.
Std. series.
Adjust the ignition timing to 6° on GT 750 models.
Adjust the ignition timing to 0° BTDC on GT 750 when
fitted with tuning kit.
Inspect the condition of the rubber boots on all ball joints,
steering gear tie rod ends, and axle shaft outer universal
joints.
Remove and clean the fuel filters of the fuel pump and
carburetor.
Inspect, tighten and if necessary adjust the steering
mechanism, upper and lower ball joints, and all suspension
bolts and tie rod ends.
Inspect and tighten: generator bracket bolts, engine
mounts, carburetor and intake manifold bolts.
Road test car.
After such a face lifting, your SAAB will probably be
as sprightly as the youngest member of the local Golden
Age Club. Which reminds me of a man who thought he'd
save a buck by scouring the local junk yard for a SAAB
part. He couldn't find one. Seems that old SAABs don't die;
they just go on running.
Here is another piece of SAAB lore, which you may take
as a complimentary tribute to your own character. I was
talking to one of those sinister individuals who cruise
around with a tiny towing bar in their pockets, repossessing cars when the owners can't keep up with the good old
American institution of "time." "You know," he said almost
ruefully, "I never got a chance to ride in one of these cars.
The fellows who own them always seem to get under the
line just in time. They must like their cars. Kind of serious
guys, most of them, I'd say."
Now back to servicing and you. Running in is an essential
part of servicing. Golden rule is: don't give full throttle
during first 2,000 miles, and see that your engine gets the
90
proper oil-gas mixture during this vital period. Use regular
gas unless you have a competition tuned engine or a GT.
Always use a high-grade oil. Better still, use SAAB's own
lubricant, readily available through your dealer.
Suggested maximum running in speeds are:
1st gear
0-15 mph
2nd gear
5-30 mph
3rd gear
15-45 mph
Such jobs as caring for the braking and electrical systems
can be done in the home garage.
Brakes
Check brake fluid level every 2,000 miles and add fluid,
if required. Also see that reservoir vent holes are not
clogged to stop air being sucked into system by creation of
vacuum.
If this happens, after filling reservoir and cleaning vent
holes, proceed as follows:
Connect hose to bleeder screw inside left rear wheel and
put free end of hose in a glass jar full of brake fluid.
Open bleeder screw J/2—1 turn.
Have brake pedal pumped with long even strokes until
the discharged fluid is free from air bubbles. Keep end of
hose immersed during bleeding.
Tighten bleeder screw during a downward stroke.
Bleed also at front wheels in this manner, first right
front, then left front. Make sure that fluid level in reservoir
does not get too low.
Check that all bleeder screws are properly tightened and
replenish brake fluid. Never use the fluid collected in the
jar.
After bleeding, you will have to adjust brakes. Here's
how:
Foot Brake
Jack up the car until wheels are off the ground.
Remove one wheel bolt and turn wheel until bolt hole
faces one of adjusting screws (two at each front wheel,
one at each rear wheel).
91
Turn adjusting screw with screwdriver until wheel locks.
Then unscrew one or more notches until wheel rotates
freely.
When all four wheels have been adjusted, check that
brake pedal play is 1/£-% m-> otherwise brakes will drag
when pedal is released.
If wheel cannot be locked with the adjusting screw, brake
linings are badly worn and should be replaced without delay. To assure even brake power, relining should be carried
out on both front wheels or both rear wheels and never on
one wheel only. When relining, use only SAAB original
linings, and have your SAAB service man do the job.
Parking Brake
The play in parking brake lever is adjusted by the nuts
at end of brake cables accessible from the driver's seat.
Brake lever should be able to be pulled two notches before
the brakes drag. This adjustment must not be carried out
unless foot brake has been adjusted first.
Electrical
The 12-volt electrical system is protected by twelve fuses.
The fuse box cover clearly indicates which circuit each
fuse protects. If fuse is sound, check contacts. If trouble
persists, take car to SAAB for service check.
In winter check battery water level once a month; in
summer every 14 days. Distilled water only is recommended. Check specific gravity readings with table in your
owners manual. Prevent corrosion by coating terminals
liberally with vaseline. Check that fan belt is tight.
Check distributor point gaps every 8,000 miles. Check
even oftener if you are driving in competition or rally
events, or under extreme climatic conditions. Lubricate
contact breaker pivot arm when replacing.
Use feeler gauge to check point gap. Correct gap is
.012-.016 in. measured when breaker arm peg is on highest
point of cam. To adjust gap, loosen lock screw on the
stationary point. Turn adjusting screw until correct gap
is obtained, and tighten lock screw. Re-check and fit rotor,
92
being sure to replace rotor lock washer. After adjusting
gap, check timing (see page 88).
Carburetor
Don't monkey with the vitals of your carb unless you
know what you are doing. It is best to let your SAAB or
a Solex man do any major adjustment.
Idling adjustment should be done when engine is warm
in 70° ambient temperature.
Set idling speed higher than needed by turning adjusting screw.
Adjust engine to run evenly with adjusting screw.
Usually this is when screw is open l]/o to 2 turns.
Then use screw to modulate engine revolution speed to
700-800 r.p.m. This is proper idle speed.
Fuel Pump
More sports car drivers than you'd think blanch at the
thought of fuel pump trouble. As a sincere SAABist, you'll
have gone over your SAAB from hood to tail spotting the
location of the components. Among them—actually it's right
under your nose when you lift the hood, an aristocratic refinement, compared with some front end geography we've
seen—you'll find the electro-magnetic S.U. fuel pump. Sensitive operative spot in this highly efficient and hard working component is the filter whose function it is to stop
filth from going into both pump and carburetor. It should
be cleaned every 8,000 miles, and more frequently if you
suspect dirty fuel. When replacing filter plug after cleaning,
be sure not to forget washer.
Check contact points for cleanliness and adjust every
8,000 miles. If you want to do the job yourself, here's how:
Switch off ignition so that the cable to fuel pump is dead.
Remove terminal nut which holds electric cable.
Remove cable and nut after which the cover can be removed.
See that grease or impurities don't get into breaker mechanism.
93
Contact points can be cleaned by pulling strip of stiff
paper or very fine emery cloth between their faces. Should
points be burnt, or otherwise in poor condition, run to your
SAAB service dealer.
Assemble cover, nut, cable and nut to original positions.
Tighten terminal nut firmly to make satisfactory contact.
Lubrication
Regular lubrication lengthens the life of any car by preventing premature mechanical or electro-mechanical failure.
Engine
The engine is lubricated by adding oil to the gas. The
proportion is one quart of oil to eight gallons of gas (1.33
to 3%). The oil must be put in first. Insist on this. For
some reason, completely without tangible motivation, service station attendants will put in the gas first, even if you
have told them distinctly that the oil has preference. If
this happens—and it will—take a gallon of gas, mix it
with a quart of oil, and put it in the tank. Raw gas and 2cycle engines don't go well together, and certainly not for
long, seeing the engine depends on its fuel for lubrication.
Use SAAB oil or SAE 30 or 40 weight H.D. oil.
Components
SAAB recommends the following components be lubricated every 1,000 miles:
Clutch cable
Ball joints—spring arms
Outer universal joints
Steering gear and drag rod ends
Every 2,000 miles:
Distributor gear
Air cleaner
Accelerator linkage
Brake system (check container level)
Brake and clutch pedals
All hinges and locks
Hand brake pivots
Every 8,000 miles:
Drain, flush and refill transmission
94
Distributor shaft and breaker arms
Speedometer cable
Every 32,000 miles:
Fan shaft bearings
Front and rear wheel bearings
Seat rails should be lubricated with chassis grease if
they get stiff. Go easy with this for the sake of your
clothes.
Engine
To insure long trouble-free engine life, use only high
quality oil of either 30 or 40 weight viscosity.When refueling at temperature beloio freezing, oil should be pre-mixed
with an equal quantity of gasoline before adding to the
tank.
To meet these requirements, SAAB OIL has been made
available through all authorized SAAB agencies in single
quarts or handy six-pack containers. Pre-mixing is not required with the use of SAAB OIL, owing to its special
formulation.
Break-in (First 2000 miles). Whenever refueling pour
one quart of oil into gas tank, followed by SIX gallons of
"regular" gasoline.
After Break-in. Pour one quart of oil into gas tank, then
add approximately SEVEN to EIGHT gallons of "regular"
gasoline. During the next few thousand miles, avoid application of full throttle for extended periods of time. By all
means use a high grade oil. Many people think you can use
a cheap oil in a 2-cycle engine, but this is not true. If SAAB
oil is not available, use a premium H.D. oil of at least 30
SAE viscosity.
Choke
When the engine is cold, start the engine with the choke
in the half open position. Don't depress accelerator pedal
when starting car with choke operating. During excessively
cold weather it may be necessary to open choke fully. Be
sure to return choke to the half open position as soon as
engine starts. Drive off slowly, and cut out choke entirely
as soon as practical.
95
Lubrication intervals
3.000 12.000
km
km
8.000
2.000
miles
miles
1.500
km
1.000
miles
See
"&•
X
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Upper & lower ball joints, L & R
4
Drive shaft, outer joint, L & R
Drag rod ends
Steering gear
Distributor gear
Inner drive shafts
Accelerator
Hydraulic brake system •
Pedals
Hinges and locks 1
Brake levers
Distributor shaft
Distributor cam assembly
Transmission
Speedometer cable
2
2
1
1
2
5
1
3
9
3
2
2
1
1
16
Heater fan motor bearings
2
17
Fan shaft bearings
2
18
19
20
Front wheel bearings
Rear wheel bearings
Engine
2
2
1
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X1
X
Approx. 25.000 km
(16 000 miles i
Approx. 50000 km
132 000 miles i
—"—
—"—
When fueling
Number
of
Lubrication points
Alt. Non-freezing lubricant. See page 65.
Lockheed HD 103 or equivalent.
The rollers and striker plates should be greased
with paraffin wax and the door stoppers with
Vaseline.
First oil change at 2.500—3.000 km (1.500—2.000
miles) with subsequent check every 3.000 km
(2.000 miles).
Lubricant
Universal or
chassis grease
_.-"— i
—"— I
—"—
Lubricating oil
Method of
lubrication
Grease gun
*•
— • • —
>>
"
Oil can
'i
SAE 70 R 1=
Lubricating oil
—"—
Replenish
Oil can
••
—"—
Bosch Ft 1 v 4
SAE 90 EP">
Lubricating oil
—"—
. .
Grease felts
Oil change
Oil can
"
ti
Universal or ball
Repack
bearing grease
—"—
"
—••
••
SAAB oil or other Mix in fuel
oil'.
At veiy low temperature, SAE 80 EP may be used.
The motor should be detached and a few drops of oil
applied into its bearings.
Alt. engine oil SAE 40 or 30. At temperatures below
0° C (32° F), dilute oil with an equal amount of jasoline before pouring it into the tank. The Saab oil
need not be pre-mixed .
19)
19
(20
1000 km (1000 miles)
3000 km (2000 miles)
12000 km (8000 miles)
Lubrication Points. The numbers refer to the Lubrication Chart
97
Seasonal Maintenance
Summer
Preheater — Disconnect pre-heater during summer
months so that the engine air intake doesn't get too hot.
This pre-heater should be stored on left radiator wall on
the bracket provided.
Air ducts inner fender—Remove air duct covers on the
inner fenders during hot weather and store in spare tire
compartment. Also remove all plastic vent covers that
may have been installed during the winter.
Grille Shade—The shade behind the grille opening should
normally be left in the open position. However, the shade
should be raised during heavy rain storms to prevent
water from entering engine compartment and shorting
the ignition system.
Cooling System Hoses—Should overheating be experienced, check insides of the cooling system hoses for decomposition. They can be inspected easily by removing
one end of each hose. Replace all hoses in questionable
condition.
All SAAB's should have anti-freeze removed for the
summer under their normal service program.
Caution: When draining, flushing and refilling cooling
system, make sure that hot water control knob is in the
"HOT" position.
The above flushing procedure is important during hot
weather because all types of permanent anti-freeze have a
tendency to reduce the maximum possible cooling effect of
the cooling system. Also, anti-foaming agents and rust
inhibitors included in permanent anti-freeze become ineffective with age. Important: If cleaning or flushing agents
are used, be sure they are labeled "FOR USE WITH ALUMINUM HEADS."
Fan Belt—Inspect and replace fan belt if necessary. Adjust fan belt tension.
Winter
Pre-H eater—Carburetor pre-heaters should be installed
during early fall to prevent carburetor icing occurring on
98
cool, damp days. Once pre-heater is installed, it should
remain connected until late spring. Carburetor icing
causes excessive fuel consumption and contributes greatly
toward fouling spark plugs.
Coolant—For proper winter protection, drain cooling system, flush and refill with a permanent type anti-freezo.
Capacity of cooling system and heater is seven quarts
on the 93A Series, nine quarts for all later Series cars.
Note: Inspect for worn or defective hoses and torque the
cylinder head. Should head gasket seepage be apparent
shortly after permanent type anti-freeze has been added,
add a small quantity of radiator sealer to cooling system.
Fan Belt—Inspect and replace fan belt if necessary. Adjust fan tension.
Caution: Do not overtighten fan belt, as fan shaft bearing failure may result.
Grille Shade—When there is a possibility of rain or snow
entering the engine compartment, keep Grille Shade in
the closed position. Use Grille Shade to decrease engine
warm-up time during cold weather. During warm, dry
weather, leave Grille Shade fully open.
Air Ducts—During the fall and spring season, keep air
ducts fitted to inner fenders of the SAAB in the half
open position. During winter time, air ducts should be
closed. Remove the air ducts during summer.
Interior Heater Performance
In winter, close air ducts completely.
Heater—If the coolant temperature gauge does not indicate normal temperature during continuous driving, the
thermostat is either defective or a low temperature
thermostat (167° F.) is installed. Replace with an
185° F. thermostat. Temperature of thermostat is
marked on inside of thermostat on the top of valve. Should
poor heater performance be experienced in spite of normal temperatures, the cause may be any of the following:
A) Decomposed heater hoses, reducing the flow of coolant
to a point where improper heater operation may
result.
99
B) Malfunction of heater valve. This will prevent full
flow of water to heater, and consequently reduce interior heat available.
Ignition
SAAB timing cannot be undertaken with a conventional
timing light. It is a precise mechanical process, and should
be undertaken by a SAAB serviceman who will use a depth
gauge to correlate piston position to crankshaft rotation in
degrees.
However, the standard SAAB engine can be timed as
follows:
1. Check condition of distributor points and adjust if
necessary.
2. Remove spark plugs, service, and set aside.
3. Remove the high tension coil lead from the center of
the distributor cap and place this lead under one of
the clips of the air filter so that exposed end of wire
is approximately 3/16 of an inch away from the air
filter body.
4. Turn on ignition key.
5. Rotate the engine clockwise so that indent mark on
crankshaft pulley is 4/10 (6/10 inch for 850 Standard Engine) of an inch before timing mark on the
engine block. This mark is located at the base of
distributor, and is a long line inscribed on engine
block casting in line with the distributor drive shaft.
6. After crankshaft has been rotated clockwise to above
position, engine is now set at 8° before top dead
center (850 cc engine ignition timing requires 12°
advance. This equals 6/10 of an inch on the pulley.)
Loosen distributor housing by unscrewing hex head
bolt that locks the metal clamp underneath the distributor body. Retard ignition by turning distributor
body clockwise.
7. Rotate distributor body slowly counter-clockwise until a spark occurs between end of high tension lead
and air filter body.
100
8. Secure distributor by tightening the hex head bolt
of the locking clamp.
9. Recheck adjustment by rotating engine clockwise until the mark on front pulley is about one inch away
from the mark on engine block. Then very slowly
rotate engine clockwise until a spark occurs between
end of high tension lead and air filter body. The mark
on the pulley should be located 4/10 of an inch before
mark on block. The ignition is now set to 8° BTDC
(850 cc engine ignition timing requires 12° advance.
This equals 6/10 of an inch on the pulley.)
10. Replace spark plugs, wires, distributor caps, etc.
750 cc Std. Engine=8° BTDC=4/10" pulley mark
spacing
850 cc Std. Engine=12' BTDC=6/10" pulley mark
spacing
GT 750 Engine=zero° (TDC)=No spacing
Spark Plugs—General
Spark plug trouble is usually caused by:
a) Oil film on the spark plug electrodes (oil or carbon
coated electrodes).
b) Overheated spark plugs (burnt electrodes).
c) Dirty electrical system, fouled distributor cap, etc.
To hold spark plug problems to a minimum, conform to
following:
a) Use correct spark plug type. The choice of spark plug
heat range is vital. Using wrong spark plug heat
range for your type of driving means trouble.
b) Pre-Heater Tube
Since carburetor icing causes an excessively rich mixture, spark plug fouling will result. To prevent this,
pre-heater tube must be connected between the exhaust manifold and the air cleaner during the fall,
winter and spring season.
c) Electrode Gap
When the electrodes of a spark plug have burned to
a greater gap than .030, the voltage required to fire
101
the spark plug becomes excessive. It is extremely important to maintain proper electrode gap. Distributor
cap and insulated end of coil must be kept clean to
prevent short circuiting. This type of short circuiting
usually appears as a black crack in plug insulating
material. Greater than normal electrode gap aggravates this condition. Spark plug wires and porcelain
insulators of spark plugs should be kept clean. All
above components should be cleaned whenever a SAAB is in for routine service or lubrication.
d) Grille Shade Ignition Trouble
To prevent ignition trouble, the grille shade should
be raised while driving through a rain storm, or after
a rain storm when water can be splashed in by other
cars.
e) Ignition Timing
Maintain ignition timing of 8° B.T.D.C. for all 93
Series cars, and 0° B.T.D.C. for all GT Series cars.
12° B.T.D.C. for all 850 cc Std. Series.
f) Spark Plug Installation
Spark plugs should be installed with a torque of 28 ft.lbs. to insure proper heat dissipation into cylinder
head.
Spark plug fouling is often caused by defective ignition suppressors, which were installed to reduce
radio interference. Replace these if their condition is
at all doubtful.
GT 750—Electrical System
The GT electrical system includes additional instruments,
which require additional cables and a second fuse box containing four fuses. The wiring diagram of the GT is shown
in the GT supplement to Owner's Manual. Additional units
are as follows:
Tachometer (6500 rpm Max.)
Back-up lights
Windshield washer pump
102
Cigarette lighter
Halda Speed Pilot
Instead of an amp meter, the GT 750 is equipped with a
generator indicator lamp showing a blue light when the
generator is not charging.
GENERAL COMPETITION RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommended Spark Plugs
Spark Plugs
Used In
Required Gap
Bosch M225T1
Standard Engine
.020
(all models)
Bosch M240T1
GT 750 with single
.020
barrel carburetor
Bosch DM250T1
GT 750 with tuning kit
.016
Lubrication
The following may be used:
5% SAAB OIL Pre-mixed highly recommended.
5% High quality SAE # 5 0 (thoroughly pre-mixed).
5% High quality SAE # 4 0 (thoroughly pre-mixed).
NOTE: USE SUPER PREMIUM GASOLINE
Tires
Tube type tires with tube
Competition type:
Michelin X 155 x 380 with tubes
Pirelli
155 x 15 Cinturato with
tubes
Wheels
All reinforced wheels—availalbe through SAAB dealers.
Ignition Timing
Standard Engine—8-12° B.T.D.C. (set by best performance of individual car)
GT 750
—Zero degrees B.T.D.C. (T.D.C.)
VJ3BR7 Distributor
Cooling System
Install low temperature thermostat.
Be sure all anti-freeze has been drained. Flush and fill
with water.
103
PREPARATION OF THE GRANTURISMO "750"
FOR COMPETITION
General
In preparing the GT 750 SAAB for competive events, it
is extremely important that the car be carefully checked.
Use check list (on page 72) as a guide. All points on this
check list should be inspected and any necessary adjustments made.
Engine
The engine can be tuned for competition by installing the
tuning kit, spare parts number 713224. (See page 72).
Also available are Cerametalix brake linings (optional).
The dual choke carburetor, Solex 44 Pll as supplied in
the tuning kit, has the following settings:
32 mm. (1.26 in.)
32
Venturi
Main System:
135
Main jets
119
Emulsion pipes
300
Emulsion jets
Idling System:
50
Fuel jets
140
Air jets
Under cold or damp weather conditions, when there is
risk of carburetor icing, add about 5% pure alcohol. Preheater cannot be connected with dual choke carburetor.
Dual SU fuel pumps should be used in parallel.
Clutch
Complete clutch can be replaced with a heavy duty pressure plate available through SAAB dealers. When replacing
pressure plate, the conical pins in the clutch fork, part
number 781232, must also be replaced. Such installation
must be done by SAAB trained mechanics.
Brakes
GT brakes are equipped with a larger diameter rear wheel
cylinder which, under some conditions, will cause rear
wheels to lock before front wheels. To decrease rear wheel
brake torque, standard 93A rear wheel cylinders should be
installed in the rear (part number 708934).
104
Sintered iron Cerametalix brake linings are recommended
when normal brake linings have a tendency to fade. These
linings come pre-mounted on brake shoes. New brake shoe
return springs must be used with cerametalix brakes. Cerametalix brake linings are also suitable for normal touring,
but before installing them be sure all brake drums are in
excellent condition, or have been re-faced.
After installation of Cerametalix linings, the first 20 to
25 stops (bedding in) call for very high brake pedal pressure.
DO NOT MAKE VIOLENT STOPS DURING THIS
BEDDING IN PROCESS.
Wheels
Wheel breakage has occurred on GTs during competition.
In view of this, wheels must not be used for more than
100 race miles. When installing wheels, remove paint from
recessed contact area around the wheel bolt hole.
Reinforced competition wheels with electrically welded
reinforcements are available through SAAB dealers. If
owners desire to reinforce wheels themselves, they should
be aware of the fact that unless the welding is done very
carefully by an expert, the wheels can be weakened rather
than strengthened by welding process.
Fuel Pump
Check pressure of the fuel pump by disconnecting fuel
line at carburetor and then connecting a long plastic tube
to fuel line and holding this tube in an upright position.
When ignition switch is turned on, a column of fuel at
least three feet high should be maintained by the fuel
pump. If fuel pump cannot maintain this column of fuel,
replace or rebuild.
To increase fuel pump pressure, disassemble fuel pump
and increase spring tension of diaphragm by stretching the
diaphragm coil spring. Reassemble fuel pump in normal
way and recheck fuel pump output as described above.
Dual fuel pumps operating in parallel are required when
dual choke tuning kit carburetor is fitted.
Fuel pump should also be capable of supplying a quart of
fuel in less than 90 seconds.
105
Radio Installation
If you are installing any brand of radio in your SAAB,
read the following carefully or give it to whoever makes
the installation. (Note: Transistor Powered Radios are
usually more sensitive to interference.)
Mount antenna in the upper rear section of the front
right fender, approximately 3" from the inner fender and
8" forward of the door. Route the antenna lead through the
engine compartment by the shortest possible path so that
minimum interference will be absorbed by the antenna wire
from the engine compartment.
Mount radio chassis securely. Remove paint from the
area of contact made by mounting to assure good ground.
After the installation has been completed, tune the
antenna circuit according to the radio manufacturer's instructions. This step must be followed properly so that a
maximum signal is received by the radio.
Noise Suppression
After the antenna tuning adjustment has been made,
there may be various types of noise interference. Listed
below are the sources of noise interference, the methods
of locating the source, and action recommended to eliminate
the interference.
SOURCES OF
INTERFERENCE
Fuel Pump
Ignition
Radiation
106
LOCATING INTERFERENCE
A clicking sound heard in
conjunction with the ammeter
deflection
indicates interference from fuel pump.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Install 1 MF condenser between terminal on fuel pump
and grou n d wire on fuel
pump.
Noise from generator can be
identified by listening to the
radio while engine is running
at half speed, then turning
ignition switch to auxiliary
position. If buzzing type noise
continues, then interference is
coming from generator.
1 MF condenser installed between generator housing: and
the ammeter terminal (heavy
wire) will rectify this type
of trouble.
IMPORTANT:
Under
no
circumstances connect condenser to field terminal of
generator. (Thin wire)
If ignition radiation is apparent,
frequency
of
the
interference will vary with
engine speed and will disappear when ignition switch is
turned to auxiliary position
while engine is running at
half speed.
a) Install a coil lead suppressor close to distributor
cap.
b) Install a 1 MF condenser
between ground and terminal
#4 on ignition switch (93B
only).
c) Should further suppression be required, remove rubber grommet holding coil
lead to the air filter (on
93B only).
Static
Charge
Should there be radio interference only while car is in motion and not while car is
stopped, trouble is due to a
static charge being developed
between automobile and road.
Installation of static charge
drain springs inside rear
axle cap (dust cover) will
prevent rolling static noise.
Other Suggestions
Use an effective hood ground strap to connect the hood
to the chassis. This is necessary because the hood hinge
pivots are insulated in a rubber bushing.
Be sure that the hood locking mechanism hooks are
scraped clean of paint and corrosion where they make contact with the hood.
Battery, voltage regulator, generator and generator
brushes all have a bearing on the noise transmitted to the
radio. If above procedures fail to locate and eliminate noise,
check condition of these.
Final Thought:
When testing radio reception, make sure the hood is
closed and securely latched.
Spark Plug Recommendations
The following is a list of recommended spark plugs and
the type of driving for which they are suited:
Standard Series SAABs
Slow driving—Bosch M145T1 (warm plugs)
All other type driving—Champion UK 10
GT Series
Champion U K10
Note: See section on ignition timing for further information.
Champion UK 10 Spark Plugs
UK 10 Auxiliary Gap isolates the coil from short-circuting deposits which may form on the spark plug's firing end
. . . permits the coil to impress adequate ignition voltage
at the electrodes. This feature provides unexcelled fouling
resistance for a cool heat range spark plug.
Fuel Ignitors—Fire Injectors
Recently the automotive market has seen the introduction
of several "Ignitors" which are supposed to last the life of
your engine.
107
The physical characteristics of these ignitors (which are
spark plugs of a different basic design), are such that they
can do harm to the SAAB Engine. Therefore, they are not
recommended!
Since some of these units are not equipped with gaskets,
they do not seat properly in the cylinder head and, because
of their tapered shell (similar to the Ford turbofire spark
plug), will do damage to the cylinder heat threads.
Most "Ignitors" have a heat range very much hotter than
any normal spark plug recommended for the SAAB, and
therefore, are likely to cause pre-ignition, which leads to
severe engine damage.
These Ignitors also have the additional drawback of having insufficient thread depth, causing excessive carbon
deposits in the cylinder head.
THE STANDARD SAAB ENGINE WARRANTY IS
VOID WHEN OTHER THAN RECOMMENDED SPARK
PLUGS ARE USED.
Exhaust System
The rear muffler and exhaust pipe in the SAAB automobile may need maintenance at periodic intervals, depending
upon driving conditions. The tail pipe and muffler can become plugged from excessive carbon deposits, so check
after 20,000 miles at regular intervals. If this happens,
breathing characteristics of engine will be deranged, resulting in serious reduction in performance and economy.
If you suspect that the rear muffler is the cause of poor
performance, remove the muffler and drive the car to check
if performance has improved. If not, listen to noise of exhaust system with rear muffler removed. If not excessively
noisy, this is good indication of blocked tail pipe and/or
front muffler. In some cases, system can be cleaned. Best
to replace muffler and exhaust pipe.
Tires
Correct tire pressures are important in front wheel drive
cars if you want good traction, driving ease, and long tire
life.
108
Check your pressures once a week with a good tire gauge.
At the correct pressure, the whole tire surface makes contact with the road, gives good grip, and wears evenly. Too
low tire pressure is liable to crack walls, and causes tire to
roll under when going around bends. When over-inflated,
only a small center section of tread contacts the road surface, and hardness makes the ride rough.
SAAB tubeless tire pressures are:
Front—26 PSI
Rear—20-24 (according to load)
With front wheel drive, tire pressures, wheel alignment
and balancing are vital. Toe-in of front wheels should be
checked at regular intervals by your SAAB service man,
who has equipment for this.
Wheels should be balanced both statically and dynamically. A properly statically balanced wheel will stop in any
position when suspended and allowed to rotate freely. When
a wheel has been balanced dynamically, it should rotate
freely on its axle without wobble.
The best time to balance wheels is after the car has gone
several thousand miles and the tires are properly bedded in.
When wheel shimmy develops at certain speeds, it is
usually a symptom of nothing more serious than the fact
that the wheels need balancing.
Because your SAAB's front tires will wear slightly faster
than the rear ones, and the right-hand and left-hand ones
will wear differently, wheels should be rotated regularly
every 4,000 miles. The rotation, of course, includes the
spare. Your owner's manual gives rotation sequence.
Oddly enough, ignoring the regular rotation of tires is a
good old American habit. Out of ten owners questioned at
random by the writer, only one had rotated his tires.
The value of this practice is evident when you realize
that tire life is practically doubled, which represents a
considerable economy, and the incidence of flats is minimized. One of our own front wheel drive cars had 40,000
miles on the clock, of which 30,000 were undertaken without
a flat, the inevitable nail making its appearance in the last
10,000. The new tires were fitted because of the approach
109
of winter. With the exception of about 2,000 miles on mountain roads, the majority of the 40,000 tire mileage was
on parkways and turnpikes. These are easier on rubber,
but it would take a lot of talking to convince me that correct tire pressures and regular rotation didn't have a great
deal to do with this trouble-free record.
Incidentally, if you trade in your SAAB for a new one
be sure to do the new owner a good turn by transferring
the car's service program guide. You'll do him a favor and
enroll another member in the fast growing BKTS Club (Be
Kind toSAABs).
If you're a real "gone" SAABist, you may like to follow
the example of a Long Island owner and keep a record of
outstanding happenings in the life of your SAAB. This
can be done in the back of the booklet "Knowing Your
SAAB" quite one of the best publications of its kind.
The practice of recording your car's life history is European. In England, in the days when each new car came with
its own history book which passed from owner to owner,
people were liable to enter all kinds of personal details. One
book which came into our hands recorded items concerning
a romance which led to a shot-gun marriage. Confronted
with the life-history book of his sports car, the red-eared
driver admitted a certain liability toward his co-pilot. His
presence at the spot indicated by her version of the affair
was further confirmed by the fact that on the morning
after the recorded occurence, he was hauled before the
magistrate for speeding in a "built-up" area. Keep a diary
for your SAAB by all means, but keep it mechanical.
Of course you may say that sex has no place in a volume
about cars, but you'll have to admit that it crops up universally these days. And we don't have to tell you that owning
a SAAB is definitely a valuable asset to that desirable oneupmanship at which most people are shooting these days.
110
9. "The Little Sedan That
Became A Racer"
It is doubtful whether any small car, primarily designed
as a family sedan and persistently maintaining these characteristics, has ever piled up such an astonishing record in
sports car events on both road and track.
Since the first appearance of the SAAB-92 in the Swedish
National Cup in 1950 the marque has earned a reputation
for speed and reliability which you would normally associate with a car specifically designed for competition work.
It almost suggests a title for a child's story book, such as
"The Little Sedan That Became a Racer." This is exactly
what has happened, and goes to prove the accepted engineering theory that if you design and manufacture an
efficient automobile with a high safety factor and sufficient
power, you can set a pace which few can equal.
You can sense the conservatism of the SAAB management by the general description of the SAAB Granturismo
750 in the supplement to the series 96 Owner's Manual.
Having described the nimble little car as an "improved
version of the SAAB 96," the book modestly states that the
Granturismo 750 is a two-plus-three seater two-door, frontwheel driven, high speed, sport sedan "which may be very
easily tuned up for competition purposes." It then goes on
to list the modifications in detail, and describes the tuning
kit which the company makes available if you want to convert your Granturismo 750 into a "Super" version.
All of which shows that the basic design remains unchanged. If you want to build super speed into your sports
sedan, you can do it without sacrificing its stock characteristics, thus allowing you to broaden the scope of the vehicle
at your whim.
Ill
Nice to know you can give your car muscles!
Now let's take a look at two of SAAB's outstanding successes toward the end of 1960. These reports, picked at
random, are typical of several hundreds on the company's
files. The first is dated October 4, 1960.
"In perhaps the most hotly contested 'Little Le Mans'
race to date, a team of 1960 SAAB sedans scored a sweeping victory in last Saturday's running of the 4th annual
Lime Rock Park classic. Competing against a wide range of
imported sedans and two Studebaker Lark V8s, SAABs
took top honors in virtually all categories. Only a heartbreaking mishap during the final hour of the endurance
grind prevented an overall SAAB win.
"At the conclusion of the eight-hour race, SAAB automobiles had won the following honors:
Class
Overall
Index of Performance
1st
2nd
1st
2nd
3rd
2nd
3rd
5th
4th
4th
6th
5th
5th
8th
6th
9th
12th
10th
"Setting the pace for the victorious SAABs was car #52,
driven by Dr. Dick Thompson, well-known racing dentist
from Washington, D. C, and Joe Dodge of Orangeburg,
N. Y. During the course of the race, timers in the SAAB
pits caught Thompson at 1:14.8 on each of several laps.
When officially confirmed, this will give him not only the
fastest lap of the day, but also a new course record for
sedans. (It is interesting to note that in 1958 this same
driver set the course record for Austin Healeys with 1:14.2
lap, only 6/10 of a second faster than his best in a SAAB
93!)
"Almost from the starting gun the race for top honors
became a nip and tuck battle between SAAB #52 and
Studebaker Lark #2 driven by "Jocko" Maggiacomo of
Poughkeepsie, N. Y. and Ralph Moody of Raleigh, N. C.
The lead changed hands many times during the day and
until the closing hour of the race the two cars were never
112
more than one lap apart. At the end of the first hour only
20 seconds separated them with the Lark out front. At
3 p.m., four hours later, SAAB #52 was in the lead, but
the more powerful Lark was only 60 seconds behind and
pushing hard.
"With just over one hour remaining at 4:50 p.m. and
SAAB #52 well in the lead for overall honors, the Thompson/Dodge entry lost a wheel bearing which required two
pit stops totaling over six minutes. Although Thompson
drove at a furious pace on re-entering the fray, picking up
4 seconds each lap, there was not enough time remaining
to make up the lost ground and the clock ran out with the
Lark about four laps in the lead.
"Six out of seven SAABs entered were placed among the
top twelve finishers."
A complete run-down of the race results follows:
>sitiori
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Make
Lark
SAAB
SAAB
Volvo
SAAB
SAAB
Volvo
SAAB
#
2
52
54
11
56
53
17
55
Anglia
Fiat Abarth
BMW
46
51
65
SAAB
58
71
61
NSU
BMW
BMW
BMW
Volvo
4CV Renault
Herald
Lark
Vespa
VW-Denzel
Vespa
NSU
Austin
Austin
Austin
Volvo
Volvo
SAAB
Austin
Mini
Mini
Mini
Mini
62
63
15
67
45
1
91
21
92
72
42
44
41
14
16
57
43
359
355
353
341
339
339
338
336
333
333
324
323
318
313
309
295
291
289
288
272
256
250
241
240
258
176
147
128
111
82
41
Seconds
28831
28828
28876
28843
28855
28856
28840
28807
28833
28840
28883
28876
28816
28817
28843
28831
28877
28829
28867
28850
28810
28849
28902
28815
22498
15804
12617
10000
9277
8855
3565
Over
1300
Under
1300
1
1
2
2
3
4
3
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
4
14
15
5
16
17
18
19
D.N.F.
D.N.F.
D.N.F.
D.N.F.
D.N.F.
D.N.F.
D.N.F.
113
Then on December 6, 1960, came the following:
SAAB WINS NINTH R.A.C.
INTERNATIONAL RALLY OF GREAT BRITAIN
"Out of a field of 172 entries in this year's R.A.C. International Rally of Great Britain, the Swedish driver Erik
Carlsson, with SAAB, reached the finishing line as the only
participant without any penalty points. After having performed very well also in the final races on Saturday, November 26th, Erik Carlsson was declared outright winner
of the entire rally.
"The 1960 R.A.C. Rally was the final event in this year's
series of international rallies for the European Championship and had attracted a great many top drivers from
various countries. A lot of car makes were represented too,
many of them taking part with several cars. Erik Carlsson,
with British co-driver Stuart Turner, was the only entrant
with a SAAB—and he was the first driver with a nonBritish car to win the R.A.C. Rally.
"The start took place at Blackpool on the English west
coast on Monday evening, November 21st. First road went
northwards and far up in Scotland it turned south to cover
the whole distance to the finishing line at Brands Hatch,
southeast of London, where the drivers arrived on Friday,
the 25th. The total distance was about 2,000 miles.
"Because of fog and rain, the roads were mostly wet and,
particularly on two special sections, very rough. Out of 172
starting cars, 138 finished the rally.
"With this victory SAAB became outright winner in four
international 1960 European rallies and was placed second
overall in another three."
Outright win (second consecutive year) in The Swedish
Rally to the Midnight Sun. Driver: C. M.
Skogh
Outright win (also 2nd and 3rd total) in The Rally of the
Thousand Lakes, Finland. Winner: C. O.
Bremer; 2nd, E. Carlsson, 3rd, C. M. Skogh
Outright win (also 2nd total) in Rally Viking, Norway.
Winner: C. M. Skogh; 2nd, A. Wernersson
114
Outright win in the ninth R.A.C. International Rally of
Great Britain. Driver: E. Carlsson
Second place in The Tulip Rally, Holland (C. Orrenius) ;
The Rally Acropolis, Greece (E. Carlsson) ;
The Polish Rally, Poland (C. 0. Bremer).
SAAB started off the 1961 rally season with Homer
Trotter of Watertown, N.Y. and James Bickham of Upper
Sandusky, Ohio, completing the 1300 mile Canadian International Winter Rally with only two penalty points. This
involved passing through more than thirty controls precisely on schedule.
This particular rally is tough going. The course runs over
some of the most isolated secondary roads in Ontario
province. Usually about a third of the competitors fail to
complete the course which in 1961 involved thirty-seven
hours driving in the worst imaginable weather conditions.
Another car entered by SAAB was driven by Erik Carlsson
who won the English RAC rally with Stuart Turner.
Present and prospective SAAB owners will enjoy brows-
Dr. Dick Thompson, well-known dental surgeon of Washington, D.C.
who drove the winning SAAB at the 4th Annual Little LeMans 8-hour
endurance race, averaged 67.85 mph for 8 hours.
115
ing through the following list of SAAB racing victories.
These are indeed shining indications of consistent quality
engineering of which any marque could be proud and some
of this pride can surely be shared by the owner of a member of such a distinguished family of automobiles.
SAAB'S MAJOR COMPETITION VICTORIES
1950
Swedish National Cup
1951
Swedish National Cup
Rally to the Midnight
Sun—Sweden
Monte Carlo Rally
1952
Rally to the Midnight
Sun—Sweden
1953
Swedish Cross Country
Championship
Tulip Rally—Holland
Rally to the Midnight
Sun—Sweden
Viking Rally—Norway
European Rally
Championship
1954
1955
Swedish National Cup
Swedish National Cup
Tulip Rally—Holland
1956 Rally to the Midnight
Sun—Sweden
Reading Hill Climb—
USA
Viking Rally—Norway
Wiesbaden Rally—
Germany
Tour of Europe—
Germany
Swedish National Cup
Great American
Mountain Rally
Mobilgas Economy
Rally—Sweden
Gaspe Rally—Canada
116
1st over all
1st in ladies class
1st in ladies class
R. Mellde
G. Molander
G. Molander
1st in ladies class
1st in ladies class
2nd in class
1st in class
2nd in class
3rd in class
G.
G.
R.
R.
G.
B.
won by
1st in ladies class
R. Mellde
G. Molander
1st in ladies class
2nd in class
1st in ladies class
G. Molander
R. Mellde
G. Molander
ladies class won by
1st in class
1st over all
1st in ladies class
2nd in class
1st in class
2nd in class
1st in ladies class
G.
E.
E.
G.
R.
C.
E.
C.
1st in class
1st over all
2nd over all
R. Smith
C. Skogh
E. Carlsson
1st over all
B. Jonsson
2nd over all
1st over all
2nd over all
R. Mellde
C. Skogh
E. Carlsson
1st over all
1st in class
2nd in class
3rd in class
4th in class
1st over all
R.
D.
R.
O.
G.
H.
Molander
Molander
Mellde
Mellde
Molander
Blomberg
Molander
Carlsson
Carlsson
Molander
Mellde
Skogh
Carlsson
Coskull
Wehman
Persson
Mellde
Lindkvist
Ljungstrom
Blanchoud
1957
Rally to the Midnight
Sun—Sweden
Graspe Rally—Canada
Viking Rally—Norway
Rally of the Thousand
Lakes—Finland
Wiesbaden Rally—
Germany
Swedish National Cup
IV Spanish National
Motor Race
Acropolis Rally—Greece
Berlin Rally—Germany
Sestriere Rally—Italy
Mille Miglia Road
Race—Italy
Adriatic Rally—
Jugoslavia
Lime Rock Little Le
Mans—USA
Rally Atlas & Oasis
Morocco
European Rally
Championship
1958 Caltex Economy RallyDenmark
Swedish Ice Racing
Championship
Monte Carlo Rally
Sestriere Rally—Italy
Tulip Rally—Holland
Rally to the Midnight
Sun—Sweden
Semperit Rally—Austria
4 Hour Relay Race—
Harewood, Canada
Finnish Snow Rally
Acropolis Rally—Greece
Great Florida Rally—
USA
Lime Rock Little Le
Mans—USA
Liege-Rome-Liege
Rally—Belgium
9 Hour Grand Central
Endurance Race—
South Africa
1st in class
1st over all
1st in class
2nd in class
1st in ladies class
C.
H.
C.
E.
E.
Skogh
Trotter
Skogh
Carlsson
Roskvist
1st over all
E. Carlsson
1st in class
1st over all
2nd over all
R. Hopfen
C. Skogh
E. Carlsson
1st & 2nd in class
2nd over all &
1st in class
2nd in class
1st in class
1st in ladies class
H.
R.
R.
H.
1st in class
C. Lohmander
Blanchoud
Hopfen
Hopfen
Blanchoud
R. Hopfen
1st over all
1st, 2nd, 3rd in class
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th
Index of
performance
1st in class
won by
1st in class
2nd in class
1st in class
2nd in ladies class
1st in ladies class
1st in class
1st in class
2nd in class
1st in ladies class
2nd in ladies class
1st in class
1st over all
1st over all
1st in class
1st over all
1st, 2nd, 3rd in class
1st, 2nd index of
performance
1st in class
2nd in class
H. Kronegard
R. Hopfen
A. Mantcel
E. Carlsson
C. Skogh
G. Molander
G. Molander
M. Kjerstadius
R. Mellde
A. Kilden
G. Molander
E. Roskvist
C. Bremer
H. Blanchoud
R. Smith
Moerculeoret
Hacquen
1st in class
117
Viking Rally—Norway
Lourenco-Marques Rally
—South Africa
Rally of the Thousand
Lakes—Finland
Cumberland Motor Club
24 Hour Race—USA
Deutschland Rally—
Germany
Rally Bad Homburg—
Germany
Wiesbaden Rally—
Germany
1959 Swedish Ice Racing
Championship
Canadian International
Winter Rally
German Touring Car
Championship
Tulip Rally—Holland
12 Hours Alberto Ascari
Trophy Monza—Italy
Zandvoort Races—
Holland
Rally to the Midnight
Sun—Sweden
Rally Bad Homburg—
Germany
Le Mans 24 Hour Race
—France
American International
Rally
Wiesbaden Rally—
Germany
Italian Mountain
Grand Prix
Lime Rock Little Le
Mans—USA
Rally of the Thousand
Lakes—Finland
Austrian Mountain
Grand Prix
Adriatic Rally—
Jugoslavia
Viking Rally—Norway
Swedish Racing
Championship
118
C. Skogh
S. Bjorklund
S. Bjorklund
1st in class
2nd in class
1st in ladies class
2nd over all
1st in class
P. Fresby
1st in class
E. Carlsson
1st over all
J. Moody
1st in class
1st in class
1st in class
1st in class
E. Carlsson
1st over all
H. Trotter
won by
1st in class
2nd in class
R. Hopfen
G. Molander
E. Carlsson
1st in class
S. Bielke
1st in class
1st over all
2nd over all
2nd in ladies class
3rd in ladies class
4th in ladies class
Van Zalingen
E. Carlsson
C. Skogh
S. Bjorklund
M. Kjerstadius
G. Molander
1st in class
3rd in class
R. Hopfen
S. Nottorp
G. Bengtsson
1st in class
R. Wehman
1st over all
R. Hopfen
1st in class
1st in class
4th, 5th, 6th, 7th,
8th over all
1st in class
2nd in class
S. Bielke
C. Skogh
A. Wernersson
S. Bielke
1st in class
1st in class &
2nd over all
1st in class &
2nd over all
2nd in class
3rd in class
E. Carlsson
O. Bromark
G. Molander
1st in class
E. Carlsson
E. Carlsson
German Rally
Portuguese Rally
ti Hour Endurance Race
—Rhodesia
Tri-State Rally—USA
1960
Monte Carlo Rally
1st over all
1st in class
E. Carlsson
E. Carlsson
1st in class
1st over all
1st in class
2nd in class
Canadian International
1st in class
Winter Rally
13th Lyon-Charbonnieres
Stuttgart—Solitude
2nd in class
Rally
1st over all
Finnish Snow Rally
2nd over all
1st in class
Tulip Rally—Holland
1st in class
3rd in ladies class
6 Hour Race—
Nurburgring, Germany 1st in class
Spanish National
1st in class
Motor Race
1st over all
Swedish Rally
1st over all
Rally of the Thousand
2nd over all
Lakes—Finland
3rd over all
1st over all
500 Rally—Finland
2nd over all
Polish Rally
1st in class
1st over all
Viking Rally—Norway
2nd over all
3rd in ladies class
1st over all
R.A.C. Rally—England
1st, 2nd, 3rd,
Lime Rock Little Le
4th,
5th in class
Mans—USA
2nd, 3rd over all
1st, 2nd index of
performance
1st in class
Acropolis Rally—
2nd over all
Greece
1st over all
Rally to the Midnight
1st in class
Sun—Sweden
C. Bremer
E. Carlsson
H. Trotter
E. Carlsson
C. Bremer
R. Aaltonen
E. Carlsson
C. Orrenius
M. Kjerstadius
R. Hopfen
P.
C.
C.
E.
C.
C.
C.
Menzel
Skogh
Bremer
Carlsson
Skogh
Bremer
Bremer
C. Skogh
A. Wernersson
M. Kjerstadius
E. Carlsson
E. Carlsson
C. Skogh
C. Bremer
MAJOR SAAB COMPETITION SUCCESSES
IN THE U. S. AND CANADA
1956-57
GREAT AMERICAN MOUNTAIN RALLY
November, 1956
1st overall, team prize, winner in touring and
750-cc classes
119
Stock model SAAB wins tough rally with fantastic cornering on rugged
course in its native Sweden. (Note absence of body swing.)
120
THE 2ND ANNUAL CLOUDBANK
HILLCLIMB
Garrison, N.Y., May 30, 1957
1st & 3rd in class
THE 7TH ANNUAL READING HILLCLIMB
Pennsylvania, June 8, 1957
1st in class
DRAG RACES
Sanford, Maine
June 9 and 16, 1957
1st in class
ELLENVILLE HILL CLIMB
Ellenville, N.Y., June 15, 1957
1st overall
GLEN REGION GYMKHANA AND
ACCELERATION TRIALS
June 16, 1957
SCCA races
1st overall in Gymkhana
1st in class in acceleration trials
MOUNT EQUINOX HILLCLIMB
Vermont, June 16, 1957
1st in class
THOMPSON, CONNECTICUT
June 30, 1957—SCCA Races
1st and 2nd in class
WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK
July 6, 1957—SCCA Races
1st and 2nd in class
LIME ROCK, CONNECTICUT
July 7, 1957—SCCA Races
1st in class
GASPE RALLY, Canada
September 12, 13, and 14, 1957
1st overall
WINDHAM MOUNTAIN TOP RALLYE, N.Y.
September 14-15, 1957
1st in class
2nd and 3rd among dealer teams
121
LITTLE LE MANS RACE
Lime Rock, Conn., October 12, 1957
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th in class
ANNUAL FRANCONIA SNOW RACE
Franconia, N. H., 1957
SCCA Races
1st and 2nd in class—2nd overall
1958
GREAT FLORIDA RALLY
March 16, 1958
1st overall
MARLBORO, MARYLAND
April 20, 1958
SCCA National Races
1st in class
CIRCUIT OF HAREWOOD FOUR HOUR
RACE
Ontario, Canada
May, 1958
1st overall
CANADA DAY RACES, Ontario, Canada
June, 1958
1st in class
LITTLE LE MANS RACE
Lime Rock, Conn., August, 1958
1st overall, Index of Performance,
1st in class
ICE RACING MT. SPRINGS LAKE CIRCUIT
Readers, Pennsylvania
January, 1959
1st six places overall
1959
TRI-STATE SPORTS CAR RALLY
Portland, Maine
January, 1959
1st overall and team award
ANNUAL FRANCONIA SNOW RACE
Franconia, N. H., February, 1959
1st overall
122
LAKE NAOMI FOUR HOUR ENDURANCE
ICE RACE
1960
Pocono Pines, Pennsylvania
February, 1959
1st five places overall
CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL RALLY
February, 1959
1st overall
SIX HOUR SPORTS CAR RACE
Marlboro, Maryland
June, 1959
1st Index of Performance for modified cars
LITTLE LE MANS RACE
Lime Rock, Conn., August, 1959
1st in class
AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL RALLY
October, 1959
1st in class
LAKE NAOMI FOUR HOUR ENDURANCE
ICE RACE
Pocono Pines, Pennsylvania
January, 1960
1st seven places overall
FOUR HOUR ENDURANCE RACE
Pocono Pines, Pennsylvania
February, 1960
1st overall
CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL RALLY
February, 1960
1st in class, 3rd overall
LITTLE LE MANS RACE
Lime Rock, Conn., October, 1960
1st five places in class
2nd and 3rd overall
1st and 2nd Index of Performance
CAROLINA AND GEORGIA REGION
SCCA RACES
November 6, 1960
1st and 2nd in class
123
CmeT tngineor KOIT Meiide Takes The first SAAb rormula Junior
on test run.
124
10. Formula Junior
With such an outstanding road and track reputation, it
did not seem possible that SAAB could ignore the new trend
and not produce a Formula Junior car.
News coming out of Sweden is that SAAB is currently
testing a new experimental car with an 850cc engine and
accompanying characteristics which conform to Formula
Junior requirements.
The SAAB Formula Junior is an open single-seater. Most
of the chassis and power train elements come from a single
production type car model.
In order to keep the weight down and to meet the special
function required of the car, certain departures from standard have been made. These concern the suspension, the gas
tank and some of the controls. Apart from these, everything in the new F. Jr. is standard SAAB. This includes,
naturally, the engine, transmission, rear axle, brakes and
fuel system. The engine will be specially tuned. In this
case the tuning will probably consist of enlarging and
slightly re-locating the ports and raising the compression
ratio to give in the neighborhood of 70 hp.
The body is distinctly non-standard. There is no support
load bearing structure such as the tubular framework which
might be expected. As a Formula Junior, the new SAAB
will be unique in that it is built on the airplane structural
system, being held together by a strong but light stressed
skin structure of sheet steel.
The engine is located in a low fiberglass shell which
forms the nose of the car, and the gas tank is in the fiberglass tail section. The engine used is the 3-cylinder 841cc
SAAB with twin carburetors.
The over-all design of the car is interesting. It shows the
125
Drawing board profile of SAAB's projected Formula Junior 850cc
automobile.
methodical look-ahead attitude which SAAB engineers display towards their projects. To keep the front of the car
low in accordance with aerodynamic principle, the SAAB
engine has been mounted on its side and the gearbox has
been turned over so that the gearshift mechanism is at the
bottom. This helps to achieve a low center of gravity. The
radiator has been moved from its usual position behind the
engine and is located in the extreme front of the car. The
fan has been abandoned and replaced by a circulating pump
in the radiator. The 12-volt electrical system includes a
self-starter.
As this is being written, one of these cars is in the process of testing and another one is in prototype production.
No decision has yet been made as to whether these cars
will go into production.
A telephone call to Sweden elicted the information that
SAAB has built these cars primarily to gain experience.
Rumor, however—and it seemed to be a rumor with a solid
foundation—says that Formula Junior fans in Europe have
been clamoring for special F. Jr. SAABs and that some of
the impatient ones are adapting their custom SAABs for
these events. In view of the over-all mechanical harmony
of the integral SAAB design, it can well be imagined that
the SAAB management—with their dedication to doing
things right—would frown on these experiments. That is
probably one of the main motivations for their going "Formula Junior."
126
SAAB Formula Junior at speed. Note radiator cowling and modified
rear suspension.
127
Whatever You Drive ...
THIS IS A BOOK FOR
EVERY
SPORTS CAR OWNER
fCARE
I
I
0F
YOUR SPORTS CAR
by OCe* HITCH
SPORTS CAR PRESS
Distributed by Crown: Publishers
419 Fourth Ave., New York 1 6, N. Y.