1963 SAAB 96

alkun Wrote:
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> I've been trying to remember the good synthetic
> stuff I used in my motorbike. It was pink, smelled
> like bubble gum and NO SMOKE. Of course it was
> like $10 a pint.


We've had many folks recommend Red-Line Snomobile oil, and some recommend the Kart oil. They run about $55 a gallon.

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Jason McDaniel

Back in '63 we'd use Castrol 2-cycle oil for our motorcycles.

And it smelled like fuel. (Grin)

Rich Smith

68- 96 V-4 brakes are a bolt-in. We did it for the Team T*Ts '65 96 ( ex-Guy Light) back in '74. If you can find it ( or I can use technology) the Chiltons 96 manual has a short Sport & Rally section. There are instructions to modify a Monte Carlo
front silencer to create an expansion chamber. The aforementioned 96 had an oval-shaped SAAB expansion chamber that went to a 2-exhaust pipe.
Still in the garage are a complete ( but siezed) '67 oil-injected motor , oil tanks and a few odd bits including a Monte Carlo head ( much smaller combustion chambers).

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Bruce Beauvais
Too many SAABs to count

I have a few cans of Saab's two stoke oil if you need the real shit.

Also have a look at

http://www.classicsaabracing.com/avgassystem-eng.htm

for really nice 2 stroke performance parts. The site in Swedish has a bit more stuff so look there as well.

http://www.classicsaabracing.com/motordelar.htm

We haven't mentioned the feeling that the induction howl of a 2-takt sends down the back of your spine.

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Bruce Beauvais
Too many SAABs to count

Been a while since I updated the build. One week before Rallye de Paris, we put the engine in and wired it enough to run. We still had brake issues and no wiring except the engine.

You can see the alternator conversion in the pics. We used the OEM SAAB bracket for the bottom mount, and fabricated a new top bracket.

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Jason McDaniel



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/03/2008 11:20PM by modernbeat.

The late engine is a bit longer that the early Bullnose engine. The waterpump stick out into the grille. We had to cut away part of the window shade box and bend the distributor shield as far forward as it would go.

The water pump pulley is about 1.5 inches behind the grille. I hope we don't bump into anything...

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Jason McDaniel

Rallye de Paris tech is Friday evening after Thanksgiving.

Jeff and I spent Thanksgiving wiring up the car, securing all the junk in the trunk, and installing seatbelts. The wiring was a pain. We had a '63 harness, '66 turn signal switch, '66 dashboard, and some gauges from a '67 Monte Carlo. On top of all that, the unobtanium stop light switch didn't work. We fabbed up a bracket in front of the brake pedal and installed a modern momentary switch from a SAAB 99. After testing all the lights (turn, brake, running, parking), wipers, and checking all the safety gear that tech would look at, we packed all the spares, tools, and other equipment in the truck and left for Paris at 4pm. We made it in time to register, got to tech and passed through with no problems - and with a new car and newbie driver-builders.

Sorry, no photos here, but the Huebbe's took a good one of their Rally Beetle with the Rally SAAB in the background.

http://www.321govideo.com/rallybug/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29055278@N06/3066470939/

I nodded off that night with a soldering gun in my hand trying to piece together the intercoms. We never got them, or the Terratrip installed.

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Jason McDaniel

Next morning came way too soon. Classic.

So here we are. Jeff's never driven a vintage SAAB except for a few laps around the Walmart parking lot last night. I've never co-driven. Jeff's never competed in a motorsports event. The car has 4 miles on it. Neither of us has ever been in a Stage Rally before - I've done a few club level TSDs. And we're off...

Shots of the car leaving Service for the first stage...

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Jason McDaniel

Jeff drove very conservatively the first stage, and we half-fixed a shifting issue (no 3rd or 4th) before the second stage. During the second stage Jeff got with the program, but the car had issues. The EGT was going off the chart any time the throttle was on. The shifter was still so-so and the engine bogged bad below 3500rpm.

During the next service we drilled out the jets to the next size. Jeff test drove it without the hood. I have to admit - this engine is so easy to work on once you pull the hood off.

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Jason McDaniel



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/03/2008 11:40PM by modernbeat.

Despite going through two sets of jets, we still had bogging and high EGTs. Then we realized that the fuel filter was plugged. Despite our best efforts of having ALL NEW parts in the fuel system including the hard lines, soft lines, pumps, and Bud Clark built carbs, the professionally restored tank was still full of mud. Lots and lots of mud. Enough that it plugged a filter within 10 miles and burned up a fuel pump within 30. We switched to the alternate pump and kept changing filters. The EGTs were close to normal and the power was great, but after running hard a few miles, the float bowls would be empty. The restricted flow through the muddy filters couldn't keep up.

Eventually, the mud got into the carbs and severely flooded the engine. We missed the last three stages because we couldn't get it dried out a firing again.

Shots are of us finishing a stage only in only twice the time it took the winning open class Evo, then us stalled again on the transit back to service, and then me - worn out. You can see the dash of the car in this pic. The Swedish flag on the key ring came from Richard M. We grabbed it out of the 1979 factory effort SAAB 99 that won the US championship that year.

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Jason McDaniel

And just some beauty shots.

In service side shot, Jeff the owner, lights on at night.

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Jason McDaniel

And this is what we looked like after we threw in the towel.

Next event is 100 Acre Woods. I'll be driving with another friend as codriver. After that, Blythe and then...

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Jason McDaniel



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/03/2008 11:52PM by modernbeat.

You guys are tuff! If there were more guys like you we'd have a great rally program in the States. Rather than deaming and tapping the keybord at home, like I'm doing now , you guys get dirty and get things DONE! It used to be like that...
Don't give up and don't worry what happened. You already did more than most and I'm sure you learned a lot and most importantly - you had FUN!

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- RWD rocks -

Thanks for the story of your event! I think every person's first rally should start something like that. It prepares you for harder times in the future!

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Grant Hughes