engine removal

"peter" wrote

I've done that. Except it was a '63 997 Cooper. The remote shifter probably added a few pounds to the effort. Thanks for jogging the (fond?) memories from 35 years ago.

Ahhh, you had them early in life. I got into the SAABs later in life. Understand the multiple repairs that may explain the falling parts.

They were remarkably strong cars for their time. I sacrificed my '68 96 after an encounter with a mid/late '70's Olds 442. The big built on frame machines. Was a winter day in Massachusetts with good snow banks on the sides of the road. I was behind him, and he suddenly stopped to turn left with no rear lights. Couldn't quite fit between the snow bank and his rear corner.

It folded his rear frame against the rear wheel. Pretty much undriveable. Crushed my nose and radiator into the engine. I cut the blades of the plastic fan, and drove it home about ten miles. It was just overheating enough to worry by the time I got home. The rust through the body, and the doors made me decide it wasn't worth fixing, but I sold the engine and tranny to someone else.

You may have me beat with the long ago of $3 for 8 gallons of gas and 1 quart of oil. I remember gas at around 50 cents/gallon, maybe occasionally a little less. A dollar's worth in my Dad's car would net a lot of driving around and keep the level in the gas tank where I started with so I could use it again.

I also had a parent-approved low powered SAAB Monte Carlo back in my high school days (1964-68). It did have one option that I don't think that my parent knew about. On the passenger side panel in the rear seating area under the arm rest (swing-out rear side windows) was a plastic lined compartment with drain hose that exited underneath the car. There was enough space in this compartment to ice down three vodka bottles. This, I believe, was standard factory equipment on the Monte Carlo model. Those Swedes think of everything.

Mike

You heathen! It was intended to hold aquavit, not vodka.

Did your parents know why the car was called a "Monte Carlo?" Or what it was capable of in skilled hands? You could knock rather a lot of bodywork off a Saab 93 and still keep racing--that's why its headlights were not mounted in the fenders.