Because Dream Car: 1990 Tally Red SPG Edition

[jk88]

I needed this car about as much as the title alludes, but sometimes we have to do things just to get them out of our system. A tally red SPG was one of those things. Picked it up today in Portland, Oregon, and just stopped for the night outside of Sacramento, CA.

Stats: 1990 SPG
Miles: Too many: 210k
Paid: Too much
Body: 9/10 Just needs a polish and a few chips touched up.
Interior: 9/10 Dash cracks and minor bolster wear only real flaws.
Drives: Like a boss. So solid. Feels like it has 1/3 the miles that it does.
Mods: Intrax, Bilsteins, APC, injectors, 3.0 FPR plus rising rate regulator, forge bpv, vac advance mod, and short shifter.
Needs: A/C work, brake pressure accumulator, power steering hose, exhaust, various small stuff. Not sure about the wheels yet.
Impression after first day and 600 miles of ownership:

Will update with more pics when I get home and don't have to tether my phone because the hotel internet is terrible.

[bruceinmiami]

thats one of those cars i need. soon.
congrats

[Snabb SAAB]

A C900 is on my bucket list too. Nice find!

[Aero]

Looks to be in awesome shape! Mind spilling the beans on the mileage?

[jk88]

210k

[Aero]

Not bad at all. So few of those cars still left in decent shape that it's hard to be picky about the mileage.

[BuHuSPG]

That paint looks great! Great find!

The wheels, not so much

[IronJoe]

Nice grab!!

Very curious to see what the lots of mods are. Also, please don't put on super aeros like everyone else.

[Turbo00]

Awesome ride. Of all the c900's, the tally SPGs are the ones that (in my experience anyway) consistently get 'nice car' comments from the un-initiated. Agree on the wheels, not sure if want. Those are Ronals, right?

[aireeca]

Looks beautiful!

Remember, yesterday was the first day of the rest of your life.

Congrats!

[DanF.]

Awesome!

[Palmer]

Nice!

[132417SAAB]

[SPGreg]

Very cool purchase! I think super aeros look great on a tally, particularly with lower profile tires (see my garage over on SC). Look forward to seeing more pics.

Congratulations!

[turbocon86]

Hey congrats! I made a like-I-need-a-hole-in-the-head purchase a couple years ago when I picked up Ol' Blue. It's now my daily driver. These kind of things tend to work out that way. I think you done good.

[jk88]

Originally Posted by Aero

Not bad at all. So few of those cars still left in decent shape that it's hard to be picky about the mileage.

Very true. After washing it today I might have to revise the 9/10 body rating with a 9.5. Even for its age, it's remarkably clean.

Originally Posted by IronJoe

Nice grab!!

Very curious to see what the lots of mods are. Also, please don't put on super aeros like everyone else.

Thanks. Yeah, I already have the Super Aeros covered on my vert. Might do something different with this. It's hard because I love the clean 3 spoke look, but within the community it is overdone.

Originally Posted by Turbo00

Awesome ride. Of all the c900's, the tally SPGs are the ones that (in my experience anyway) consistently get 'nice car' comments from the un-initiated. Agree on the wheels, not sure if want. Those are Ronals, right?

Thanks! Actually the wheels are made by Arbet. Have no info on them yet, other than they are 15".

Originally Posted by aireeca

Looks beautiful!

Remember, yesterday was the first day of the rest of your life.

Congrats!

Indeed. Thanks again, enabler.

Originally Posted by turbocon86

Hey congrats! I made a like-I-need-a-hole-in-the-head purchase a couple years ago when I picked up Ol' Blue. It's now my daily driver. These kind of things tend to work out that way. I think you done good.

Thank you sir, I think I've done good with this one, too. I'm still amazed by how solid and tight it feels for 210k. And the body panels are all damn near perfect. Surprisingly all of the paint chips are around back, not on the hood as per usual.

[JA 37]

Nice addition, congrats! You are certainly not alone in having a soft spot for Tally Red SPGs. Am I correct in assuming this is the one that was for sale on Saabnet recently?

[jk88]

Originally Posted by JA 37

Nice addition, congrats! You are certainly not alone in having a soft spot for Tally Red SPGs. Am I correct in assuming this is the one that was for sale on Saabnet recently?

Yep. Here was the ad:

Color: Talladega Red Trans: Manual Mileage: 210,000 Price: $4000
Purchased from Portland, OR SAAB dealer in 1994 with 112K on the odometer. The original owner commuted long distance and racked up a lot of miles. I drove the car until 175K when my son-in-law purchased it from me 5 yrs ago; we are currently co-owners. We would love to keep the car as it is fast, fun and looks good, BUT my son-in-law needed a newer vehicle for his daily driver as a dad of young kids, I have just retired and need to tone down my spending and we don't have garage space to keep it indoors. Since we have had the SPG, it has been garaged and has been maintained with synthetic oil every 3k. All the modifications were done between 125K and 175K. Lowering springs, shocks, stage 1 APC, stage 1 injectors, 30 bar fuel pressure regulator plus rising rate regulator, "hooter" valve, distributor advance control, coil, plugs, wires, short shifter. Additionally, the timing chain, heater control valve, steering rack and headliner have been replaced. Less than 1.5 yrs ago both the inner and outer drivers were replaced as well as the water pump, starter, ignition switch, turn signal switch, sunroof motor, AC compressor and tires. Most recently the distributor has been rebuilt and new radiator installed. Receipts for repairs since new come with the car. No accidents, no body repairs, no rust, no interior rips or tears except for the usual dash cracks. Original paint. We kept all the original parts (including SPG wheels) should some future owner want a stock car. Synchro's are smooth and transmission is solid. It is not taking down any oil. I was just at the Vintage Races with the NW SAAB Club and this SPG would be one of the nicer examples I saw there once it has been detailed. Additional photos can be sent upon request. Atomic Auto on NE Sandy Blvd. in Portland, OR can give you their opinion about this car.

You can tell it's been cared for very well.

We negotiated a fair price and then 3 days before I was supposed to fly up, the slave cylinder gave out and the clutch was replaced. So, there's that.

[turbocon86]

Surprisingly all of the paint chips are around back, not on the hood as per usual.

Get the touch-up kit from Dr. Color Chip. I used it on the road rash and other chips on Ol' Blue and I was damned amazed at how easy it was to use and how well it worked. My hood was so bad in the front, I was considering a repaint. Also had a couple key scratches. I took it to a car show at Hemmings last week and got a couple compliments on the paint on the car. It is not show-car perfect if you ask me, but it looks 1000 times better and you don't get the paint blobs you usually have with standard touch-up paint. I've touched up other parts of the car with carefully-applied base coat, then a little dab of clear coat, then wet sanding, then buffing... Never again, this shit is 1/8 the work and twice the good look.

[ohlins8990]

Looks very nice...one of my friends picked a red 900T awhile ago...before I got the bimmer. Take care if her...there are less and less of them on the roads.