gasp.....what a looker where did you find it?

 

Richmond Craigslist.

79 B turbo 5dr...awesome. Tweeking it or staying original? Don't think I could stop myself from at least doing a brake/axle upgrade with some sway bars

For now it seems to be doing fine in it's current state.

Sweet!

Neat rarity. What are your plans for it?

Not sure, maybe eventually doing a T5 16valve swap. I have a spare SPG. I do want to sort out the body first. Saabnazi has a great body guy, Carl Bladik (sp?)

Bizzare Saab, but a cool find in a great color. 85-86 SPG front and rear extensions would look great on it. Good luck with her.

Wow, what a find.

What are your plans? Resto? Can't wait to see it all cleaned up.

For the time being, finish what is done/missing. Saabnazi didn't think he had the headlight bezels I need, and the chin spoiler is missing a part but I saw a 4 door at Jessup that should have it, or the SPG at Mt Airy.

Awesome, I have a soft spot for '79 and '80 900's. They seem so pure and clean compared to the later ones that had all sorts of plastic pieces cobbled on. Kind of like a 99 but with more engine bay space.
This one is definatly a mix-match of various early C900 stuff... a previous owner must had good access to parts!
As noted the bezels with the marker light are not correct, the dual vent hood has been replaced with one with a center roundel. The rear bumper is a later one with the wide chrome and the front spoiler is an 81-84 3dr turbo piece. The seats are 81+ and the lower body trim strip is the 82+ wider variety as well. The rear hatch probably came off an '80 or '81 3dr turbo, with the center lights and the spoiler (5 dr did not have a spoiler standard and the center lights and 5spd didnt come out until 80). The front signal lenses with the thin white strip are original.
Awesome that it still has the B motor turbo! Judging from the engine bay pic I'd say that the original color was anthracite grey metallic, a pretty common color for the early turbo.
Nice find, seems like its a solid enough foundation to be worthy of putting some time and effort into.

Luke

It actually does have the dual vent hood, just seems somebody glued on the badge. And the guy who owned it before the guy I bought it off of worked for Dominion Saab in Richmond.

 

79 B turbo 5dr...awesome. Tweeking it or staying original? Don't think I could stop myself from at least doing a brake/axle upgrade with some sway bars

 

Amazing! What a great color to go with the pre-face lift. I am also very envious of the 5 door with that extra glass window!

 

Great find! Love the 5 doors.

Also, Saab did a great job centering the c900 rear axle in the wheel arch.*

 

Huu, interesting. I see many 1979-80 specific components. Well good luck with it, if it runs, drives and starts when hot, someone took care of it mechanically. Those TRX wheels... not only do they have $2000 tires, they look rather horrific

I would also not recommend testing out the full functionality of the 8000 RPM tach.

 

Well, if it's anything like the other 5-door I've known, you're in for an adventure.

Congrats, I think.


Kinda.

 

Congrats on the find, Ben!

 

Nifty!

[EDIT] Threads about newly-acquired c900s are my favorite kind!

 

Great score! Those seats are crazy.

 

Crap - re-host those pictures on a real server! Can't view any of them here at work Congrats on the car I can't see

 

5 door turbo. My jealousy is strong, good luck with this thing - bunches o' rarity here.

Chris

 

Sweet!

Neat rarity. What are your plans for it?

 

You should turn it into a hearse....but instead of having dead bodies in there you could have cases of booze that slide out on those cool rails that they have in there. There should also be smokers kit with pipes...etc.

 

Bizzare Saab, but a cool find in a great color. 85-86 SPG front and rear extensions would look great on it. Good luck with her.

 

Wow, what a find.

What are your plans? Resto? Can't wait to see it all cleaned up.

 

Totally Sweet!

I can't wait to see it in person.

 

Awesome, I have a soft spot for '79 and '80 900's. They seem so pure and clean compared to the later ones that had all sorts of plastic pieces cobbled on. Kind of like a 99 but with more engine bay space.
This one is definatly a mix-match of various early C900 stuff... a previous owner must had good access to parts!
As noted the bezels with the marker light are not correct, the dual vent hood has been replaced with one with a center roundel. The rear bumper is a later one with the wide chrome and the front spoiler is an 81-84 3dr turbo piece. The seats are 81+ and the lower body trim strip is the 82+ wider variety as well. The rear hatch probably came off an '80 or '81 3dr turbo, with the center lights and the spoiler (5 dr did not have a spoiler standard and the center lights and 5spd didnt come out until 80). The front signal lenses with the thin white strip are original.
Awesome that it still has the B motor turbo! Judging from the engine bay pic I'd say that the original color was anthracite grey metallic, a pretty common color for the early turbo.
Nice find, seems like its a solid enough foundation to be worthy of putting some time and effort into.

Luke

 

Ah - now I can view those pictures. Looks nice! Should come back if it doesn't sit too long at "mom's" place. I have a set of the early seat belt buckles which were standard in the 1978 99 Turbo cars... you may be interested in those I also have 2 fair to poor shame "EMS" wheels - one center pad which could fix that wheel issue too. Good find!

 

sweet 5 door.. thats one that i would sit in the back of while someone drove me around haha with some maroon velvet privacy shades

 

I think I will make an aspen police car clone. I picked up that very roof light bar for $20 not to long ago.

 

*aireeca approves only if you grow the appropriate facial hair as well*

 

was it like hardly ever driven? Cause I have a 1991 c900 and mine has 265,000 miles on it, that only has 114,000 and it's a '79!!?? Nice shape too, I need to find an upgrade for mine, like an SPG I would love, or any turbo for that matter. I love the old styles like this, with the headlights that basically wrap around the whole front of the car!! Haha, great car man!! Keep us posted!!

 

I just got home so now I can see the pics. Awesome pick up, man. I have those same seats in my 96.

 

I have a brand new in factory mustard primer left rear fender for that 5door! It is wall art here at the shop. Let me know if you need it.

 

I may ask! BTW, hold on to those poly upper strut mounts I ordered, this is what I spent the Koni and spring money on.

 

Looks cool! Apparently the secret to keeping the old motors running is to drive them regularly.

I'd swap those wheels off though, unless you want to shop for metric tires.

 

Whoa, wicked cool!

Is that an external wastegate I see? They were common place on early-er turbo'ed saabs?

 

Is that an external wastegate I see? They were common place on early-er turbo'ed saabs?

Yup, factory external wg. Audi 5000 also used a factory EWG, and others. The internal wastegate was a big improvement, saving space and reducing complexity for production turbo cars.