Racecar 87 900s

6183 Views 39 Replies 18 Participants Last post by spgeebee88, May 12, 2011

88SPG

Discussion Starter · Apr 14, 2010

So I recently added another Saab to my stable with the sole purpose of going racing. She is a 1987 900s with 96k on the clock. Truly seems like it was grandma's car. Here is a teaser pic:

So I am going to run some autoX, SCCA ITB class and am trying to run in the Grassroots Motorsports $2010 challenge. I would love some help from the Saablink community as to how to build this baby up. It needs more power, but the ITB class won't allow running a turbo. So it is N/A all the way.

In order to compete in the $2010 challenge, I can't spend more than $2010 but I can sell some parts of my car to offset that limit. Interior is blue velour. I will post up more pics as soon as I can, but wanted to get this out into the community.

More power ideas?

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Saabeh

· #2 · Apr 14, 2010

All of the regular stuff, intake, exhaust, porting, deck the shit out of the head.

50 shot of nitrous?

90SPG

· #3 · Apr 14, 2010

What Saabeh said, pretty much the basics. Get a 2.1 (or better yet T5/T7 but its no longer a bolt on affair) head and skim it down a fair bit, port the hell out of it, get an exhaust manifold. I think MSS used to make 16v headers but who knows these days and the odds of finding one for sale are small. You could make a cheap intake but most likely the stock stuff will work just fine. I'm assuming your keeping Jetronic for simplicity, you may want to get an aftermarket ignition controller, there could be a bit of power in that if you play around with it a bit but it could be expensive if youre on a budget.

Other than that rip out everything in the car that you don't need, interior, lights, sunroof assmebly, all that stuff adds up. Then get a set of Bilstein/Koni shocks and a pair of intrax springs. I'm not familiar with the GM $2010 race but you'll most likely want to address the brakes on your car if theres any sort of length or speed to the race, since price is an issue I'd go for junkyard parts like the 88+ swap. Since theres really no way to get crazy n/a power on saabs for cheap I'd suggest spending most of your time on suspension and getting the weight down.

Good luck, sounds like a fun project. Oh and do some reading over on saabrally.com as theres been some occasional n/a discussions that could help you out.

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aireeca

· #4 · Apr 14, 2010

Nice work and congrats! I've learned to love the N/A magnificently ever since Little Red and I were brought together.

About power? I just stomp and go, so everyone else will have much more intelligent things to say about that than I. However, I can recommend getting after the idle control valve in these cars. Mine got magnificently jank and caused all kinds of surging/crazy idle problems.

And remember, it is better to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.

Moonracer

· #5 · Apr 14, 2010

91-92 N/A exhaust manifolds will work as good as headers and are found laying on the ground at most saab salvage yards. 2.1 intake port matched to the 2.0 head is the best way to go. (2.0 has smaller chambers=higher comp.) shave the head and run a steel head gasket. You just need to check valve/cyl clearance with putty as you go.

adamgent

· #6 · Apr 15, 2010

Christ. Is there a NA Tuning renaisance developed in the last fortnight?!

Have a look at these threads for some like-minded folks recent ideas.

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1747339&posted=1#post1747339

http://www.uksaabs.co.uk/UKS/viewtopic.php?t=56165&f=3

aireeca

· #7 · Apr 15, 2010

adamgent said:
Christ. Is there a NA Tuning renaisance developed in the last fortnight?!

I hope so. I'm running out of crazy plans for Little Red.

adamgent

· #8 · Apr 15, 2010 (Edited)

Oh that's easy - high compression, big valve, fully ported head with individual throttle bodies

Just open your wallet!

Under $2010? As the others have said there are a fair bit of swappable parts from junkyards. The 9000 front brake conversion is popular for big discs and calipers. Otherwise strip the car and sell everything and spend on a nice head.

Dave Baker, here in the UK is a real wealth of proper, validated information from a lot of experience. He suggests typical power gains in the region of:

Flow developed 4 valve head = >20%
ITBs replacing plenum = 12% - 15%
Race Cams = 8% - 12%
Street cams = 4% - 7%

So that really shows where you should spend your money. An oafter market sports exhaust or a scrap Tubro exhaust? Easy. A $50 sports filer or drilling you air filter box? no question. Some things can be done cheap or for free other things warrant the cash.

Looking forward to this one

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BurnsSide42

· #9 · Apr 15, 2010

Nice 900 n/a - how much was it? I would assume very very cheap since you want it to be a $2010 competitor

spgeebee88

· #10 · Apr 15, 2010

if your going to do solo an N/A loves it. at least mine does. whats ITB class in SCCA?? iam in ST class. to be honest if your going to autox it just cut the springs and get tires. worry about the power later, get your skills in tune.

88SPG

Discussion Starter · #11 · Apr 15, 2010

BurnsSide42 said:
Nice 900 n/a - how much was it? I would assume very very cheap since you want it to be a $2010 competitor

I spent $600, but figure I can harvest some parts for sale or have spares for my other 2 C900s

Doesn't everyone want a blue velour interior or argyle seat covers? Someone has to be searching for pre-88 SPG wheels right?

Someone told me that I should seek the early 86/87 steelies from a 9000 because they are cheap, light and 6" wide. Can anyone confirm those wheels would match my 87 bolt pattern?

aireeca

· #12 · Apr 15, 2010

Nope. They won't match. I'm pretty sure the 9000s never used the early c900 bolt pattern.

mySaab900

· #13 · Apr 16, 2010

I have a set of alloys from a 9000 turbo on my 91 c900 N/A, they fit fine, but I think they were from a 92 so, maybe the 86/87 bolt pattern from a 9000 won't work

PaulH

· #14 · Apr 16, 2010

mySaab900 said:
I have a set of alloys from a 9000 turbo on my 91 c900 N/A, they fit fine, but I think they were from a 92 so, maybe the 86/87 bolt pattern from a 9000 won't work

no, its the other way, all the 9000's had the same bolt pattern, c900's changed in 88 to the 9k bolt pattern.

Paul

88SPG

Discussion Starter · #15 · Apr 16, 2010

spgeebee88 said:
if your going to do solo an N/A loves it. at least mine does. whats ITB class in SCCA?? iam in ST class. to be honest if your going to autox it just cut the springs and get tires. worry about the power later, get your skills in tune.

ITB is an improved touring class. Mostly older 4 cylinder N/As. So to start, strip interior, cut springs, look for wheel/tire combos and start thinking about intake/exhaust manifold options. May have to do a parts request from the community for delivery to Carlisle. Not too many junkyard Saabs in Florida.

88SPG

Discussion Starter · #16 · May 3, 2010

Spent some time on the racecar project this past week. Front springs cut, some interior items removed, A/C removed (except condenser) and sourced some 13" steelies with Hoosier slicks!!

JK

· #17 · May 3, 2010

13" going to fit over the brakes?

Powar

· #18 · May 3, 2010

JK said:
13" going to fit over the brakes?

I was wondering the same thing.

88SPG

Discussion Starter · #19 · May 3, 2010

Looks like I will have to shave the brakes

my eyeball guess is no more than a 1/4 inch and I can bevel it to match the wheel shape and maintain as much structural integrity in the process. If I screw it up, then it will be time to upgrade to 88+ brakes. I will use the force with my cut-off wheel

88SPG

Discussion Starter · #20 · May 14, 2010

I couldn't find anything in the SCCA rule book to prevent me from installing a custom set of brake lizards!

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