mckpat's SAAB 900 - Is no longer mckpat's.

[mckpat03]

Whats up guys. I figured I'd make a journal because I plan on keeping this thing a while and slowly making it even more special than what it already is. Updates will likely be slow at first because my employment may be circling the drain right now, but I digress.

Acquiring the car was an adventure in itself. It started off with a hiccup in our initial communication. I sent the PO an e-mail through SAABnet and I didn't hear back for several days. I thought my e-mail didn't go through, but he actually sent several replies that got caught by my spam filter.

So we e-mailed for a while and set up a date to meet up and view the car. The problem here was that I'm in central PA near State College and he was from Connecticut. I was thorough in my e-mailing and confident enough in the car that I traveled to Conn. with the intent to buy the same day.

I traveled to Conn. on Saturday, Aug. 13. I meet the gentleman, everything was going smoothly. We head out on a test drive, with the PO driving first. We hit a back road, and he took it up into boost and it felt completely healthy. Then we hear what sounds like a vacuum leak. He looks the car over and finds that the throttle body lifted or something and the throttle body o-ring blew out. Luckily, the PO was a SAAB tech at a SAAB dealership (which is where we ended up, so he could hopefully fix it). Unfortunately, the closest o-ring was in Maine or something. So I went home empty handed.

I was hugely disappointed but told him I was still interested. On the drive home, though, the PO sent me an e-mail offering to drive the car to me if I was seriously still interested. We did some talking and he ended up driving the car down to Pennsylvania to sell it to me.

On Monday, Aug. 22, the PO drove to Harrisburg, where we met up and struck a deal. I bought the car and took it home. The car was awesome. I love/loved everything about it.

Here are some pictures:








If anyone was at the Carlisle Import/Kit Car show, you may have seen this thing.

Anyway, I'm sure everyone is looking for modifications. Here is a list:

'96 900 - Originally a 2.0t, auto

Go fast
- B234R 2.3 swap (includes TD04HL-15t-6cm housing)
- 19t upgrade for the TD04
- 3" DP, race cat, 3" cat back (resonated and mufflered)
- Custom CAI
- Fuel - Green giants, 255lph, 4 bar FPR
- 3 bar MAP sensor
- Forge FMIC
- Forge BV
- JZW Stage 5 tuning

Slow down
- Viggen 308mm front brakes
- 300mm rear brakes
- Slotted/dimpled rotors
- Ceramic pads
- SS lines

Turning
- Koni yellows
- Vogtland Springs
- Sways
- Strut tower brace
- Triangulated hatch brace
- Steering rack clamp/brace
- Poly everywhere
- Yokomama AD08's

Drivetrain
- 9-3 Trans w/ hyd. clutch
- aluminum flywheel
- Viggen PP
- Stage 3 ceramitallic 6 puck
- Solid mounts
- Short shifter

Exterior
- Viggen body kit
- Realcar Sweded rear spoiler
- 19" Interlagos reps (I think???)
- HIDs
- LED everything
- Custom badges
- Custom grille
- CF pillar trim

Interior
- Viggen front seats
- Custom A-pillar two gauge pod
- Custom SID two gauge pod
- Suede headliner/a-pillars/hatch cover
- black everything
- LED everything
- Aftermarket speakers and amp
- Custom trunk mat

That should pretty much be it. I apologize for the long winded first post. I know I know... Too long, didn't read, haha.

[mckpat03]

So, I drove the car home Monday Aug. 22, and stopped at my brothers house. My brother pointed out to me that the hood badge was missing. It flew off somewhere between Conn. and my brothers house. Not a big deal. A simple Ebay transaction on Friday Aug. 26 and I have a new badge on the way. The car ran beautifully and felt amazing in boost.

Wednesday, Aug. 23, I drove the car to work so everyone could check out the new whip. I had to stop at UPS on my way home to drop off a couple packages. On my way home, I develop a grind going into second gear. This little grind turns into barely being able to use second gear at all... just THREE days after I bought the car. WTF???

I was marginally upset, but its a hi-po SAAB, so I was expecting headaches down the road... but not THREE days after I bought it. I checked some things out and I'm almost certain its the synchro. I've basically just been laughing it off... it certainly sucks, but you have to roll with the punches.

Saturday, Aug. 27, I acquired a used trans. I can still drive the car as it is, which I plan on doing a few more times through the fall (weekend car, not getting driven much regardless). Over the winter, she'll be getting a new/used trans installed.

[OVR_9000]

Holy f***in' clean

[mckpat03]

So outside of the few hiccups and the trans issue. Not much will be getting done.

I do have some plans, though. I need to get the proper FPR. It has a 4 bar, but needs a 3.5 bar to fully utilize the stg. 5 tuning. Currently it runs a tad rich, but its not bad. One mod I need to do is the 6 point subframe brace, just to stiffen it up even MORE.

Other than that, just some small custom cosmetic stuff will probably get done just to make it more my own. Might try to do some wire tucking and stuff in the engine bay. Maybe some painting of various parts.

For now, I'm not planing on changing the power level. But maybe further in the future it'll see an HX40 or something... who knows.

[mckpat03]

Originally Posted by OVR_9000

Holy f***in' clean

Haha, thanks man.

[JDMTyler3326]

I think if you lose the wing it would look amazing

[SpEcRv9]

Awesome Saab...hard to find one left that clean.

[D Boogie C]

Nice! It's different I like it !

[MX5]

Looks sweet man. Did you sell the Stang?

[15psi88]

Humm, Not hella flush on boat trailer wheels, no roof rack, no spray paint anywhere to be found, not a 240, no rust, full interior, no tow hooks or drift charms. To say the least.

Cars gay dude.

[Robevo]

that is a nice build. congrats !

[mckpat03]

Originally Posted by MX5

Looks sweet man. Did you sell the Stang?

Thanks. Yeah, earlier this summer. The motor was so tired and it was developing some issues and there were a few small things that made it not worth keeping.

Originally Posted by 15psi88

Humm, Not hella flush on boat trailer wheels, no roof rack, no spray paint anywhere to be found, not a 240, no rust, full interior, no tow hooks or drift charms. To say the least.

Cars gay dude.

Thank you, all!

[motorvated]

awesome..love the CC wheels, though they do look like reps.

[cookiemonster17]

5x110 bolt pattern?

[qbcsvt]

This thing is sweet!

- amyn

[jen.]

Originally Posted by 15psi88

Humm, Not hella flush on boat trailer wheels, no roof rack, no spray paint anywhere to be found, not a 240, no rust, full interior, no tow hooks or drift charms. To say the least.

Cars gay dude.

Hahahahahahahaha



I am not normally a fan of Saabs, but this is clean! Awesome job with it!

[dugganzx3]

I love saabs, this car looks so awesome. Hows the torque steer? I bet its a blast to drive.

[mckpat03]

Thank you all.

I couldn't find the OEM wheels in 19" online, just the reps, so thats what I'm assuming they are.

Cookiemonster, the wheels I believe are 112? The car is 110. It has wobble bolts and properly sized hub centric rings.

jen, I can't take credit for the work. I, unfortunately, didn't build it... it was the PO.

duggan, torque steer is obviously very prevalent, but with the steering rack clamp/brace its very manageable.

Again, thanks all.

[motorvated]

Yeah they are 5x112

[lownslow95]

Man that things nice.