Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/09/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]In the 70's and 80's I was a 'true SAABist', owning literally dozens of the old three cylinder two-strokes, from a suicide-door model 93 to a couple of 850GTs and Monte Carlos. Talk about unreliable but charming cars... I had an 850 with a motor that had been built up for ice racing, that got about 12 mpg on the highest octane premium gas you could find, plug life was measured in hundreds of miles, there was absolutely no way to make it idle, it had a straight two-inch diameter exhaust with no baffles that would shoot balls of flame like a giant Roman candle while blipping it at stoplights. I could go on and on. I carried a full set of spare parts at all times under the back seat. Once I tried to detune it by retarding the timing and it seized up solid at about 20 below zero on a January night in Vermont. I pulled number 2 plug and stuck a flashlight over the hole and there was the crankshaft, big as life. I remember getting a friend to help me carry the motor up to the third-floor apartment where I lived, and rebuilding the thing in the bathtub. I cried when I sold it. They were terrifically photogenic cars. I shot whole rolls of slide film with my old Spotmatic of the 850 and my 1947 Studebaker pickup, parked side by side or nose to nose. For years I had a whole yard (or field) of parts SAABs which my ex-wife used to refer to as the 'mulch cars' and the children would sit in and play 'Drive to California'. But there was never anything as much fun to drive fast on a dirt road. Sadly, I now have a Camry that I've owned for six years, a V6 five speed that's a perfectly fine car but about as exciting as owning a refrigerator. And I don't think I've ever taken a photo of the Camry just because I thought it was beautiful. Richard >From: Philippe Orlent <philippe.orlent@pandora.be> >Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org> >To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org> >Subject: Re: [Leica] wing window now boring >Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2006 22:17:41 +0200 > >I wouldn't dare to compare the post 94 Saabs to something as genuine as a >Bonneville. > > > >Op 26-sep-06, om 22:07 heeft bill harting het volgende geschreven: > >>We've traded those maintenance bills for boring reliability... this was >>the same story when I long ago sold my Honda Super Hawk, which performed >>perfectly, for a Triumph Bonneville... I wasn't a mile from the shop >>before something fell off (not me). But I loved that bike... >> >>bill >> >> >> >>Philippe Orlent wrote: >>>And when I complained about the outrageous bills for just about nothing, >>>the dealer asked innocently 'But Sir, are you not a true Saabist then?' >>>:)- >>>Op 25-sep-06, om 22:23 heeft Richard S. Taylor het volgende geschreven: >>>>Ah yes, $2,500 - 3,500 per year, reliable as clockwork. >>>> >>>>>Loved my '96 Saab 900. Didn't love the maintenance bills... >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>Op 25-sep-06, om 21:32 heeft Phil Swango het volgende geschreven: >>>>> >>>>>>Richard Taylor wrote: >>>>>>>I drove a 1965 122S, too, though mine was a sedan. Loved it >>>>>>>despite that floor-mounted stick, but it wasn't half as much fun as >>>>>>>the 900. :-) >>>>>> >>>>>>A friend of mine still has the 122S he bought new in 1965. But I'd >>>>>>hate to >>>>>>tell you how much money he's spent keeping it in decent shape. And >>>>>>now it's >>>>>>not starting, so more $$$. I have to hand it to him, though, he's >>>>>>one loyal >>>>>>customer. >>>>>> >>>>>>I had a 1986 Saab 900. I really liked it but needed something >>>>>>different so >>>>>>I sold it to my neighbor. He fell in love with it and drove it for >>>>>>another >>>>>>5-6 years until it was totalled in a rear-ender. The girl who >>>>>>crashed into >>>>>>it was their babysitter. ;-( >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>-- >>>>>>Phil Swango >>>>>>307 Aliso Dr SE >>>>>>Albuquerque, NM 87108 >>>>>>505-262-4085 >>>>>> >>>>>>_______________________________________________ >>>>>>Leica Users Group. >>>>>>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>_______________________________________________ >>>>>Leica Users Group. >>>>>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>>> >>>> >>>>--Regards, >>>> >>>>Dick >>>> >>>>_______________________________________________ >>>>Leica Users Group. >>>>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>>> >>>_______________________________________________ >>>Leica Users Group. >>>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >>_______________________________________________ >>Leica Users Group. >>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> > > >_______________________________________________ >Leica Users Group. >See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information