Ever seen a car that’s been put through the entire gauntlet of a restoration, from welding to paint, interior and mechanical work, only to discover that major components remained fatally flawed? That’s the story of this 1972 Saab Sonett III, listed here on eBay. Bidding sits at $1200, from a single bidder. There’s a buy-it-now at $9500, and ostensibly, a reserve. However the description also includes the statement, “This is a no reserve auction so it will sell! I need the room asap.” Anyway, let’s get past the lovely opening photo to see where this car sits along the spectrum of desirability.
The Sonett III was the final iteration of Saab’s sports car project, aimed at America. The first Sonett was concocted by a brew of four engineers – Rolf Mellde, Lars Olov Olsson, Olle Lindkvist and Götta Svensson. It was built as a competition car, with a two-stroke engine, front wheel drive and a fiberglass body. Homologation required volume production, but before more than six examples were made, a rule change made the model obsolete. After a few years’ hiatus, Saab resurrected the project. The new Sonett II was based on a prototype manufactured by Malmö Flygindustri, an aviation company. Its two-stroke engine proved unpopular in the US, so the car was adapted to accept Ford’s Taunus V4, resulting in an awkward hood bulge. The Sonett III arrived in 1970, redesigned with a sleeker bonnet line, pop-up headlamps and a working hatch. However, the formerly expansive engine bay access became very limited. This engine has been refreshed, the clutch was replaced, an electric fuel pump was installed, and the flywheel was lightened. It has electronic ignition, a Weber carb, and the brakes are new. On the other hand, the seller notes that it is slow to start after sitting and fourth gear needs extra encouragement to engage.
The interior was renovated when the rest of the car was restored. The windshield and all body rubber were replaced, but though the headliner is new, it wasn’t installed properly. It’s held in place with painted battens. The door cards are warped. The horn and lights don’t work properly, and the wipers don’t move though the motor turns. When the Sonett III was designed, the gearshift was finally relocated to the floor from the column.
The bane of these cars is rust. While the body is fiberglass, the sills, floors and chassis are steel, and they rust prodigiously. Our seller notes that the restoration included welding in new metal, but someone missed a few spots. Pre-paint prep or the paint mix itself wasn’t up to snuff either, as the paint is cracking in several places. That’s why the bidding has stalled and interest is nominal. None of the Sonett versions sold well, but in the current landscape of automotive sameness, the cars are gaining fans merely for being odd. Nice examples can sell for low teens to high teens; the occasional Sonett will breach $20k. I’m skeptical of paying the buy-it-now price for this ’72; what do you think?
I think the wheels are the elephant in the room. 83 viewers and $1200 bucks? Clearly not many want a Saab Sonett. Shame, goony wheels aside, it must be a really fun car to drive. I’ve seen Sonetts with aftermarket wheels that changes the entire looks of the car. This car didn’t have a prayer then, and sadly not much has changed.
What, the original soccer balls? You gave no idea what you’re talking about.
I’m with you, Rick, I thought the wheels were the best part of this car!
I would like to see how it looked with the wheels freshened up with new paint in, perhaps, a darker silver.
While there are comments about the renewed headliner and the ill-fitting door cards, this is actually how many of these little cars left Trollhättan.
The Sonnet will forever remain a great concept – poorly executed.
Sounds like a rather sloppy restoration, and they lightened the flywheel on that V4? EEEK! what were they thinking? Those engines were terrible for vibration stock, and reducing flywheel weight will make it worse. Anyway, if this car goes cheap enough, it may be worth correcting all that’s wrong especially if you are a DIY’er…oh and find a stock flywheel.
There was a junkyard going out of business and it had a Saab Sonnet. Don’t know if it was I, II or III?
A friend of mine paid for it.
When he went back to get it, it was gone. They said he took too long and they scrapped it.
I always kind of liked the original version better.
I’ve always assumed he got his money back.
I bought a 66 Charger from a junkyard in S.C. for 1 k, gave a 500$ deposit.I said I,ll be back in a week with a tow dolly.Got back,and car was gone .He said he sold it .He said find another car .I saw a nice 70 Torino gt 351.He says that’s 2k . I said no it’s not I got it for 1k
We had an orange one back in the late 70’s. I have a great photo of my mom in the car with our Great Dane in the passenger seat. Car always ran well but after fours years of ownership in PA, it was already rusting in the footwells. Fond memories but I can’t imagine the rust after 50 years.
I had a ’71. It was a kick to drive, lots of low end torque. It felt like you really zooming from 0-40mph. The brakes were a weak point, overheated easily. I think most owners gave up on the headlights and replaced with the running lights in grill. Rust was big problem. The windshield wipers were always failing, the spiral gear in the motor wore out. All engine work required step 1 – remove nose of the car.
I’ve liked these since I first laid eyes on one, and at 5’5″, I’d be a perfect fit! But I discovered motorcycles before I ever had a shot at buying a sports car, and this is too close to a motorcycle to replace one. I hope it goes to someone who’ll do right by it.
I bought a used 96, a 1969 model that had been owned by a chicken farmer in Litleton, NH. His gravel road took its toll on the front fenders. In several months I had fist-size holes in the tops of the fenders. However, the easy fix was to replace them and it worked well. The larger issue was the tranny, the same as this car: the bearings started to fail. I replaced it with a salvage one but soon had the same issue. (BTW, the entire drive train is only bolted in three places, easy to remove.) There were still Saab dealers and seasoned mechanics, and the New Britain dealer rebuilt my original one with a full bearing kit. I wish I could have kept it: performance and comfort far exceeded the Beetle and we could Highway cruise at speed, have heat and quirky styling to boot.
PS: Satch Carlson had a Sonnet, but it is not an island car so I expect it got a new home.
That doesn’t even classify as a ramble on this site.
I enjoyed BimmerDude’s comment. Yours? Not so much.
looks like a transmission job in the works!
I once performed a very informative head gasket replacement on a Saab 900 turbo, which opened my eyes to these cars.
The fanbelts and the ancillaries they drove were located at the back of the engine up against the firewall. It was as if they had accidentally put the engine in ackbasswards. The radiator was at the front but the alternator etc was at the back.
The turbo (which can hit 1800°F) was squeezed in tight between the fan and the engine practically touching the engine right below where the head gasket was leaking.
To top it off, every fastener I removed was a different size from all the rest. This is the sure sign of a design team that does not coordinate with each other, or give the manufacturing and service guys to have a look at what they are doing.
So it’s unsurprising that this Sonnet is so poorly designed. This one might be worth something as parts, maybe, but it’s unconvincing as anything else, in my opinion.
Had one of these in 1977. I think it was a 72. Fun to drive between Cincinnati and eastern Ohio for work. 30+ mpg. It had a lever on the floor that would put the transmission in a free wheel mode when you let off. It was a scary feeling on the country roads. I was told the free wheel mode was for the two stoke engine because it wouldn’t get any oil to the pistons on deceleration.