The Saab Sport was a Swedish automobile that from 1962 used the same body shell as the Saab 96, with adjustments in trim and performance. Beginning in 1966, all market variants were named Monte Carlo 850 as a nod to the earlier racing success the car had. This 1967 edition has been sitting outside for years and it has gotten to the point where the chassis appears to be buried in the Earth. It could be an interesting restoration project, but it may be an uphill climb. Located in the woods north of Atlanta in Georgia where the soil is humid and moist, this auto is available here on craigslist for $2,900 OBO. Thanks for the heads up on this find, T.J.!
These cars were initially powered by an 841-cc 2-stroke, 3-cylinder engine that employed one Solex carburetor per cylinder. The output was 52 horsepower and the motor was dependent on lubrication via a separate tank holding 2-stroke oil. Midway into the 1967 model year (when the seller’s car was built), the Monte Carlo switched to a Ford Taunus V4 engine rated at 65 hp. This car has a V4 emblem on the hood. In both cases, the gearbox was a 4-speed manual.
You have to take some of these online listings with a grain of salt. For example, the condition is “like new” yet nothing about the car is new. And the engine is listed as a six-cylinder, but the script says V4. Whatever the case, at 150,000 reported miles, this Saab has covered a lot of territory over the years, though not likely recently. We’re told, “the car was running when parked”.
I would be concerned about the effects Mother Nature may have had on the undercarriage. The green paint looks grey now and the red and white interior is going to need a lot of new panels. Saabs were never big sellers in the U.S., so we must wonder what sort of supply chain issues the buyer might experience trying to source replacement parts for the staple of Sweden.
I think they may have meant rusting when parked:-)
What a horrible waste.
Totally gross 🤢
The dash, steering wheel, and seats look like they came from a Monte Carlo, but did those come in V4? Of course we don’t see the engine.
MCs are rare and desirable, but probably not in this condition and provenance.
this is a few hundred bucks worth of parts, tops.
Ok you experts out there. This is the V4 version of the Cologne V6 (2.6/2.8) So why is one called the Cologne and the other the Taunus? I have a very nice running “Ford Industrial” V4 otherwise known as a Taunus V4 in my Layton Roller. No one lists points and condenser for a Layton roller anymore. (been out of business for quite some time now) But O’Reilly’s stocks the points and condenser for a Saab Sonnet. So the roller got a tune-up!
Parts for a Monte owner. Doubt it can be revived, but Saab guys are nuts. I should know. ;-)
I see parts. Some good parts, trim, but not a road car. Saab 96 types always had a bad floor set up, especially at the firewall. Melting into the soil for years, doesn’t give me confidence. Bumpers, grill … parts.
I’ve always thought that when you buy a SAAB that you Sob I see scrap metal but I’m sure fans of this brand think it’s cool
like this model alot. Was a ralley winner. Wanna get my hands ona bent4 (became the essix bent6, a 34 yr run) to toy with.
One step better? the waggy (w/era’s roof rack).
what the @#$% is a waggy ?
Bone,
I believe waggy is “chrlsful speak” for station wagon. It’s taken me about a year to figure out his style of “Nglsh”. [English]
Yes…the Monte Carlo was available with the Taunus V4.
The seats, which were specific to the MC are worth the price of admission….I know a lot of vintage Saab folks that would pay the ask on this car just to get the seats.
As for parts availability, there are some parts available through ORIO, which was set up by the Swedish government to ensure that parts for Saabs were available world wide. The pickings are slim for vintage Saabs……there is quite a bit of support for the Classic 900 and the later cars as well.
You would be surprised how repairable these cars are…I’ve had friends with 95s and 96s that have Swiss cheese floors that have replaced entire floor pans for not huge money.
Someone will buy this car…..just not me. No room in the barn and I can’t weld, unfortunately………..
Can you clarify about a Monte Carlo V4, pls? It’s new for me and the point about the 2 Stroke Monte Carlo was a highly tuned engine which I doubt any V4 96 ever got. So was Monte Carlo just a trim option by the time V4 came in, or US market special maybe?
Assume the V4 badge photo is just a mistake as the descroption is all about a 2 stroke. I’d see this as a parts car, but interesting parts!
Yes, my well cared for 96 that spent its life in California still had a rusted out gap where the engine bay floor meets the firewall on one side. I see value in some of the parts like the rare taillights, and the steering wheel might be salvageable. Maybe a decent parts car for someone restoring a Monte Carlo but bringing this one back would be $20-30k or more depending on mechanicals.
This featured car may have been on a Tom Cotter’s Barn Finder video a couple of years ago.
I had a 1963 96 Sport Monte Carlo, it was one of the backup race cars for “On the roof Carlsson” who won a couple of the Monte Carlo rallies for SAAB. My car came to America where SAAB USA toured the car from the east coast to the west coast, along with another well-known SAAB race rallye driver; Greta Molander.
On finishing the tour in San Francisco, my car was sold to dad’s best friend, who bought it back to Maryland in August of 1966. He stuck it in his garage & bought a new Volvo with A/C, because he and his wife had a baby & wanted a car with A/C. Never ran it again. I regularly let him know that I wanted the car, so in 1989 he called me to come and get it as they were selling the house.
The car had factory installed 4-wheel disc brakes, triple carbs and direct oil injection [on the carbs] for the 3-cylinder 2-stroke engine. Still had the extra rallye lamps across the front, as well as the original Halda Speedpilot and oversize tachometer on the dash. Mileage was under 25,000 Km.
Got it running with little work [carbs & brake overhaul, fuel system cleanout, etc], and on curvy local roads literally nothing could keep up with this little bug. Paint cleaned up because it was always kept covered with old blankets. Sadly, this rare car was in my big storage building when a few years later the place was hit by lightning and burned to the ground, destroying 18 rare vehicles.
Martin–
Yes, the Monte did come with a V4. I am not a vintage Saab expert by any means (I speak 99, C900, NewGen 900 and real 9.3 fluently, tho). I’m not certain if it had the same triple carb setup as the MC750, but whatever was under the hood was more potent than your garden variety 96. They were born from (and sometimes the basis for) some of the Saab works cars driven by Erik Carlson in the ’60s. The 850 was sold in the US in small numbers…they are highly sought after here.
Bill–
What a tragedy to lose so many cars to a lightning strik!
SaabGirl900,
Thanks for the commiseration, some of the destroyed cars in & around the building were;
1932 & 1935 Rolls-Royce, 1954 Bentley “R”, 1941 Cadillac convertible, 1954 Mercedes Benz 300 4-door cabriolet [rough car], 1935 Rover 12 drophead, 1950 Packard Super 8 convertible, 1948 Packard 6 taxicab, Triumph TR6, 1969 Chevelle 396, NSU TT1200 rallye car, 1959 Ford Skyliner [retract], and the SAAB 850 MC.
also burned in a barn were; 1926 Packard 1/2 ton truck, 1948 Alfa Romeo 6C2500 coupe, 1964 Pontiac Parisianne Convertible, 1956 Packard Caribbean sedan [only one built], and 1955 Packard Caribbean convertible.
Oh Bill that’s a lot of rare cars to loose! My stomach churned reading the list. So sorry…
I wonder if Saab ever sued Volvo or GM for using the 850 and Monte Carlo names. Well probably not GM seeing how they eventually bought them and took Chevy Trailblazers and rebadged them Saab 9/7’s and sold them for twice the price.
Someone needs to grab the steering wheels and speedo/tach insert!
Grab the seats while you’re at it.
Otherwise, dust to dust…
Bill–
That certainly is a tragedy. I am so very sorry for your loss. Those are cars that just can’t ever be replaced easily or at all.
B–
The 9-7X (know to Saabistas as the Trollblazer) was NOT Saab’s idea…that was totally on GM. I can remember the head of communications at Saab (a GM guy to the core) telling Saab folks at an owners’ convention in 2005 about the upcoming SUV. He claimed that GM greenlighted it after “consumer research among Saab owners” told GM that Saab people wanted an SUV. Well, that was news to me and a lot of other Saabistas…most of us had Saabs BECAUSE we didn’t want or need the bulk or hassle of an SUV. The guy (his name escapes me now) claimed that we’d love the new SUV and predicted that they would fly off of showroom floors. Well, we didn’t and they didn’t, and they went over about as well as the 9.2X (the Saabaru).
Would have been great if GM left Saab alone and let Saab be Saab. The company might still be around and building Saabs……………
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