While the brand is no longer in existence, the legacy lives on. This fully restored and ready to race 1964 Saab 96 Rally is listed for sale with a buy it now price of $19,900 or you can make an offer. It is located in Carmel, Indiana, and has the VIN listed and a clear title. The car has been imported from Sweden where it did compete in a few historic races. You can take a closer look at this point to point racer here on eBay.
The recently rebuilt 850cc two-stroke engine has modified heads and pistons, and Solex carburetors. The listing says that the exhaust is intended to look like the Saab factory Rally cars of the time period. It moves about via a 4-speed manual transmission. You’ll notice in one of the pictures that a strap holds down the hood, which is said to be the correct accessory. It has sheet metal to protect the bottom of the car and Prancing Moose fender shields.
Inside, a wooden steering wheel allows the driver to guide the little rally racer through a course. The car is certified for FIA Class CT6 which happened in 2016. Because of that, it has all of the safety equipment such as a roll cage and fuel cell that is required by the FIA. It comes with a FIA Historical Passport Document as well. The listing also notes that a car is equipped with a Halda Mechanical Trip Computer.
Extra lighting has been installed on the front of the car along with mesh guards to thwart stones. While there is no mention of this car specifically winning any historic rally races, the listing says there are stickers on the car from prestigious rally wins. The listing explains that the 96 as a model, won many rallies. This car might not get you an invitation to Goodwood but think of all the racing you can do with it.
Many — MANY! — years ago, I had a ride around the gravel back roads of Trollhattan in the SAAB factory museum’s Monte Carlo Rallye-winning (actually, a replica, but put together with original pieces by the original mechanics) 96. It was an eye-opening jaunt, to say the least. Erik could make that little machine hustle, and was a wealth of information, must of it ranging from funny to hilarious. Both man and car were unforgettable!
I later found out that these require a few adjustments for lesser drivers who want to go quickly. I was, for example, only reminded of the freewheeling feature when I downshifted to slow for a sharp corner…. But they are great fun to drive.
Judging by the photos, whoever built this was inspired — except in color choice — by the “works” rally cars. They made a pretty good job of it. If the mechanicals were done with equal care, this would be a blast to own and drive.
The only jarring note I can see is the large tachometer added to the dash. I remember asking Erik how high he wound the 96’s engine, and he said he didn’t know, because he never looked….
The lack of an “edit” feature for “early access” has done me in again. I see I failed to mention that my chauffeur was Erik Carlsson, who I believe was more familiar with these cars than the entire rest of the world.
And he was a nice a man as he was a brilliant driver.
Wow Ray T, a ride with Mr. Carlsson through the woods is to be treasured! (I am very jealous!) What a neat car. The only way to really appreciate this car is to go blasting through the woods on a gravel road. But it is too nice to do that with. What a dilemma!
This ”bull nose” version of the 96 with 4 extra lamps is a great look.It’s called a Halda Speed Pilot…..driven off the back of speedo with an adapter.Would love to own this Saab…..Best of luck seller and next caretaker.
Mike, having owned a Halda Speed Pilot and being an ex-pro rally driver. You can run the Odo off a “t” drive. But blasting around on gravel you want to run it off a “dead wheel”. In other words, a wheel that is not going to be spinning throwing off the readings. On our car we actually drilled out the rear spindle and sent the speedo cable up to the modified grease cap. Some others attached them to a bracket on the wheel and the cable then was fed through the body. This tended to be a little fragile when brushing against shrubs, trees and boulders.
You are correct about the dead wheel drive.Saw some in use back in the 70-80’s but a very good co-driver told me you can adjust for wheel spin but not 100%…Did you ever run the STPR back when we had the SCCA pro rally series.
Excellent little car. We have this one in our local OKC Craigslist which needs a little love but is priced accordingly. Would be so much fun but I worry about parts around here.
1967 SAAB 96 Project/Parts Car
https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/cto/d/oklahoma-city-1967-saab-96-project/6918905370.html
Plus the 67 was born the same year as me.
“4-speed manual transmission”
Yep. With the shifter on the column. As far as I know, unique to Saab. I drove one which a friend built for ice-racing…. with a 2.8L Ford V6 for power. FUN!
Many cars had “4 on the tree”. M-B, French cars, a Ford Cortina I drove once had one, never saw any on US cars, tho.
4 speed column shift?Rootes Group cars had that in the 60’s, as did the Mk3 Ford Zephyr/Zodiacs of the same period.
Wow OKCPHIL, If I still lived in Northern Illinois. I would want to build an ice racer out of it. (No interior means lighter weight!)
A number of cars had 4 on the column. Benz and Peugeot come quickly to mind.
I like the single overhead fanshaft. Again, not unique to Saab.
I ran, 100 Acre Wood, Northern Lights, a divisional that I won outright (Prarie 200) and Press on Regardless All SCCA events. Yes the navigator has to continually update and back date the odo for tire spin and tire sliding. But easier to correct for sliding sideways and braking sliding rather than continual tire spinning. They were good times running with Millen, Buffum, Walker, Light, Turner, Henderson, Harvey, Blok and Nowiki who I raced on the ice. I never beat him on the ice. But he never beat my stage times out in the woods. He went on to be production class champion for several years in a row starting in 1981. I hung it up after the 1980 season as my work load was too much. I miss it, but still play on road race time trials.
Well, I like these old Saabs, would love to have a wagon someday, but $20g’s for one, I don’t care if it was Mr. Carlsson’s itself, it’s way too much. ESPECIALLY a “ring-ding”. The “performance mods”( on an 850 cc 2 stroke, oh boy) probably give this a noticeable acceleration, compared to none in the original. And don’t forget the oil in the gas, what a PITA that is,,,,the V4 was just more civilized.
I thought Saab is now Chinese owned and there are plans to produce electrics?
Saab as a car moniker is dead. SAAB, the aerospace company, has refused to license the name to the entity now known as NEVS – National Electric Vehicle Sweden. https://www.nevs.com/en/
always liked these qurikey little cars I had several , lots of fun to drive ,lots of fun on the ice or in the snow !!
Is there no difference between race and rally here? Any talk of Goodwood with this is nonsense. It is a nice historic/regularity rally car.
The 92/93/96 Saab body/chassis is the beginning of modern compact cars. SAAB´s call on 2 stroke may have looked like a good idea at the time, but….however, one of my all time favourites.