Saab’s 96 arrived in 1960 as a two-stroke passenger car with a bullnose grille not much different than its older sibling, the 93. But in 1965, the 96 began a metamorphosis, with its engine bay lengthened and its radiator moved to behind the grille. In 1967, the company shifted from the old two-stroke to Ford’s Taunus V4, quelling critics in the US who no longer appreciated the previous noisy, smoky power plant. Here on eBay is a 1968 Saab 96 V4, wearing the patina of its years but priced commensurately at $7000 or best offer. Upgraded with “soccer ball” wheels from a Sonnet, running well, and with a mostly-restored interior, this funky Saab could make a great starter classic. It’s located in Newton, North Carolina, and it comes from an owner who’s had it for eight years.
The Taunus V4 was developed in Germany for use in Ford’s Taunus, Consul, Capri, and any number of other machines, including snowcats, tractors, and generators. It’s a cast-iron, 60° V, this one displacing 1.5 liters and good for about 65 hp. The column-shift, four-speed gearbox delivers power to the front wheels. Saab retained the “freewheel” feature even after it ditched the two-stroke. The seller has maintained this car with oil changes every six months, new brake lines, a new water pump, a rebuilt master cylinder, and a new clutch slave cylinder. Aftermarket electric fans help keep her cool.
Other than a few tears in the headliner, the interior is respectable, with new-looking rear seats, a wood-rimmed steering wheel (losing its gold coating off the spokes), and clean carpets. I would probably replace the foam in the front seats, but the upholstery is free from tears or stains. The trunk is carpeted, and the seller notes that the original jack and tools are with the car.
Colors offered in 1968 included Hussar Blue, Silversand, Polar White, Toreador Red, Dark Grey, and Olive Green. The seller notes that the trunk lid was replaced by a used panel – thus it doesn’t match the rest of the car. We’re promised no rust, though the paint has worn through to the primer in several areas. Just three or four years ago, early V4s were selling in the $20k to $30k region. Prices have fallen back to earth, resting in the mid to high teens for driver-quality examples. A decent paint job would bring this car to another level – what do you think?
If it were mine…. I’d absolutely paint it. I think it looks great with the “Soccer Ball” wheels too. I’ve always wanted to drive an old Saab with a 4 speed on the column. ( yep, add it to the list Michelle!!!) ( Michelle will NEVER ask that question in any of her write ups again because of me lol). If the body is solid ( and it looks like it is) the interior looks pretty good too, it would be great to see a fresh coat of paint on it. I enjoyed your write up Michelle and the car too. -Dave
DriveInStyle The 4 on the column is a different experience, but not necessarily a great one. My ‘67 3 cylinder 2 cycle shifted fine, but I always thought it would have been so much better on the floor. All that extra linkage never creates smoother shifting. Putting a Hurst t-bar shift handle that I cast in shop class did not help either. I do like Saabs though and this one seems like a good one that is worthy of new paint.
My brother had a 2-cycle a few years ago, and it got to drive it once. I found it pretty difficult to do smoothly. Fortunately, my brother was very tolerant of my grinding gears trying to shift too fast. I can’t imagine how Erik Carlsson drive that thing so fast.
The column 4 is no big deal to get used to…first drive and you’re a pro. Standard H with reverse being pull the stick out, back, and then down. It’s NNE of Charlotte, NC. If I didn’t have so many projects in the works, I’d be really interested but not at the asking price. $4500-5K for me.
BTW, the back seat bottom folds forward and the back seatback folds down. People have been known to go camping with the 96s, sleeping with your feet and legs in the trunk. Can’t say that I tried it with my old 66 2-cycle, but I did have occasion to use the extra space for hauling stuff. Mine was this exact color, without the rust spots and missing paint. The back window was slightly smaller in the earlier versions. I have a cousin who had several of these up in the Kingston/Albany, NY area….Catskills and snow country where he lived up a steep mountain and loved the Saabs for it.
In 1959–1960, Ford developed a subcompact car codenamed “Cardinal,” intended for both the U.S. and Europe. The program and engine was developed in Dearborn and the US version was killed by Lee Iacocca so he could use that funding for the Mustang. The Cardinal program was handed (forced on) to the germans and they modified it for Germany. Every Germany Ford at that time was a Taunus and the Cardinal became the Taunus P4. The Taunus V4 and transaxle was used in the Mustang I Sportscar Concept that resides in the Henry Ford Museum.
In 1968, I was working in Cambridge, MA and driving a 1956 SAAB 93 with the 3 Cylinder / 2-Stroke and suicide doors. An office-mate of mine was driving a mid-60’s SAAB 96 V-4. I was informed that SAAB had ended the production of the 3-cylinder models but had a few engines left over and they had created a VERY short model run of 96’s with the remaining 2-strokes, painted them all bright yellow and called them the “Yellow Birds”.
A friend had a 93 which he (guessingly) maintained as his drive to college car when he was director of the art department at a community college. He once decided to rebuild the engine and missed (guessed) on the timing. It ran, but strangely. One day he needed to travel some distance and took the family Country Squire, leaving the SAAB for his wife. She went to drive to her public school teaching job, started the car… and had 4 in reverse, one forward.
Seems it kicked back on start and commenced to run BACKWARD!
From that point on- after surviving his wife’s ire- he referred to it as his Sorry A$$ Auto, Blue, or SAAB.
Those wheels look wrong on this car.
Wheels are wrong on this.
Lovely looking car. I had a neighbour when I was a boy who owned a Saab 96 similar to this car.