This 1967 Saab 96 is a very tidy example of the cheap and cheerful model produced by the Swedish manufacturer between 1960 and 1980. It’s being sold on eBay by Park Place LTD in Bellevue, Washington (near Seattle). The asking price is $24,950. Thanks to Curvette for the tip.
These cars started out as the aerodynamic “born from jets” 93, and were offered initially in two-stroke, three-cylinder versions that required mixing oil and gasoline. But by 1967 the 96 was using a V-4 from Ford of Germany. The wagon with the cute fins was the 95.
The beige car being sold here was the subject of a comprehensive restoration by a prior Saab collector owner. The 96 is decidedly spare compared to the more luxurious Saabs that were going to come down the road (until the road dead-ended in 2011), but it gets the job done at highway speeds with its 65-horsepower (and 95 pound-feet of torque) 1.7-liter engine from the Taunus and (like some Mercedes of the period) a four-speed column shifter.
The reupholstered seats are brown cloth, and rear-seat passengers got pop-out windows. Features on this car include re-chromed bumpers with undented overriders, and like new Saab-branded mudflaps. The painted steel dashboard hosts a 100-mph VDO speedometer, clock, fuel gauge and water temp gauge, a period AM/FM radio, and controls for the working heater. The car comes with three-point seatbelts up front and lap belts in the back.
The deal also includes some maintenance manuals and unspecified “parts.” The restoration looks comprehensive enough to include the appropriate decals. That modern Duracell battery is about the only thing out of place in the engine bay.
Classic.com puts these at $11,750 in average condition, but this one is above average. And the sale price is based on only two cars—they don’t come up all that often.
A friend of mine had the two-stroke version. Fitting, as he was a weekend snowmobile racer. Ronnie put a motorized wind-up key on the back and would spin as he drove the road.
The two stroke version was raced in Greece and Europe successfully.
Amazing that these sold compared to what cars looked like in 1967.
Look at the older Volvos. Swedish cars were different.
And many would say, better…
Gary–What about their PV544 model, still sold in the 60’s as well. It still looked like a shrunken version of a 1946 Ford .
It certainly did. Always liked that car, though. Volvos were all rear drive in those days, Saabs front drive. The Saabs dominated rallying until the mid- to late 60s.
And they sold another model whose styling was heavily inspired by, of all things, the 1946 Ford. My brother bought one new in the 60’s, it was kind of ‘nifty’ at the time–remember that word? It proved to me a ’46 Ford looks better after it is shrunken down.
Sorry but what an ugly car
Eye of the beholder, my friend. I’ve always thought they were rather classic 60s.
A 1967 Saab V4 with a silver color engine was actually a 1.5 liter. If this is an original engine it is a 1.5L…
I know I posted this on a previous listing for one of these, but I’ll do it again just for fun.
A co-worker in Colorado Springs in the 70’s had one, a 2 stroke version. He’d use it for sales calls out on the plains in Southeast Colorado, land of small towns surrounded by vast empty.
3 or 4 times I had to drive 100 or more miles in my truck to haul it back to C. Springs after a breakdown. For some strange reason there was a dirth of Saab mechanics in these little 1,000 and 2,000 population towns. They didn’t even know what it was….
He kept repairing it and driving it though until he rolled it one day.
Wait a minute. He rolled the car?
Was his name Erik Carlsson? ;)
Good one.
In the early 1970s I bought a used 1969 96 at the local Chevy dealer, had to RTFM to find reverse for the test drive. Compared to my local friends in their VW bugs I had a better ride, more room and…heat! (Note the engine compartment, the heater blower is almost as big as the engine.) OEM valve covers were painted black or blue so the bare metal appearance suggests some work was done. My engine only needed routine maintance but the tranny had bearing issues, ultimately needed a rebuild. GLWS.
I have 3 – a ’67 and ’68 driver and a ’68 parts car.
Superb handling and a quirky design make them a love it or hate it proposition.
I’m in the former camp.
Also, looks like an alternator upgrade, too, no separate voltage regulator visible.
I love these cars and have many find memories of them growing up as a kid. My dad bought a brand new 96 back in 71′ at Gaston Andrey Saab in Framingham MA. I think it was a light grey with red vinyl upholstery and those really funky black headrests I’ll never forget.
‘60’s Saabs, we’re a statement from the iconoclasts, who didn’t care what people thought of the appearance.
I’m struggling a bit on the year/equipment on this car, but too lazy to get up and go check the chart for serial numbers vs. model years. Part of me wants to say it’s a 68 based on serial number. I also seem to recall that all the short windshield cars (which this is) left Trollhatten with 2-stroke engines. I also thought that the first V-4 cars were in 1968 when both 2-stroke and V-4 were available. A 68 V-4 would have a silver 1.5L open deck.engine, the (blue) 1.7L.came later. Also I think the twin trim strips were only on 96 Special and Monte Carlo but this car doesn’t have the Monte gauges. Plus I think the V4 badges on the front fenders are in an odd location. None of that really matters, it will be a lot of fun and it looks like the eBay auction has already ended.
You are correct on the short windshield being a ‘65 – ‘67, but V4s began in ‘67 and sold alongside the 3 cylinders for ‘67 & ‘68 (when the 2-strokes ended). They added the trim strips and nicer cloth interiors to the V4s to make them more attractive – Saab was worried about some customers reacting to the engine change.
Also, I think the open decks were replaced pretty quickly with closed decks. My ’68 has only about 55k on it and it has the closed deck.