A Griffen is on the badge of a 9-3ss, But on my new project, It might as well be a Phoenix..
A couple months ago I was very happy with my beautiful black 05 9-3ss Arc. It had a Fmic, Custom hardpiping, Obx DP and a custom exhaust, All the fab work was done by myself and I was a waiting on the Vtuner to be released.
All was great untill...The accident.
The car was hit on the back-left corner as I was stopped making a left turn. My dreams were crushed as it was pulled onto the back of a flatbed tow truck.
Hoping for the best, I called the insurance company daily to find out the fate of my arc. About a week after the accident, I recieved a call saying it was a total loss. I was heart broken. I knew that instant that I wanted to buy the car back, cause I could never see it being taken apart by anyone else but myself.
The car was parted out over weekends until I could really dig into it when summer hit. I know a lot of my parts are scatterd through out this forum and I made alot of people happy with the parts I had available, because we all know how hard/expensive it is to find simple parts. The parts sold very well in the beginning, and it was steady over the summer, dwinglying down into the beginning of the fall.
Fast forward to about a month ago.
I recieved a call from a good friend asking if I still had the motor from my arc. I replied with a, what do you need it for? He claimed how he found a vector that had engine issues and he was going to buy it. I freaked out, I was looking for something along the lines of that all summer to take parts from my arc, and make a solid car out of. After enough of my *****ing, he finally gave me the contact info for the seller.
One quick call had me in the buyers seat for an 03 vector. That friday, went to the bank, hooked the trailer up and drove around an hour to the location. The car wouldnt start, (Even with a jump pack, then attached to cables). But I really did not care because for the price, I knew I couldnt go wrong.
Loaded it up, transfered titles, away I went.
First thing first was a battery,and fluids It was an orginal Saab battery from 03!! I had it tested to a mear .02 CCA! New battery and fluids,Fired right up!!.
When it turned over my smile went ear to ear, but as the idle began to drop, a knocking noise became noticeable. I let it warm up, gave a few rev's to begin to notice a knocking noise that was rpm dependent. Rod knock, spun bearing, bent rod, blown piston, bent valve, Something along the lines of that. Regardless, I took it around my block, got through all the gears, btw its a 6spd. Brakes work, Suspension is tight and all electronics work.
I knew it was internal. I still have the motor from my arc, so after some throught, Instead of repairing a motor with 120k on it, Why not replace it with a motor that only has 77k?. So I began marking and removing wires and disconnecting everything that was holding the engine together. Got the engine crane in place, popped the motor right out!
While its out, it will be getting a clutch and flywheel assembly. I would like to do more, but its not in the cards at the moment. (besides cleaning the hell out of the engine bay!)
And that is where the car is currently. The engines are next to each other, and I will begin to swap things over this weekend.
I will be updating this thread with lots of pictures because an engine swap isnt the only thing that will be happening with this vector
A couple months ago I was very happy with my beautiful black 05 9-3ss Arc. It had a Fmic, Custom hardpiping, Obx DP and a custom exhaust, All the fab work was done by myself and I was a waiting on the Vtuner to be released.
All was great untill...The accident.
The car was hit on the back-left corner as I was stopped making a left turn. My dreams were crushed as it was pulled onto the back of a flatbed tow truck.
Hoping for the best, I called the insurance company daily to find out the fate of my arc. About a week after the accident, I recieved a call saying it was a total loss. I was heart broken. I knew that instant that I wanted to buy the car back, cause I could never see it being taken apart by anyone else but myself.
The car was parted out over weekends until I could really dig into it when summer hit. I know a lot of my parts are scatterd through out this forum and I made alot of people happy with the parts I had available, because we all know how hard/expensive it is to find simple parts. The parts sold very well in the beginning, and it was steady over the summer, dwinglying down into the beginning of the fall.
Fast forward to about a month ago.
I recieved a call from a good friend asking if I still had the motor from my arc. I replied with a, what do you need it for? He claimed how he found a vector that had engine issues and he was going to buy it. I freaked out, I was looking for something along the lines of that all summer to take parts from my arc, and make a solid car out of. After enough of my *****ing, he finally gave me the contact info for the seller.
One quick call had me in the buyers seat for an 03 vector. That friday, went to the bank, hooked the trailer up and drove around an hour to the location. The car wouldnt start, (Even with a jump pack, then attached to cables). But I really did not care because for the price, I knew I couldnt go wrong.
Loaded it up, transfered titles, away I went.
First thing first was a battery,and fluids It was an orginal Saab battery from 03!! I had it tested to a mear .02 CCA! New battery and fluids,Fired right up!!.
When it turned over my smile went ear to ear, but as the idle began to drop, a knocking noise became noticeable. I let it warm up, gave a few rev's to begin to notice a knocking noise that was rpm dependent. Rod knock, spun bearing, bent rod, blown piston, bent valve, Something along the lines of that. Regardless, I took it around my block, got through all the gears, btw its a 6spd. Brakes work, Suspension is tight and all electronics work.
I knew it was internal. I still have the motor from my arc, so after some throught, Instead of repairing a motor with 120k on it, Why not replace it with a motor that only has 77k?. So I began marking and removing wires and disconnecting everything that was holding the engine together. Got the engine crane in place, popped the motor right out!
While its out, it will be getting a clutch and flywheel assembly. I would like to do more, but its not in the cards at the moment. (besides cleaning the hell out of the engine bay!)
And that is where the car is currently. The engines are next to each other, and I will begin to swap things over this weekend.
I will be updating this thread with lots of pictures because an engine swap isnt the only thing that will be happening with this vector