wooden dash trivia

[entropy]

Does anyone know...

The wooden dash on some of models of the c900 eg the SE - what sort of wood is it, walnut? Or perhaps it isn't even wood at all?

Also, while I'm here, how should one start a c900?

Gearstick in neutral but clutch down? (I've heard this puts less stress on the box but have no idea why)

One thing I do know, which really does work, is when selecting reverse gear put it into first gear beforehand - it lines up the synchromeshes and eliminates the familiar c900 reverse 'crunch'.

thanks

[rob beard]

Originally Posted by entropy

Does anyone know...

The wooden dash on some of models of the c900 eg the SE - what sort of wood is it, walnut? Or perhaps it isn't even wood at all?

Also, while I'm here, how should one start a c900?

Gearstick in neutral but clutch down? (I've heard this puts less stress on the box but have no idea why)

One thing I do know, which really does work, is when selecting reverse gear put it into first gear beforehand - it lines up the synchromeshes and eliminates the familiar c900 reverse 'crunch'.

thanks

Pressing the clutch down when you start the engine desengages the gearbox from the engine, which reduces the friction that the starter motor has to overcome, thus the engine will turn over quicker and starter easier.

Rob

[Matthew]

The friction on the gearbox is insignificant compared to that of the engine compression. Dipping the clutch really won't have any worthwhile effect.

Twist the key, take the box out of reverse, twist key and start!

The OE wood dashboards are burr walnut.

[scubasaab]

Originally Posted by Matthew

The friction on the gearbox is insignificant compared to that of the engine compression. Dipping the clutch really won't have any worthwhile effect.

Twist the key, take the box out of reverse, twist key and start!

The OE wood dashboards are burr walnut.

Making a habit of dipping the clutch will remove a huge amount of stress on the car...
The stress of backing into the car/wall/tree behind you when you forget to take it out of gear!
The burl walnut is nice looking and I'm thinking of making a dash with some. Most of the wood dashes I see here in the good old USA are plastic faux junk.
Are the SAABs from Europe more commonly, real wood?

[Blacky Turbo S]

As far as I know, we have only one European supplier of wooden dashes for the c900, besides SAAB (if they still do). And that Woodcompany. But their dashes are fake wood.

I noticed there are real wood supplier in the US. But they ussually make a dash with the extra hole (left from the steering column) for the dashbord switch light dimmer.

Blacky

[entropy]

Originally Posted by scubasaab

The burl walnut is nice looking and I'm thinking of making a dash with some. Most of the wood dashes I see here in the good old USA are plastic faux junk.
Are the SAABs from Europe more commonly, real wood?

The wooden dashes are rare - about 1 in 10 I reckon, possibly less. I wonder also if they are solid, or veneer?

I have also seen lots of non-standard items in wood as well - electric window switches block between the seats, ash tray, glove box cover. Occasionally they sell on ebay for lots.

[og900i]

Why should you put the gearstick in neutral when you start the car? I have never heard about this before and I live in Sweden where this is a very common car. I allways leave the stick in R and press the clutch when I start.

[RoccoH]

Originally Posted by entropy

... I wonder also if they are solid, or veneer?

...

my wooden glove box cover is solid wood. had to re-glue it to the glove box, so I had to do some real carpenter work for my car! (shaving off the old glue)