Peaches En Regalia - My '88 Turbo

[SaabHat93]

I got my c900 as a project car at the end of November 2008 for a mere $500. I don't know why I haven't started a thread until now, but here it goes.

I bought it from a guy in San Bruno, CA who got it at an auction in San Francisco. I got no records, other than an oil change sticker on the window from Planet Saab in San Francisco. Mileage listed on the odometer was ~87,000, but alas, the odometer did not turn so the mileage is unknown. I don't even know how many miles I've put on it since I got it.

Pics the day I brought it home:









Things broken when I got it include: every gauge on the cluster except for the speedometer, radio, back lighting on the dials/knobs on the dash (all of them), door card missing, passenger's side power window, 3 engine mounts, rust in the cooling system, leaking cooling coolant, water pump bearings bad, leak in the exhaust manifold gasket, 3 broken exhaust manifold studs, driver's side headlamp failing, 2 bent rims, blue velour front seats and leather Colorado Red bench seat in the back (not "broken" per se, but still, blue velour with a red interior? ), seat heaters, old and decayed vacuum lines .. I'm probably forgetting something..

But among all the bad, the good: headliner was professionally redone, transmission, engine, cylinder head looks pristine, timing chain, recent head gasket according to my mechanic, only small spots of surface rust, the paint is not fading or peeling in a major way. Basically all the major stuff was in place and good to go. All I needed to do to get it running was regular service items: oil, dizzy, cap, plugs, wires, fix vacuum leaks and we were off.

My goal for this thread is to catalog my progress thus far and continue to fix what's broken. After I sold my 2001 9-3 SE this car became the DD, so I not only want it to last a very long time, I need it to because I don't have anything else to drive. It definitely is a work in progress. I'm extremely happy with this car and I'm really glad it hasn't up and quit on me. It has taken me up and down almost the entire length of the west coast of the USA and has been a real work horse. The versatility of the hatch has proved very useful for my job making deliveries all over the Bay Area where I live and work.

Things to do are mostly cosmetic and ICE related:

• Find matching front seats

• Replace third and final engine mount on the driver's side

• Make support brackets for my HELLA 500FF driving lights so they don't wobble around

• Fit front SPG springs to get rid of that awful wheel gap and reverse rake

• Reupholster rear parcel shelf and cut holes for speakers

• Wire said speakers

• Passenger's side door latch that I broke.

• Fit new fuel level sender so the gauge reads accurately

• Replace passenger's side tripod bearing and inner driver

• Repack driver's side inner driver with grease

• Eventually sand and repaint hood

• Add speakers to doors

• Refinish SHADOW louvres

An almost recent pic:



My camera is being fixed right now, so no up to date pics as of yet, but since then I've removed and refinished all the bumpers in satin black (took those ugly parking permit stickers off), plus the grille and reupholstered the door cards in maroon suede and fitted a wooden shift knob.

Since I got it I've fixed everything listed in the "broken" section above, sans what's on the to do list.

Today I replaced the passenger's side window motor and FINALLY found a speedo with a working odometer/tripometer (4 tries, can you believe it?), replaced a burned out bulb on the dash. The window motor turned out to be a bit of a nightmare. I took the whole assembly out, but something got caught on the door latch mechanism, and of course not knowing, I tried to yank the thing out and broke one of the plastic pieces that holds the metal rod to the mechanism. Then I couldn't figure out how to get the elevator back in the right way, and when I finally did, one of the rollers came off, so I nearly had to take the whole thing out again and start over. Doing it the hard way.

Hopefully I'll get my camera back soon. Thanks for looking.

[ludichris001]

from the photos she looks mint!
have you considered an SPG bodykit aswell?

good luck with the project

[Squaab99t]

Welcome to the 900c board. Looks like a great car to get back her original glory. I have a friend who has a 900cvt. Top ten list: is to get rid of the front wheel gap too. You have a nice list there. All very doable, but they take time. Not only to do the item, but find a source for the part or specialty labor.
Good luck, another 900c saved...

[SaabHat93]

Originally Posted by ludichris001

from the photos she looks mint!
have you considered an SPG bodykit aswell?

good luck with the project

Thanks.

I have considered an SPG kit, but I wanted to keep it as stock as possible, and seeing as how they never made a rose quartz colored SPG, I don't think it would fit very well with the color (or my black bumpers, which isn't exactly stock, but my bumpers were in bad shape).

Originally Posted by Squaab99t

I have a friend who has a 900cvt. Top ten list: is to get rid of the front wheel gap too. You have a nice list there. All very doable, but they take time. Not only to do the item, but find a source for the part or specialty labor.

Yeah, the front wheel gap is insane. I first noticed it when I looked back on that profile pic above a year ago or so. Ever since it's been driving me crazy. I have a few pretty good sources for the items I need, and even some I don't.

Front SPG springs and engine mount go on tomorrow. Going to put the rest of my dash back together today and maybe go for a drive. Really nice out today.

[euromobile900]

Originally Posted by SaabHat93

Yeah, the front wheel gap is insane. I first noticed it when I looked back on that profile pic above a year ago or so. Ever since it's been driving me crazy. I have a few pretty good sources for the items I need, and even some I don't.

Front SPG springs and engine mount go on tomorrow. Going to put the rest of my dash back together today and maybe go for a drive. Really nice out today.

Heh, I just raised the back of mine up--shows there's always two ways to skin a cat
Got a pair of these rear spring spacers from Swedish Automobile Specialists.
and progressive rate overload coils from the same place:
With overload rear coils and these spacers above them, she is really high off the ground, especially for an old car! Rear and front are equal! SPG springs would've worked, but I wanted to have the extra height to keep the underbelly out of the snow. The most worthwile "mod" I've shelled out for, as it is both functional for hauling (no more bottoming out!) and a cosmetic improvement

[SaabHat93]

No snow here! Those spacers are really good idea, and if I ever start towing stuff I'd definitely get a set. The back end is high enough off the ground for me, but with fog lights on the front, even with it so high up I had to be really careful when going up even small driveways. Terrible place for them, and they didn't do a whole lot with no fog in the area.

The HELLA 500 driving lights were a much better investment and look a whole hell of a lot cooler.



One thing I figured out a few nights ago is that I can leave my high beams on all the time. Drove on some fairly dark roads and no one flashed me their highs. The beam pattern is about the same as other car's, but I think my headlamps need to be aimed. How do you aim them with broken brackets though? The plastic knobs you use to aim them are broken off.

Changed the oil, cleaned the AMM and throttle body and went for a drive. Really smoothed the idle out and it almost entirely stopped the mirrors from shaking at stop lights. Pretty happy about that. I haven't cleaned the AMM for fear of having the chemicals break it, but lo and behold it helped quite a bit.

This is the stuff I used:



Sprayed 10 or so shots on the wires, let it dry, and put everything back together. Very worth the 6 bucks.

My camera is supposedly on it's way back from the Geek Squad service centre, so hopefully in the next week I can have pics of the SPG springs up.

Also picked up a few quarts of Honda MTF for a gearbox oil change. Keep forgetting to get more. Don't want to not have enough and get stuck. New set of rear brake pads going on soon as well. Who knows how long they've been on there.

[Boosted]

I love the color. Here is my '85 with Kilen springs fitted. It dropped the car around 3/4" to 1". Now it has a bit of forward rake.

[SaabHat93]

Your leather seats aren't missing or a different color! I'm going to steal everything from your interior...

I LOVE the flat nose in Rose Quartz. My absolute favorite c900 evar. Your wheel gap is perfect. After fitting the SPG springs today I'm still not happy with my wheel gap. I'm still close to a reverse rake, and I can still fit my fist in the wheel well. I'm hoping they will settle more so I don't have to buy a lower set.

Just in case anyone attempts.. Don't use a clamshell type spring compressor to put in SPG springs. Get the type that has two separate pieces and hooks on either end of the bolts.

This type:



Took all of 20 minutes a side, as opposed to an hour and a half for one side with the clamshell.

[jskrebs]

Why not the clam shell type of spring compressor?

[SaabHat93]

For one the bolt you use to tighten the compressor down will go through your wheel well unless you cut it down, and two the parts that hang on to the spring will get caught in between the coils when you try and uncompress it on the bucket mounts. We tried going down a few coils, but then it wouldn't compress enough to go on. The two rods was a lot easier.

[SaabHat93]

FINALLY got my camera back... kind of.. Best Buy service centre decided to send it back unrepaired after a month. Good thing no one at the Geek Squad called me to let me know. I'm sure it would've taken another two weeks to get a new one had I not called 3 times and gone into the store twice.

Either way, after much frustration and a chat with the manager I wound up with a new camera valued a whole $30 more than my old one. Sony CyberShot DSC-H55. Very nice lens on it and HD video.

Got my new Lobro/GKN tripod bearing in this week along with a set of Alpine SP600 6.5" speakers, two inner C/V boot kits, a new Bodum french press and some MANN oil filters. Very nice.

The quality of the tripod bearing is just outstanding. Feels solid and very well put together. I'm hoping it'll last as long as I have the car.



Here's some shots of the painted bumpers, HELLA 500FF driving lights and a profile shot before and after of the SPG springs.










SPG on:


SPG off:


After looking at the pictures side by side I realize that the shadow has a lot to do with how the car looks. In the picture without the SPG springs I had the flash on, so there are no false shadows, and the pictures I took today make the car look a bit lower than it actually is. The change is definitely noticeable, but I'd still prefer the nose down a bit more i.e. MOAR LOWAR.

Still need to take off that upper rub strip. Looks ugly as all hell half on like that.

Here's a shortish video I took driving down highway 101. I realized halfway through while talking about the springs what I was doing, and then I tried to focus on driving because of the truck I was stuck behind, so I start babbling and forget what I was going to say. I was trying to say that the Kilen springs gives the exact wheel gap I want, but it came out sounding like gibberish because I wanted to move over and pass that truck and talk at the same time. Didn't work out so well. haha

[Boosted]

I measured the wheel gap on my '85 the other day. After settling down, the wheel gap is

Front 2"
Rear 1.75"

Eeuroparts should still carry Kilen springs.

[SaabHat93]

I called them about a year ago and they told me they stopped stocking them because the demand was too low. I don't know any place in the US to get them, but PFS and E*K parts stock them in the UK, except it's almost as much to ship them to the West Coast as it is to buy them.

Thesaabsite has their brand, which are "house" but from what I read they are a variant of Intrax, which I would buy as well as the drop is similar if not the same to the Kilen.

[Squaab99t]

Originally Posted by SaabHat93

I called them about a year ago and they told me they stopped stocking them because the demand was too low. I don't know any place in the US to get them, but PFS and E*K parts stock them in the UK, except it's almost as much to ship them to the West Coast as it is to buy them.

I've bought items from Skandix. good quality and service. They also have some hard to find parts.
https://ssl.kundenserver.de/www.skan...B=281013185=29

[SaabHat93]

GREAT weekend for me and my c900.

Went on a bit of a road trip out to Stockton and Modesto, CA to see a few friends and went jet boating at the Modesto Reservoir. 60 mph on the water is pretty crazy.



Put in the tripod bearing and a new inner CV boot on today. It completely got rid of the play in the axle, only problem is the shaking didn't go away, so at one point or another a wheel weight fell off. The shaking actually got worse without the play in the tripod, so tomorrow I'm going in to where I had them weighted and balanced and have them fix it. Definitely glad I don't have to replace the inner driver companion.



Now the good stuff... About an hour ago I went up to San Carlos and picked up a set of 4 Super Aero rims for...

wait for it..


80 BUCKS

The tires on there are useable, but will need to be replaced soon.

Before I got them cleaned up:


Gotta love the hatch.

#1


#2


#3


#4


And tires:

[SaabHat93]

Scuffs/dings/curb rash











I still think they look fantastic despite the flaws. Can't beat the price, either.

[SaabHat93]

Took the car in today and had a look at my alignment specs..



My toe in on both front and rear are way out of spec, along with too much camber. This would explain the extremely uneven wear on my tires. The outside was down to the wear bars, whereas the inside still had quite a bit of life left.

The front isn't an issue, but getting the rear done is going to be interesting. Anyone ever done it before? How do you do it? I was told I need to get some shims and put them in the hub to push everything back into place.

I'm going to need new tires here pretty quick, and I really don't want to replace the rears after 6 months because of uneven wear. I'm not sure I'll be able to use the warranty with the camber and toe in so far out of spec.

Put the Super Aero's on today as well. Even with balding unevenly worn tires they still ride smoother and corner better than my manhole covers. Falkiens are definitely not on my list of tires to buy.

[euromobile900]

Originally Posted by SaabHat93

The front isn't an issue, but getting the rear done is going to be interesting. Anyone ever done it before? How do you do it? I was told I need to get some shims and put them in the hub to push everything back into place.

I am quite sure you can't adjust the rear alignment in any way. The hubs go onto the axle with flat splines, and the axle is solid. Some have inadvertently bent their axles by jacking underneath them, but this usually takes the car out of alignment. The rear tends to wear tires on the inside, while the front tends to wear them on the outside. Good, regular tire rotation should keep either from becoming a problem.

Also, are you sure your inner driver cup was not bad? If you still have vibration, then it's either the left side gone also or the right one had some very shallow divots in it. ANYTHING other than perfect is suspect in this case, with regards to the Driver Cup--and you need to feel all three driving faces and all three overrun faces of the cup.

[SaabHat93]

I'm fairly positive that my right side inner driver was good. I'm going to be renewing both outer C/V boots and the left inner C/V so I'll be able to check the left when I do that.

Between my tires balding on one side and my alignment so far out I'm almost certain that this is the issue. I'm getting new shoes on all four corners here in short order along with a front end alignment, and seeing as how it needed to be done anyways, that's one less thing to rule out if the shimmy is still there. If it is then our culprit will definitely be the inner driver.

So.. jacking up the car on the rear axle = no no..? I've done it once in the centre of the axle to get the rear end up on stands, but if you can't use the rear axle, how do you get the whole rear end up to use stands? Jacking up one side doesn't work because you can't get the stand + jack under there at the same time.

I've also got an odd scraping noise coming from the rear end when going up driveways at 5+ mph, even really slightly angled ones. If I go slow, it doesn't yell at me, but this didn't happen until I put on the Super Aeros. Could the rear end be rubbing?

Super Aeros are on.. I think they look fantastic. The rubber that came with them are Kumho Ecsta Supra's and they ride and handle 100% better than whatever was on my manhole covers. Even with the balding on one side the grip is so much better and I can take a corner without feeling like I'm going to understeer off the road.





Maintenance items on the way: Front and rear rotors, rear pads, inner and outer C/V boots and grease.

[euromobile900]

Originally Posted by SaabHat93

So.. jacking up the car on the rear axle = no no..? I've done it once in the centre of the axle to get the rear end up on stands, but if you can't use the rear axle, how do you get the whole rear end up to use stands? Jacking up one side doesn't work because you can't get the stand + jack under there at the same time.

FOR THE REAR: Do each side, one at a time, from under the spring link or well outboard on the axle. I promise it won't come off the jackstand on the first side while you're raising the second side. Alternatively you can jack from the spring link bushing mounts (aluminum and painted black, bolted to the bottom of the car). Then shove the jack under the jackpoint and lower the car down onto it.
FOR THE FRONT: Jack up at the jackpoints and put the jackstands under the frontmost A-arm bushing mounts, again black painted aluminum. If your car is really from California, it should be rust-free enough to hold here.
IN GENERAL: I never jack the whole end of a car up. I find it too tippy with only the central support of a jack, and I find that pieces can more easily bend when they're holding the whole damn car. I tried once with the front and it scared the bejeesus out of me, how much that cross member bent. And yes, the rear axle is CONFIRMED to bend when the car is jacked repeatedly from it, by many users of these forums. Instead, jack one corner at a time. Get some pre-'87 brake pads from a junker and stick these in the slots where the little trunk jack goes on the jack points for added stability and durability when jacking. I find the front jackpoints to be too far aft, which is why I use them only for raising the car and the front A-arm mounts for holding it up. The rear jack points are plenty strong for anything, but jackstands tend to cup the bushing mounts much better than they do the jack points. Be creative--there are a lot of ways to skin this cat.

I've also got an odd scraping noise coming from the rear end when going up driveways at 5+ mph, even really slightly angled ones. If I go slow, it doesn't yell at me, but this didn't happen until I put on the Super Aeros. Could the rear end be rubbing?

I believe the tires that originally came on the super aeros are probably too big for a 900, as those wheels likely came off a 9000 with more clearance to accommodate them. You should search the forums for some threads about what tire size to use with these big rims before you buy new tires. I know there are many good threads on the subject of Super Aeros on a 900 on the 900 workshop and tuning boards.
P.S. The car looks really good with those wheels