ILLEGAL ENGINE

[HEMI*powered*SAAB]

Hi IM new.I know this is a SAAB site but am I allowed to have a Mopar Hemi in the car? I modded the car but couldnt stand the "rice" noise it made @ high RPMS.In fact the local "rice rocket club" was respecting my car because it Buzzed louder than their cars.

1987 SAAB 900s with a 345ci Hemi stuffed in the back 8)

[Smackrazor]

Sure... got pics?

[DeLorean]

wow, This I got to see!

[The Deviant]

PICS! definitely!

...Hey, at least it's not a freaking small block! right?

(Personally, I'd'a smashed an AMC401 in that beast :P , but heck, to each his own! I have enough respect for that engine and for the feat of putting that thing in there!)

[HEMI*powered*SAAB]

Sorry no pics yet. Gotta buy a Digital Camera. AS for engine fitment just a litle bit of welding and cutting,as well as a creative mind. the car is RWD.ITs totaly *****en.

[Saabstuff]

Ummmmm..... Hmmmmmm....


John B.

[BurnsSide42]

PICS!!!!! How'd ya make it RWD...?

[tom]

ok, why you don't sell your saab and buy a american p.o.s instead of ruining the saab with a crappy engine?

[MillerTime]

He would have had to swap tranny's (Hate American cars all you want but their trannies are bomb proof) along with the read end (those are bomb proof too)

I come from the turbo Volvo world and guys going with small blocks and suck is not as uncommon as you'd think. I think it's sweet...love'em or hate'em you gotta respect the amount of torque an american big block will lay down.

I can think of a lot of reasons why he would keep his saab and put a big block in it.
-Maybe his car was nice but the turbo blew and he wanted more power
-The cool facor...know anyone with a RWD Saab? I don't
-An American Big Block is the best bang for your buck way to go for power, plus the stateside aftermarket is huge!

Good enough for you?

[Raub]

I would have to see this to believe it.

[tom]

well the turbo engine was designed to be economical, but to put out respecful amounts of power when you need it. Now you have a engine that drinks huge amounts of gasoline and destroys the very idea saab engineers had in mind. Why just don't sell your saab and let somebody fix her up as she was, not to ruin her.

I bet you would buy a ferrari, and the swap a american v8 when the repairbills would grow too much. It is the same thing here.

[tandino]

Tom,
Each to there own there's no need to be quite so offensive towards someone daring to 'break the mould',
If he wants to put a big block V8 into his Saab then he can.
I respect his way of thinking for daring to be different not to mention the amount of work it would/will take to do such a conversion.
The C900's drivetrain configeration has limitations in terms of ultimate performance because of traction and gearbox limitations (believe me im at them) so if it has to goto another level beyond front wheel drive then i think the V8 route is a good idea.
Personally i would like to see the pictures of this conversion.

Pete.

[tom]

I don't see the point. Why would you buy a saab and then make it something else when you can buy american rwd V8. No need to ruin a perfectly good car.

[moberle]

I have seen a similar swap done using the front drive unit from a Ford Taurus SHO. The whole unit was stuffed into the back of a Ford Festiva. The steering gear was replaced with adjustable links.

Voila ! A RWD/220HP/V6 powered Festiva !

I suppose if I was going to perform a swap on my 900 turbo I would make it AWD and use a nice light power plant. For example, the 3.5-4.0l V8 that Rover uses was designed and built by General Motors (Buick Special, Old F-85/Turbo, Pontiac Tempest) for several years then sold the whole design and line to Rover cars.

40 years later they are still using the engine.

Finesse or brute force is a matter of taste.

[tandino]

Tom wrote:-

I don't see the point. Why would you buy a saab and then make it something else when you can buy american rwd V8. No need to ruin a perfectly good car.

,
Tom thats your opinion and one that your perfectly entitled to,
However does that make me and many others wrong to modify my 900 when i could have bought a faster car to start with :-?? ,
Does this make BillJ wrong to modify his 9000 for the same reasons :-?? ,
I dont think so.....
In my view the guy shows initiative in that the best way to make any car handle/accelerate/steer in the purest sense of the word is to have rear wheel drive and if he loves his 900's shape and practicality enough to want to keep this rather than buy a 'American V8' then credit where credits due in my book.
I would love to see a C900 smoke away from the lights with the rear tyres lit up,that would be the ultimate 'sleeper' especially if it looked standard, but i guess you'd just turn the other cheek Tom.


Pete.

[tom]

You and Bill are using the original engine. I think it is very different than to strip out the engine which was designed to the car and replace it with a V8.

And I don't think it is by any means the goal of my life to beat some poor soul at the traffic lights. And Saabs were never ment to be used like that. They are just too beatiful cars for such an activity.

[tandino]

Well all i can say Tom is you can drive round in your standard car (i still take it yours is standard?) and others will continue to show initiative and make there's faster by which ever means they fancy and within the constraints of there ability and budget.
There is no right way or wrong way, some people may frown upon modifying a 2litre turbo as its still a small engine and has its limits whilst others may frown upon a large cubic capacity engine transplant with rear wheel drive.
I personally am very open minded when it comes to making things quicker and will not ridicule someone when i dont agree with there methods, after all arent we here to promote this site rather than drive people away with derogatory comments :-?? :-?? .
I personally love the fact that my Saab posseses practicality and performance to humiliate many a car on the road, it brings a smile to my face when people cant believe an old Saab is that fast, and i know im not in a minority with this statement.

Pete.

[tom]

well, I don't think there is much saab left in a RWD V8 saab

My all saabs are stock btw. It is enough for me that I know my 900T will beat 90% cars out there off the line, but I don't have to show off with it. Saabs deserve a nice and respectful way of driving. Not thrashing them out at every single traffic lights.

[tandino]

Maybe you should modify your 900 then you might understand why people modify their own Saabs.
For your info i dont thrash my car off the line either, i use my power to overtake safely.
I heard a rumour (dont know how true) that Saab nearly used the Triumph V8 that was in the Stag (effectively two Saab engines) so what would you be saying if that had happened :-?? :!

Pete.

[tom]

If a cow had wings it would fly. No point in wondering would have happened if something was done differently. Saab is using a small 4 banger and that is the end of it. I bet saab wouldn't be so popular if they used the stag motor as it was. Or have you seen that triumph was still live and kicking?


I drove my friends 250hp 9k for a month, so I know why people raise the power level of their car. Your car is still a saab. So is Bills. But a V8 rwd saab is not a saab anymore. It is a piece of junk in a saab chassis. IMHO.