Since today seems to be shaping up to be Limo Day, it was fortuitous that my Uncle Dave sent these pics of a Saab 900 limo just this morning. He spotted it at the abandoned not-so-abandoned Saab dealer in town. It seems rather worse for the wear, to say the least–but not beyond saving.
image: autoblog.com
So is it a homebrew limo conversion or some factory-authorized stretch, like the Volvo 960 limo Brendan found last month? The few images I’ve seen of 900 limos appear to either have an extra door on each side, or have a much longer center section sans doors–like the one above.
This may have been someone’s weekend project–that center section is in far worse shape than the rest of the car. But then again, the sheetmetal and roof look to be rather neatly integrated. Could it just be the quality of the paint and primer used by the theoretical company that built it? Or did the dealership have a couple wrecked 900s and slapped this together for promotional reasons? I don’t have the answers, but perhaps one of our CC readers can fill in the blanks.
image: saabworld.net
Interesting to see one based off the four-door sedan, as they seemed to be seen far less than the 3-door–though it makes perfect sense for a limo. I rather liked the sedans. I must confess I like the idea of a Turbo limo–could this one have the boosted engine? Hmm, I may have to draft Dave to zip down there for further pics…
In the last photo the roof line and the rear windows and trunk make it look like it’s drooping in the middle. Maybe the back half of a 240 Volvo would have worked better.
It does seem a bit swaybacked. Next time I’m in IC I might have to swing by there to investigate.
It looks like it’s drooping in the middle because it is drooping in the middle! I saw that too right away!
I’d hate to be riding in this frankencar during an accident.
The swayback might be an optical illusion caused by a wide angle lens on the camera.
The lack of rain gutters doesn’t help
I’d like to see pics of the rest of the abandoned Saab dealership if you do make your way down there sometime…
+1
For several years there was an abandoned Saturn dealership. It closed several years before Saturn was axed, so within a few years the parkinglot was well overgrown with weeds and vegetation, and the building itself was looking in pretty neglected shape. It was especially eerie since I had been there in the early ’00s once when my mom went to test drive the new VUE. The dealership was demolished last year for a new office building.
Tom I would normally just bow to your wisdom here but having had pain inflicted by SAAB optimism before – I think all SAABS are beyond saving.
Let the hate start.
Well you know what Saab stands for–Swedish Automobile–Always Broken!
But actually I have little experience with Saabs, I just like the way these ’80s and early ’90s 900s look. They are sharp.
I did test drive a 2004 or 2005 9-3 in about 2006 and liked the way it drove, but the turn signal switch felt like it was going to break off, and when I adjusted the mirror using the switch, the switch detached from the door panel. That was not confidence building and I got another Volvo (the wagon I still have) a year or so later.
Swedish cars seem to defy me. I seem to have a higher threshold for becoming aware when I’m being lied to. A good reason for buying new and when you do find a good used one you should hang on to it. Some saying about old dogs and new tricks belongs here but expect you have heard it before.
Tom, I drive a 2007 and agree with you on the turn signal lever. It feels delicate, but it’s never broken. The rest of the car has been perfect… Sorry to disappoint all the Saab haters out there.
I was thinking about a 9-3 for quite some time during 2005-06; they had a deep blue with off-white leather color combination that I absolutely loved. But after that test drive, it just scared me away. Plus, at the time there was not a Saab dealer in the Quad Cities, and I didn’t want to have to drive an hour away for servicing.
Glad to hear you’re having good luck with yours. The final 9-3 sedans and SportCombis were very attractive. But my favorite is the circa 1987-93 900 model. And I just read that Saab will be resuming production of the 9-3 on Monday!
As someone who’s had not one, but TWO Saab hell-projects in his lifetime, I couldn’t imagine wanting to take this one on. If you think the 900 ‘verts had structural integrity issues, I’d bet even a rusty ragtop could put the featured car to shame.
Someday I’ll have to tell my Saab story. Broken slushboxes, crazy neighbors, crooked realtors, multiple drivetrain swaps, headlights with eyelashes, unmitigated hooniganism, a mid-engine Turbo 900 riding on four donut spares… that story’s got it all.
Not all Saabs are bad. The 9-2X was very reliable…..Of course that might be because it was a Subaru Impreza WRX under Saab badges. What I like about the 9-2X is that they can be had for cheap since Saab died they get the stigma of an orphan brand and they are both reliable and parts are cheap because it is a Subaru. Plus due to initial price the 9-2X would have been owned by a owner that left it stock and did not rag on it so it is much better shape then buying a second hand WRX. Finally insurance on a WRX can be pricy but a Saab is cheaper and cops leave you be.
I also like how the 9-2X does not have that dumb key in the center console thing. I know Saab claims it is for safety and that a person cannot cut up their leg in a crash due to the key. BUT if you leg is in danger of getting cut by the key then one of the following is occurring:
1. Your sitting up too close the the dash
2. You too tall to be driving the car in the first place and being forced to rest your knees against the dash
3. The accident is so bad that the dash has moved too close to the driver(and if that happened there is more to worry about then skinned knees)
Then there is the fact to get the key out you have to put it in reverse on a manual car. I don’t know about you but I leave my car in first when I park it and leave and not reverse.
Looking closely, this car seems to have the same raised windshield and upper front doors as on your autoblog photo. This car looks like it has quite a story to tell.
The results of a little google search on a Sunday afternoon. Wiki says that Valmet did a 7 passenger prototype that never reached production. Aftermarket shops seem busy, on the other hand.
http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=189064
http://www.neobrothers.co.uk/saab-classic-t16s-stretched-limousine-pg-6.html
http://www.saabisti.fi/miscellanea/saab-99-finlandia-and-saab-900-cd/
http://www.neobrothers.co.uk/saab-9000cse-stretched-limousine-pg-8.html
I wonder how many times that’s been high-centered from trying to turn around in the wrong place.
That site’s definitely not abandoned–Iowa City Saab’s still in operation as a Saab service point, and is owned by the same folks who operate the legendary Meyer Garage in northern Iowa. You apparently stopped by at the wrong time.
I wondered about that, but I didn’t take the pics and haven’t been out there in two or three years. I was there several times when they still sold new cars and there never seemed to be anyone around, even with the lights on, doors open, etc. The only time I actually saw employees there was several years ago when the dealership was a cool-off stop for RAGBRAI, and another time when I was looking for literature and there was only a mechanic working on a car in the service area.
That is the ugliest limo ever. I would take even a 85 caddi compact Fleetwood 75 over that. Lol. Why why why would any one made one it defies reason. Good ridance to Saab. Ugly pieces of over priced junk bought by people wit the wrong views. But why do the buy them. They may be wrong but generally their not stupid. Go figure