Saab 96

Built by an aircraft manufacturer, styling from the 40s, 2-stroke or V4 with steering gear and freewheel. How could it be popular for so long?

 

The Saab 96 was produced between 1960 and 1979. The design originated from a concept developed shortly after the war. It is incredible that the body shape from the 40s could remain popular for so long. The popularity was probably due to Saab's Nordic origins and the cars' winter capabilities – helped by their achievements on the rally tracks.

Model history

The Saab 96 started with the so-called trubbnosen (blunt nose). For the model year it got a new, extended front, – called långnos (long nose). This made it possible to move the radiator forward to provide better cooling. From the 1967 model year the 850 cc 3-cylinder two-stroke was replaced with a 1,5-liter V4 from Ford. It gave 69 HP – a big jump from the previous 45 HP. The V4 also made a loud sound in the Saab, especially on rally tracks. In the 1968 model year the Saab got a larger windshield. In 1970 it got a new front again, first year with square headlights, – then like the blue car in the pictures. In 1974 the shiny grille was replaced with plastic, new headlights and new bumper horns. In 1976 the model got the big padded bumpers – which to my eyes looked like bathing platforms.

 

 

Cars from 1965-1967

 

 

 

Cars from 1971 and newer

 

 

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Family car in the 60s

My father owned a 1965 red Långnos from when it was almost new. It was used as a family car. But since he needed to drive over 40 thousand km a year for official business, the two-stroke engine did not last. He therefore had a company car (Ford M) at the time. One of the company cars was a 1970 Ford 12M 1500 V4 with front-wheel drive – the same engine that the Saab 96 got from the 1967 model year. When my father was going to buy a new car in 1974, the choice was easy. It had to be a Saab V4. Optional equipment was a Blaupunkt radio mounted in the glove compartment lid and headrests without pillows. They were shaped like round plastic hoops – the same type that was also used in Saab's 99 series.
 

 
The 1974 model was the car I would learn to drive in. There were many long trips. I can't say I loved the Saab, exactly. I thought it was starting to look old (even though it was new) and that it had some strange features. In 1974, steering wheel gears weren't very cool. The thin steering wheel wasn't anything to shout hooray for either. I had to use all my strength to steer it around parking lots. My dad told me not to turn the steering wheel while the car was stationary. When the wheels are moving, it's much easier to turn the steering wheel, - and not least, the components in the steering will last longer.

Saab 96 on the road

The Saab 96 was not a big car, but it was well suited to tall people like my father and me. The seats and seating position were okay, although it took some getting used to the fact that the pedals were quite far to the right. You sat a little at an angle while driving. I liked that the car handled well on winter roads with narrow studded tires. I never really got used to the front-wheel drive. According to my father, you just had to let off the gas out of the corner, and the rest of the car would follow, – but I never felt sure where the limit was. When there was no more to give, or the surface would not give traction, – the car would understeer and go straight into the forest. Although Saab's famous rally driver Erik Carlsson almost always ended up on the roof when going too fast – not into the forest.

V4 and freewheel

Sometimes I miss the sound of the V4. Then I find some film taken with a dashboard camera on YouTube from one forest rally or another. It's wonderful to hear the V4 in free development while the gravel hails into the undercarriage.
 
I also miss the freewheel. My father made the most of the freewheel and saved fuel, and you could also shift gears with a gentle hand just by giving it half throttle – without a clutch. With a little practice, it was easy to find the point at the rpm where clutchless shifting was possible. Once, the transmission to the clutch failed so that it could not be used. Then it came to a complete stop along the road. A mechanic from Vestfold Auto then drove the car a mile to the dealer without any problems, completely without a clutch!
 
During training I had to drive without freewheel so as not to acquire unnotes. The freewheel was engaged and disengaged by turning a switch against the torpedo wall under the dashboard.
 

Catch up on the road

I wonder how few Saab 96s are left considering the great popularity it had. Both father and father-in-law drove Saabs for years. They enjoyed driving - and drove a lot.

About the pictures

The blue Saab has been observed in several places in Oslo (2019). It goes by the name "Åke Svensson" and is owned by Anette Nauf. The photos were taken at Fornebu. The red 1974 model with a rebuilt front was photographed at the Hobby Car Day at Hof in Vestfold. It is for sale (06.06.2020) at Finn.no - click here! The red one 96,850 Sports was photographed during a car show in Fix-hallen, Tønsberg. The olive green one is a 1973 model photographed at Hoftreffet, Hof in Vestfold. The red 2-stroke was photographed at a later Hoftreff. The red car with a sled and skis on the roof was my father's first Saab. The red Saab along a lake belonged to my father-in-law. He changed every three years – always to a Saab and always a red car.

 
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