Update: The Sonett has been sold! Thank you for your interest!
This 1972 SAAB Sonett III is in excellent mechanical condition with many period and modern performance and comfort upgrades. It is fantastic fun to drive and very reliable. The chassis is absolutely solid with no rust.
Click here for more pictures and a brief video.
The car was refreshed by the previous owner in the mid-‘80s with new upholstery and the engine was rebuild with many MSS-go-fast parts including new a new cam and larger valves. I have most of the receipts and specs. The car was fitted with a 32/36 DGAV water-choke which works very well and makes good power. A dyno chart showing just over 80 hp can be seen in the gallery.
Since owning the car I have done the following modifications:
- MSS exhaust system
- MSS-springs
- New shocks (adjustable Koni up front and KYB in the back)
- Moto-Lita steering wheel with SAAB griffin emblem
- Front Stainless Steel brakelines from West-of-Sweden (I have the rears but not installed)
- Radio-delete Dashboard plate
- Alpine Radio from 2004 installed in glovebox
- ATL Fuel Cell and Electric Fuel Pump installed in the trunk
- Rebuilt Brake Master Cylinder in 2010
- New masonite floor boards
- New trunk and hood weatherstripping from Jack Ashcraft
I always change the oil at least twice a year, or more-often if I have driven the car many miles. Coolant is changed ever few years.
In addition to all this, the car includes may spare parts, all the original documentation, and a Sonett supplement to the SAAB factory repair manual. The original fuel-tank is available if you want it.
I also have two additional performance pieces that are available under negotiation:
- A rear axle with camber adjusted by MSS for performance.
- MSS Widened Soccer-ball wheels. Widened to 5.5” to accomodate performance tires
There are a few negatives to the car:
- The car is not an ideal concourse car for many reasons, not the least being that white was not an OEM color.
- The paint doesn’t look bad for 20 years old, but it does have some chips and spider cracks.
- The fuel pressure regulator blocks installation of the windshield-wiper fluid reservoir. An adapter plate can be made easily to relocate it.
- The radio in the glovebox is held in by foam padding, a mounting plate would look more finished.
- The fuel cell is large enough to prevent the normal trunk deck from being installed, I was going to make a lifted one to cover it.
- The hole in the body where the fuel-filler spout was needs to be filled. I have a blanking plate for this that needs to be painted.
A few more pictures:
I am asking $4500.
If you are interested, please contact me at josh AT offthehill.org
Where are you located?
Can you explain why you put in the fuel cell, and how many gallons it holds?
Thank you,
John
Hello, the Sonett has been sold, but the fuel cell is a 10 gallon unit. I put it in because when I autocrossed the car, on hard left turns, gas would spill out of the old tank. In addition, the old mechanical fuel pump started to leak and drip fuel, so I replaced it with an electric one.
Josh, I’m thinking about buying a Sonett for a restoration project. However, I’ve read horrible things about the free-wheeling clutch. Any advice?
Thanks.
Hi Francis,
My Sonett had the free-wheel locked out since before I owned the car. My understanding is it is easy to lock out, with either a bolt through the lever on the top of the transmission, or if the transmission is opened, you can replace the free-wheel disk with a metal bearing I think, or omit it or something, I can’t remember. My understanding is that rebuilding an existing free-wheel can be tricky, due to the way they are installed, and finding a new free-wheel is almost impossible.
If you are getting a 2-stroke SAAB, you will need the free-wheel intact to prevent oil starvation while coasting, but any 4-stroke doesn’t need the free-wheel at all.
As long as the transmission is in good condition, I wouldn’t worry much about the free-wheel. Just make sure you leave it locked out (with the engine always engaged) and the car will drive like any other car with no problems.
Free-wheeling is like bicycle! You can stop the pedals, and the bike still runs – freewheeling. When you speed up again: do it gently with feeling, or you might hammer the engines force on the gearing and the wheels, at the moment the engines speed meets the forwarding running – and the car jumps forward – you backward removing the foot – the speed goes down – resulting in oscillating on/off. No good for the gearing.
Locking the freewheeling can results in engine-brake. When I did that in my first SAAB 95 year 1965, a groove bit in the transmission was broken. I was a poor medical student – and I learned by that event 1973 to repair the transmission – has never visited a car repair place with my SAAB V4 – had fun repairing my old SAABs – though never had transmission-problems again – yes clutch-repairs.
Learn to drive free-wheeling! That is the real SAAB-feeling – no less!
I am looking for the springs and parts that hold the rear brake shoes to the back plate on my 1971 Saab Sonnet III.
John, I recommend getting a hold of Chip Lamb at West of Sweden SAAB, he can get you what you need.
I have 2 SAAB sonett III, model 97’s, for sale.All manuals & extra parts.If interested send e- mail to , cbm8@sbcglobal.net.
Hello,
I am interested in an owner manual for sonett III.
Kind regards