1974 SAAB Sonett III aka SAAB 97 in Orange & V4 Engine Sound on My Car Story with Lou Costabile
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
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On "My Car Story" we're at Collectors’ Car Garage in Chicago IL at The “Cars & Cops” Event on 5-20-18.
We're looking at a 1974 SAAB Sonett III aka SAAB 97 in Orange Paint and this car has a V4 Engine.
The car's Owner is Dave Reichert. Dave’s has had the car since February 2018. He shares how he saw one new and always wanted one.
Dedication and focus on what he wanted paid off as this year he purchased the car he always wanted. And this one is perfect! It’s like a brand new car.
If you’re interested in storing your car in Chicago at 2500 W Bradley Pl, Chicago, IL 60618, call the office # 1-773-902-1200. Or go to www.collectorscargarage.com
ENJOY!
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Looks like it just rolled out of the showroom! Unreal restore! I had a few 1968 Sedan's (96's), a wagon (95) one sedan had the 2 stroke! My daily (96 Deluxe) had snow tires for the winter (Chicago area). Unstoppable. Drove through snow drifts.
Hi Curt, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your cars :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
The coolest Saabs ever built.
I love it.
Glad you "love" this one :-)
Found one that doesn’t run about 20 minutes away from me... $400
I had 3 of these in Anchorage, 1975-1978. Fun car, easy to work on. Actually a roll cage, more than just a roll bar. The engine is a V4 engine made to power agricultural equipment, hay baler specifically. Windshield wiper motor was notorious for filling up with rainwater, so holes were drilled into it to drain it. Add electronic ignition and a good exhaust system. Turbo will fit if you are brave. Transmissions were weak and had a manual free wheel lever on the firewall which supposedly increased MPG but disengaged the motor when off throttle. I drove one from Anchorage to Savanah GA, to San Diego, back to Anchorage with few issues. Most fun with big, studded snow tires on the ice.
Hi Feniantim, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your three cars :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
Wow, the reg plate spelled "så nätt" its how sweeds say Sonett, and it can be translated to "so neat"
Hi Kenny King, Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
And spelled Sonett it, just like in English, means a certain poetic form; they playfully gave the model an ambiguous name, it seems.
As a former Sonett owner (‘70 and ‘74), let me tell you, this example is INCREDIBLE!
Hi Reggie Van Gleason, Happy to read you appreciate the condition of this car and glad it brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
That is the most pristine Sonett I've ever seen. Just stunning.
High praise Matt from Florida :-)
Dave is one heck of a nice guy. You can tell he’s darn thrilled and proud of his Sonett.
Hi Jason Smith, Happy to read you appreciate this Care Taker & his car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
I can't believe I just now discovered this video. In the early summer of 1977, while working at my summer job at a meat packing plant, I thought I was making really big money (as a college student) and it was burning a hole in my pocket. So, I bought a bank repossessed 1972 Saab Sonett III, that was being stored at an old winery warehouse in Paw Paw , Michigan. My best friend, "Mud," and I towed it back to Kalamazoo, with my dad's Ford LTD station wagon. The car smelled like a winery, so we completely stripped the carpet and hosed everything down. That helped a little, but I'll never forget the smell! My Sonett III was the same color as the RUclips video owner's car, but without the clunky '74 U.S. bumpers. I paid $1,100 for it. It had a blown 4-speed tranny, which I paid a local foreign car repair shop to have replaced. The tranny was sourced from a junkyard Saab sedan up in Traverse City, Michigan ($700, including labor, if I recall correctly), and it had a "freewheeling" feature that was just plain weird. I did all the other work on the car myself, got it running and looking great, and then in late August of '77, it had an electrical fire inside the dash that we extinguished with shaken up cans of beer. Insurance covered the repair -- it needed a completely new dash and wiring harness, but the gauges miraculously survived (and they were VDOs)! However, the parts had to be shipped from Sweden. Those parts sat on a dock in New York until the Spring of 1978, when someone finally got around to sending them to me in Kalamazoo. I had the same shop that did the tranny work perform the dashboard/wiring harness repairs. Finally got it back on the road early in the Summer of 1978. I graduated from college earlier that year, took an accounting job , and was saving my money to go to law school. I had to sell my Orange Saab Sonett III in 1980, so that I could pay for tuition and books starting in 1981. I have always regretted selling that car. Loved your video, man! I hope the owner of the '74 Sonett III in the video gets to drive it a lot (except on salty roads)! BTW, I also put cocoa fiber mats in my car!
Hi Vernon, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
@@loucostabile I'm "Subscribed"!
A great friend named Rob, who was a chief mechanic for a small Saab dealer in Brattleboro, VT (Early-to-mid 70's), let me take a brand new Sonett III out for a test drive. Both the dealership and my friend are now long gone, but I remember taking the little orange Sonett III out for a couple of hours all around southern VT, on a mid-Fall, sunny day.
For whatever reason, some of my best memories involve taking neat cars for 'neat' drives. This would be one of those...
Hi Lumpy, Happy to read this car brings back memories of the car Rob let you drive :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
I first saw this car 40 years ago in Bismarck ND, newly arrive as refugee from war torn country, didn't know what it was but the engine sound is music to my ears
Hi Pete Chiengkhamphet, Happy to read this car brings back memories of the sounds you recall in Bismarck ND :-) Lou
Probably the cleanest Sonett lll around and most detailed video showcasing one. That is a must have car and I would love to have one in my collection of oddball sports cars.
HI alhalhalal1, Thank you for viewing and sharing. Glad you appreciate and enjoy the uniqueness of finding a car like this in this condition :-) Lou
I’m MIND BLOWN.
This car is brand new. But more than that, she’s got more taste than all current cars put together… What a treasure!
Look at these lines!!! What a sculpture, so much personality, this is incredible, everything, the V4, the interior, the seats (those are tremendous)…
Thank you so much guys, I didn’t know this jewel. I definitely prefer the seventies about cars, the style and pleasure were on another level.
Big salut from France 🇫🇷
ViNZ.
Hi ViNZ from France, High praise for this car :-) You're welcome. Hope you see many more cars on this RUclips Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
I never had seen the interior before, and rarely ever saw one of these on the road or even parked. But I always thought that these were cute.
20alphabet
Same here.
Hi 20alphabet, Glad to share something you haven't seen. First time for me too, Lou
Lou, I was aware of the motor as it was used in the early German-made Mercury Capri. But I had no idea it was also a Saab story.
never seen one as original and showroom new. manual pull on the hidden headlights.. wow! 1974.
Hi Scott Brady, You're right, this one looks showroom new :-) Glad to receive a "wow!" from you, Lou
It’s a very clean machine. Über fun to own & drive. In college had a ‘72 Yellow Sonett III than later got a ‘72 in that orange to drive in summer than drove my ‘99 in winter. Great car’s. Miss ‘em
Hi CZPO7DUTY, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
ive owned every model of Saab ,from the model 96, with the same V4, through to the 9 5 wagon i drive today. The Sonett is the one i missed, very cool, and a great example.Thanks Lou.
Hi Kris Kirby, Clearly you're a "Fan of the Brand" :-) Happy to share "the one I missed" with you. You're welcome, Lou
I knew someone who drove one back in the day. Good looking car, and very rare. I've always liked small and light cars.
Hi EricH928, Glad you enjoy the looks of this one :-) Lou
When I was a paperboy 50 years ago there was one on my route exactly like this! I remember like yesterday! The house owner also raised St. Bernards, but I never saw one inside. Very Cool!
Still a svelt looking car!
Hi Bill, Happy to read this car brings back memories of the car you remember on your paper route :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
@@loucostabile, that's an amazing response from a new comment on a 5-year-old post. Old flames never die. I'm also 10,000 miles from my old paper route in Rochester, NY, now living in Thailand. Thanks again. I'll have to check out more of your channel!
My brother had a sonnet in the late 1970’s. My dad was a Saab enthusiast back then. I really enjoyed all of the Saabs we had they were very well engineered and a pleasure to drive. The sonnet always turned peoples heads when we drove it.
Hi Jim, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Brothers car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Hi there..The name Sonett comes from the Music style "Playing a Sonett" after that the guys that build these cars named it
Så nätt (sWEDISH)...means so cute, so little, so music like... car builders loved it.
The engine is a v8 that they cut in the middle and made a v4 of.. every Saab had one.
LOVE IT!
Hi Hans, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this RUclips Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
I grew up in a tiny New England farm town, and there was a guy in town that inexplicably had one of these cars. He used it as his commuter car every day to work! It was always cool to see him zipping by in his Sonett. He kept it for years, and sold it to a high school friend of mine that took it apart and fixed all the damage that the New England winters had done to the undercarriage. I'm not sure I've got this right, but the way I recall he explained it to me, there was a sub-chassis in the front and another in the rear, connected by two metal tubes. Everything would work great until those two tubes rusted through, and then your car breaks in half!
Hi Ross, Happy to read this car brings back memories of the guy in town's car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
SAAB used the Ford Taunus V4 engine first produced in Germany in 1962, it was used on the original Mustang I concept car proto-type way back in 1962 but mounted in the rear, i learn from your video about the ford engine used in a SAAB, the SAAB offered a lifetime warranty for the engine for the original owner only for a mere $50 more. this compact ford 4 stroke engine allowed SAAB to get away from the noisy smoggy 2 cycle engine of prior SAAB models.
Great information. Thanks!
Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge soupercooper and adding to the story :-) Lou
The lifetime warranty was only offered for the 1967 3 cylinder cars not for the V-4. It was referred to as the "'Shrike" engine. A bit tongue -in-cheek- Shrikes eat Beetles. There were stories of owners intentionally destroying their engines as the owner's share of a warranty engine was cheaper than a tune-up.
This car,like most Sonett IIIs, is missing the radio antenna. Because of the fiberglass body, the radio antenna was a metal screen that laid on top of the air cleaner.
Bruce Beauvais This car does have an antenna, it is just not pulled up. You can see it at the right hand side on the rear wing when they open the rear window. I have never heard of the hidden contrapion you write about. Wouldn't make sense having the antenna on top of the electronic noise source numero uno, the ignition components, would it?
I never said it was a smart choice. I'm talking about what the originally installed antenna was as well as the fact that 40+ years later almost none survive. Perhaps that indicates what a poor choice it was. A telescoping antenna added to this car makes perfect sense.
As a scandinavian, what a lovely Guy and car
HI J.J. Guzowicz, Happy to read you appreciate this Caretaker and his car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
this car is so seventies that watching the video turned my trousers into flares.
What incredible condition it is in too, I wonder how much work was done during restoration.
Hi dfpguitar, Glad this car brought you back to the 1970's :-) Lou
WHAT A COOL FIND!!! GREAT JOB! I CAN SEE YOU REALLY WORK HARD TO BRING US THESE UNIQUE FINDS! CAN YOU IMAGINE A V8, OR A SAAB V6 TURBO, AWESOME, THANKS.
Hi andre Hamilton, Glad you think this one is "cool". Appreciate your kind words on my efforts to share / show you cars. A V8 would be CRAZY in this one, but I like the way you think :-) Lou
I had one in the late 1970s. Great car... I miss it.
Hi Mark Maslowski, Happy to read this car / video brings back memories of the car you used to have :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
They really are great cars! It is a shame we don't seem them more frequently. Thanks for finding & sharing this one, Lou!
Glad you enjoy this one :-) You're welcome.
Hey, swede here, just to clarify.
Sonett is a swedish word taken from the italian word *sonetto* which in turn comes from the latin word *sonus*, this means tone/sound/character. My hopeful guess is that they named the car this from the absolutely wonderful V4 exhaust note.
The Sonett is a very special car to me, during the summers when I grew up one of our neighbours was always taking it out to polish it and take it for a spin, same beautiful factory orange as this one! One day I hope to own one. :)
Hi Arvid Karlberg, Thank you for viewing, sharing, and hope you're behind the wheel of yours soon :-) Lou
@Arvid Karlberg - that may be true, but the Saab engineers who named it got the derivation a bit different: "sa natt den ar." (Sorry about the missing accent marks. I don't have those built into my keyboard.)
Man that is clean as a whistle
Happy to read you appreciate the condition of this car :-)
Some years ago I rebuilt a 74 Sonett III, my machinist was impressed, in his words, something other than a SBF or SBC for once, I love it!
Hi blkcoupequattro, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
I bought a Sonett III new, back in 1973. Great car.
You have a fun car for sure Forrest finch. Thank you for sharing. Hope you see many more cars on the Channel you'll enjoy, Lou
Did you know that it also has a "Free Wheeling" mechanism? A "T" handle under the dash disengages the regular clutch and engages a centrifugal clutch. The tach drops off and the car continues on. 42 MPG all day long with a 16 gallon tank. The engine is half of a 289 Ford Europa. (144ci) and pushed mine along @115 mph + with my wife and I, and lots of luggage aboard, while we were driving through Death Valley. You can also fold your arms while passing a semi truck, as it has 0 semi affect.
My dad let me drive his 74 Sonett and I remember him telling me about it but I never engaged it. Wasn't really sure what it would do.
I also remember it had the coolest exhaust sounds when going down a hill and you let off the gas. Folks could probably hear it a mile away and it was the telltale sign that Dad was almost home
I had a 72 and 73 cost $4000
Yes, in Sweden we have salt on the roads. A lot... Nice Sonett!!
Hi Fredrik Oscarsson, Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many more cars on this RUclips Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
Makes me miss my Sonett. I sold my 1973 Sonett 2 years ago. Mine was Green and had 99K miles. The Transmissions were very weak. Part of the issue is there wasn't enough oil if filled to specifications. Very noisy going down the road. Still have my SAAB 9-5.
Hi Scott A, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
This is so cool. I remember seeing these once in a while back in the 1980s, but not since then. I always gawked at them even though I was a motor head.
Hi David, Happy to read this car brings back memories of the car you remember :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
Be honest! How many of you even knew this car excised? I didn’t! Looks like a fun car to drive with cool styling. Thx Lou!
Hi Dave, I didn't. You're welcome, Lou
Outstanding little Swedish car
Happy to read this one is "Outstanding" :-)
Neat car! Best video I’ve ever seen on one. The Car Story with the owner is good too. Thanks.
Agreed!
Glad you enjoy this one Jeff King :-) You're welcome, Lou
Neat car it is the name is Swedish for “So neat” seriously
I remember taking a photo of one of these in 2017 here in Vancouver, Canada except it was a red colour ,i remember it fondly as it was quite a unique looking car ,it was Sitting behind an auto shop with a few other cars,retro Japanese sports cars and the like, I knew about the Saab two stroke then but I didn’t know about this one so when I first saw it I thought it also had a 2 cycle engine, before doing some research
Hi Bullet Bikes, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your took a photo of in Canada :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
cool car, had a friend with one back in the day!
Hi dutchlove, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Friends car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
Dave is a luck man. That's a beautiful Sonnett!
Hi Sven, Happy to read you enjoy the looks of this car :-) Lou
Wow! I have a new favorite. Amazing car.
Happy to read you have a new favorite :-)
I do remember seeing a few of these cars "back in the day".....That V4 engine is cool
Glad this one brings back memories of this one :-)
Cool fiberglass car! I have never seen this particular Saab before.
HI Ed B., First time for me too. Lou
Wow! Love the usual Saab quirky details - that headlight pull is ridiculously large! Just don't get too close if you're tailing him as you'll have no idea when he hits the brakes ...Thanks, Lou.
Hi kjh789az, Happy to read you enjoy the details of this car :-) My pleasure sharing with you, and you're welcome, Lou
"no idea when he hits the brake" huh? The Sonett has large easily seen brake lights! (Replace the original bulbs with LEDs and get even brighter brake lights)
Lucky guy to have found his dream car and in such good shape with resl low mileage
Agreed.
I love it, gorgeous design
Hi Richard Burns, Happy to read you "love it" :-) Lou
Crazily enough I saw this exact car, a Sonett III in bright orange, this afternoon at the grocery store in my neighborhood in Oakland, Ca. I had no idea there were only 8,000+ made! Wish I could have found out who owns it! Maybe Dave moved to the Bay Area?
Hi Eric, Happy to read you saw one in person :-) This is the only one I recall seeing, Lou
I remember the ads for these in magazines. Good looking. 👍
Hi Glenn O'Connor, Glad to read you enjoy the looks of this car, and happy to read the video brings back memories :-) Lou
Excellent fit and finish love the leather work SAAB was a aerospace company probably still make planes
Glad you enjoy the fit & finish & thank you for viewing & sharing.
Such a nice little car, super light super nimble, lot of fun and rarely seen ! Love it !
Happy to read you "Love it" :-)
I had one back in the day. One of the cars I wish I never sold. I had too as I needed something more substantial for work.
Hi Jim, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
Thanks for focusing on such great detail of the car, very cool to see it presented that way.
Hi Red Martian, Happy to read you appreciate the details I share of this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
Wow! Great example of this car. It looks so very race car classy! I've seen Amesie's ride. And, even in the state it was in, you still think it was cool! If you clean it up right, it's a very cool car! Love the simplicity of the door panels and the glass of the fastback trunk!
en de achterlichten lijken wel van een daf 66.op 3.20
Hi Ray Baterina, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
My old boss had 2 Sonnetts, 2 different kinds back in the late 1970s.
Hi ferlenarab, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Boss's cars :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
I owned one from 1976 until 1986. Replaced the rocker panels twice and the free wheeling twice. Expensive. It was difficult to get at the engine. But I loved the car. Riding on the ground at 90mph on I94.
Hi Timothy Nacey, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
I remember seeing a few of these cars as a kid. Unusual looking car for sure. I had an Opel GT that had headlights that worked off of a cable but instead of rising up, thy flipped sideways to open and close. Great little car that was. Another great video, Lou!
Hi R8cer Ex, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Opel :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Lou
1974 SAAB
LOU how are you doing .
Wishing you all the best .
This is a # 1 car in Sweden.
It is a one of a kind.
Very safe , amazing and awsome SAAB.
It should be kept in the musiam OF CLASSIC CARS.
Extremely great wonderful SAAB.
It's so neat.
Just a Great sports SAAB.
Thanks LOU for sharing a wonderful extremely important SAAB.
Please have a great successful business day. Wish you all the success.
Kind regards
HISHAM ELFIKI
Hi Hisham Elfiki, Doing well, and thank you for wishing me the best. Wishing you the best too. Glad you enjoy this car and feel it should be in a museum :-) Thank you for sharing, and you're welcome. Lou
A large garage a couple of doors down from me used to house 2 of these at least. The guy was in love with them. One was a full tube chassis race car. He also had an orange one just like this for the street. I do believe he hotrodded the V4 in the race car.
They are cool cars.
Thank you for viewing and adding to the story Todd :-) Lou
Saw one today on the long islands expressway so cool
A rare site! Thank you for sharing MrDjh66.
So cool
My first car.
Hi Meritus Stake Pool, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your 1st car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
gorgeous car
Hi Ricco, Happy to read you appreciate the looks of this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
I went to a Vintage Auto Racing Association event at Willow Springs Raceway in California probably in the 1990’s. I had a for sale sign on my Triumph TR8 and a guy offered for me to trade my TR8 for two SAAB Sonettes. I told him that I liked the Sonettes, but it didn’t solve my problem of too many cars.
Hi Don, Thank you for viewing and sharing your thoughts. Hope you see many more cars on this RUclips Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
Kinda looks like an old 240z from the side profile. Interesting. The V4 is pretty unique. Good to see another save in the name of "My Car Story". For the Love of cars, thank you for bringing many great memories.
Hi Eagle Whitefeather01, I can see the resemblance to the 240z. You're welcome. Glad you're along for the ride, Lou
What a cool car.
Happy to read you enjoy this car :-)
One of the most unique SAAB's they ever made. I had a teal green Matchbox SAAB Sonett when I was about 10 years old in my collection. I always had a desire to have an actual Sonett some day. I should have bought one years ago as you could get them for almost nothing back in the late 70's, early 80's. They have become a desirable collectible now for some collectors who know the uniqueness of SAAB. They are somewhat expensive to maintain, even more so now that SAAB is defunct. Although being a Ford made V4 engine, parts should be available if you research it enough. Very unique "sporty" car! I did have a SAAB I bought brand new in 2002 (SAAB 9-5) which was the best car I ever owned, until it needed to be fixed! OUCH is all I can say. Repairs were EXPENSIVE!!! Especially from the SAAB dealer. I needed brakes once...OUCH on the cost. Oil changes too were expensive! $150 for an oil change at SAAB dealer. Everything about repairs was......EXPENSIVE! Finally, it started to nickle and dime me really bad with minor (again EXPENSIVE) repairs! The electrical system started to have major issues. SAAB went Bye Bye after that. I still miss that car. Even with the costly repairs, it was a fantastic car to drive. Very smooth and the best highway car I ever owned for long trips on the open highway. Plenty of power from a huge turbo charger on top of the 4 cylinder motor. Felt more like a high powered V6. SAAB was a great car maker in the height of their car making days. The "Viggen" models were (are) a GREAT vehicle. Definitely a "sleeper" sports car. I wanted a 9-3 Viggen but the cost outshined my ability to get one at the time I got the 9-5. It was $10,000 more than the 9-5. Wish I had spent that $10,000 extra back then (LOL)! They are desirable collectibles in the SAAB communities now.
Hi Joe Van Seeters, Thank you for viewing, sharing your memories, and adding to the story, Lou
Very different and very unique little car. I love the color. A car that I have never heard of except I have heard of Saab. Thanks for sharing Lou! He loves his little car!
Hi Steve Flad, You're right, very different & unique :-) You're welcome, Lou
May dad has 4 for sale right now!! His cancer diagnosis is the ONLY reason he's selling. They're his babies and would love to see them go to a true Saab enthusiast such as himself!!
Hi Janelle, Sorry to read why your selling, and hope the cars find the right home soon, Lou
I owned a Sonett of the same color and year. I put 90k miles on it before I sold it. It is rare to see one with the dual exhaust intact. Very clean.. Enjoy.
Hi John Risinger, Happy to read you had a Sonett too :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
i so enjoy your wide ranging eye as you view the automotive universe....what a treat Lou...thank you
Hi jim foster, Thank you for the kind words, and I'm glad you're along for the ride :-) You're welcome, Lou
I owned a green ‘71 Sonett III in my youth in the late ‘80s, but not nearly as nice as this one. Lucky new owner!
Hi Konrad, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
10 people missed the click and hit the wrong side. Wonderful car !
Hi Daniel, As long as you and I enjoy the car, I'm good :-) Lou
great car.I'want one
Hi Elmer, Hope you're behind the wheel of the right one for you soon, Lou
Nice car. And I see that Kaiser next to it! XD
Glad you enjoy this one Planag7 :-) Hope you see many more cars on the Channel you'll enjoy, Lou
So attractive the 3’s as were designed by Itl Sergio Coggiola I had several but preferred the clunky V4 predecessor!
Hi Will, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this RUclips Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
Very nice sounds
Hi Fickrett, Happy to read you enjoy the sounds of this car :-) Hope you see many more cars on this RUclips Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
Saw one of these in the back of a vacant house in downtown Dallas. Car was all rotted apart. Really wanted to take it home with me and restore it. But it would have been one hell of a job
Hi Tidwell, Happy to read this one brings back memories of the car you remember, and glad this one is complete, Lou
My dad had one...a '74 in green. Bought it used in the 70's. He traded it in for a '78 VW Scirocco (dumbest move ever).
Hi Brent Boswell, Glad to read your Dad had one :-) Maybe not the best trade, however at least your Dad had one, Lou
wowwwwww amazing car, never seen before one of this...congratulations.
🇨🇭🇵🇹
Hi Pedro, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
I owned a 1973 Sonnett III and it was the same features but without the heavy bumpers which dropped the car's weight by about a hundred pounds. That car could get me fifty MPG on a trip. Eventually they just couldn't meet the newest safety standards I think.
Hi P C, Thank you for viewing and sharing your car too :-) Lou
This year is the 70th birthday of the Morris Minor here in UK and I'm going to the show my friend has a 1953 pickup MM series split screen with MG engine and retro mods is bigger drums,,,a machined overdrive from a Triumph and loads more,he also has quite a few others and Triumph Toledo,,,,Old cars Rock,,,
Hi Irfan Khan, Glad you enjoy old cars :-) Me too. Lou
I looked at one of these that was for sale in Greenville Texas around 1991 when I was looking for my first car. I loved it but my Mom said no way that parts would be too hard to find.
Hi Jason, Thanks for viewing and sharing your story. Hope you see many more cars on this RUclips Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
I had one just like it. Still with the stock exhaust. I had found that Ford AG engine used in everything from forklifts to portable air-compressors at the time. I did not like the freewheel feature as the sprag clutch would slip and the plastic lock out would not keep the freewheel locked out.
Hi John Risinger, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
I owned a 1974 Sonnett. Loved the handling and styling, but the anemic v4 engine was underpowered. 0-60 took over 13 seconds.
Hi gregg horner, Thank you for sharing your first hand knowledge, Lou
I owned a 74 and I believe the engine was only rated at 65hp. I wish I had kept mine!
Awesome! Thanks for the memory. Had one in the late 70s.
Hi belle panacek, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou
Curious about the Kaiser Darrin in the background. America's first fiberglass roadster (eat your heart out, Corvette!)
Hi Winston, Here is one for you. Lou ruclips.net/video/njSBU0rxjq8/видео.html
Lou,,,Got so many of your vid's to catch up on,,,I got a Matchbox model of one of these and there was a real one of these at a local car show in England in metallic blue,,,was one of my dreams to see one of these since mid 70s,,,Thanx for a great vid and the owner,,,,,this weekend is bank holiday in UK and I intend to catch up on your vid's,,,Have a great day,,,,
Hi Keto King, Hope you see MANY video on this Channel you enjoy. Thank you for sharing this one reminds you of the matchbox & you had a real one in the area too :-) Happy you enjoy this video & you're welcome, Lou
Lou I had a Saab 99, very quirky car, ignition on the floor, funny heater, no radio, same sisal mats, rubbery 4 speed, full l of weirdness, almost a kit car quality to it.
Hi ron, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Saab 99 :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing.
So he needed a good Saab n now he feels better... This is really really pretty! I love the orange, and the black offsets it perfectly! Neat woven mats, they look great. Way cool little handles. I like the pop-up headlights, nice lookin on the slim front end. It's just a real pretty style and those wheels are so sharp on it. Beautiful Sonett with lovely lines. Fun vid n story! Thank you
Hi WickedFireFly13, I'm getting (thankfully) so many comments I almost missed this one, and if I did I would have had a SAAB :-( GREAT comment! You are the BEST, Lou
Lou Costabile 🤗
Ha, love Sonett. It means " so pretty".
Have many SAAB in my life time.
Just now a SAAB Aero. 99 model whith Air condition seats.
Hi Olle Häggman, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your many SAABs :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
only seen maybe 3 or 4 always liked them , first spotting teenager in my friends pick up truck catch up to that thing !poor mans super car, half the engine half the size and half the cost and all the pros and cons.
Hi Douglas Holloran, I liked "poor mans super car" description :-) Hope you see many more cars on the Channel you'll enjoy, Lou
Tommy chong?
Dave's not here.
He drives a SAAB?
Lou, you've done it again, by bringing to the fore yet another automobile out of obscurity to your viewers. Cannot recall ever seeing one of these Swedish models "downunder".
SAAB automobiles not that popular here.
Hi Professor Pat Pending, This time (per you) I get an "A" :-) Glad you're along for the ride, Lou
Lou Costabile.
A bsolutely.
N I C E !
Lou Costabile 👏
Amazing! Thank you very much for this post!
Glad you think this one is "amazing" Reto Staempfli-Avoulou :-) Hope you see many more cars on the Channel you'll enjoy. You're welcome, Lou
just saw one of these at the junkyard. so cool. haven seen a v4 in awhile...
Hi BC4Lyphe, Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
SUPERB !!!!!!!!!!
Happy to read you enjoy this car Jose :-)
These are some of the coolest cars I had seen in the 70s. I honestly never seen one in running condition. They were all broke down. Maybe they were the 2 cylinders????? Wow those headlights could be used to help slow the car down lol.
Glad you think this one is cool jim jam :-) Lou
Love it. I bought one. But the people stopped me from taking it at the last minute in the 1980's. The tow truck driver in the new hope / solebury area asked for payment and they didn't pay me.
Glad to read you "love it" :-)
Wow! It’s pretty
Happy to receive a "Wow!" from you on the looks of this car :-)
I had 3 (and a 68), every one got wrecked, parked on the street. So low, other drivers couldn’t see them. Smashed to smitherines
Hi marktheshark27, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your cars :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
omg...this car amazing with cute engine
Mister Udik, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RUclips Channel, Lou