1966 SAAB 96 Monte Carlo 850
Multiple National SAAB Owners' Convention
Concours Prizewinning Car
Just Under 61,000 Original UNRESTORED Miles
3 Owners from Brand New, 1st 1967-2001, 2nd
2001-02, 3rd 2002-Present (me)
(Car was a late 1966 which was not sold in light of the new model V4 cars
arriving on dealer lots in late 1966)
INCREDIBLE DOCUMENTATION from new - new car papers, warranty info, literature
and owner notes into the 1990s.
Mileage was approximately 55,000 in March, 2002
- I have driven and improved the car extensively during my ownership including
a 500 mile round-trip to Import Carlisle in May 2005 absolutely without
incident. See below for details.
Some pictures seen here are from the entire
period I owned the car. If you see a year or two old registration or inspection
sticker, that is the reason. Car is up to date, I drove it to an old car
picnic last weekend.
You'll notice that the front grille looks a
little odd. The extra trim is from a SAAB dealer accessory trim kit which
I acquired new old stock and installed in 2004. I saved the box which goes
with the car. At the same time, I installed a pair of new Cibie H4 headlamps
with 55/60W bulbs and protective plastic globes held on by the retaining
rings.
NOTABLE AWARDS WON:
2nd Place in 95/96 1965-68 Category, SAAB Owners'
Convention 2002 (1st went to a 1967 96V4 with 600 miles on it.)
2nd Place in 2-stroke Category, SAAB Owners'
Convention 2003 (1st went to a 1964 GT-850 which has not been driven in
many years and furthermore won on its age handicap, a very marginal points
difference.)
2nd Place in People's Choice, "Vintage
Nines" Category, SAABs at Carlisle 2005 (Voting started at 8AM and
I rolled in around 10 - whoops.)
3rd Place in 2-stroke Category, SAAB Owners'
Convention 2005 (1st went to a fully restored 1963 GT-850, 2nd went to the
car mentioned under 2003. The difference between 1st and 4th was LESS than
20 points, very close competition.)
1st Place in Swedish Category, Tour of Europe
and British Car Days, Browns' Island, Fall, 2005 (a close 2nd went to Steffan
Arndt's ex-Satch Carlsson/Teresa Davenport '68 Sonett V4 Rally Car seen
below beside this car in another picture.)
I need to get something out of the way right
now - this car has no rust anywhere. The underlying metal is perfect, to
the best of my knowledge, and I've been through the car very thoroughly.
I estimate 80-85% of the original paint is still on the car. Exceptions
are the left fenders (front and rear, at least partially) and the grille
panel (educated guess, may have just been touchup).
In any event and in the worst possible case
scenario, I have found no tape marks of any kind anywhere which indicates
to me that no paintwork was carried out with these panels fitted to the
car.
There are a few very small dings along the sides
of the car - since the paint is original, I haven't wanted to risk the Dent
Wizard cracking this paint, so I've left well enough alone.
The bumpers are straight and true with a couple
of minor dings but no breaks in the chrome or any rust whatsoever.
Imagine walking into a SAAB dealer in 1970 and
getting a Certified Pre-Owned (they didn't do that then, but just play along
with me) Monte Carlo 850 owned by a car nut.
This is as close to that as you could get. Keep
reading. There's plenty more.
Just a little closer in, with the lights turned
off.
The car's original suspension is intact, with
grease-fitting ball joints and tie rod ends. A recent alignment (April,
2005, 59,500 miles approximately) found everything to be good and tight
as it should be.
I fitted a set of original Koni Sport shocks
and put them on the middle setting. Softer than gas but very good roadholding
as a result - a perfect compromise. The ride quality is complemented with
a reasonably fresh set of Vredestien Sprint Classic 155SR15 radials, the
correct size tire (and one of the reasons I placed 2nd in 2003, I had my
street 165s mounted to my spare rims on the car) mounted on the car's original
steel rims behind those original trim rings and hubcaps.
A very critical closeup shot of the right rear
bumper end and right rear fender. The mudflap is not a reproduction and
there's one which matches it on the other side. Both are original to the
car.
Since we're looking at the tailpipe here too,
I replaced the rear muffler with a new old stock GT 2 into 1 muffler in
2004 when I replaced the front expansion chamber with a new reproduction
unit. I also cleaned and painted the exhaust pipes underneath the car; according
to records they had been replaced at one time. The exhaust is not overly
loud and yet it has a very crisp tone.
I remember brushing the leaves off the car the
day I took these pictures. That's what's on the bumper, not a dent. No,
you don't get my license plates, but I'm sure I can dig up something for
you to make up for those. Yes, that's the original dealer's sticker, and
the original dealer installed tow hitch. The tow hitch was sold new with
the car - I know this because of the handwritten notes taken down by the
original owner which I have and which go with the car.
That was a tricky shot - I had the hazards,
park lights and backup lights on, and snapped the shutter when the hazard
flashed.
Fast forward to last fall. Here is the car sitting
on Brown's Island in Downtown Richmond. That is the original tool kit and
bag. I had the tools replated cad and clear (original was zinc). See the
notebook to the left? That's the original owner's maintenance and fuel log.
The binder propped up in the back holds many original documents to this
car and some from my collection. The box to the right is the original Spare
Parts Kit. You will get all of this with the car.
Let's take a step backwards...
I bet you noticed the wood slat roof rack. This
goes with the car if the Buy it Now is used. It is an original SAAB-ANA
Swedish Dealer Accessory rack, far more attractive than the bland zinc-plated
factory offering. That item absolutely makes the car.
While most of the vent window stickers are newer,
A FEW are not. The original "MADE IN TROLLHATTAN BY TROLLS" sticker
which came with the letter from Ralph Millet on Clair's original purchase
of the car is all the way forward in the right rear vent window. Arguably
the nicest one in existence affixed to any vintage SAAB today which is not
a reproduction.
The car sports a correct airplane logo locking
gas cap - the original owner only saw fit to buy this accessory in 1978,
and thus got the wrong logo on the cap. I remedied the situation with an
NOS part.
Only the Monte Carlo had these chrome vent windows
in 1966.
The Delta Mk 10 Ignition was a capacitative
discharge unit which Clair fitted in 1968. I have since bypassed it with
a custom Pertronix since the capacitative discharge still uses points and
condenser. The SAAB CLUB OF AMERICA sticker is a repro from this era, SOCGB
is from the 1970s, and the rear four are from recent events.
The bag on the rear floor contains documentation
and books I show with the car. Most of this conveys including certain items
of my choosing to the Buy it Now purchaser.
The car's interior is original. I rebuilt the
front driver's seat and replaced a bit of cloth with material scavenged
from another Monte Carlo seat, since the fabric is unobtainable. The carpets
are original to the car, but it did not have mats, which I added. Instrumentation
all works as it should. No surprises. (In very cold temperatures the tachometer
hangs up a bit at first, I have sent it out and they found nothing wrong
with it.) The foam dash pad is uncracked.
There are a couple of hairline cracks in the
instrument cluster panel. Be careful. It's original.
The car may have had an AM radio from new, but
in 1973, the FM radio under the glovebox was added. Stereo speakers are
in the back shelf. The owner's manual and service booklet are in their original
pouch in the glovebox.
This is the original back seat, down to the
SAAB airplane logo embossing which is not available today. The "wine
cooler" pockets in the rear door panels are perfect inside as are the
map pockets in the front door panels.
Left to right, places 2, 3 and 1 in the 2003
SAAB Owners' Convention in Hershey, PA. Two years later, these same three
cars were 3, 1, 2 at the 2005 event in Stratton, VT. Jim Hutchings finished
the blue car and did an excellent job, earning his 1st place at last year's
Concours. However, both the bullnose cars are older, and thus get extra
points for age handicap.
A much better picture from last year. A few
guys from Saab (red shirts) ogle the car atop the parking deck after the
Concours.
A rare shot of a SAAB for sale, zipping along
at highway speeds. I-64 west headed into Richmond, Summer, 2004.
Two years ago at the same time of the picture
above. Lousy camera, great shot. Speedometer lying since 165 tires were
on the car again (I used to put them on more often for regular use, now
they're no less rare than the 155s.)
N.B. This was a VERY hot day and that's about
as high as the temperature gets. I rebuilt the radiator with a 4 row core
in 2002, and added a very small thermostatically controlled 10" pusher
fan between the radiator and the grille, mounted to special tabs fabricated
to the upper and lower tanks. You can't see it, but it's there. The thermostatic
switch is the same 82C one people like to put in their 900s, only on this
car it's in the bottom tank of the radiator - partially for stealth, but
mostly by design. I replaced the water pump (fresh rebuild) and added another
fan blade for a total of four. Overheating was the prime cause for GT engine
failures in the 1960s. This car has no overheating problems. PERIOD.
The only pictures taken today are immediately
above and the two which follow. I found that other than major work projects
I had no underhood pictures of the car from any show or for the record.
I have tried not to restore the engine compartment
and that's why you see flaws. The sticker atop the oil tank is destroyed.
I have one. If I thought I wanted to redo the oil tank (as I did the intake
preheater tube) I'd fit it then. It adds to the patina, in my opinion. Note
the aforementioned 4 blade fan and 4 row core radiator. Airbox and heater
box are unmolested original, other than a new sticker on the other side
of the heater (below). Clutch master cylinder resealed along with slave
cylinder. Brake master fine, brakes bled a couple years ago, clean. Rear
brakes were rebuilt within 5 years, fronts are fine.
You wouldn't know it but the engine is running
in this picture. Auto shutter speed on my Leica Digilux went right to the
wall. Rats. The crank was rebuilt in 2003, the pistons are original to the
1972 warranty replacement engine fitted at that time. Since 1966-67 Monte
Carlo used the same final drive ratio as the V4, I also fitted a ribbed
case transmission of the same vintage as the engine. I haven't lost points
because of it and feel better about it. Same goes for the Pertronix electronic
ignition and Bosch Blue Coil - I drive this car anywhere I please and don't
worry one bit about the distributor getting wet.
The clutch in this car is the diaphragm type
I sell to my customers along with a new disc, throwout bearing and pilot
bushing. It is as smooth as silk, unlike the juddery characteristics of
the original Borg & Beck clutch.
I'm sure I've forgotten something since I've
spared this car nothing, except recently a wick of attention. It has been
sitting inside my new shop building undriven for many months, just started
periodically for visiting customers and friends. I woke it up last Saturday
and took it down the road, and it was as though I had driven it yesterday.
Even the tire pressures were perfect.
The flash picks up the almost indiscernable
fade in the heater duct. The paint in the engine compartment really is that
good.
A lousy picture of the right hand side of the
engine - sorry. Again the engine is running but the shutter speed is off
the hook. Look in the background - 1971 Sonett mags on my 1978 95GL V4?
If you have some, I can powdercoat them just like mine.
If you're a NINES subscriber, you'll notice
this car is in my column's regular headshot with the hood and grille off,
it was taken approximately at the time of the crank rebuild when Steve Goldberger
came to pick up a 900 I refreshed for his daughter.
Sargeant Santa presents me with my 1st Place
Prize last fall at Tour of Europe. Pulling off, I caught a bit of loose
gravel and nearly sprayed that big Austin-Healey with it. It's amusing now
but was a bit scary at the time.
who
am I/why am I selling?
If you're not in the SAAB community, you might
not know. My name (just like the user ID) is Chip
Lamb. I run a small vintage SAAB restoration
parts company in Richmond, VA. This has been my personal show car for
over four years. The car has benefitted greatly from my work and parts connections;
despite being a low miles original, it was severely neglected in some mechanical
areas which were fixing to let go at any moment. None of this is true any
longer. If you're a reader of Sports Car Market, go back to January, 2006,
pg. 16, and read about this car and some others. I'm also a SCMer, if that
helps my credibility with some of the serious of you out there.
Until very recently, I never intended to sell
it (the car is still registered for this year's SOC and Tour of Europe),
and if the correct price is not reached, it won't be. But I can think of
a number of reasons to sell this car - I own too many cars balanced against
others I drive regularly, have limited space for vehicles I buy to resell,
have a couple of vintage SAABs I might want to buy which may now be available
to me after many years of needling their owners (not as nice as this car
but more special to me, if you can believe that) - and finally, the vintage
racing bug has bitten me again. With regard to the latter, I've been fending
it off for six years and it looks like I'm going to have to give in. This
is a tremendous time and money commitment which in my situation appear to
be incompatible with owning this car. Perhaps I'm trying to be too responsible,
but then again this car has not had the use I like to give my cars, rather
than let them sit.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for
one lucky person to own perhaps the nicest unrestored Monte Carlo 850 in
North America if not on the planet. If you don't understand that it's not
just another 96, this might not be the car for you. Less than 100 of these
cars are in good enough shape to drive, and very rarely do I hear about
any which are the least bit competitive as a show car let alone runs as
well as this one.
what you get with the
car
If you win the car at auction without using
the Buy it Now, you will get the car as you see it above in the initial
pictures. You get all the original documentation and a selection of items
I have bought that should stay with the car, including the Spare Parts Kit
pictured above. Naturally the tool kit and other parts of the car will go
with it. Shipping from my location will be your responsibility.
If you use the Buy it Now, you will get everything.
You will get the entire spares package I have put together, including many
rare spare trim items, a much-improved rebuilt crankshaft with new rods,
pins et.al which we had not yet manufactured when rebuilding the crank in
this engine, and more. You will get the incredibly rare Swedish dealer accessory
roof rack. You will get more rare documentation. Finally, you will get (if
you are this close) delivery aboard my car transport truck within 200 miles
of Richmond, VA - this covers the Ports of Baltimore and Norfolk as well
if you are outside the North American Continent - all inclusive. This would
be an amazing value to someone who feels the same way I do about this car.
payment/shipping terms
Payment is due IN FULL within 7 (seven) days
of auction close unless alternate arrangements
are made with me in advance of your bid. If you cannot pay, you
may not bid.
Pickup/Shipping must occur within 14 (fourteen)
days of auction close again, unless
alternate arrangements are made with me in advance of your bid. I
will work with you or your agent to the best of my ability if you hire a
transport company to retrieve the car.
With regard to driving the car home any distance
- heck, I drove it to Reading, PA and back via Carlisle - sure it ought
to do it, but it's also a 40 year old car and one which is irreplaceable
should a physical accident occur on the roads. If you want to pick it up,
I recommend a trailer or just hire a professional transport company, preferably
enclosed.
I know I've left something out
which you've noticed here. There's simply too much to put in, remember,
and make readable without spending a week on this one auction. So, if you
have...
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? CONCERNS?
E-MAIL ME OR CALL 804-357-4926