So, if the road is an open book, then SAAB is the story for the ages. The brand claims that when people are driving a SAAB, they are driving more than a car and typical Saab Guy is a person who does not know how to drive, fix their car, or how to not come across as a total spouche…
Here’s another more typical saab story, and Jon Hochstetter from Illinois, USA told his Saab story…
39 years ago today…..
I drove home in my brand new 1979 Saab 99 GL in beautiful Chamotte Brown, VIN 99792001636, assembled in August 1978.
After almost 145,000 miles it resides in my garage hoping to be resurrected to attend a SOC. It was driven to the first of the modern SOCs at Galena, Illinois in August 1983, whose faded oval convention sticker is on the lower left hand side of the rear window.
Since that first day, so many years ago, it has been joined by twenty more Saabs including models 96, 97, a brace of 99s (’75, ’78 & 2-’79), a gaggle of 900s (’79, ’81, ’83, 3-’85, ’86, ’91 & ’93) in the form of three, four and five doors, five 9000s (’86, ’93, ’94 & 2-’96) and a ’00 9-5 Sport Wagon.
Saabs in the stable include ’73 Sonett III, ’79 99GL, ’85 900T, ’96 9000CSE and the ’00 9-5 SW.
I have been able to attend many SOCs: ’83, ’85, ’88, ’93, ’94, ’97, ’98, ’00, ’02, ’03, ’04 & ’07. In all but two of the SOCs I arrived in a Saab, either my own or Peter Gilbert’s million mile SPG. The two not attended in a Saab were on two wheels – a ’85 BMW K100RS.
Jon Hochstetter
Kenosha, WI
21 Saabs in 39 years…..and counting…..both the Saabs and the years!
Photo in Channing, MI in early June 1979.
