Swedish Car Day 2025

Here are the whips and rides at Swedish Car Day at Larz Andersen Auto Museum in Brookline, MA. This was my first ever SCD and it was by far the most fun I've ever had at a car show. I can't wait for SCD 2026!

Tyler's "Harlequin Saab" 9-5 started life as a Glacier Blue car, and has been decorated with various panels from other 9-5s. It's a great concept!

1980 99 GL

A rarity here! This is one of the last 99s sold in the US market, before sales ceased that year. 99 sales continued internationally until 1984, after which, it was replaced by the Saab 90.

1968 Sonett II V4

1979 900 GLE

The 1979 Saab 900 is a one of the most interesting 900s produced during its production run. The '79 was what I consider to be a hybrid of the 99 and the 900. Besides having the distinction of being a first year production car, the 1979 900 is unlike any 900 that would follow from 1980 until 1993. 

The '79 900 has a few key distinctions. First, is its double vented hood. Where 1980 and later 900s would feature an air intake vent on the left hand side of the car (facing the front), the '79 has a second located on the left side. This was discontinued the following year. 

While a 900 by appearance, these featured the same power plant as the 99: The 2.0 liter Saab B-Motor. The 900 would continue to use the B-Motor into 1980, but would use the redesigned H-Motor in 1981 and onward. 

Also for '79, the single rear tail light lens as seen on the Saab 99 was used as a carry over into the new model. They're the same lens too, and like the double vent hood, would be switch over to the extended tail light on the lift gate in 1980. 

Inside, these cars feature the same interior panels, seats, and center console from the 99. The only difference is the dashboard, which would be the only design feature to remain consistent from 1979 to 1993.

1984 900 Turbo T5 Conversion 

This is easily one of the nicest Saab 900s in New England. The owner, Jake, has put a lot of work into making this car what it is today, and it certainly shows. Besides the appearance, car's most prominent attribute is the Saab Trionic 5, or T5, conversion. 

The Saab T5 system is an ECU that was introduced in 1993 on the Saab 9000. It controls the ignition timing, fuel injection, and controls the turbo boost. A T5 conversion has become popular for 900 enthusiasts because it helps make the driving and engine functionality of these old cars a lot more responsive and easier to work on. This is certainly a car worth being proud of.

This car features many Saab factory accessories, such as the iconic Sport and Rally Steering Wheel. Jake has many more accessories to install on this car. Stay tuned!

1978 99 Turbo S

Here is my personal favorite from SCD. This is the nicest 99 Turbo I've ever seen, and probably will see for that matter. This 1978 99 Turbo S has quite the story, as its appearance brings many questions, even to the casual Saab enthusiast. First off, this car has E-code headlamps, a color not available on the Turbo in 1978, and an unusual trim designation of "Turbo S." Fortunately, I was able to meet the owner and learn the story of his car. 

This 1978 99 Turbo S was a post production model after the original batch of 99 Turbos for '78. See, the 99 Turbo was such a hit, that Saab still had demand for the model. Most of the '78 Turbos were to be ordered in black, but Saab no longer had any more cars painted in that color. So, Saab had a limited number of 300 or so cars finished in Sterling Silver, and, to meet the needs of their buyers, sold these as the Turbo S. These cars were also fitted with a factory mounted water injector, which gave the car an extra 20 pounds of boost. 

This specific 99 Turbo has won many shows, and has been present at the concours at the national Saab Owners Conventions. It won best Saab 99 at SCD, for obvious reasons. 

This car is easily the nicest 99s I've ever seen, and not just in person. I would argue its probably one of the best examples on the road. 

Most of this car is original, excluding the the front fascia. The owner installed a correct E-Code headlamp setup on this car. It originally came with the sealed beams as seen on US spec cars.

Modified 1970 96 V4

Here is a really clean and really modified Saab 96. This V4 motor is certainly not making the same power it once made from factory, that's for sure!

1973 Saab Sonett III

A visitor from Minnesota! This Sonett features Incas, which I've never seen on a Sonett, but look really good. They're also finished in chrome, which I've never seen before either. These were definitely refinished in chrome, as chrome was not a factory option for the Inca wheel.