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Miata Drivetrain in a SAAB 96

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Old 02-05-2012, 11:41 PM
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Default Miata Drivetrain in a SAAB 96

I know, I need to finish one project before starting another, but when the option presents itself you must move on it.

Picked up a 94 Miata R last week. Got it home on Friday night. Looked like this.




As of 10:00 Sunday night it looks like this.



The intent is to swap the entire drivetrain including engine, trans, rear end, both subframes, suspension, brakes, wiring harness - the whole thing into
a SAAB 96. Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate and I was unable to view said SAAB at the owner's farm. Hopefully next weekend.

If it just will not go, I'll build a Locost but I really want to do the SAAB. It will be tough. The SAAB was a FWD car with a 1300cc V4 in it.
I'm thinking SR20T25 budget turbo build. With the drivetrain in the SAAB it will perform and handle pretty well. The vehicles are similar size and weight. Making camaro, vette and mustangs cry on the road course with a 60's vintage SAAB will be epic.

Parts chillin in the shop.


Attached Thumbnails Miata Drivetrain in a SAAB 96-2012-02-02_13-38-21_13.jpg   Miata Drivetrain in a SAAB 96-2012-02-02_13-34-56_837.jpg   Miata Drivetrain in a SAAB 96-img-20120205-00036.jpg   Miata Drivetrain in a SAAB 96-img-20120205-00026.jpg   Miata Drivetrain in a SAAB 96-img-20120205-00028.jpg  

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Old 02-06-2012, 12:54 AM
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subbed for gigant bon4rz
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Old 02-06-2012, 08:04 AM
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Thanks for gutting a perfectly good Miata, assflute.
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Old 02-06-2012, 08:27 AM
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Originally Posted by hustler
Thanks for gutting a perfectly good Miata, assflute.
And an R to boot, making me Mr. assflute to you.
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Old 02-06-2012, 08:45 AM
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So you bought his car...The dude you bought this from posted on miataforumz.com
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Old 02-06-2012, 08:47 AM
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I sad until I read this.

Originally Posted by Stein
Making camaro, vette and mustangs cry on the road course with a 60's vintage SAAB will be epic.
I wonder if you could put that R back together in 2 days.
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Old 02-06-2012, 08:52 AM
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Originally Posted by Braineack
So you bought his car...The dude you bought this from posted on miataforumz.com
really? I need to creep that.

EDIT: Tried to find anything - couldn't. He didn't strike me as the kind who would post. The guy i got it from bought it at impound auction. The prior owner got caught on a drug stop on I80 going from CA to IA and the car was impounded and then sold by the tow company to cover towing and storage.

Last edited by Stein; 02-06-2012 at 09:24 AM.
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Old 02-06-2012, 08:57 AM
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http://www.miataforumz.com/showthread.php?t=630

I got the craziest call today.... guy wants the trans and both subframes with suspension to graft it under his.....

wait for it......
SAAB 99 body! He has a bridge ported 12a rotary to put in it. He only wants to spend $500 and wont need the body ect. I am going to keep the trunk lid, front and rear bumpers, doors with power windows, console, radio bezel, hood, headlights, and other various bits. He just needs a running driving platform until he swaps the engines. If he shows up at the house as promised with the deposit, I start stripping the car.
Oh wait, so maybe it's not you...crazy that two saabs are going on miata subframes.
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Old 02-06-2012, 09:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Stein
And an R to boot, making me Mr. assflute to you.
I don't give a ---- about the "R", we're going to run out of chassis soon and its your fault. See you in hell.
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Old 02-06-2012, 09:25 AM
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Originally Posted by turotufas


I wonder if you could put that R back together in 2 days.
I doubt it. It took me that long to disassemble and that always goes about twice as fast.
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Old 02-06-2012, 09:29 AM
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Originally Posted by hustler
I don't give a ---- about the "R", we're going to run out of chassis soon and its your fault. See you in hell.
It is actually my fault. This is the first time that I have dismantled a non-wrecked running car. It was just perfect for what I wanted. I actually had waffled on just making a cheap track **** out of it. It already had the suspension and hard top. Just gut, roll bar and drive, but I have the V8 car for that. I wanted something different.
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Old 02-06-2012, 10:18 AM
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Originally Posted by Stein
It is actually my fault. This is the first time that I have dismantled a non-wrecked running car. It was just perfect for what I wanted. I actually had waffled on just making a cheap track **** out of it. It already had the suspension and hard top. Just gut, roll bar and drive, but I have the V8 car for that. I wanted something different.
Don't tell me, tell this to Marshall Applewhite at Heaven's Gate.
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Old 02-06-2012, 10:45 AM
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The 96 will need some flares since the track is somewhat "different" to a Miata (1220 mm vs about 1420mm, 48" vs 56").
I remember trying to be two kids in the back seat, it was tight.
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Old 02-06-2012, 10:58 AM
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Originally Posted by NiklasFalk
The 96 will need some flares since the track is somewhat "different" to a Miata (1220 mm vs about 1420mm, 48" vs 56").
I remember trying to be two kids in the back seat, it was tight.
Yes, I anticipated this on the track width. I still need to go to see the car with a tape measure in hand.

I'll also have to move the firewall back about 10" because there won't be room for a footwell once there is a transmission tunnel there and the fender protrudes into the cabin. As a result it will be losing the back seat. No matter, it will be getting a set of aluminum 15" or 16" Kirkey seats and a cage and that's about it.
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Old 02-06-2012, 11:04 AM
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Omg you ruined a perfect miata! These cars are such gems, and you destroyed one. Your saab won't have the weight distribution to ever keep up with the perfect design of the miata!

/m.net rant.

J/k man, subscribed to see how this turns out.
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Old 02-06-2012, 11:08 AM
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SAAB 96?!?!
Subscribed for glorryyyy!!!!!
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Old 02-06-2012, 01:29 PM
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At first, I was like "a Saab?"



But then I saw you write, "Making camaro, vette and mustangs cry on the road course with a 60's vintage SAAB will be epic" and decided to google Saab 96 and discovered this:



and this:



and decided his might be pretty spectacular after all.
Attached Thumbnails Miata Drivetrain in a SAAB 96-saab_900_3door.jpg   Miata Drivetrain in a SAAB 96-9614.jpg   Miata Drivetrain in a SAAB 96-9683.jpg  
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Old 02-06-2012, 01:52 PM
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Yes, that last picture is my target. More flare, though, to get the stock suspension under it.
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Old 02-06-2012, 02:09 PM
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old SAABs are awesome!


Attached Thumbnails Miata Drivetrain in a SAAB 96-1960-1980-saab-96-1969-swedish-rally-1280x960.jpg  
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Old 02-06-2012, 02:30 PM
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I haven't yet seen the actual SAAB but it has been stored indoors for 12-15 years. It does come with multiple doors and more importantly multiple fenders for figuring out the "slight" fender roll.
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