My first guess on it was an '88 or '89 but wasn’t sure as some things on it looked a bit different. Even from the one pic it sure looks to be a beauty.
And there’s always that certain great driving “feel” they have. 
Yeah it really was a beautiful car. The new owner was drooling over it…and with good reason. It was the nicest Saab of that vintage that I have ever seen. Perfect paint, not a scratch on it…always garage kept and covered. Dealer serviced with factory Saab parts. It even had a new transmission installed with the larger diameter input shaft …aparrently that year Saab had a known issue with the input shafts on the 5 speed manual trannys. The fix was implemented in a later year…the previous owner had Saab install that transmission NEW by the dealer because he wanted the stronger unit. He was a millionare…and he admitted to “Spirited Driving” while he was out in that vehicle.
After I modified the APC box and installed those wheels with 17 in wheels n tires. It was the fastest and nicest handling Saab I’ve ever driven. I mean it was really fast. Cornered like it was on rails too. I really do miss that Convertible…but even now while I miss it…I still know it was “Too Nice” for me to drive around. I would have hung myself if someone ran into it or some shit like that. These things tend to happen to me when I worry about keeping a vehicle in perfect shape. Oh well, its out there somewhere…I was told that it went to a good home…and had a Big Giant Gift Wrap Bow on top of it in the driveway for her husband. They assured me they enjoy the car very much and it has a secure spot in their driveway. At least that is some consolation for me. LOL
Blackbird
SAABs get vilified quite a bit but I’ve never had quite the same attitude about them as many others do. When I worked for SAAB we didn’t get that many people complaining about them and threatening to set them on fire. Like any other car they have their quirks or problems but so does everyone else.
I actually kind of enjoyed servicing them. Flat rate was pretty decent and major services especially was gravy money in the bank. As a matter of fact, the bulk of repairs was wear items and maintenance services with comparatively little in the line of warranty complaints.
I never thought Saabs were bad cars, just different. Once you got used to them they weren’t really hard to repair or maintain, just kind of labor intensive. They did have a different approach to engineering and design. I remember on mine the wipers were run by a cable and bell crank system that connected the motor to the wiper arms.
I think parts availability finally made lots of people get rid of them.
They definitely use some “different” engineering techniques. The engine sitting backwards in the engine compartment and resting on top of the transmission which also served as the engine oil pan is about as unusual as it gets.
Or the little driveshaft with U-joints which connects the temperature control knob on the dash to the heater valve.
The older turbocharged models had an adjustable waste gate and were set to produce about 8 PSI of boost maximum. The adjustment was under a cover with a number of bolts and a lead seal which was in place to detect any tampering as SAAB dealers were the only ones with the the seals and the special pliers used to stamp the new seals with.
Chiltons manuals provided instructions on how to adjust the waste gate. What Chiltons did not do was specify how little movement was needed on the adjuster to bump the boost up. Some would not believe that a 1/16 of a turn made a fair amount of difference in the boost so they would give it a full turn which could raise the boost from 8 to 25.
This was usually followed by blowing the head gasket out at the least or in a worst case situation would pull head bolts out of the engine block or wipe pistons.
Cars with blown engines would end up at the dealer with the lead seal missing and the “Who, me?” bit would start.
A guy who lived a short ways down the road from me discovered the latter on his newly purchased 30k miles pride and joy when he wanted to increase the performance.
Eventually SAAB discontinued this design and replaced it with an inaccessible turbo overboost module which would cut power to the fuel pump if someone’s foot got out of line.
well Honda blackbird, I have this jeep, and I m not too far from philly…
Funny you say that…I repaired a Jeep for a guy I knew from high school a few years back…It was this Ugly Gold Color (More on this later) This Jeep sat at a shop for 5 YEARS…yes 5 years… The shop couldn’t get any starter to function properly after the transmission was swapped out with a different 5 speed.
So I said…let me see the thing… Long story short…I had to hog out a bolt mounting hole for the starter and rotate the starter IN toward the flywheel so that it meshed properly. After that it started up and functioned just fine…the starter needed a bit of adjustment. So my friend who had moved on in vehicles long ago…says to me… Give me $1500 for the Jeep and anything over you can keep.
Remember when I said it was an Ugly Gold Color? Well it was an 82 Jeep CJ7 JAMBOREE Edition. This edition was listed in the Jeep collectors book as one of THE most desireable and collectable Jeeps of all time. New in 82’ they cost 40% more than the same CJ sitting next to it.
Well once I discovered what she was…I really went to work advertizing it and the Jeep community went absolutely NUTSO over this thing. Eventually I made a deal with a guy for 3000 AND a Mint condition 1989 Mazda RX7 Convertible…and I mean it was in Mint condition. SO…I gave this guy his money…Kept the 1500 xtra…and then sold the RX7 for $5500
Not a bad deal eh? I considered keeping the Jeep because as many a Jeepophiles told me…they have never even seen one of these Jamboree edition Jeeps…and they were the heads of many different clubs. I had nowhere to store that thing and I guess I just hated the color.
So whats your Jeeps problem? Or were you just kidding?
Blackbird
oh my jeep has problems, but no worries I m used to car trouble…
it s a 1990 Cherokee Laredo str 6 I think that the manifold/intake gasket is allowing water into my oil, but I m not sure. it could be my head gasket, as I originally thought, but it sure has lasted a long time for a bad head gasket. I ve had anti freeze smell in exhaust for quite a while. I just change the oil a lot right now. cleanest engine I ve ever owned…
i think i saw a plastic model of that gold jeep when i was a kid…
Yep THAT Gold Jeep. I remember when the guy bought it back in HS. I never looked into what it was precisely, but I can tell you that the Jeep community went absolutely NUTSO for it. Here it is in all its Glory. In the end I made over 6000 on this thing as well as paying the owner off for it. Maybe I should have kept it? I like Jeeps but never owned one…maybe I will get one of them someday?
Blackbird