1977 Saab 99 99GL
Background check
Description
Here is a very rare opportunity to own and restore a piece of automotive nostalgia. This is a 1977 Saab 99GL, a 1985cc automatic 4-door sedan.
This is a very rare car, and it's in substantially very sound condition. I have never seen another 4-door sedan Saab 99 on the road. Oh, and what a fabulous colour! :-)
This would be an ideal restoration for somebody who can visualise doing some detailed welding at the tops of the door panels, replacing one rear wheelarch panel, doing some repair work on the top edge of the bodywork under the back edge of the bootlid, a small number of very localised bodywork repairs, and restoring the interior.
There is a genuine reason for its sale. I owned this actual car from 2001 to 2010, when I sold it to a European couple, and then I re-purchased it early last year when it came up on Trade Me in Wellington. It was intended to be a surprise for a family member in years to come, but she unfortunately passed way in January, so the reason for the restoration no longer exists, hence the sale.
It has been de-registered since 2014, I think it was - long before I bought it back - but it comes with its original number plates, which can, I understand, be re-assigned to the car when it is re-registered, so its original black and silver plates can be retained for re-registration.
This car, of all the cars I've ever owned, was by far the most solid-feeling car to drive. It drove with a real sense of weight and safety, and truly exhibits the reputation that Saab had for building "tanks"! The doors sound fabulous when they shut with a CLUNK!
Good points:
The bodywork is very solid except as above. The bottoms of the doors, and the other three wheel arches, are all excellent. The underside of the car looks particularly well-preserved. The original carpets are in very good, though colour-faded, condition.
There's much too much to write about here for Trade Me to allow me to continue, as the listing description allows 2048 characters only, so I'll continue in the Comments section below.
Questions & Answers
Since I bought it, I've had the whole fuel system thoroughly cleaned out professionally, as the petrol in the tank was ancient, no good for engine ignition. The petrol tank was flushed out, a new fuel line fitted underneath the car, and the twin Stromberg carburettors were both thoroughly stripped and cleaned, with parts replaced where necessary, and reassembled, so the engine has been made to run smoothly with a restored fuel system and fresh petrol. Seller comment Tuesday, 28 April 2026 The car has four excellent tyres, replaced by the previous owner, he said. The less good points: There is a blockage in the metal pipe right at the front of the petrol tank, which the mechanics were unable to unblock without removing the petrol tank, which was going to be my first project myself. Fuel delivery to the engine has thus been temporarily set up so that petrol is delivered via a fuel line inserted into the top of the petrol tank under the boot floor. Seller comment Tuesday, 28 April 2026 The fuel thus goes to the engine through the car's interior at the moment. The engine starts and runs smoothly, but after a while the next not so good part comes into play. I was assured when I bought the car that the water pump had been replaced - "I fitted new tyres way back when, some new hoses, core plugs and a new water pump" were the words in the Trade Me listing last year - but the water pump is leaking now, dripping out steadily under the car. Seller comment Tuesday, 28 April 2026 The temperature gauge thus goes over the Normal temperature, at which point I turn the car off. Two more good points: For the future repairs, I purchased a new water pump and a replacement new rear wheelarch from England last year (see photos), and they are included with the car. This Saab 99 SOOO deserves to be properly restored by a capable enthusiast, as it is a very rare car - I've never seen another 4-door sedan on the road in my 36 years of driving - and well worth the time and effort! Seller comment Tuesday, 28 April 2026 I paid $1800 for the car last year, and about $1900 on the fuel system work, plus $500 on transporting the car up from Wellington to Whanganui, plus the costs of the water pump and wheelarch. I'm prepared to lose money noticeably on the experience, but I would appreciate some acknowledgement of the money and time spent on it since I bought it. :-) The car is in Whanganui, and needs to be trailered away. Please get in touch with any questions. Seller comment Tuesday, 28 April 2026 Hello. I love the Saab but I love the Peugeot 505 in the background too. Is the Peugeot coming up for sale? Chris edenrae (48 • 8:05 am, Tue, 28 AprHi. Thanks for your question. These photos of the Saab were actually taken on the day I bought it, 14 February last year, at the premises of the previous seller, so that's not my Peugeot 505, sorry. :-) The Saab's been in my garage since delivery to Whanganui (other than when it was having the fuel system work carried out) so these outdoor photos are much better than I can take at the moment. Thanks again, Iain fudgebonnet (927 • Tuesday, 28 April 2026If only I had the energy! Hope all goes well with the sale. Cheers Fraser bunt1 (263 • 11:19 am, Fri, 1 MayHi Fraser. Thank you very much for your good wishes for the sale! Cheers, Iain :-) fudgebonnet (927 • Friday, 1 May 2026
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$4,000
$2,500
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