The Golden Bull

Bullnose, 95/96, 97, Saab Life, Q&A

E-Mail me at :[email protected]

In Search of the Golden Guppy or Seeking the Golden Bull?

Enjoy the vicarious thrill of finding yet another vintage Saab!

On Being Saab Crazy...

A few weeks ago I got one of those serendipitous e-mails this is exactly how it read: "Hi I saw the web sight on the cars you found in Modesto well I live in Sonora Ca.I would like to offer you my 1960 Saab 96 for $800 it is agood daily driver it just needs someone who knows more about these cars then I do it is strate and has a new master cylinder please let me know if you would like to see it."

"Needless to say I became obsessed once again with "Saab Need'. My friends and family can only shake their heads and talk among themselves. Its widely known in my circle of acquaintances that I've thrown over a big time obsession with fishing to go head long into Saabs. I tell them that driving Volvos for a number of years was like being on methadone. It got the job done but there was none of the fun. Once I was hooked on Saabs again there was no going back. I've half expected to cool down a bit on these cars, I've got more than enough cars...more than I can maintain and keep my sanity...but then its been commonly acknowledged that my sanity, when it comes to Saabs, is in question.

In fact some suggest that to continue to work on these strange potato shaped cars after my 'shocking experiences' in May is like spitting in the faces of the Chinese gods. I was struck by lightening while scrubbing out the engine compartment on my 73 96. Some see a dark omen, I prefer to think of the car as 'pre-disastered'. (I came through fine, but I'm still a bit jumpy when I see thunder heads.)

One of my old fishing buddies just shakes his head, unable to see why working in a high desert garage tearing down Saab transmissions is more interesting to me than fishing up in Desolation Wilderness... On the face of it it is hard to explain so I won't try. Instead let me share with you my Quest for the next Saab...

That much anticipated first look: Its never quite the way you imagine it in your mind's eye. I certainly didn't expect this.
Hooking up ready to roll: I've towed quite a few Saabs with the tow bar I got from Ron Lunder back in '95 when he gave me a 1971 V4 95. That car, aka Stealth, is now my daughter's daily driver. The tow bar was set up to haul the later model 96's, I drilled a couple of extra holes to accommodate the bumper bracket holes on the bullnose--a fatal error on my part as it proved later on the tow.
Tow bar disaster: Nothing like seeing the Saab you're towing trying to pass you. For the next 24 hours I just chanted it could have been worse...much worse.
On the road again, again: Thanks to my good friend Doug Ross, I was back the next day with his car hauler. Working on the idea that every little step counts I very carefully hooked up the Saab for the tow back to Nevada. Things were very smooth, I got into the proper towing groove and got the bull back to its new desert home without further incident. I enjoyed a brief stop at the view point...looking out over the Sierra with a new Saab on my back.
Bull in the Sand, Guppy in the Desert: The Golden Bull waits for transplants and TLC at its new Nevada home.
Floorboard Rust Repair, step by step. The Bull's rusty floor gets DEALT WITH...big time.

Bullnose, 95/96, 97, Saab Life, Q&A

E-Mail me at: [email protected]



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