The Beigemobile - AKA Bluey

[Nutcase]

I think it was Leon asking about Bluey at the Essex meet. Well I'm bored (read should be doing paperwork for work :D), so here's the story of how I ended up with the thing, and what I've done with it so far...

As you know, I've got a black turbo. The weak link on these cars is the gearbox, and as I'm a hooligan, I wanted to collect a few spares. So I stuck an ad up for a gearbox for a turbo. I got one response, from a Scottish chap living in london who said he had a car with a turbo interior so it would have a turbo gearbox. Er, ok I said, not convinced. He said he was going to scrap the car as the headgasket had gone, did I want it. I asked for details, any other problems etc. None reported. So unseen, I agreed to pay £50 for the car and £50 for delivery - for the whole car! A 1983 Saab 99 GL in babypoo brown, and 170,000 on the clock.

And so it arrive on 6th Feb 2005.

http://www.nutcase.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/BLU1.jpg

http://www.nutcase.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/BLU3.jpg

http://www.nutcase.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/BLU4.jpg

Something struck me as familiar - turned out that the car used to belong to one of the East Midlands branch of the owners club and was famous around that area, I'd seen it mentioned in the past.

Anyway, first clue all was not well was when I put some water in the coolant tank. And it all came straight out the exhaust. Hmm, head gasket VERY gone then:

http://www.nutcase.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/BLUHG.jpg

But that was minor compared to the real problem:

http://www.nutcase.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/BLUPISTON.jpg

Ouch. I rang the previous owner and pried a little. Turns out when the HG went, he kept driving. At 90. For 40+ miles. Yup, that'd kill the engine :angry:

So I went on the hunt. Do you think I could find a replacement 8v locally? So I ended up buying a 16v injection engine and gearbox with 160,000 miles on it from Witham, that came home in the back of the turbo:

http://www.nutcase.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/backseat.jpg

http://www.nutcase.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/16valve.jpg

[Nutcase]

Before I go on, I'd better add a note about the name Bluey. Yes it's from the numberplate, yes it confuses the hell out of people, and no I didn't name it! The daughter of the previous keeper but one named it thus, so who am I to take the name away :)

Anyway, I had a decision to make. The replacement engine and box in theory should just drop in, with minor alterations to the mounts, despite 8 extra valves, a different model of car and 11 years of development. But the amount of work to convert the car to work on electronic fuel injection was a LOT - including totally replacing the fuel tank and a heck of a lot of wiring.

So I decided to see how easy it would be to convert the 16v engine to an 8v. Turns out it's childsplay, the blocks are identical :cool: But I needed an 8v head - I happened to be going up to Aberdeenshire so what better place to find one and bring back. Hmm.

So the rebuild commenced. New timing chain and guides, new gaskets and that was about it.

http://www.nutcase.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/eng1.jpg

http://www.nutcase.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/eng2.jpg

http://www.nutcase.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/eng4.jpg

And in the new engine goes:

http://www.nutcase.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/eng6.jpg

Fantastic.

But there was a problem. When I got the engine plumbed in and running, there was a strange scrubbing sound. After a bit of hunting I found that the bolt that holds the crank pulley on was JUST contacting the bulkhead. After some homework, it turns out that from about 1990 Saab made the crank a teeny bit longer for some reason. Fine for the longer engine bay 900, but no good for the 99. Grr!!! So out the engine came, and a bit of bodgery was implemented :D

http://www.nutcase.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/boltholeplug.jpg

Engine back in, connected up, and all's good :) Off for an MOT. Failed in rear brake pipes and rear discs excessively corroded. Simple job to do, back in and a pass :)

[Nutcase]

Used the car for a while all was good :) And then took it to Coventry for a big Saab meet, so thought I'd best give it a bit of a scrub:

http://www.saabcentral.com/phpgallery/albums/Coventry-2006/DSCF0204.sized.jpg

http://www.saabcentral.com/phpgallery/albums/Coventry-2006/DSCF0205.sized.jpg

I even got published!

http://www.saabcentral.com/phpgallery/albums/Coventry-2006/Saab_Article.jpg

Had a few adventures since - took the car up to Aberdeenshire to my friend's place - 1,120 mile round trip, mostly at 90+ and didn't skip a beat. I did have to change the coolant tank afterwards though as the heat had cracked it :evil:

And also for grins took it round Castle Combe:

http://www.saabcentral.com/phpgallery/albums/album25/nutcase.sized.jpg

Almost caught up a 175bhp T16 - not bad for a 100bhp carb car :D

But the miles are taking their toll - the carb is knackered and spares are nigh on impossible to find, and the rust it taking hold underneath :'( So currently the arse is in the air whilst I strip all the suspension off, change the 24 year old springs, shocks and bushes, swap the tank for a fuel injection tank, get some welding done, and then convert Bluey to K-Jet fuel injection. Should be about 110bhp then. MAYBE aftr that a low pressure turbo converision......!

[Mohinder]

hahahah your face in that last pic is classic :D

Sweet car, love the colour!

[Belmit]

That upholstery is pure Austin Powers. Very groovy. :)

[Nutcase]

I had a choice of two pics from the day - that one and a "normal" expression one. No decision to make as to which to buy :D

The original interior was probably a dull blue, that's a turbo interior, orange dreylon and deep red vinyl. Yeah baby ;D

[Justsomebloke]

That upholstery is pure Austin Powers. Very groovy. :)


I didn't know what to say so have quoted you for truth ;D
The pics were saved for me by the last one. I can imagine a ride out in it & the training procedure.
"Right then Everybody lean left when i go right, Ready Now ? Buckle up babys" ;D

Top motor, i feel the love :cool:

[Nutcase]

:D

Poor car has been abandoned since Monday (see thread about soggy nut hut, been busy). But next week I'm working lates so weather permitting should get a fair amount done :)

[Nutcase]

Remembered I'm supposed to be heading up to Castle Combe again on the 8th for "Euro Fest" or whatever it's called. Poor car hasn't been touched in weeks!

Over the last couple of days I've stripped out the inlet manifold, carb, airbox, some of the plumbing.

And using bits from at LEAST 8 different cars, I've put a new inlet manifold, throttle body, k-jet metering unit and airbox, all sorts of random plumbing to bodge it into shape, a different thermostat housing as the original didn't have the bracket for the warm up reg. Problem is, the outlet to the rad on that thing points right at the radiator fan, so some jiggery pokery needed. Probably a couple of plumbing copper elbows :evil:

Almost ready to put the back axle back on. I'm HATING the last couple of bushes though, doing my head in, hence starting on the engine bay. Then a little bit of plumbing round the tank, and it's good to go :)

Turns out someone else is doing the exact same conversion at the same time. Mine is a suprise for combe though, so I've been dropping hints on how to do it without (hopefully!) giving the game away :)

[Nutcase]

Got a bit more done today, but not looking that hopeful :(

Old brake pipes are cut off the rear axle, ready for the new ones.
Last bush is in, so can start assembling the axle as soon as the fuel line plumbing is done.

But there lies the problems. I have a wide selection of fuel lines to make what I need from, but nothing so far fits right, so I'm going to have to either buy new (£££) or cut fittings from what I've got and try and re-use them. I think a combination of both... So I'm making up a list of bits to "VOR" from Sweden, and I'll get hacking about tomorrow. Unfortunately, most of the fittings I want to reuse are seized, so they don't swivel. But to replace those with new would cost over £40! Fine if I was planning on keeping the car, but I'm not... So I'm going to cut the old pipe off and see if I can free them up and fit a new bit of pipe. Not fun!

In the engine bay, one of the two coolant plumbing issues is sorted, the other not yet, I need to find a 32mm 90deg elbow to join two hoses. I might have to buy a flexi hose from halfords, but that's nearly £13! Then I think it's just one gasket, and then some wiring.

I'm hoping for some easy work days in the week so I can get some done in the evenings!

[Nutcase]

Was working in Edgware today, so reasonably local, finished at 2. By 3 I was in Chelmsford Halfords to get the flexy-bodge-hose.

Of course, my MD managed to choose that afternoon to let the monkeys there loose on his motor getting a hands free fitted.

Fortunately, I'd popped into the office first thing this morning to drop my shiny new certificate in, so instead of saying "What the heck are you doing here when you should be working??" he said "Ooh, congratulations, we must have a chat!" :D

Anyway, plumbing in the engine bay done, one shock done, found the new bolts for the rear axle are the wrong size, despite being genuine Saab. Hmm. I think maybe someone has changed the axle for an earlier one at some point as the originals from the Turbo fit...

Of the bits I need urgently, some were NLA, so only 3 are now winging their way from Sweden, should have them some time tomorrow assuming I can get to Dunmow in time. I've cleaned up the remaining fuel fittings I have to reuse. Not pretty, but servicable.

Getting there...........

[Nutcase]

Nuts. Literaly. That's all that's made it from Sweden, the rest is NLA. Grrr!

So I started making up fuel lines myself this avo, promptly slipped, and took a mahoosive (man size) chunk of knuckle out. Bled a lot, but strangely no pain.

So no gain - still need to make the damned fuel lines ;D :embarassed:

Really ought to take some piccies of the work done, would make some sense then...

[Nutcase]

Progress :) Despite being thoroughly knackered, got an hour or so a day done. Except yesterday cos I was a right lazy sod :D

Fuel lines are done (assuming when I pressure them up, no leaks), back axle is on along with new springs and shocks, and some of the wiring is done. Still to do:

Finish wiring, reconnect brake lines and bleed (awaiting a second nut from Sweden, coming normal route so takes a few days), slap the wheels on.

Replace exhaust, but to do that I need to get one section of pipe made as it's NLA and damned if I can find one. Only a straight bit (I won't get a silencer put in as original), so should be easy enough.

The wiring will be the hardest bit as it has to go to the ignition switch etc.

Might get that done tomorrow.

[Nutcase]

Oh, and some pics :)

Before:

http://www.saabcentral.com/phpgallery/albums/06-08-06/DSCF0673.sized.jpg

After:

http://www.saabcentral.com/phpgallery/albums/album25/DSCF1225.sized.jpg

http://www.saabcentral.com/phpgallery/albums/album25/DSCF1226.sized.jpg

And my none-too-proud-of water hose bodge :o

http://www.saabcentral.com/phpgallery/albums/album25/DSCF1227.sized.jpg

[Nutcase]

Wiring was easy in the end, well most of it, I still need to run one thick cable all the way from the engine bay relays to the fuel pump in the boot. Not looking forward to that. That'll wait until tomorrow!

[Nutcase]

Wired the pump in last Sunday. Dead pump :(

Got a replacement used one in the post yesterday and fitted it this morning. Sprayed fuel all over the floor from a filter banjo I'd neglected to do up :o

However, not sure the pump is any good as it rattels a bit, and the engine won't start.

Run out of time, will do a flow check tomorrow.

[Nutcase]

Ok, about time I did an update!

Replacement pump obtained from Scotland, but whilst that ran, the car wouldn't. Eventually got it sort of running, but it would stall after a few seconds. A few people suggested stuck pressure regulator, but this was fine.

After much head scratching, I found the return line was blocked near the tank. Same effect as a stuck pressure reg...

So it would now run, but high revs, and the electrics on the dash were dead.

Finally found some more time today, the electrics was a cracked connector from the ignition relay. And the high revs was the throttle cable not returning properly.

So it's now tuned up and almost ready to hit the road :D Not happy with the brakes yet so I'll bleed them again tomorrow, and the last couple of suspension nuts need tightening now it's on the ground again.

And it's in dire need of a wash...

[Nutcase]

/me whistles.

Poor car pretty much abandoned for the last few months :o

Got mr Friendly welder bloke coming round tues to turn rust into metal though. Had to take the fuel tank off though to allow access to the worst of it. Ugh, hated putting it on, hated taking it off again!

Hoping to have the thing on the road by the end of July.

Not sure what year though...