THE SAABMAN STORY

So, when I started in the hobby MY nickname was SAABMAN. Can you guess what Mrs. John was called? For years many people didn’t know my real name. When I started writing for magazines the byline was usually ‘John Winter aka Saabman’. Even today many of my friends refer to me with my pseudonym. The history and reason I chose that name follows . . .

The Saab Enthusiast

In 1968 when I was poorer and even more impoverished than I am now, my mother-in-law helped me to purchase a sixth-hand, white, Saab 96 two-stroke car. I remember that the battery earth cable was rather worse for wear so, being resourceful, I filched some wire from the cooker and we used a gas ring instead. So began my long association with Saabs.

The white 96 two-stroke brought my son back from the maternity ward and was the car he knew so well during his formative years. There was a red 96 V4 followed by a green 99 and a yellow 99, a Saab 900 – then a brief foray into other marques. An aberration I know; put it down to some kind of midlife crisis. I took to driving vehicles of which my son didn’t approve. “Doesn’t suit you Dad!”

He was, at this time, the proud owner of a Saab 900 (classic) and a very dead 96 taking up a lot of space on the drive. I can only guess that must’ve been some seepage of two-stroke oil into his young veins on that journey back from the hospital. A kind of osmosis in which he never quite recovered. Or perhaps it was already in the genes and part of his DNA.

In about 2001 we were passing a local Saab garage. Out of the corner of his eye (my son was driving) he caught me looking wistfully at the regimented lines of shiny and seductive Swedish motors and casually remarked, “When are you going to get another Saab, Dad?”

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His mother picked up the refrain and enthusiastically chimed in, “Go on, spoil yourself, John. You deserve it.” I muttered something about Saabs being too expensive and continued on our journey home. But the seed had already germinated. I knew, deep down, that I didn’t stand a chance.

Next day, in a dreamlike state, I visited the aforementioned garage on my own – just for a look, you understand. The persuasive salesman gave me the keys to a gleaming Saab 900 for a few hours … and I ended up buying it. Just like that. My wife was ecstatic and my son was full of praise.

I thought that I was a legitimate ‘Sabber’ once again. My son paid for a subscription to the Saab Owners’ Club and introduced me to the Saab List, an Internet site devoted to models no longer in production. I didn’t get the T-shirt, but he did buy me a host of goodies.

I became the proud owner of a Saab sticker, mug, cufflinks, key ring and I even plucked up the courage to make the occasional contribution to the List. After all, I had all the right credentials, including the full beard and balding head. Or, so I thought …

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What I didn’t have was a proper Saab. Oh yes, the ignition was in the right place and the heated seats looked after my nether regions, an important factor at my age. But this was a Vauxhall 900 and frowned upon by the true aficionado.

Being the sensitive soul that I was and feeling a fraud, I allowed the subscription to expire and subsequently bowed out of the List.

In the meantime, my son was dragging me all over the country in his quest for a Saab 96, the car made famous by the Swedish rally driver Erik Carlsson. It was akin to searching for the Holy Grail. We saw some bummers, I can tell you! Eventually he found what he was looking for; tomato-soup coloured 96 with the original fittings and a full service history. He also agreed to let me share the car – perhaps my offer of going halves with the money was the determining factor!

I garaged the car and was given a full list of instructions. “We must look after this Dad,” I was told. “It will appreciate in value.” Little did he know that it had just come back from a Tesco run! After that telephone conversation I polished it a little more, encased it in bubble wrap, and put it back to bed. I went out to look at it every now and again.

But the great advantage was that my son and I had embarked on a project in which we were both deeply interested. We tinkered; we discussed and worked out problems together. Call it male bonding if you like. Young John rekindled my interest in Saabs.

A few days later I received a letter from the secretary of the Saab List. “Please find enclosed your membership card, windscreen sticker and the last issue of the magazine … your subscription has been paid by John Winter Junior.”

Thanks son. For the second time around, that’s how I became a true Saab enthusiast!

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‘Tecking Wagon

1. The yellow Saab was the one I used in most of my detecting forays. One day it conked out in a Sussex field, miles from home. Directing the RAC repair man to the area was a challenge. When he eventually found us, he clapped his hands. “It’s ages since I worked on a proper car,” he exclaimed. The temporary repair, using a piece of electric-type tape, was soon fixed and we successfully made the long journey home.
2. A metal detecting friend of mine whose real job was in art and design, was involved in designing the Saab logo.
3. The 99 was ‘front-wheel-drive’ still a relatively uncommon configuration at the time of the 99’s introduction.
4. A police version of the 99 was also built. More information on the 99 can be found HERE.
5. Congratulations if you have made it this far.