Saab V4 Rally – suspension, brakes, and dash underway

The oil pressure warning light. It's nice to have a huge red light telling you that you already blew the engine...
The oil pressure warning light. It's nice to have a huge red light telling you that you already blew the engine...

Here’s the latest update on the 1969 V4 Rally. Suspension and brakes are now done, so I have moved on to the electrics and the dashboard.

I also made a work light for the engine bay:

And I started preparing the dashboard. As I’m putting in the older type dash all sorts of minor adjustments are needed. Also, I will need to simplify the electrics by removing all wires and elements that are not needed:

3 comments

  1. Hello Tommi, thanks for the update on the 69 Rally. I had one thought regarding the rear brakes with the larger pistons. Have you thought of using a brake proportioning valve for the brakes. Years ago I replaced the rear drums with disc brakes and used a proportioning valve and I had brakes that made that 6000 lb car come to a screeching halt. Just a thought, my friend. Keep up the great work and am looking forward to the next update……Is the engine next? Bill…Cheers

    1. Hi Bill!

      Yes, my two stroke has the valves as it is drums front and rear. So I could possibly use those. But I think it’s simpler just to put in the 96 pistons. Back in the day they used to adjust the brake balance by cutting a suitable piece off the lining on the brake shoes.

      I’m still trying to figure out what to do with the engine. Or basically I’m trying to decide how much money I’m going to throw at it. I was going to do it the “quick and dirty” way and just throw together some parts I already have. But I had a snag with the heads. I had these lowered (higher compression) heads with opened up exhaust ports, but as I looked at them more carefully I realised they were the 1968 or earlier version. Not compatible with the later V4’s. So I can’t use them. Would be a nice pair for someones Sonett II V4 I guess 🙂

      Now I’m trying to decide if I’ll just use regular heads with 1.7 litre crank and buy new 92mm Ford OHC pistons with that. But for that setup the dual 45 Webers would be pretty much overkill, and not really worth putting them in. So if I’m going to have the engine bored to 92mm with new pistons anyway, I would really need proper Group 2 single port heads. It’s just the matter of cost… I think Sweedspeed has some pretty nice heads (compatible with unleaded fuel), but the price on them is, I think, closer to 2000 euros. Couple of hundred euros for machining the block, another couple of hundred for the pistons, bearings, rebuilding and tuning the webers… I’m probably looking at 3000 to 3500 euro. … And that’s not really what I planned in the beginning – the whole idea was to build this thing CHEAP.

      I guess I need to start saving the money 😀

      1. Hi Tommi, One thing for sure, hobbies are expensive. I am still looking for the right combination for suspension springs, as the car was lowered 2 inches, by the previous owner/builder. Not to mention new Bilstein shocks, and paying an electrician to repair the nightmare of wiring behind the dash. Thanks for the update on your rally car, and am looking forward to see what you do with the engine.
        Bill…Cheers

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