hi everyone,

not sure how well known i am but my project has changed yet again! my most recent phase was to install a v6 from a mondeo st24 in the front of saab 96 transversely. however while i think with work it will fit, the handling will not be good with that weight up front plus i think too many bad compromises will have to be made. so i think it will have to go where the back seats should be. my initial plan is to mount the rear suspension and engine and transmission on a subframe that will be mounted in the body of the saab. with the fuel tank, radiator, battery etc up front.

does this sound feasible? it will mean completely fabricating rear suspension what hubs and uprights could i use with this? any one have any pictures of a rear subframe that would be a similar design?

i intend to do some more research but any views that people want to express i would appreciate.

Don't know if it sounds feasable - but it does sound completely barking mad

Go for it

Yeah do it. I LOVE saab 96s. Fave car ever

John Beardmore of Beardmore Bros. posts in here.

Anyway, he was once on thunder races and they built a mid engined car by cutting the front out of a fwd Saab and welding it into the back of a hatchback.
Struts. inner wings, crossmember - the lot.
Mid engined, with a SAAB engine.
Maybe worth a quick google.

hmmm that is interesting, have found some info on the interweb about the saab engine transplant and thats what some people are doing with 96's on our specific forum.

However i want to keep my engine if i can as its my third one in this project and i quite like the idea of using it! I'd quite like to keep the track standard so am hoping to get everything in the back of the car, i guess it will depend on my rear tyre width.

Has anyone got a pic of the mondeo front subframe? is there any chance of adapting that?

cheers

I would have thought it largely depended on what you want the car for - if it's a daily driver sort of thing the engine on the back seat will get rather annoying rather quickly I would suggest PLUS it wouldn't be a 'street sleeper' any more which I'd have said would be most of the fun of the car.

Have you ever thought of 'just' dropping in the running gear from a 2.3HPT 9000? I know it's front wheel drive but (apart from the torque steer....) they are extremely nimble for the weight and they are FUN engines

i am gettting tempted, its not as simple as dropping in running gear from another saab as the 96 used a v4 engine with a transaxle, which leaves a narrow engine bay that is also surprisingly short so it will be difficult to put in at the front, tho that 9000 engine in the middle sounds like a nice idea too. will have to think about this..... need to source an engine. i got this v6 for a good price so i could sell it i guess.

What, the engines going where?!

I thought you were restoring the car? Surley to good a car to modifiy this drastically, after all it's a classic. If I were you I'd fit either a Renault, saab or audi engine as these are available in the right layout.

well to be honest its not in great condition, tho the body shell has little rust, but that is because its Swedish, when i brought the car it had all its windows smashed down one side for about 6 months. and there was not much corrosion down there.

while it is a classic there are not many people who care about these cars, the early two strokes are coveted but the later cars like mine are worth very little even if restored. Which is great if you want one but not to sell one.

If it was an early car i wouldn't even consider modifying it like this, but the engine bay is just too small for any "simple" installation. I would have to rework the whole of the front suspension etc instead of the back.

but i would one day love an two stroke saab.

"oddsaabs" on this forum is building a ZX14 powered mid-engined SAAB 96

Check this link http://www.tugboatlars.se/Saab92.htm

Scroll way down and you find a Saab 92 with a 9-5 transverse V6.

wow that is pretty cool, but i wonder where his radiator is and if he had to modify the suspension towers and does his steering go lock to lock thats whats worrying me about mine if it goes in the front. however maybe the saab v6 is a smaller package. still think mid engine is the way to go, am thinking about what running gear to use, what hubs and uprights do people use in mid engine situations?

Have a look on here
http://www.uksaabs.co.uk/UKS/
you will get crucified for what you are suggesting but you might get some help with other options.

that uksaabs forum has been really helpful! I have broached my idea and have had some real good help, my current plan is to weld the front engine bay from a saab 96 complete with suspension towers and running gear into the back of my 96. Someone has offered me the bit of the shell i need for very little. Just have to get it back, will be fun getting it into a van!

The ordinary way to put in a V6 in a 96 is to replace the Ford Taunus V4 engine with a Ford Cologne V6 since it's the same engine family it bolts right on. You would have to move the radiator to the side or the rear, but apart from that it's basicly just an engine swap.

I've also thought about the 96 and thought about putting a Suzuki Swift GTI engine an a bullnose 96. It's a small and light engine so weight distrubution will still be fine.