If you are anything like me, you probably enjoy reading the classifieds in the newspaper. During high school, my buddy and I would buy the Tradin’ Times and look for the car we would buy if we ever got the chance. Nowadays, you can find even more on the internet. On occassion, you will find used cars being offered for free to the first person to haul them away. It’s deals like this that make you want to go back and visit those classifieds every so often. And that’s exactly where I saw Mystery Car 77 last week.
Mystery Car 77 is a 1972 SAAB 95 wagon which was listed in the classifieds at www.saabnet.com. With a rebuilt engine and transmission, Euro-style headlights, and a new battery, this could be your next dream car for only $2,600! But don’t get too excited unless you are willing to pick it up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. More details are listed here.
History
The SAAB 95 was a two-door wagon produced from 1959 until 1978. The early models (1959-66) were based on the SAAB 93. These interesting people haulers came with suicide doors, seating for seven, and a two-cylinder engine. And as you can see, the rear-facing back seat wasn’t designed for adults. The later models (1967-1978) came with two normal doors, seating for seven (through 1975), and the Ford Taunus V4 engine. With 65 hp, this new engine caused the car to rise in popularity—that and a secret feature. According to Wikipedia, “there was a small handle on the firewall that, when pushed, put the car into a ‘freewheeling’ mode. This allowed the driver to coast downhill without seizing the two stroke engine, but when power was needed the transmission would engage and the driver could power the car up hill again.” That must have been an interesting experience for unsuspecting drivers!