PORSCHE–SAAB
ESSENTIAL CHECKS
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PERUSE THE PANELS
With fairly poor panel availability you must ensure there are no nasties lurking out of sight.
The most likely areas to have rotted out are predictable – the sills, wings, wheel arches, boot floor and A-posts. The lower wings corrode badly, and the extent of the rot can be hard to gauge as the wheel arch liners (fitted to the Series 2 and Series 3) must be removed for a better view. They’re also one of the reasons why rot here is likely; moisture gets behind them and then causes havoc. Inner wings rot through where they meet the front panel, but repairs are straightforward.
HOW’S THE ENGINE?
When an A-series engine needs some TLC, it isn’t always easy to tell. The oil pressure may not be very low and it may not be smoking all that much – then it’ll expire in spectacular fashion. The key issue with the E-series engine is blown head gaskets, so check the oil filler cap for signs of white emulsion, and make sure there’s no overheating. Also check the coolant level. If it all sounds rather clattery, it may be that the timing chain is on its way out. That means separating the engine and gearbox, so it can get rather involved. Another E-series weak spot is crankshaft bearings which wear, leading to a growl from the bottom end under acceleration.
CHECK THE SUSPENSION
Catastrophic fail
