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T O P I C    R E V I E W
74sonettPosted - 13 May 2021 : 20:04:48
OK here goes my first post.

I am lucky to own a 1968 V4 96 project and recently acquired a 1974 Sonett race car that was imported from the US. I've never worked on a project car before so did very little with the 96. I was a little intimidated with the elegant curves if I'm honest. However the purchase of the Sonett and more experience with general engineering and building skills has given me some hope. So, I've built a new garage for the cars and am finally in a position to get going. I had never seen a Sonett in the flesh until I collected it..... And I still cannot believe I have one, it's stunning. So like a kid with a new toy I am going to get get started with it.

Today work was rained off, so it was my first ever attempt at working on a car in the hope of getting it back on the road.

I'll attempt to post some pics now for you all. Please feel free to let me know your thoughts and educate me on the forums etiquette if needed.

Alfie

15   L A T E S T    R E P L I E S    (Newest First)
74sonettPosted - 14 Sep 2021 : 14:04:16
Cheers Woody and thanks for pointing that out Martin. I was copying all the text in Flikr's BB code, hopefully this test is displaying better. If so that's me done with painting the running gear. Onto the chassis next, I've never welded so this should be interesting......

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mqCi7E]
WoodyPosted - 13 Sep 2021 : 22:57:51
Nice job on wishbones and rear axle.
mellePosted - 13 Sep 2021 : 21:43:31
quote:
Originally posted by 72sonett3
Look at the fan blade angle; they will turn the wrong way on a V4, 'push' instead of 'pull'.
Sharp Martin, I clearly hadn't given it that much thought.

quote:
Originally posted by 72sonett3
Also, the blades on the red 5 blade V4 fan are too long for a Sonett, they will hit the pop up headlamp bar. The Sonett shop manual says to cut the tips off the blades.
Pretty sure I have a cut down red 5-blade fan in one of my piles if anyone needs one.

www.saabv4.com
72sonett3Posted - 13 Sep 2021 : 21:27:19
There is something wrong with your links, remove all the [url=...] tags and only leave the [img ] ones.


--
'72 97
'77 96L conv.
'83 900i (LPG)
'95 900SE conv.
'99 9-3T
74sonettPosted - 13 Sep 2021 : 20:24:40
Most of the running gear has been taken back to bare metal and prepped with the POR 15 metal prep. Then painted with POR 15 rust preventative paint. Where it's likely to be subjected to UV light it's had 2 coats of satin chassis black.

The bushes where border line so I decided to replace them all with standard rubber, with Steve from Malbrad's advice. I was tempted to go Poly but thought "A" it's going to be a road car and "B" if I need poly I wanted to understand and feel they difference they give when driving and have a benchmark to compare. Also the ball joints where shot so I replaced them. Here are some before and after pics. The rest of the running gear is hanging up drying after similar treatment... It's been a long few days...


[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mpZNAf][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2mpZNAf]IMG_20210820_095043[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192962901@N04/]74 Sonett[/url], on Flickr


[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mpVUoS][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2mpVUoS]IMG_20210820_095033[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192962901@N04/]74 Sonett[/url], on Flickr


[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mpVUtS][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2mpVUtS]IMG_20210819_132055[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192962901@N04/]74 Sonett[/url], on Flickr


[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mpZNWA][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2mpZNWA]IMG_20210819_131907[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192962901@N04/]74 Sonett[/url], on Flickr


[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mq4zti][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2mq4zti]IMG_20210819_131901[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192962901@N04/]74 Sonett[/url], on Flickr


[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mpZDQm][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2mpZDQm]IMG_20210907_133630[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192962901@N04/]74 Sonett[/url], on Flickr


[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mq38LZ][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2mq38LZ]IMG_20210907_132351[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192962901@N04/]74 Sonett[/url], on Flickr


[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mpUsis][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2mpUsis]IMG_20210907_132347[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192962901@N04/]74 Sonett[/url], on Flickr


[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mq38WD][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2mq38WD]IMG_20210907_132315[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192962901@N04/]74 Sonett[/url], on Flickr


[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mpUsyY][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2mpUsyY]IMG_20210831_145924[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192962901@N04/]74 Sonett[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mq4dQa][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2mq4dQa]IMG_20210907_154113[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192962901@N04/]74 Sonett[/url], on Flickr

72sonett3Posted - 13 Sep 2021 : 19:56:43
The V4 fan is powered off the balance shaft and rotates in the other direction as the crankshaft. The BMW and Austin fans are powered off the crank shaft. Look at the fan blade angle; they will turn the wrong way on a V4, 'push' instead of 'pull'.
Also, the blades on the red 5 blade V4 fan are too long for a Sonett, they will hit the pop up headlamp bar. The Sonett shop manual says to cut the tips off the blades.

--
'72 97
'77 96L conv.
'83 900i (LPG)
'95 900SE conv.
'99 9-3T
74sonettPosted - 13 Sep 2021 : 19:55:20
Appreciate the advice Melle, The fans I have are both asymmetrical 5 blades. The red one was from you, I will bolt it on when I am in the garage again.

Thanks Dirtbiker, I've been working away in the background, I want the car to be a road car, not a racer so I can enjoy it. I am torn between leaving the body as it is, or spraying it the same and putting the original graphics back on. I love Simon's truck, its amazing and I am leaning towards having an old school rat rod look with a fully restored car underneath. Kind of a wolf in sheep's clothing....

Been busy again so I'll post some more pics now.

DirtbikerPosted - 11 Sep 2021 : 19:31:07
I like the wheels too. I was thinking they were perhaps modified Centrelines but the logo didn’t match up and Simon has answered it with the power of eBay!
Great to see some progress on this. Like I said earlier in the thread I had a bid on this when on eBay - the plan in my head was to mechanically and structurally restore and leave the body as is for that race car survivor look!
Keep up the good work!
mellePosted - 11 Sep 2021 : 17:09:58
quote:
Originally posted by 74sonett
I also like the contrast of the red fan. I do have a black one also but think the red is staying.
I think the black fans have more cooling capacity, but you could fit an asymmetric 5-blade red fan, which is supposed to cool even better than the black fans.


Ford/ Saab 5-blade fan:




Red 5-blade Saab fans are hard to come by and not cheap, but I wouldn't be surprised if a similar looking BMW E10 or Austin Healey fan would fit. I haven't tried them so check dimensions! Pretty sure the Ford/ Saab fan pcd is an SAE standard, and other Ford fans will fit anyway, but again, check dimensions before buying.


BMW E10:




Austin Healey:



www.saabv4.com
74sonettPosted - 11 Sep 2021 : 13:36:05
Wow thanks, easy when you know how!!!!

I hadn't been able to find anything on them anywhere. Dropped them into a couple of wheel refurbishing companies and they couldn't place them either. Good news is they are in good condition with minor cosmetic marks. The recommendation is to split them and drop them into a ceramic ball polisher and they will be as good as new. Haven't been given a cost as of yet though...

Here they are in the Jackman Catalogue from 1978... Thanks again.


[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mo1eiu][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2mo1eiu]Aluminum Star[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192962901@N04/]74 Sonett[/url], on Flickr
UK_SubPosted - 11 Sep 2021 : 12:41:40
Look what just popped up on my ebay...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324779731516?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3D3bf7e8106ae14d108e2887a774db6699%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D324779731516%26itm%3D324779731516%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057&_trksid=p2380057.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3A6a2bfb3f-12f4-11ec-94d7-d6a88dc07c71%7Cparentrq%3Ad4a46b5d17b0a77d17f3af49fffd5902%7Ciid%3A1

That should answer your question :)
UK_SubPosted - 11 Sep 2021 : 10:59:11
I think these are quite rare, only seen 1 other set (and it could have been these!).

That's either an 'r' or a 'J' stamped into the wheel. My first thought was 'Ronal' but they tend to stamp the whole name into their wheels.

74sonettPosted - 11 Sep 2021 : 07:38:47
Whilst quite literally waiting for paint to dry on the running gear yesterday, I had a quick clean of the wheels. Can anyone identify the makers mark or have any more info on the wheels at all? I have no idea if they are stock, custom made, or anything at all other than they are 2 piece split alloys. The fronts are fitted with 195/55/R15's and the rears have 195/50/R15's on them. I also have some spacers shown in the pics.


They have grown on me a bit and look very much of their time.


[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mo1ajb][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2mo1ajb]IMG_20210909_125242[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192962901@N04/]74 Sonett[/url], on Flickr


[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mo1agA][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2mo1agA]IMG_20210909_125255[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192962901@N04/]74 Sonett[/url], on Flickr


[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mo655Y][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2mo655Y]IMG_20210910_133743[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192962901@N04/]74 Sonett[/url], on Flickr


[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mo1adQ][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2mo1adQ]IMG_20210909_125328[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192962901@N04/]74 Sonett[/url], on Flickr


[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mo1a9G][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2mo1a9G]IMG_20210910_133800[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192962901@N04/]74 Sonett[/url], on Flickr


Spacers

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mo65eq][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2mo65eq]IMG_20210908_114700[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192962901@N04/]74 Sonett[/url], on Flickr
74sonettPosted - 11 Sep 2021 : 07:28:44
Hi Derek, I didn't get a great look at the cam unfortunately. I was at the limit of what I was comfortable taking apart and putting back together. Out of interest how would I determine if it was a hot cam over any other? I hope it runs as nice as it looks when it's fired up.

If you're in Chatham we're only a couple of miles away from each other, practically neighbours.... If you ever fancy taking a look I'd be grateful for any advice. I also have a 96 that I am starting to think may be a push to restore with the chassis corrosion.
DerekPosted - 10 Sep 2021 : 13:11:33
That looks very posh. Did you manage to check what cam you had in there?( pic you said was the cam was actually the balance shaft) Being a racer it might have a hot cam. Heads and valves look standard.
Congrats from Chatham.

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