A 1970 Saab 96 V4 Emerges After Three Decades in Storage

A Swedish classic with an unusual history has surfaced for sale in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania: a 1970 Saab 96 V4 that its owner says sat untouched for roughly thirty years before being revived. The car reportedly changed hands at the estate sale of a collector, and the current seller is asking $8,500 for it.

The 96 is the model that carried Saab’s distinctive shape through two decades of production, running from 1960 until 1980, though American buyers only had access to it through the end of 1973 alongside the 95 wagon variant. Compared with the earlier 93, the 96 brought a longer nose to accommodate the V4 engine and a trunk that opens from the outside. This particular example wears Silver Sand paint that presents very well in the provided photos, though no records accompany the car to confirm whether it has been refinished or had bodywork over the years.

Inside, the cabin is described as original, and its most striking feature is a set of plaid seat upholstery. That detail is worth noting because plaid does not appear to have been a factory offering on the 1970 96, and examples with this pattern are hard to find in period photographs. Regardless of whether it left the factory that way, the seats look sharp, and the rear bench appears to be in comparable shape to the front. A padded dashboard shows what may be slight warping along its top edge.

The drivetrain is the well-known Ford Taunus 1.7-liter OHV V4, rated at 64 net horsepower and 85 lb-ft of torque when new, driving the front wheels through a four-speed manual shifted from the column. Waking the car from its long sleep required real work: the seller reports rebuilding the brake system, cleaning out the fuel system, fitting a new clutch and replacing the tires. It is said to run and shift properly now. As a pricing reference, Hagerty’s low-end value for a 1970 Saab 96 sits at $7,833, which makes the asking price look reasonable for a car in this apparent condition.