09 January 2010

Something For The Weekend: '91 Saab Monte Carlo


A series of unique cars perfect for the weekend.


A limited edition of 300 in yellow and black. Sometimes called the Bumble Bee. I wanted one so bad but the Echo Xray refused me citing, "I'm not driving a yield sign." They're going for spit today but beware of repaints. The Monte Carlo has a plaque by the gear shift.

I saw one in Chicago in 1996 or 97. The 9-3 was out and the old 900 body looked so much better. So did the woman driving it. Sunglasses on top of spikey short blonde hair and New Mexico tags. She didn't mind driving a yield sign. I'll never forget her or the car.

12 comments:

James said...

Nice car, great memory!

foolio_iglesias said...

I would looove a weekend car.My weekday car is whichever car is nearest the turnstyle in the train station.....

Anonymous said...

R.I.P, Saab...

Another good thing gone.

Brummagem Joe said...

"Another good thing gone."

.....I was visiting with a friend of mine in Vermont over thanksgiving who is a real car and train buff......he has shelves of ref books on cars from the forties, fifties and sixties and it's amazing to reflect on the diversity of different car brands and models available in the late fifties and one of the stars was that very distinctive and reliable Saab.....we've lost so much in this respect......true you needed a weather forecast before venturing out in the Alfa Spyder or the Healey 3000 but the variation of styling in pre wind tunnel days and the idiosycracies of the transmissions and steering......how many kids today even if they can drive a stickshift can double de-clutch for a real fast gear change?.....I sincerely hope Saab finds a local buyer who will restore some of its former greatness and uniqueness.

Anonymous said...

The red version, then, must certainly be a "stop sign", though maybe not as obvious.

With all this snow and cold I like the thought of any color convertible right now, pictured against warm late afternoon greenery. Your mind must be there, too.

-DB

ADG said...

I'm gonna buy another Saab convertible sometime in the next few weeks.

The Blushing Hostess said...

I saw one of these on an EMS bender during a conference in New Mexico. It was a paramedic fly car for a beach town which shall remain nameless - though I never went there again because with their sense you don't have a chance of surviving if something goes wrong there - we felt compelled to pull over and leave a note under the windshield wiper - I will never forget it because it was super eloquent, "Why? WHY? Would you do this to a perfectly good Saab?" Memory circa March, 1996.

Alice Olive said...

Ha - a yield sign! I don't mind a yellow sports car, something classic, it is somehow very classy.

tintin said...

James- Thank you. It's a dangerous thought to think aother woman has more style than your wife. I'll never forget that feeling.

foolio- I know what you speak of. Usually these cars, love them as I do, require significant upkeep. I consider the cost of buying to be like the cover in a night club...with a three drink minimum.

Anon- Hey, maybe you, me and ADG can get a loan from Bank of America and buy the company.

Joe- I admit to leaving the stick recently. After years of manual trans it finally came time to say goodbye. Plus, it's hard to find a stick on a station wagon.

DB- I knew a director of tv commercials who said he always used green cars with city back grounds and red cars with rural back grounds. I think Yield Sign Yellow would work in either.

ADG- If we buy the company we'd probably get a decent discount.

Blush- This car would be perfect with my Tortelleni topsiders.

Alice- I'm with you.

Brummagem Joe said...

tintin said..."I admit to leaving the stick recently."

......Whenever I visit Europe I always rent a stick......roaring around those country roads in Britain or Italy zipping up and down the transmission is real driving!

Anne Lake said...

the Echo X-ray...hmmmm...going to go ahead and assume [she] probably didn't quite get it or you...

Sean said...

Jack Lalanne says that wind, sun and freezing temperatures promote hair growth (this is in his new book).


So, drive that convertable!