I had another pair of cars picked out for today, and I was all ready to go with them, until I remembered the date. The Chicago River is green, so my car choices should be as well, right? In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we’re going to look at two cool green cars, both perfect for driving to the pub for a Guinness or two. (But not more than that – you gotta drive home, too.) I’ll save those other picks for tomorrow.
Yesterday our choices were tiny and 4WD, and I was surprised by the amount of love that Subaru Justy got. I expected its condition and the difficulty of finding parts to fix it to scare more of you off, but the little Subaru took home a comfortable win. It sounds like more of you had concerns about driving the right-hand-drive Daihatsu Terios Kid in the US than finding Justy parts.
I could be happy with either of these, with the acknowledgement that they’re both a substitute for what I really want: a Fiat Panda 4×4. But I think I’d rather take the Terios Kid, just because it’s ready to go. I think I have maybe a couple more fixer-uppers in me, and I’m not sure a Subaru Justy is special enough to be one of them.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Any car looks better in green. But when you find exactly the right green for a car’s shape – think British Racing Green for an MGB, or Metallic Mint Green for a Skylark convertible – it’s just magical. These two jumped out at me as being exactly the right shades of green as well. Let’s take a closer look.
1971 Volkswagen Type 3 Squareback – $5,000
Engine/drivetrain: 1.6-liter OHV flat 4, four-speed manual, RWD
Location: Santa Clarita, CA
Odometer reading: 50,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives, has been sitting
I’ve never been much of an air-cooled Volkswagen guy. I had one, briefly, an orange Super Beetle, and I have fond memories of my dad’s tan ’69 Beetle, but I never really got bitten by the bug, so to speak. If I ever were to get excited over an air-cooled VW, however, it would probably be a Type 3. I like the styling, and I like the fact that they’re just a little bigger and more substantial than a Beetle. Three bodystyles of Type 3 were offered, and they’re all pretty self-explanatory: the Fastback, the Notchback (which you never see anymore), and this one, which seems to be the most common: the Squareback.
The engine in the Type 3 is the same basic VW flat four as the Beetle, with a few changes to make it fit under the floor in the rear. US-market Type 3s had Bosch electronic fuel injection after 1968, but many of them – including this one – have been converted to carburetors. Whether this is an improvement or not I’ll leave up to you. It also has aftermarket electronic ignition, it looks like, which is definitely an upgrade. This car has been sitting for a long time, and the seller just recently revived it, so there’s probably some work to do. But it does fire right up and run well, which is encouraging.
It looks like the front seats have been recovered, and the door panels have been replaced, but the rest of the interior looks original, and a bit shabby. The steering wheel is aftermarket, of course, but it’s a nice addition. I bet it feels better in your hands than the thin-rimmed stock wheel.
The kelly-green paint isn’t original; this car was blue to begin with, as you can see in the door sills and engine bay. But I think the green suits it. The seller says it’s pretty much rust-free, and that the floors are solid. That’s good enough for a weekend driver.
2002 Saab 9-3 SE Convertible – $6,000
Engine/drivetrain: Turbocharged 2.0-liter DOHC inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Burbank, CA
Odometer reading: 93,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives, but needs front end work
Say what you will about California and its troubled relationship to automobiles; there are some absolutely beautiful places there that are best seen from a convertible. This car is for sale in the middle of Burbank – which if you’ve never seen it is just one big continuous strip mall – but the photo site for this ad, wherever it is, is within an easy drive of there. And there are worse ways to get there than in a sage-green Saab convertible.
The 9-3 is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four, and this one has a five-speed manual transmission like a good Saab should. It runs well, but the seller says it needs front end work. That could mean a lot of things, and I guess a test drive and an inspection is the only way to find out exactly what it needs. Front end work is labor-intensive but not particularly difficult if you have the right tools, and the parts are cheap.
Saab interiors from the late ’90s and early ’00s are really nice places to be. The seats are comfortable, and the controls are ergonomic, though a bit button-heavy as you can see. This one is in good condition, though the stereo “needs to be rewired,” whatever that means. The air conditioning and the convertible top both work just fine, though, so you can stay cool in a couple of different ways.
It’s clean as a whistle outside; the only issue I see is that one headlight wiper is parked in the wrong spot. It might be an easy fix, or it might not. But it won’t keep you from enjoying the car if you ignore it. The paint looks great, and this is just about the best color Saab ever put on a car.
This is another one of those matchups that nobody would ever actually cross-shop, but when has that ever stopped us? They’re both cool, they both need just a little bit of work, and they’re both green. That’s enough to tie them together. So what’ll it be: the vintage Volkswagen, or the modern classic Saab?
My vote goes to the Saab. It will be a much nicer vehicle to drive. And it might be a future classic.
A note to everyone out there selling a car. Look at those Saab pics. That’s how you do it (although, maybe pay a bit more attention to shadows). For example, say you have a Jag XK8 convertible to sell. And say you live somewhere with easy access to mountains and/or sea shores, like oh say, North Carolina. Get out on a sunny weekend and try to match this guy’s/gal’s Saab pics. That front 3/4 shot nailed it.
Well shit, I guess there is a first time for everything, I’m going with the ubiquitous “Both” option today. Luck o’ the Irish amirite?
The Saab will match my driving style much better than the V-dub, and living in the land of King Ranch trucks, would be several orders of magnitude safer to drive. But the VW would definitely beat most of the other cars presented here.
In fact, Mark, if you need an idea for a Friday showdown, take today’s loser and match against the rest of the week’s winners. I don’t know what you have planned for the next two days, but I’m willing to wager that today’s loser would give any other cars you have planned a good run for their money.
Ah yeah! Green is great. Today is a “both” day. The Squareback is my ideal air-cooled VW, but the light rust in the engine bay and the crappy respray give me pause. I also love the Saab, but I would prefer a coupe over a convertible. Mmmmm. Coin flip says VW.
Since I have owned a VW squareback since 1978 (mine is a ’67), not that I’m biased or anything, but that one is fairly nice! People (and lots of shops) didn’t want to spend the time to learn how to tune the FI, so they gave up and installed carbs, since they thought they understood them. Few carbs are set up to fit under the engine cover as this one is. A ’71 is a transition year though, so some parts are very difficult to find (ignition switch). There is a group of Type 3 afficianatos who know the FI system inside and out and can provide expert advice and some service on FI-specific components (distributor).
Hard to argue against either. This is a both day.
I voted for the VW. It is simple math: Air-cooled VW = awesome. I also like the condition. I prefer my old cars to be somewhere between a 10 footer and 20 footer; this looks like about a 12. I would probably fix the headliner, but the rest of the car is adequate (I would go so far as to say it is exceptionally adequate for the asking price). This shade of green also looks good on just about any car.
I would also have a hard time turning down the Saab. It checks a lot of boxes. Convertible? Check. Odd number of pedals? Check. Ignition switch located between the seats for some reason? Check (no idea why, but I want a Saab just for the ignition switch location). This seems like a very cool car for the price.
I love this kind of matchup that forces a lot of apples/oranges (or waffles/pancakes) comparisons. Gonna have to go with the SAAB though, Dear Spouse wants working heat, defroster and ideally A/C.
I’ll take the Saab (story) ha ha. There’s nothing to sob about though, since it’s awesome. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
going with the saab. theres a sportcombi running around where i live and just stop and stare every time i see it.
SAAB for me today.
I miss these great cars.
They are like people.
Sometimes we don’t appreciate them enough when we have them.
Also Happy St. Pat’s Day to all here.
And happy anniversary to my sweet wife in heaven.
Thank you Amy for 42 years.
I miss you.
Saab for me too. And my sympathy to you.
I’m going with the saab. I love them and I could do the work it needs with my eyes closed (okay it’s been a few years so I’d probably have to peek)
My Belfaster grandmom would be wondering where the orange car is. Anyways, today would be a great day for a both option but I went VW.
Having a ’64 Notch, I will still pick the 9-3. Two reasons both sound I hope.
I’m a Saab fanboy and that Sun Green over tan 9-3 hits all the marks.
The ‘stereo rewiring’ is likely dead pixels in the SID (every Saab ever)
The ‘front end work’ is going to be front control arms and swaybar links (they all need this every 50k)
I’m sure the DI cassette has at least one coil leaking oil.
Despite this, I’ll take the Saab. That VW should have been made into a refrigerator two decades ago; the blue door jambs and the Rustoleum green color are concerning.
…and yes, I know it’s a ‘favorite’ VW color from the era, but clearly not original.
VW all day, those things are wonderful
As the current owner of both an ACVW (in green!) and a Saab (with a V4), I’m a little torn here.
The convertible has a lot going for it — Manual trans, cold A/C, and looks to be in nice shape overall. Betting it just needs struts up front. Anyway, nothing I’d be afraid to tackle at all.
The Squareback looks pretty good, too, even with the mismatched doorsills. It looks to have some dual carb pieces from CB Performance, which bodes well, and looks to be in good enough nick to cruise around in while you make improvements. Like having O’Reilley’s mix up a rattle can of green enamel to make quick work of the remaining blue areas. At this price point, it’s not rocket science.
Ultimately, it comes down to fun factor, which in my case points clearly to the VW. Also, neither of these would be my primary car, and the prospect of working on the VW vs. the Saab (as someone with a lot of ACVW experience) is just a no-brainer for me.
Both, please! If forced to choose, my coin flip says Saab, I guess.
Green is my favorite car color, although neither one of these is my preferred green (any BMW in Boston Green Metallic). If I am voting soley based on color give me the Saab, but since I would have to buy the car, make it the Type 3. I am confident in my ability to keep it on the road, putz with it occasionally, and most importantly, I don’t really want another convertible.
The Chicago River is green…
“If they can dye this river green today, why can’t they dye it blue the other 364 days of the year?” – Deputy Marshal Robert Biggs in The Fugitive
Seems hinky
VW, even though I really like both.
The Type 3 is (relatively) simple, and parts are plentiful. Job One would be a proper repaint, though. Blue is an okay color (I dig green cars, too), and I need the sills to match the exterior.
Nothing against the Saab at all. They’re fun to drive — if the front end is in good nick — but, like most newer cars, have systems I just don’t want to work on.
This is a really good matchup, despite the difference in cars. It’s one of the toughest choices I’ve seen in a while.
The Saab is cool, but still new enough that in my mind it’s more of a daily than a project or “fun” car. In that scenario, the convertible top takes away some of the daily-ability.
If I’m buying a third car just as a fun “project” car, I want it to be something that’s as mechanical as possible for more wrenching fun. I hate chasing weird little electronic gremlins and the engine bay of the Saab looks too much like what I work on just to keep the “regular” cars going, so VW it is.
Both? Both. Both!