Classic Car Rally: Simon Gray’s SAAB 96 1970 V4

Like elephants, it seems that classic car owners never forget.

Simon Gray, 44, from Beverley, was one of dozens of enthusiasts who brought their pride and joy to the Beverley Classic Car Rally last week.

His particular car, a white Saab 96 1970 V4, has just been made roadworthy five years after he bought it for what he considers “a steal”, just £800 from a London man who’d kept it locked up for 26 years in a garage.

The Saab 96 was the car which gave the Swedish firm international recognition, and it was clear from talking to Simon just how much he cherishes his particular model.

He told HU17.net: “I learnt to drive in a Saab, my dad bought me one, so I thought, yeah, I’ll get one.

“It’s had a full respray, a new gearbox and I have cleaned the interior. The engine is original and this is the result.”

Simon’s Saab 96 has a number of features which adds to the feeling of joy at owning such a car.

It has a freewheel, a mechanism which means the driver does not have to engage the clutch to change gear. This adds to fuel efficiency and allows the car to idle in any gear.

Underneath the car, only the exhaust is visible with everything else hidden away. This, as Simon told us, means that in snowy, native Sweden, if the car gets stuck it can be “pushed like a sledge” to free it.

And with its unusual, Ford Taunus V4 engine it produced enough power to make it such a success in international rallying that the Saab name became synonymous with reliability and durability.

Simon continued: “It’s great fun to drive. It’s an old car, they are always more fun, and it’s got that great old smell about it. You are also never quite sure if it’s going to break down!

“It means a lot to show it off in my home town – I like to see people with a smile on their faces when they look at it and ask questions about it. It gives me a buzz.”