A wonderful SAAB story discovered

Gene Deitch is an american animator, illustrator and film director. You can see his work in Tom & Jerry or Popeye. He's also received Academy Award for the short film Munro. He was for a long time based in Prague.

He has a website - Gene Deitch Credits, with the subheadline "The 65 Greats behind the scenes".

One of these greats behind the scenes was Zdenek Treybal, a photographer, a writer of books about cars and also a race car driver. He had the first Saab in former Czechoslovakia, a two-stroke Saab 96.

The story from the 60-ies of getting the Saab and all things around is just wonderful.

Deitch describes Zdenek Treybal as a master of living at that time, as one of the smoothest operators in the “cloud” territory. With this ability he managed to get the first Saab in a completely unknown territory. He claimed to have a connection to the Trolhattan SAAB factory and convinced them to "invest" into the country. So one Saab 96 came to the minister of commerce, another one came to the nationalised auto works, another one got the famous singer Karel Gott and of course one got Zdenek Treybal.

A master salesman. He could also open a small dealership in the time where all private businesses wera banned. And drove races with the Saab. Also wrecked him once. And so on.

The extremely good written story is located on the Gene Deitch Credit website, it's in english and definitely worth reading. Check also the photos on the site. Zdenek Treybal's Saab is still living.

Sources : Genedeitchcredits, Eurooldtimers (google translated link) and Racingsportscars.com.

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Music for cabriolets : Atoms for Peace - Default

Atoms for Peace is a group of big names. Thom Yorke (Radiohead, vocals, guitar, piano), Flea (Red Hot Chilli Peppers, bass), Nigel Godrich (producer of Radiohead, synths, laptops) and Joey Waronker (Beck, R.E.M, drums). They exist since 2009.

They released yesterday their first studio album Amok. They will be a headliner on the largest slovakian festival Pohoda (~30.000 visitors in the last years) in the summer. It was announced a couple of days ago. In terms of marketing, very precisely planned. So some radios play them now.

 The track Default catched me on my 80 km long way back home from the work. It was one of these moments, when you listen to a track and say wow. But after repeated listening you get much more from the song. A very modern electronic music made by experienced musicians.

It became quickly a private hit for a while. For the car for sure. Look for it where you always look.

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Tatort SAAB

Years ago, as a teenager in the 80's, I loved crime TV series. While locked behind the iron courtain, there were some good local ones, but there was one very valuable source from "the other side" - ORF, the austrian TV. They broadcasted many movies and series, mostly german production. Many people loved Derrick, Der Alte or the german/austrian/swiss coproduction series Tatort.

Of course in the series SAAB was used. I've found two videos, embedded below.

The first video is very piquant, mainly for people from former Czechoslovakia, . The driver of the white c900 is Juraj Kukura, one of the top famous czechoslovakian actors. He was very visible in the 80's and prepared the former regime a couple of very uncomfortable moments. In the heat of the socialism propaganda singing about the paradise we live in, he fled behind the borders in 1985.

All movies, where he played, were immediately banned and no more word was officially spreaded about him, as he would never exist. But he spoke german and somehow managed to get roles in series and movies. So the people which were able to receive the ORF TV signal spotted him several times afterwards.

Such as in this part of Tatort from 1989, in the white c900.


The other Tatort part (1974) with a SAAB 99.

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The Supercapacitor - option for electric cars ?

The biggest problem by pure electric cars is still the driving range and length of the charging cycle. I came across a video which shows a technology, which could change the whole thing. It's called the graphene supercapacitor.

An extremetech article from last year explains that an relatively easily manufacturable substance - graphene, when putted between two electrodes can have energy and power density far beyond from what we have now. They simply can hold much more energy and charge much quicker.

Recently appeared a short film, a submission to a short film competition which describes the whole thing in 3 and half minutes in a natural and understandable way. Well if this would come into production, things would be much easier and not only cars.


Yes science is very cool.

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The Saab 9-3 Phoenix story is here

The already some time teased story about Jason's Castriota Saab 9-3 "Phoenix" based car is here. It's published on Saabsunited.

This is a clean showcase how the Saab design started by the Phoenix platform would develop if Saab would survive the pre-NEVS era. These cars will never be produced, but who knows how the things will evolve in these days.

There is also a comprehensive story behind. For more photos and the story check Saabsunited.

The photos are © Saabsunited.com and published on Saabism with approval. Thank you for it.

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Sleepiness is stronger than you

Driving while being drowsy can have fatal consequences. Many drivers know, but there are always campaigns which attempt to convert the "many" to "all". It makes absolutely sense.

The Thai Health Promotion Foundation is running such a campaign, with an amazing tatoo visual.

via Jalopnik

Btw. you can also read a bit more about how to fight against sleepiness while driving.

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Car habits

I came across a short and interesting infographics brought by automotive.com. It's about answers on some basic questions regarding behavior around cars. Click on the picture for bigger size and more readability.

source : blog.automotive.com

My answers :

1. 18 years
2. mostly Chabrio (read khabrio)
3. tolerant
4. me always, when two people always, in a common car I'm not so sure for the back seats. Most people doing by themselves.


What about you ? 

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An american World Map of Saabs update

After a longer time there is an update to the World Map of Saabs. Most of them are from the american trip, many from San Francisco, some from Oahu and one submission came from Seattle, Washington. Thank you John !

Some of them are grouped in one picture, either the Golden Gate Bridge entrance or shots in the last second. However the map growed a lot.

The aim of the World Map of Saabs is to have a map full of Saabs. To show, that we're not just a few. Seeing cities like Amsterdam, San Francisco, Prague or the London area, we are definitely not just a few.

Currently there are 83 submissions with 95 Saabs from many places in the world.

If you are interested to have your Saab on the map, send me a picture with an approximate location. It will appear on the map soon. If you wish me to clean the numberplate, no problem.

The more Saabs of the map, the stronger the message.

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Prince Charles & Saab

In july 2010 there was an article in Green Autoblog about Prince Charles, who was opening his gardens at Clarence House to a garden party showing how the green and sustainable future might look like. Part of this garden party were (?) eco-friendly vehicles.

Saab was there as well. A blue BioPower 9-3 convertible. However a picture of Prince Charles sitting in a Saab convertible isn't an everyday thing, is it ? In the second picture Sir Stirling Moss giving an advise to Prince Charles at the Revolve Eco-Rally launch event.

What a strange key ... source : Green Autoblog

 

Price Charles and Sir Stirling Moss. source : flickr.com Revolve Eco-Rally

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The Independence Edition dashboard

It seems that everything needs it's time. This was a Christmas gift to my Saab. It needed some time to come here and again many thanks to all who helped. Then it was Christmas time, afterwards 2.5 weeks vacation, then hardcore work. And then the service guy got a flu. So the whole thing took nearly three months from start to installation.

But it's here and installed. Finally. Together with Hirsch leather door handles. The dashboard hasn't a Hirsch logo on it, because the Independence Edition didn't had it. It is maybe one of the last available, if not the very last one.

My biggest concern was, that it will visually "fight" with the Maptun steering wheel. Luckily, it's not the case, they are playing very well together. I love it.

And besides the visual upgrade, the original dashboard had a quasi alumium edge, which created a bit annoying reflection on the windscreen under the "right" light conditions. This is now gone.

The search another parts for replacement or covering of other aluminium parts in the cockpit continues. The center console and probably the glovebox. If it needs it's time, ok. So let's see ...

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A classic 92 without roof

A classic Saab 92 convertible. Just photoshopping by someone. Probably originally from art and colour blog but not to find on the blog anymore.

src : Puppy Hunters Saab Club facebook. Found also on fordinsidenews.

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Saab 64 – A Tribute to the History of Saab - a book to come

There is a new book to be released soon. ‘Saab 64 – A Tribute to the History of Saab’ illustrates the history of Saab cars from 1947 till 2011, and contains never-seen-before archive photos. It is written in English, Dutch and French. 

The book will be officialy presented at 6th of April in Luxembourg, at the annual meeting of the Saab Club of Luxemburg.

How to order and what's the price ? I don't know. More info should come soon and as far as I have it, it will appear on Saabism. 

edit : The price will be €24,95 and the book can be pre ordered on thesaabfarm@gmail.com
 
src : saablog-in, facebook, saabsunited

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Saab Meeting in the Bavarian Forest – 10th to 13th of October 2013

After a successful and very comfortable Saab Meeting in Bavarian Forest last year, Matthias, the "engine" of this event, is announcing the 2013 edition.

Save the date : 10th - 13th October 2013.

The Bavarian Forest is a georgious part of Germany along the czech border. It offers wonderful nature, while part of it is a national park as well as many possibilities of leisure.

Informations about the meeting :

Where: 
Adventure Camp Schnitzmühle, Schnitzmühle 1, 94234 Viechtach, Germany
contacts : website | email | international call : 0049-9942-94810

What :
From 10th to 13th of October 2013 a Saab meeting with international participation is at the Adventure Camp Schnitzmühle near Viechtach in the Bavarian Forest for the second time.

The meeting is open to all Saab Automobiles from all model years. The meeting will start on Thursday, 10th of October 2013, the first day is without any Saab program. This day is intended as an additional day for Saabfans (maybe some of you have a long journey to Viechtach), the official program starts on Friday afternoon. The meeting ends on Sunday midday / early afternoon.

Impressions from the first meeting in October 2012 can be seen in this picasa gallery.

                                                                                                        more pictures

A video from the 2012 meeting :



Accomodation: 
Participants have to make their accommodation booking directly at the Schnitzmühle. After receiving your booking confirmation the participants have to send a separated registration form by mail or email to me (see registration form).

At the Schnitzmühle the following accommodation options are available:
Singleroom/Doubleroom, 2 persons Lodge, 4 persons Lodge (different discount is offered for adults and children at the 4 persons lodge).

Rates for the rooms are described on the Schnitzmühle website or you ask at the hotel office (one night with breakfast and dinner costs in Single-/Doubleroom 61 EUR / person / day).

Beautiful Campsite (you can also stay in a tent, come with your caravan, ...)

Please include breakfast and dinner buffet with your booking!

All rooms and beds at the Schnitzmühle during the meeting are reserved for Saabfans. Please say, that you want to go the “SAAB MEETING” when you do your booking. In the morning there is a healthy breakfast buffet and in the evening the participants enjoy together on Friday a grill BBQ buffet and on Saturday a Thai-Bay buffet.

Registration: 
After your booking at the Schnitzmühle is confirmed you need to send me a separate registration form to the meeting by mail or email.

Participants will receive all the needed information about the meeting regularly by email or telephone in exceptional cases.

Planned program (voluntary participation): 

• 2 driving tours with short tour stops (Friday - short tour / Saturday - big tour) 
• Saab zone with all the participants and visitors Saabs 
• Saab Rally History 
• Saab market Presentation of “Saab treasures” (models, brochures, rarities, …) 
• Bongos Beach Bar (open evenings - heated outdoor bar) 
• Train traveling with a historical train on Sunday - wanderbahn.org
• Outdoor program with Hajo Bach - Natur erfahren und lernen 
• free use wellness spa pavilions (whirlpool, steam bath, aroma sauna, ...) 
• surprises 
• many leisure opportunities

Cost: 
The meeting costs per person 5 EUR (children up to 16 years pay half price), which are transferred in advance or can be payed in cash at the meeting. The meeting is not for profit and there are maybe other costs for voluntary participation in normal range (admission, train ticket, outdoor program, ...).

Anyone who wants can buy a memorabilia of the meeting.

Any money excess of the meeting goes to the Saab Museum in Trollhättan.

Additional information :
The visit of the meeting is at own risk.

Also men/women/children/partner who are non Saabfans should feel comfortable at the meeting. There are many leisure opportunities.

All other information will follow to all registrated participants in emails before the meeting. Questions can be submitted at any time to Matthias by email. [click for email]

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... a red one

Hell yeah. Click for hi-res (sort of).

src : Fckyeahconceptcarz

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95

... from 1961

src : Phases Phrases Photos

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