This Saab Sonett V4 has a race-tuned 150 hp 1700 V4 engine, sedan gearing, a Sonett III floor shifter, lots of suspension and body upgrades and extremely wide wheels and tires. This car was recently painted and work is in progress to replace the interior upholstery and carpeting.
This Sonett is now owned by Mark Ashcraft and was owned by his father Jack Ashcraft for many years. They called the car “”Fast Freddy” as it has been extensively modified and has 1.7 liter V4 that produces about 150 HP at 8,000 RPM. His father used the car for many years as his auto cross and hill climb race car.
In over 10 years of racing Jack Ashcraft was never beat in his class and took top time of the day on several occasions at the auto cross. He got the car from a friend and customer who owned it from new named Fred Champion.
When Mark got the car it had its race engine but was in poor shape body wise. He had the car painted and put some new interior upholstery in it around 2002. Then, the car takes on his brother, and it further improves Sonett. 0-60mph in this car comes up in about 6 seconds.
A lot of the performance enhancements this car were developed by Jack, Marks step brother Chis.
This, I Want, almost ‘Need!’… I had a 1974 Sonnett (w/factory A/C!!), that had ‘trimmed base’ model ’99, circa 1977′ Seats, which Barely Fit, Vertically under the Roof.. My V-4 Growled Nicely, and on I-91, Northbound from Weathersfield up-to Windsor, Vt, showed an Impressive 121 mph at 3 AM, going Up-Hill..Yup, IF, I ever Could BUILD a Sonnett ll, this is it! How well it handles 10″ of SNOW, is the True Test, IMHO! I’ve driven Saabs out-of Snowdrifts that would SCARE Modern SUV-4×4 types, with their Lame “traction Control” settings. One model 99 I owned, drove in a FARM FIELD (Not Dirt, no-tar, just GRASS, compressed) into/OUT OF/Easily but Uphill) into the 23 Acres Behind my old house, in 26″ of Fresh snow, And That’s Nothing, compared to how my model 96 , later 4×99’s and 3×900’s did, one of which, drove in 21″ of a “white-out” thru Grafton Vt along Rt-121, being Passed Only by 6 snowmobiles. See, SAAB’s were, are, Survival Tools, not mere Toyotas. I Respect 90% of what SAAB put their NAME UPON.