All Things Ski Cars

[cantunamunch]

second only to Sean Connery.

Did you ever see Sean Connery playing Hotspur? Same. Exact. Character. Except with swords and he loses the last fight.

 

[dan ross]

Fun thread. On the Saab kick, I had a Saab 95 Wagon as my college/ski car. It was a tremendous snow car. Worked like a charm. My dad and I had a father/son project....a Datsun 510 that we bought the I was in high school.

Should we start a Saab thread? 3 years ago I missed out on a 95 wagon that was used one month a year in the summer. It sold for $1500, 25k miles and rust free...
Before I found my first ( of 3) 2002 , I looked at 510’s as they could easily be improved with carburetor upgrades and suspension mods. The 325 ix was an awesome car- I almost bought one and wish I had. My 900 was black with tan interior and I miss it still.
When I lived in the western suburbs of Boston, the 900 convertible seemed to be driven exclusively by young women with the top down , hair blowing in the breeze .When I heard that distinctive sound , I’d always turn and look. I currently drive a Volvo XC 70 as the “ ski car”. It’s quite good in snow and mud and I’m a fan of wagons as the handling is closer to that of a sedan with the space and utility of a SUV. The Volvo wagon has great clearance as well.

 

[DanoT]

Should we start a Saab thread? 3 years ago I missed out on a 95 wagon that was used one month a year in the summer. It sold for $1500, 25k miles and rust free...
Before I found my first ( of 3) 2002 , I looked at 510’s as they could easily be improved with carburetor upgrades and suspension mods. The 325 ix was an awesome car- I almost bought one and wish I had. My 900 was black with tan interior and I miss it still.
When I lived in the western suburbs of Boston, the 900 convertible seemed to be driven exclusively by young women with the top down , hair blowing in the breeze .When I heard that distinctive sound , I’d always turn and look. I currently drive a Volvo XC 70 as the “ ski car”. It’s quite good in snow and mud and I’m a fan of wagons as the handling is closer to that of a sedan with the space and utility of a SUV. The Volvo wagon has great clearance as well.

In 2000 I almost bought a '91 BMW i convertible but research revealed that they were going thru fuel pumps at a rate that dealers had them readily available in stock. I was looking for a sports car or convertible that would be long lasting and/or worth putting $$ into. I ended up with a '93 Toyota MR2 with 100k kms. It is mostly stock, has been garaged and summer weekend driven and now has 218k kms. MR2s are going up in price and mine is close to now being worth the $15,800Cdn that I paid in 2000. The MR2 has been low maintenance and still has the original shocks and stainless steel exhaust system.

My former 'ski car" was an '06 Volvo XC 70 and it was great on the highway or in snow on pavement. It was not up to the task of navigating my 350' winter "driveway" without chains when it turned to ice after a freeze/thaw/freeze rain event. And when in spring when the driveway turns to 6" of mud with the consistency of porridge, lets just say the Volvo got traded for a Tacoma TRD OFF ROAD 4X4 that is unfazed by anything that the "driveway" can throw at it. Loved the comfort and handling and seats in that Volvo XC 70, though.

 

[dan ross]

. And when in spring when the driveway turns to 6" of mud with the consistency of porridge, lets just say the Volvo got traded for a Tacoma TRD OFF ROAD 4X4 that is unfazed by anything that the "driveway" can throw at it. Loved the comfort and handling and seats in that Volvo XC 70, though.
[/QUOTE]
When I was a kid we had a driveway like that -our Saab never got stuck in it . I’m talking about the kind off mud that would suck the boots of your feet . As for Volvo seats, they are the best. They put a huge amount of thought into the seating from a passive safety standpoint- comfortable without being sleep inducing yet comfortable enough to prevent fatigue. I drove from LA to San Francisco stopping only once and when I arrived I felt like I had driven around the block.

 

[Muleski]

Volvo seats can be really great. The front seats in the 1987 740GLE wagon that my wife had were probably the most comfortable seats for a long highly drive that we have ever had. Also beautiful. Deep red leather. And at last count we've owned something like 55 cars. So being the clear winner is good! I just asked my wife about our other Volvo wagons {850, V70awd, V70R, and an XC} and if se bought they were comfortable. I got. "Yeah, I think so. But nothing like the gray car {the 740}. I think the V70R was close.

I'll also admit that the front seats in our Landcruiser are REALLY comfy as well. Including the passenger seat. We have owned three of them, and I've driven them some long distances. Across the country a few times, etc. This on was picked up in Denver, and driven to Boston with a one night stop. Alone.

Now for local driving, and "spirited" driving in an all purpose vehicle, I really like the sport seats in my BMW 325xi 6 speed wagon. They hold us "just right." I think some of the love might be due to the sport wheel as well. It's a very, very comfortable cockpit. Big fan of the car, too. I've basically come close to turning it into a 330 with the manifold, ECU and exhaust. Mileage is still great. Planning on keeping this one for a LONG time. It's great in the snow, but we're normally in the LC.

BTW. A LC with studded Hakka's will get you anywhere on anything. This of you familiar with the New England coast and Northern interior N.E. know that we can get ANYTHING for winter weather. I have three sets of wheels for the truck. In the dead of winter, that's our setup.

Tacoma TRD. Son has owned one for 14 years. It's a 2002. Now nicely broken in at 325K miles. Original clutch. May original parts, as well as some that he's replacing. Does all of his own wrenching on days off form coaching. He was never a fan of the crappy seats in the truck....having bought it after seeing his much beloved 1995.5 Audi S6 Avant. Great car, but really dumb car to have away at college. So.....he calls me up to ask if mom will be home on a day a week later to sign for a receive a shipment. Yep. What is it. A pair of mint Recarro Leather seats form an Audi TT wreck. Talked the yard down to $250 for the pair. He spend quite a bit of time doing his measuring and design work and then fabricated the seat racks using some of the original factory parts, and some good old steel. Powder coated them. They are manual seats, not electric. And he decided that he hates heated seats. But wow, are they comfortable compared to the original, and they look a LOT better. He's going to own that truck until in disintegrates. That is one of the best pieces of machinery that we've had in the family {along with the LC's}. He's in the High Rockies, and runs studded tires in the winter.

Fond memories of the Saab, and the tricked out track car 510. My dad and I argued about who's car that one was. many fond memories and laughs. I thought Paul Newman was just some other guy who new my dad and liked to race Datsuns. Clueless kid. All of our Saabs were great snow cars. And my sister in law was one of those top down 900S convertible drivers with her long blonde hair all over the place. Probably caused a few accidents. I swear the top was always down!

 

[Jack skis]

I've had a bunch of cars, though probably as not as many as Muleski, but was more concerned if they'd keep moving than the quality of the seats. However, two of them had seats I remember. First was a 1960 VW delivery van I bought for $300. It only had one seat, a bench in front, and an empty cargo space in the back. The seat was memorable as I shared it with a mouse. Don't know what state she/he decided it had been with me enough and jumped ship. Second was a beat up Subaru I purchased when i got to Juneau in about 1982 (never was too sure of what year I was where). It was maybe 5 years old and after drivng it a few days I felt something was wrong with the drivers seat. Upon inspection I found the floor under the seat had rusted out and the resulting hole was bridged by a piece of firewood, which had slipped. If I readjusted it every couple of days it worked fine. Never could get a title for the car and had to get the State Attorney General to arrange for me to return the car to the dealer and get my money back. No need to tell you what I got for a replacement.

 

[Bill Talbot]

Roger Moore was once interviewed and he stated that he played his Bond character as if he was Simon Templar the Saint with a longer script and bigger budget. I thought Moore's portrayal was second only to Sean Connery.

The problem is Bond ain't no saint!
I could handle him as Simon but I thought it a very different character.
I'd personally put Lazenby in the 2nd slot.

 

[James]

I'd personally put Lazenby in the 2nd slot.

I’d agree of the older ones. What happened with that, only one appearance?
Otherwise, Pierce Brosnan.

 

[Royal]

Saw this beauty at Alta the other day. Easy to load ski rack.

 

[slowrider]

I don't need no stink'n ski racks.

 

[Uncle-A]

I don't need no stink'n ski racks.
View attachment 155452

I bet you can get 200CM Skis in that trunk.

 

[Posaune]

I bet you can get 200CM Skis in that trunk.

Right next to the body.

 

[DanoT]

bet you can get 200CM Skis in that trunk.

My 210cm Toni Sailer skis fit in the trunk of my dad's '64 Buick LeSabre...at an angle.

 

[cantunamunch]

I don't need no stink'n ski racks.
View attachment 155452

He almost doesn't need a kayak rack.

 

[slowrider]

My 210cm Toni Sailer skis fit in the trunk of my dad's '64 Buick LeSabre...at an angle.

Truth. 1960 Buick Invicta i drove would accommodate 210 at a angle.

 

[cantunamunch]

^That thing is a kayak bass boat rack.

 

[James]

I don't need no stink'n ski racks.
View attachment 155452

I once had a ‘69 Olds 98 convertible, Rocket 455, about that size. With the top down in the backseat on an uncrowded, unlit, highway at night it was awesome. Sold it to someone who I think wrecked it.

 

[Philpug]

Right next to the body.

bodies ... plural.

 

[givethepigeye]

One of Zuffenhausen’s finest


Ms. Camilla Sparv as well.

 

[Uncle-A]

One of Zuffenhausen’s finest

View attachment 155682
Ms. Camilla Sparv as well.

The photo is from the movie.