INFO GUIDE: 1977 - 1982 Saab 99 Turbo

• The attached chart confirms the Saab 99 Turbo paint colours and associated interior trim colours, which included red velvet cloth on maroon vinyl (most common), green velvet cloth on dark green vinyl and blue velvet cloth on dark blue vinyl.
• The shape of the seats / headrests changed in 1980. See images for a better description of the differences.
• Rear headrests were an option, and came in two styles as shown.
• Unique three-spoke steering wheel with a large triangular padded hub.
• Boost gauge on top of dashboard (with white orange and red zones showing boost level), which sat next to the steering wheel.
• Timber laminate trim running across lower dashboard.
• Sunroof was standard on all 99 Turbos.
• Heated driver’s seat was standard on all 99 Turbos.
• To confirm the vehicle’s original trim, the trim code is located in the engine bay on either a sticker or a riveted metal tag, depending on the year of the car. These tags / stickers were located at the back left hand side of the engine bay, on the inner mudguard, just in front of the windscreen (see images). This code can probably be interpreted by your Saab car club. Unfortunately we have not been able to verify interior codes, but please contact us if you have the specific Saab 99 Turbo trim codes, so we can update this section. 

-  Cars up to and including 1980: Trim code was printed on a metal plate.

-  Cars from 1981 onward: Trim code was printed on a blue/white sticker. Note, these may have peeled of with age, or otherwise be missing if the vehicle has been restored.

The Saab 99 Turbo was available in the following paint colours / codes (also detailed in the attached chart):

• Black (Code BK01).
• Cardinal Red Metallic (Code R06).
• Anthracite Grey Metallic (Code SK02).
• Sterling Silver Metallic – otherwise called Silver Crystal (Code SK01).
• Acacia Metallic Green (Code 148B).
• Marble White – only early test cars (Code 152G).
• Aquamarine Blue Metallic (Code 137B).

Location of paint code:

The paint code on the 99 Turbo is either printed on a metal tag, or a sticker located in the engine bay, depending on when the car was built. Naturally, with the age of these cars, the stickers are often no longer present, and are usually removed if a car has been restored.

Up to and including 1980: Body colour tags (metal tags riveted to the inner guard) were usually located at the back LHS engine bay, on the inner front left mudguard just in front of the firewall/windscreen.

Cars from 1981 onward: Body colour stickers were usually located at the back LHS engine bay, on the inner front left mudguard just in front of the firewall/windscreen. See images for a better description of the location, and the blue example sticker provided.

The chassis number format for a Saab 99 Turbo will be determined by its date of manufacture, as the format was changed from the year 1981 onward. Both chassis number formats are outlined below, and can be decoded based on the attached tables in the images.

Location of the chassis number:

The chassis number on a Saab 99 Turbo will appear on the chassis plate in the engine bay, and is also stamped into the body of the car, underneath the rear left seat cushion (on the crossmember that supports the rear seat). The location of the chassis plate in the engine bay will differ depending on the year of the car, as outlined below, complemented by the attached images. Note, U.S. cars have an additional chassis plate located on the B piller (door slam panel), on the drivers side. An example of the U.S. VIN plate is provided in the images.

• Up to and including 1980: A thin chassis plate was located on the inner front left mudguard (near the windscreen). These cars had an 11 digit VIN code, and the VIN on these cars will not in itself confirm the identity of the car as a 99 Turbo, unlike the later VIN’s. See images for a better description of the location.
• From 1981 onward: The VIN plate was bigger than pre-1981 models, and moved to the RHS firewall of the car. These cars had a 17 digit VIN code. The location is further explained in the images. The VIN number applied to these cars incorporated specific codes which will verify the car as a genuine 99 Turbo. See the chart in the images for further clarification.

The Saab 99 Turbo was fitted with the Saab B type engine, which was a Saab built engine with roots trailing back to the original Triumph engine block, which was originally supplied to Saab from the mid 1960’s. The same engine block was also used in early Saab 900 Turbo cars.

The Saab 99 Turbo should have an engine number with a prefix of BS120P, followed by a unique 8 digit engine number.

Location of engine number:

The engine number is stamped into the Inlet side of the engine block, at the front left of the engine. There is a flat section where the block meets the head, directly below the thermostat area. Unfortunately, it has been difficult to get a photograph of an example, as the number is well hidden behind various pipes etc. If anyone has an example on the bare block, please email it to us by contacting us on the button above.

Example engine number: BS120P05001234