1978 Saab 99 EMS Combi Coupe

Sometimes Dreams Come True

By David Hajian

19 December 2024

It's hard to imagine a time in recent years when I didn't want a classic Saab. Though I previously owned a 1990 Volvo 240 wagon, I always wanted a classic Saab 900 or 99. I bought the 240 wagon in 2023 because I thought it would be a more suitable daily driver at the time. That car turned out to be more of a project driver than a daily driver, so I sold it, and moved on with a more suitable 2021 Toyota Corolla as my daily commuter car.

Despite my much more newer and less problematic Corolla, I longed to have another classic car. Owning the Volvo 240 had taught me a lot about ownership in six months, both the highs and lows. While the car certainly drove me crazy at times, like when its brake valve leaked, leaving me severely low on brake fluid, or when the hood hinge snapped, the good ultimately outweighed the bad. The late night drives, the weekend cruises to get car parts, car shows, and just seeing the world from an old car was enough for me to want to own another classic.

Therefore, the next time I would buy a classic car, I would do it right. I would do the work myself, and more importantly, I would buy a car that was well sorted and maintained. So for a year and a half, I scoured Craigslist and Facebook ads, where I eventually discovered a 1978 Saab 99 EMS located in New Jersey.

My 1990 Volvo 240 DL Estate, photographed in July 2023.

My family's 2010 Saab 9-3X photographed in November 2024.

1976 Saab 99 GL, very similar in color and appearance to my grandfather's. Courtesy Unichrome Postcards.

Saab "Inca" style rim as seen on my 1978 99 EMS.

Though at first I was nostalgic for my old 240 and wanted to get another one, my time off between classic cars allowed me to consider what it was I truly wanted. The 240 was fun to own, but it was essentially fun because it was old and quirky, and offered that unique driving perspective where newer cars didn't. I began to consider what I really wanted from an old car. I knew I wanted that unique old car experience that the 240 gave me, but I wanted something more engaging, sportier, and unique. It was here where I began to look at 240s with manual transmissions, but these were much more expensive than a 240 with an automatic transmission.

But what got me into Swedish cars in the first place? I had become so fixated on trying to recreate my 240 experience, that I forgot to consider where, or what, had led me to become fascinated with these old reliable cars. It was Saab after all that made me fall in love with Swedish cars. It was learning my family's history of owning them and learning to drive on my grandmother's 2010 9-3X that allowed me to develop a personal attachment to the brand. A Saab 900 was the first classic car I truly wanted when I had the money to afford one, and it was the first classic car I ever drove. Rekindled with a renewed interest in classic Saabs, I changed course, seeking out a classic 900.

However life rarely ever pans out as you'd intend it, and I inevitably came across a car I really liked, though it wasn't a 900. It was the father of the 900, the Saab 99. The 99 was also the first Saab model my grandfather owned, as his 99 was a blue 1973 99 LE. The car infamously got him home during the Blizzard of '78. From that moment onwards, my grandfather always owned a Saab.

The '78 99 was a rather nice looking car, all there minus its front bumper, and was riding on some beautiful Saab "Inca" style rims, which were original to a 99 Turbo. Most importantly, it featured the Saab "Combi Coupe" hatchback styling, a body style I had wanted since my original interest in the brand, and something truly unique to Saab.

This car was a 99 EMS finished in Anthracite Gray, and the sportiest Saab available prior to the introduction of the 99 Turbo in 1978. The 99 EMS was introduced for the 1973 model year. EMS stood for Electronic fuel injection Manual transmission Special, and was only available with those features. It also included a stiffer suspension, no power steering, and a tuned 2.0 liter engine that made 118 horsepower, and had a top speed of 106 MPH. It was essentially a factory rally car that would set the standard for what Saab would become known for; safe cars with a sporty edge.

The 99 EMS from the Facebook ad was a 1978 car, in the all original, and included a very detailed history. It was owned by its original owner until 2018, where it was sold on Bring a Trailer to a Saab enthusiast in New York, and converted into a rally car, where it was used in the Great American Mountain Rally Revival race. It was then sold to its third owner in 2021, located in New Jersey, and the same person who I would later purchase the car off of in December of 2024.

In December of 2024, I was rounding the final turn in my college career, and to say it was a hectic time would be an understatement. My final senior capstone project had turned out to be a nightmare, where I found myself being the sole member consistently doing the research and writing for the final project and presentation. I was also balancing five other classes' final projects and my part time job on top of that. Despite the chaos, I was able graduate a semester early, Summa Cum Laude (not to brag), on December 14, 2024, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies.

I was also really interested in that 1978 99 EMS, so I pushed myself to get all of my final projects completed by Friday December 6, so I could drive down to New Jersey to see the car the following Saturday. Sure enough, I did, and the nearly 3 hour trip down to Whitehouse station.

The 99 was everything it said it was in the Facebook listing, and the previous Bring a Trailer listings as well. It was a solid car, with no rust in the usual places these cars rusted. It turned right over, and drove well. Because I didn't know how to drive a manual transmission at the time, the owner, Tim, drove it for me, demonstrating the car's tight handling and torquey engine. I knew that this would be a car that I would regret buying. It was the perfect Saab in my eyes. It was a Combi Coupe, had a manual transmission, rust free and solid, and was the first Saab model that my grandfather owned, though it wasn't a blue 1973 99 LE like his was. I made a deal to purchase the car the following week, and put a $400 deposit down on the car.

The 99 EMS, as it appeared in the Facebook listing.

One week later, I would graduate from the University of Rhode Island on December 14, 2024. The following day, I drove down to New Jersey, and bought the Saab 99. My father and I went, and he drove it back home, as I still didn't know how to drive a manual transmission, but I'd eventually learn on this car. Although I didn't drive it, I still got to see it drive home from New Jersey to Cranston which, honestly, was just as nice. We only stopped for gas once, and got home before dark all in a day's worth of driving.

To say this experience has been a dream come true still seems unbelievable. Sometimes I still don't believe I own this car, because I've wanted one like it for years. While I was originally ambitious to buy another classic Volvo 240, I think my patience and waiting helped me make an informed decision with buying this Saab 99. It's the car that brought my family to fall in love with Saabs, and it's the car that brought me to fall in love with Saab. I plan to hold onto this car for years to come, and I'll probably come to believe I own this car during that time. For now, I'll still be surprised at the quirky looking car that somehow appeared in my driveway.