Electric Saab Sonett, Quantum #3 and 2-stroke circuit racer

[nordwulf]

Saab blogger extraordinare Jeff (aka Golfhunter) of Saablog-in and SaabsUnited.fr emailed these pictures and a few short notes (translated from Swedish) about some of the Saabs owned and worked on by Bud Clark. He has a Saab repair shop in Orange, California and he has been working with Saabs for a long time.
More of his work and history with Saab was featured earlier: SaabWorld - Ancient Grease: Cool Saabs Stay Alive in California

Thanks Jeff!



Pictures were taken by one of Bud's friends Lennart Jarenbaeck in October 1995. Notes below were written by Mr. Jarenbaeck.



Bud's orange electric Sonett III of the 1973 model is built as a replica of Walter Kern's yellow car. Bud has made several improvements over the prototype, including more powerful engine and more batteries. Walter Kern, one of Bud Clark's friends, sent drawings and parts to Bud, who did all the work himself.

Range approx. 45 miles per charge (= 76 km)

Maximum speed: 80 miles / hour

Engine 11.6 hp

16 batteries of 96 volts total.

The car's weight 2700 pounds

Battery weight 1300 pounds

The car started smoothly in first gear, second gear gives the final velocity. Only some transmission noise and tire noise is heard. The car felt, despite the absence of an accelerating engine sound speed in the road at a red light. That the experience of driving this car is special can also Bob McNary testify because he belongs to a small number of people who have been honored to drive the car.

Bud Clark was at the time of my visit to build a second electric Sonett behalf of a client based on a light blue Sonett III. This electric Sonett would have a slightly more powerful engine, 12.5 hp, and would cost around $ 12'500 ready to customers.





The red «Phoenix» racer who also were to be seen with Bud Clark is owned by Joe Puckett, but it's Bud customises it and that usually compete with the car. The car was built as a single copy in the early 1960s, the so-called. H-modified class for the "road racing" and have the time of writing harvested a greater number of contests. It is built on a tube frame of aluminum with reverse drive train as Sonett. The 850 cubic-inch engine is fitted with three Solex carburetors that Sonett II and has a home-made exhaust system.







The Quantum in Bud's collection (the one with a low split wind screen) is the No 3 and last one of the first series of Quantums.















Turbocharged Saab Sonett III of a client





Saab Sonett circuit racer

[nordwulf]

Those Quantums look fantastic, almost more Italian than Swedish. Too bad Saab turned down the design..

Press photo from Wikipedia:

[Shazam]

That "Phoenix" racer looks a bit like the Quantum V. I believe only one Quantum V was ever built. I always think it's a combination of styling for an AC Cobra with Swedish attitude. It's the one of the far right...

[Golfhunter]

Well done Frank !! You did it properly !! Glad to share with all SW readers . My warm thanks to Lennart who is the extraordinaire guy !! Doctor ès Sonett