Off-topic thread - talk about anything

[Dave T]

Saab (Saab, not NEVS) is thinking about building submarines. Up until about 5 years ago, Sweden used to be the #3 builder of submarines, after Russia and Germany. It sold submarines to navies all over the world.

The Germans bought Swedish sub company Kockums and now plans to build submarines in Germany, not Sweden, to sell to Sweden. The Swedish government is pushing Saab to start building submarines.

It's not easy as they haven't before. If they do, it would be like Saab entering the car business in the late 1940's. Saab is now trying to poach naval architects and engineers from the former Kockums.

Dispute Threatens ThyssenKrupp's Submarine Business - WSJ.com

Want a submarine? It will cost you about $600M.

[Gepe]

Will they make a Yellow one?

[Dave T]

Will they make a Yellow one?

That will be $600,100,000.00. Standard black is $600M.

Or maybe not. The first Saabs were only in green. The Model T was only in black.

[Gepe]

OH - will just have to sing for my supper to raise the difference

[Dave T]

Work underway to recover last Corvette from hole

Workers are digging away to retrieve the last of eight classic Corvettes gobbled up by a giant sinkhole beneath a museum in Kentucky.

The last car buried is a 2001 Mallett Hammer Z06 Corvette. The vehicle is upside down, about 40 feet beneath the surface.



Frassinelli says the damage has been progressively worse as each car was pulled out in recent weeks.

The eight cars will be on display at the museum through August. They will be shipped to a General Motors plant in Michigan to be repaired.

[nordwulf]

My guess is this damage won't easily buff out.. and they probably won't repair this one.

Final Corvette removed from sinkhole | Local News - WLKY Home



I was at the museum not long before this happened and the floor seemed ok.. Can you imagine that happening when you're actually standing on top?

Chevrolet Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky - Culture - Motor Gearheads

[Dave T]

A few years ago, I thought that around this time, I'd be in the market for a 2015 Saab 900. (or 2015 Saab 9-3, whatever name was planned).

This is not to be.

They said the 9-3 or 900 would be out in 2012 but I suspected that they were optimistic and that it would actually come out in mid to late 2013 as a 2014 model. I would then buy a car from the second model year.

Saab, unfortunately, will probably be like Alfa Romeos were in the early 1990's in the U.S. They stopped importing them. They become more and more rare. Saab is not at that point yet but there's no new cars.

[Shazam]

Hey Fellas!

Well, life has gotten in the way a bit. So much so that it appears I hadn't ventured here in 3~4 months! I'm keeping up with stickers though, so don't worry on that front (still have plenty left).

My Xterra is about to roll over 26,000 miles in just 14 months. So far, I'm still very happy with it and only had a a couple minor issues that the warranty took care of. My biggest disappointment was that around 25,000 miles the tires were basically shot. So I picked up some GoodYear Duratracs that I've been very happy with so far, but with so few miles, I can't form a real firm opinion yet.

I only got to put about ~300 miles on my '77 CB550 (motorcycle) due to constant carburetor issues; resulting in me having to push it home three times, all on very hot days. A professional carb rebuild seems necessary.

The '73 96 is still in my possession, and I believe it's in the same state it was when I lasted updated about it. The engine is pulled, interior stripped, and the project has been put on a long-term hold. Luckily though, the girl I've been dating for ~6 months, has a father that does car painting and restorations on the side. Besides giving me a hard time about it being a Saab--his two "fun" cars are a '55 Ford F100 with a Chevy 402, and a '69 Camaro with a real nice 350--he has been harping on me to get rolling on the project. The reason it's on hold is the inability to store it at my apartment, and that I'm moving full-speed ahead trying to pay off student loans and saving up for a downpayment on a house. Hopefully with a garage.

That's all that's really going on in my world. I'll try to check in more often--we are currently at our seasonally slow period for business.

Hope everything is well with everyone else!

[tunnanxwd]

It wasn't too long ago that Kongsberg of Norway and Toshiba were caught selling US sub secrets to Russia via North Korea; so no shock here with that news. Pity, they did a lot of damage, more than one can imagine and as a former Navy guy, my sentiments are that the brass should have been executed. My home will never have a Toshiba product or it will go out the door in pieces.

[Gepe]

WELCOME BACK to land of SAAB.
Nice to read your news but can you explain the 'Xterra' is this a USA model / name for something we may know as something else?
Looking forward to the answer.
TPOF

Hey Fellas!

Well, life has gotten in the way a bit. So much so that it appears I hadn't ventured here in 3~4 months! I'm keeping up with stickers though, so don't worry on that front (still have plenty left).

My Xterra is about to roll over 26,000 miles in just 14 months. So far, I'm still very happy with it and only had a a couple minor issues that the warranty took care of. My biggest disappointment was that around 25,000 miles the tires were basically shot. So I picked up some GoodYear Duratracs that I've been very happy with so far, but with so few miles, I can't form a real firm opinion yet.

I only got to put about ~300 miles on my '77 CB550 (motorcycle) due to constant carburetor issues; resulting in me having to push it home three times, all on very hot days. A professional carb rebuild seems necessary.

The '73 96 is still in my possession, and I believe it's in the same state it was when I lasted updated about it. The engine is pulled, interior stripped, and the project has been put on a long-term hold. Luckily though, the girl I've been dating for ~6 months, has a father that does car painting and restorations on the side. Besides giving me a hard time about it being a Saab--his two "fun" cars are a '55 Ford F100 with a Chevy 402, and a '69 Camaro with a real nice 350--he has been harping on me to get rolling on the project. The reason it's on hold is the inability to store it at my apartment, and that I'm moving full-speed ahead trying to pay off student loans and saving up for a downpayment on a house. Hopefully with a garage.

That's all that's really going on in my world. I'll try to check in more often--we are currently at our seasonally slow period for business.

Hope everything is well with everyone else!