Long winterseason was succesfully for Saabworks- team; totally 5 rally and 1 rallysprint were drowen with 2 different cars and all of them finished with good results. Autumn 2017 I get an idea with swede Anders Knutsson to join rally in Sweden. Together with Rally Sweden (second rally in World Rally Championship- serie) arranged also Rally Sweden Historic. Same Special Stages will be driven after WRC drivers,  and it was known that this year there was a lot of snow in a route; what a dream ! Stages were both Sweden and Norway deep in a forest in mountainous landscape.

Cover of the Swedish Bilsport- magazine 1970

Cover of the Swedish Bilsport- magazine 1970

End of year 2017 was lot of work to do; doing AYA ready to rally and fixing all small things ready. Anders help me lot with those tiny things, and specially when he found me swedish co-driver; Annika Engqvist who has wide experience in rallyfield back 80´s and 90´s and like to start rallying again. To make sure everything is okay with the car for Rally Sweden Historic, I joyned for one rallysprint with AYA-10. The car feel perfect and registration made for rally.

Rallysprint checkout before registration to Rally Sweden Historic

Rallysprint checkout before registration to Rally Sweden Historic

Same time with finished AYA, we made at the same time second car for training, ABN-391 which is more or less blue&white reblica and its first rallystart was beginning januar this year. This winter target was practice rallydriving before Rally Sweden with ABN, and so get good touch for driving with Saab 96 and freewheel. Stages after stages driving get better and better, faster too for sure, and that way I get good feeling and self confidence before Rally Sweden.

Training with reblica before Rally Sweden Historic. Nice photo by Marko Kyöstilä from Kangasniemi rally.

Training with reblica before Rally Sweden Historic. Nice photo by Marko Kyöstilä from Kangasniemi rally.

Saab 96- team in Rally Sweden consist Ex Works Leo Kinnunen AYA-10 / Tomi Tikanmäki & Annika Engqvist and swedish Orange works reblica / Anders Knutsson & Christian Ingemarsson with together 6 mechanics from Sweden and Finland. It was like a old good days in 70´s when both Saab Works teams made succesfully co-operation. I hope that also public enjoyed our participating to the event.

6" wide wheel fits perfect to groove.

6″ wide wheels fits perfect to grooves.

Saab original 4,5" wheels, notice, only one side on the groove make driving more or less nervous

Saab original 4,5″ wheels  with narrow track: notice, only one side on the groove make driving more or less nervous when tyres try all the time try to choose which grooves they like to go and suddenly changes their mind… Anders allready mashed his door.

Co-operation with Annika works very well, and by using new Pirelli WJ- tyres we managed drove the route nearly without problems. Only mistake was my own driving misstake to the snow, when we loose about 2-3 minutes. Between wery powerfully competitors (totally 64 started, round 25 Ford Escort BDA/BDG & Volvo 240 + 4wd Turbo´s) we were happy to finished 22th overall (without dying to the snow 15th overall), and second in our Class after Anders who finished 14th overall.

Here starting list: http://rallysweden.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/new-startlist-day-1-historic.pdf

Official results: http://rallysweden.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/official-result-rally-sweden-historic-2018.pdf

IMG_20180217_153512_1 (Large)

Without good service you cant made good results. We have wonderfully mechanics, thanks guys.

I liked to thank my sponsors: Euromaster Lappeenranta, Autoracing/Gulf, Kuljetus Laineaho, MMK- Power, Mekonomen Autohuolto Viinikka Oy, Amoila Oy. You made this succesfully rallytrip possible.

 


Written by Tikkis


Contact Tikkis at :: Phone: +358 400 969696 :: E-mail: saabworks@gmail.com


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