Friction Tester: 1986 Saab 900 Turbo
If you’ve ever done much air travel you might be familiar with the variety of specialized runway vehicles that perform tasks critical to air travel. Things like airport tugs are fun to watch, and you might spy something unique like the Porsche Panameras that Lufthansa uses to ferry its executive passengers between flights at the Munich Airport — but this next car you see hurtling down the runway at triple digit speeds at the first signs of a flurry. Sale at Ikea? Nope. Just a real time friction test of the runway. Find this 1986 Saab 900 Turbo 2-Door Hatchback with a $25 starting bid in Tompkins, NY via auctionsinternational. Tip from Matthew.
To the untrained eye this might just look like another Saab 900 Turbo, one of 908,817 of the “900 Classic” generation that was produced from 1979-1993, but it is far more than meets the eye….and surely cost a pretty penny when new. It is one of the hundreds of custom friction testers built by folks like SARSYS and used at icy airports around the globe.
This particular example has some rusted metal in the floorboards, a drilled out lock cylinder and transmission problems, but at least the friction testing wheel/system looks mostly intact. Is this the ultimate 24 Hrs of LeMons ready Saab Turbo or what?
See another custom piece of history? tips@dailyturismo.com
I'm sure the friction testing gear would be perfect for late breaking on the curves..
With that friction testing gear in there, at least the spare tire well (notorious spot on the C900) can't rust out?
Probably wouldn't take too much to make the friction testing unit a drift – enhancing device. Put a plastic wheel on there that could be forced into the ground to take a bunch of weight off the drive wheels. You could then spin out, do a mega – burnout, highway patrol turn, etc. with relative ease.