I was looking for something on Google Images the other day and was struck by the number of custom Saab badges that different people have made over the years.
I guess it’s become a lot easier to design your own badge these days, with companies like Heko and others online (if you know of another good custom badge place, let us know in comments).
Here’s a selection from the ones found on Google earlier today. A few have been featured on these pages in the past, but there’s a bunch of new ones there as well.
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Some of them are pretty cool. I’ve got two of those to replace my recently stolen one
for less than half the price. But it’s only a sticker… although It 1.3mm thick.
I won’t post the site from where I purchased them because I don’t know if it is allowed.
Regards.
David C
Hey man I’m trying the red one with the blue griffin can you give me any help on getting one?? Anything would be much appreciated thanks
As a side note, Swade, i dont know if you know the album Tweez, by the wonderful american group Slint. Look at the vinyl and the cover. It seems that they were more than obsessed by a foreign brand that you know well! 🙂
look here
For what it´s worth, I believe SAAB should honor it´s roots. Make sure the Griffin stays: the “SAABiest” icon there is together with the plane. Keep it and use it! When Jörgen mentioned the clocks yellow handles the other day I really started to miss them, especially in my present car (93ss). And loose the chrome rings. SAAB gets better every day that goes by. I’m so happy to see doubters eating up their hats.
I wouldn’t care if the Scania-Griffin disappeared completely. Why have the Scania logo on the Saab today? Saab is not from Malmö, SkÃ¥ne with is the only thing tat the Scania-Griffin represents. Bring back the B18-airplane instead!
I happen to really like the heraldic look of the Griffin and I want it to stay its a mystical beast and to me that works well with Saab. its also part of the overall Saab story.
I wonder on which SAAB you could put the Piggy Badge ?
Perhaps the SAAB 9-2; not being a real Saab 😉
I know someone who put a bunch of those “pigs” on his TurboX.. go figure..
That car has been accused of being somewhat of a ‘porker’ (and as an owner, I couldn’t disagree).
But how utterly playful! Love it!
That’s the rally pig, some Japanese magazine (a magazine that featured Initial D) sponsored Subaru rally cars a long time ago, and that’s what they used as their emblem. It doesn’t really have anything to do with rallying, but it’s kind of been co-opted into being a symbol for rally racing, especially in Subarus.
Many of these are to be found at eu-decals-com (aka Lefteris Design). Can’t remember if they hail from Portugal or Greece…Unbelievably quick — and cheap –delivery (in a plain envelope so not to alert Customs Revenue!) within 5 days to Canada!
I’ve ordered many from them (in ‘classic’ standard griffen + SAAB lettering on blue background) for 5 Euro’s or so a pop (the non-standard one’s are a bit more) to stick on the center caps of aftermarket winter wheels in 50mm size (Hood badges on a 9-3 SS need to be larger … 62 mm I think…and a few Euro more each).
While the adhesive is adequate for hood badges I’ve always needed some supplementary glue to secure on curved caps. Still looking good 3 harsh Canadian winters on!
They are from Greece and I just them too to replace the bloody peeling hood and trunk badges of our Saabs. These decals fit right inside of the existing chrome badges, just remove all remnants of the old piece of crap emblem, rough up a bit and clean with acetone (careful, don’t get it on your paint). The badges have been on now for 3 years and they always put a smile on my face when I see all the other Saabs without badges (great marketing strategy, Saab!).
The badges look really nice because they are 3D, i.e. several layers of vinyl sealed with a flexible, transparent resin. I have no financial interest in this company but I don’t mind advertising an excellent and reasonably priced product.
Btw, I think eu-decals.com only has the standard Griffin badges.
Since I like a little personalisation on my Saab, I had the black retro badge right on the upper row on my former black 9-5. On my current Nocturne Blue 9-5 saloon I have the carbon badge left on the 3rd row.
These badges are very different in quality though! Not necessarily the materials used, they were both fine. The black badge however, was a solid flat badge to replace the entire badge. On the bonnet this is easy as pie, but on the trunk the badge has a slight curve, making it impossible to stick this one on without leaving a little gap behind it.
The carbon badge however, was a very solid curved sticker. I had to remove the inner blue logo from the original badge, replace that with the sticker and use the original base again on the car. This method is a bit more effort, but way better looking! Looks like it was originally made. I can post a pic if someone wants to see it.
Then there’s the third possibility. Like those Spyker or Piggy logos. These are stickers as well, but flat and not curved. Therefor they cannot be pasted in the curved base. The quality is very bad too. Not recommended at all, besides just looking stupid in my opinion.
I have a 2002 93 5 door with a mostly peeled rear saab badge. I too have wondered about the curved aspect of the metal part of the badge and how a sticker would be applied effectively without bubbling or creasing with the curved base.
can you or others reply with links on where to find these ideas? The carbon fiber one you mention might look good on our steel grey 95 wagon or the black 93.
Thanks for the help on this.
Of course! I bought mine on eBay, shop called Bling Badge in Singapore. Somehow it doesn’t seem to be operating, but I think it’s the same as this one here: http://blingbadgeshop.com/
Perhaps you could contact them to ask for these badges? Also: the sedan has a hollow curved trunk, leaving a gap in the middle. The estate has a lumpy curve leaving the upper and lower edge floating. The flat emblems work better on the estate rear end than on the sedan.
And a sticker wouldn’t work well. The ones I ordered from that shop I mentioned, were curved like a lense to fit exactly in the original badge base. If you decide on that: gently get the badge and base of the car. On the bottom of the base you will see a hole, put a pin through to push the original badge out of the base. It will ruin the badge, since it’s a thin metal layer. But the base will be left to reuse, perfect fit of course!
I guess I like the simple, traditional looking SAAB ones… the mix of Saab+BMW, or Saab and Spyker…. eh.. not for me at all.
SAAB and Pig…. SHAMEFUL!
Totaly Off topic but, i dont know if this article has been seen
http://www.classicandperformancecar.com/features/octane_features/256894/saab_generations.html
I think its a very, very good article.
Yes, a very honest assessment of the Saab legacy.
There was one remark, though, that made me cringe a bit:
“…..the 9-5 is certainly more than good enough to satisfy existing owners who want to continue flying the flag…..”
I know I’m a bit pessimistic, but will this provide enough 9-5 sales?
My Badge : http://i44.tinypic.com/qs3uck.jpg