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Journals

Friends and associates of Hagstrom Saab have some pretty strong views about the superiority of the Saab brand, as you might expect. Please choose a journal below and read what our learned enthusiasts have to say...

Pick your Hagstrom Saab correspondent here>> | Stuart's Spin-offs | From the Archives | Alan's Column | Tommi's Restoration Projects | Emma's Reports | Notable Saabs | asd | Sonetts Surely! | Saab God | Enthusiast Links | Ashley's Other Saabs | Newsletter | 123 | 123 | asd | Open Forum | Nigel's Noggin | Matt's World | Owain’s Adventures

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Picture of journalist    
Picture of journalist

Matt's World

One man’s sermon from the mount

10/05/2024

02/11/2010

All Hail a New Breed of Motoring God

02/11/2010

New 9-5 Estate

15/10/2010

New 9-5 (Addendum)

06/07/2010

The New Saab 9-5

17/03/2009

The Curse of the Lead Right Foot

06/03/2009

Saab, in Trouble??!!

05/03/2009

Beware the Four Chrome Rings

05/03/2009

David Llewellyn Owen: a Memorial

03/03/2009

Are there ANY Saab crazed Girls out there?

29/11/2006

Oddballs

02/02/2006

The Unicorn

02/02/2006

A Re-acquaintance with the Saab 9000

08/12/2005

The New Saab 9-5

03/12/2005

Our Country is Disappearing up its own A**e Part III

03/12/2005

Dual Flow Filtration Part III

06/10/2005

Farewell to Scandinavian Blue

09/06/2005

Dual Filtration Part II

13/05/2005

Dual Flow Oil Filtration

03/05/2005

My Saab of the Moment!

09/03/2005

Mixed Emotions

09/03/2005

Why are the T16S 900's being scrapped in droves?

03/02/2005

Question: Where does Classic end and pile of s*** begin?

03/02/2005

When is a Saab not a Saab? When it's a Subaru

03/02/2005

Born Free, Taxed to Death

01/05/2004

Back in the Saddle ..

15/11/2003

The classic Saab 900 1978-1994

19/04/2003

Saab 99 buyer’s guide

01/04/2003

Stay safer in an older Saab!

01/04/2003

Petrol £6 a gallon...? But apparently it’s on the cards

David Llewellyn Owen: a Memorial


At the Saab Enthusiasts' Meeting, Larling September 2007

Last year my father died after a short battle with cancer. He was just as big a Saab nut as I was but, whereas I have owned a succession of cars from the Trollhatten motor masters, he had only ever owned three:

1. a 1976 99 EMS 2-dr
2. a 1982 900 GLE 4-dr
3. a 1986 900 2-dr.

I guess he never got as easily bored as I do.

To my knowledge he only went to two Saab owners' meetings: one national and one enthusiasts' meeting but his enthusiasm for the marque led to more than a couple of arguments with classic car buffs down at this favourite haunt, the Angel public house in Loddon.

He did, however, take his pride and joy, the white 900 carb 2-dr to many Norfolk classic car rallies, accompanied by either myself or his pal and drinking buddy Philip Morter. Of the time I spent with him at these events, most of it was listening to his stories about different models of cars on show, when they were made, where and the people he had known who had had such a vehicle.

In his lifetime my father had sampled all sorts of cars. From Diamlers to Hillman Imps, from Rovers to Vauxhalls but it was Saabs that were his favourite and my love of Saabs was, I suppose inevitable. He had a very full life and always knew how to enjoy himself, whether it was arguing the toss with some weirdy beardy MG driving optimist or just having a quiet drink with his buddies down the pub.

There are so many of my own character traits that I can blame on him but that's what happens isn't it: an impressionable boy like me always looks up to and tries his best to emulate his father especially when the father in question is as big a character as David.

There is obviously a hell of a lot more to my dad than cars - he loved films, comedy, music, his children - me, my brother David James Owen and our sister Catherine, his grandchildren - Ben, Aimee, Sarah and my darlin' boy, Cameron.

All the people he loved were with him the night he died including my mother, Mary. There isn't a day goes by that we don't miss him; his sense of humour and his clear cut sense of responsibility and values.

The notation on his memorial simply reads: "sadly missed", though in hindsight maybe "fondly remembered, sadly missed" would have been better. A wonderful father and one hell of a Saab Enthusiast.

David Llewellyn Owen
1939 - 2008



Matt
3 March 2009

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