I have wanted an 9-5 Aero wagon for a long time but they are hard to find with a stick. I still have my totaled 03 Aero sedan and today I found this on CL:
SAAB 9 5 AERO WAGON - $1500
The biggest project I have taken on so far is a motor swap in my 64 Spitfire, the original motor for one out of a 72 Spit. So with a whole parts car how worried should I be to take this on? On the face of it it does not seem too bad, but I know how most projects go and I would hate to get halfway through and end up with two piles of parts.
Oh lord, this could be bad.
Being that you have an entire parts car, it's unlikely you'll run into something you need and can't get (or a case where you can't figure out what you need). I'd go for it, it shouldn't be too awful, just a good bit of work.
Ive done this swap on other vehicles. Do the automatic removal first. Park manual beside and transfer the parts. Dont forget the pilot bearing. Also confirm electrical differences, and change accordingly. May be easier to use the whole harness from the donor.
You are going to confuse the hell out of the ecu with different inputs, and when you swap the 03 ecu, you will confuse the hell out of the security system and everything else in the car.
That car looks like a fine candidate for your garage. Do eeet. Now.
Probably it will take a Tech II to marry the manual trans to the car and edit out the automatic's inputs that would go missing and throw codes, or adapt the 03 ECU to the security system and SID. I wonder if the manual cars got ESC, pretty sure it is tied into the automatic.
Btw, that car's automatic has shifters on the steering wheel. That feature may tide you over while you're working out the swap.
Do it and I'll buy it from you after said swap for $1500. 
I'm looking into doing this on my VW, so I'm following with interest.
asoduk
HalfDork
3/6/17 8:26 p.m.
I don't have the answer, but I have some concerns. The hard part (I think) will be electronics. You should call the guys at Brew City Boost for some advice before you do it. You're going to need an ECU flash anyhow, and they do a fine job.
If you're interested, I have a spare T7 ECU that you can have for the cost of shipping. Just PM me. I also have a ton of other 9-5 parts that I'd like to see find a good home.
Edit: I just saw you're from Columbus. You have a great local resource: Turbo Tomy's. Tomy passed away, but Gavin was still there the last I heard. They can do Tech2 stuff and have probably done this swap before.
The seller responded last nigh, a good sign, and I found out the car has 283K miles on it. The guy is traveling this week so I am going to look at the car on my way home from Cleveland Saturday. Knowing that the car has that many miles I am now thinking of swapping the motor and trans out of the 02 sedan I bought last year, basically do a subframe swap.
The electronics are also what I think will be the hard part, mostly the security stuff. I have done a little poking around and it looks like a few people have done this so some more studying is in order.
asoduk:
Thanks for the offer of the ECU, maybe we can meet sometime this week while I am in Cleveland? Let me know. I have been to Tomy's a couple of times before Tommy passed so that is one place I was going to hit up.
Wow, that sounds like a great swap! Manual 9-5s seem to be very rare anymore. I love the look of the wagon without the annoying roof rails too, wish mine didn't have them.
