[me and my metro]

I have been searching for information on these cars. I have a complete set of factory service manuals for the 2002 L series. Wikipedia is incorrect by stating that the L series cars have a Getrag F23 transmission. This car has a Getrag F35 like the Saturn Ion Redline uses. There are rod shifted and cable shifted versions of this tranmission used in various cars. L series are rod shifted just like the Metro transmission. The Saab version is cable shifted in the 2003+ 9-3. It looks like the axle spline count is different also.
Genuinesaab.com has great information about everything Saab. They have some articles about what fits what and what interchanges on these transmissions. It looks like the differentials swap for axle spline counts and all the internals work in either style case. So I will use a Saturn diff and Saab guts in a Saturn case. I will let everyone know how this works, probably easier than replacing all the bearings in a Metro trans or swaping a crown wheel and output shaft. I have a spare Saturn trans on the bench.