Stag advice? Does this sound OK?

[drgoatboy]

Not sure if anyone can offer some Triumph stag advice to a total classic newbie….

I’ve been toying with buying a Stag for a little while, done some light researching (reading the odd buyers guide, checking out spares prices, trawling classifieds etc) but not looked at any cars as I wasn’t really intending to buy anything until spring / summer next year however…

I guy I work with saw me looking at Stags and he has one for sale.
It’s a 1978 (the year I wanted), he’s owned it for about 25 years. Its got a big stack of receipts including recent engine rebuild new bushes all round and seats re-foamed, a long MOT and looks pretty tidy. It has been resprayed in the last few years (although wasn’t bare metal respray) and has done less than 60k miles.

I’ve been driven in it as a passenger and it feels lovely and tight, no squeaks or rattles which really surprised me, engine stayed a good temperature and it sounded awesome through its stainless manifolds and exhaust. Felt plenty quick too but it has got more aggressive cams and its been lightly ported according to the rebuild receipt.

I’ve had a reasonable poke around it and a few things are nagging in my mind that I’m hoping I could get some advice on?

1 – drivers side sill and cross member seem to have a bit of rust on, hard to say how much but its made its way through the waxoyl. Any chance this is just surface rust and needs a quick rub down and re-waxoyling or is likely to be new sills time?

2 – its got a bit of sag to the drivers side, the front spring looks slightly more compressed than the passenger side. Shocks look and feel OK but I’m guessing they are on their way out. Could the lean signify anything more serious?

3 – As a tall chap I really could do with moving the seat back on its runners one more notch. Anyone ever repositioned the runners to add a bit more space?

4 – Its advertised at ~£13k but I could probably get him down to £11k, so its slap bang in the middle of the prices of everything else out there. Considering its had a lot of work done and bags of history it feels about the right price but not having seen any others its hard to judge. Does it sound about right?

Sorry for all the questions! Any help at all would be excellent.

Thanks!

[varsas]

Hmm..sills usually rust from the inside out. Impossible to tell without looking at the car but I suggest you give it a good poke and a bit of a scrape with a screwdriver.

Lots of Stags have tired suspension, my last Stag did it. I suppose worst case something is bent but it's probably just worn springs or dampers. Strange they did all the bushes and refitted worn springs/dampers though, they aren't expensive...maybe get it 4 wheel aligned somewhere before you buy it?

Can't help, I'm only 6 foot 1 so fit fine! I assume you know the wheel moves up and down, might help a bit.

Well, to me, personally, £11k or 13k sounds like a fortune for a stag. That's more then double what I paid for either of mine so to me it seems like a lot! I would definitely go and see and drive a few so you know what they are supposed to be like before you commit, it'd have to be right for that money.

[drgoatboy]

Thanks Varsas,
I think I am going to hold off doing anything with this particular one for a while. The timing is bad and I've got some nagging doubts about it (particularly the rusty sill).
Think I'll take your advice and try and look at a few and get a feel for what they should be like...

[//j17]

You're listed as being in Hertfordshire so one option would be to give a specialise who does pre-purchase inspections a call. Yes, you have to pay but you get the good, the bad and the ugly and a ball-park estimate to put those things right.

You could try John Yarnell over in High Wycombe - http://www.jyclassics.co.uk/

[drgoatboy]

thanks for the link J17, I'll keep that one bookmarked! Have you used them yourself?

[varsas]

drgoatboy said:

thanks for the link J17, I'll keep that one bookmarked! Have you used them yourself?

Hi.

I bought my first ever classic from him (a Spitfire) and he's a good guy. He has been No.1 on the TSSC (Triumph Sports Six Club, great club) top traders/suppliers list since it began a good few years ago so I'm not the only one.

I'm sure he will tell you himself he does not specialise in Stag's, in fact he isn't particularly fond of them but then maybe that's the kind of guy you want looking at it!

I can also personally recommend A.D. Auto's in the same area:

http://www.adautos.co.uk/

[//j17]

drgoatboy said:

thanks for the link J17, I'll keep that one bookmarked! Have you used them yourself?

Not for a pre-purchase inspection but for bits and bobs on my cars - including a full body restoration job on my Spitfire.

[sax player]

13K !!!!
i would expect it to be perfect at that price. if you have any niggles walk away! Main area for rust is where the rear wheel arch meets the sill.
Shaun

[330p4]

Dan rust is the Stags biggest enemy you need to have a good poke around sills ,outriggers,floorpans,inner wings as well as the obvious external panels also look at the inner wings in the hood well. The suspension may well have sagged std height is approx 14.5 inches centre of wheel to wheel arch return but it is not unusual to find the drivers side slightly lower than the passenger side by a quarter/half inch. But at that price on a private sale you should not be looking to replace sills etc you should get a really spot on car in that price bracket. Shaun you have spent that much on diffs & brakes
Ian

[drgoatboy]

Thanks for the advice Ian.

I suspect if I get a stag you will be hearing more from me!

[sax player]

Shaun you have spent that much on diffs & brakes
Ian
[/quote]

well not quite, I certainly will not see my money back. i value the car about 8k
shaun

[330p4]

I am sure it would make more than that trust you are well
Ian

[Spitfire2]

£13K is too much for a Stag with rust concerns.

[330p4]

Doug sorry for the confusion I was responding to Shaun's valuation of his own car at £13K for a private sale it would need to be spot on
Ian

[Spitfire2]

S'ok Ian - my comment wasn't a reply to you. More general comment on the Stag the OP is looking at.