Thoughts on a non-original spec Stag
Discussion
If you buy knowing it is not original and are happy with the car and the price reflects this, why not.
Many classic cars are now modified with improved parts which enhance safety, reliability and performance. It is probably just as difficult to find a completely original, non modified car with all genuine OEM parts nowadays.
Some will probably be offended
Many classic cars are now modified with improved parts which enhance safety, reliability and performance. It is probably just as difficult to find a completely original, non modified car with all genuine OEM parts nowadays.
Some will probably be offended
The rover engine was a popular conversion for the Stag, largely due to the reliability issues with the Triumph unit. If it needs finishing, I'd be tempted to go further - a project I always fancied but never had time to do involved completely uprating a Stag, starting with brakes, suspension, drive train, and a Chevy Hemi-head V8
Thanks for both responses, car is on ebay at the moment, looks like a project that could go either way. Either nice car or disaster area. When you don't know the providence of the work/parts it could end up a complete strip down. One you need to go see, not bid on pics and write up. I'm three and a half hours away but maybe worth a trip out.
With cars getting on for 40 plus years old it is more buy on condition to be honest, so I would agree viewing is probably the right thing to do. Unless the seller has owned from new and /or it has a fully verifiable documented history, it's always likely to be a bit of a gamble.
Rust is an issue and probably more expensive to repair a badly corroded car than to change, update any mechanical mods you don't like.
The Rover V8 was a very common conversion, almost to the point where it is acceptable to many. and of course is very likely to have more bhp than the original stag engine.
Lovely cars.
Rust is an issue and probably more expensive to repair a badly corroded car than to change, update any mechanical mods you don't like.
The Rover V8 was a very common conversion, almost to the point where it is acceptable to many. and of course is very likely to have more bhp than the original stag engine.
Lovely cars.
This prompted me to go to eBay for a look. There's another Stag on there with the Triumph straight six, which as I think the ad said is the engine that the Stag was originally designed around. PI in a Stag would be quite interesting, but I don't think it suits the character of the car. I only mention this because the car in question is just down the road from me and I briefly thought "hmmmm, that could be tempting..."
Yertis said:
This prompted me to go to eBay for a look. There's another Stag on there with the Triumph straight six, which as I think the ad said is the engine that the Stag was originally designed around. PI in a Stag would be quite interesting, but I don't think it suits the character of the car. I only mention this because the car in question is just down the road from me and I briefly thought "hmmmm, that could be tempting..."
I read that a few days ago and questioned the matter (privately). Was it really designed around the 2.5pi? While there are distinct design similarities between the 4 door saloon and the Stag, I somehow doubt they were going to use the 2.5motor in any guise. Or am I wrong? Considering what they did drag out of the parts bin at BL from time to time I suppose.Monkeylegend said:
I thought the V8 in the Stag was a development of the slant 4 engine used in the Dolomite Sprint.
Me too, but when someone is advertising a mucked about with car, with poor engine swop, they can say whatever they want if punters believe them. Doubt many will though.
Skyedriver said:
Yertis said:
This prompted me to go to eBay for a look. There's another Stag on there with the Triumph straight six, which as I think the ad said is the engine that the Stag was originally designed around. PI in a Stag would be quite interesting, but I don't think it suits the character of the car. I only mention this because the car in question is just down the road from me and I briefly thought "hmmmm, that could be tempting..."
I read that a few days ago and questioned the matter (privately). Was it really designed around the 2.5pi? While there are distinct design similarities between the 4 door saloon and the Stag, I somehow doubt they were going to use the 2.5motor in any guise. Or am I wrong? Considering what they did drag out of the parts bin at BL from time to time I suppose.The Stag was based on the Innsbruck saloon monocoque and the Innsbruck monocoque was designed for the Triumph 2L/2.5L straight 6. Triumph once again liked the car that rolled out of Michelotti's studio and started the Stag project but decided very early that for the car's target US market it would need a V8. So the Stag was always designed to have the V8 but was based on a car that was designed around the straight 6.
//j17 said:
Depends what you mean by 'designed'.
I meant this: 
//j17 said:
The Stag was based on the Innsbruck saloon monocoque and the Innsbruck monocoque was designed for the Triumph 2L/2.5L straight 6. Triumph once again liked the car that rolled out of Michelotti's studio and started the Stag project but decided very early that for the car's target US market it would need a V8. So the Stag was always designed to have the V8 but was based on a car that was designed around the straight 6.
I've got more books about the Stag, which I've never owned, than the TR6, which I have. It's car that I've always loved, is within reach, but which for some reason has always eluded me. 
Yertis said:
It's car that I've always loved, is within reach, but which for some reason has always eluded me.
Know that feeling well.First one I nearly bought was in 1978...was going to trade my MGB in for it but when I got to the dealer he'd sold it. So I traded the MGB in for Ford Consul 2.5 V6 (Mark 1 Granada shape car).
Since then I've looked at a few and every time there's been something that put me off, either tons of black goo underneath, rust bubbles on the seams above the sills, misaligned panels....
This one currently advertised could be a nice project to go along with my TVR Chimaera (also Rover V8) but there's going to be so many unknowns as it's been modified. Sitting on the fence at the moment, jump in or jump off. Need to make that 7 hour round trip and I keep thinking it'l be a waste of a day somehow.
I think they were going to put a fuel injected V8 2.5 in the stag but couldn't get the emissions down enough for the American market so went with the 3 litre with twin carbs.
In the early 80s I'd set my heart on a white stag with a Rover engine, the chap wanted £1500 for it, off I went down to my bank(Midland) to get my loan they promised I could have once I'd found my car, they refused so I swapped to the TSB and a year later asked them for a loan which they did, obviously my chosen car had long been sold and ended up buying a green stag with the original engine, first day out in it it overheated and cost me another loan to fix it.
Glad to see Midland Bank is a name I no longer see,lol
In the early 80s I'd set my heart on a white stag with a Rover engine, the chap wanted £1500 for it, off I went down to my bank(Midland) to get my loan they promised I could have once I'd found my car, they refused so I swapped to the TSB and a year later asked them for a loan which they did, obviously my chosen car had long been sold and ended up buying a green stag with the original engine, first day out in it it overheated and cost me another loan to fix it.
Glad to see Midland Bank is a name I no longer see,lol
Skyedriver said:
This one currently advertised could be a nice project to go along with my TVR Chimaera (also Rover V8) but there's going to be so many unknowns as it's been modified. Sitting on the fence at the moment, jump in or jump off. Need to make that 7 hour round trip and I keep thinking it'l be a waste of a day somehow.
I'd ask them about the BMW rear end conversion and find out if it's home-brewed or one of the kits that are/were available. If they say it's something like the Monarch kit then you know it wasn't cheap so they probably haven't spared the pennies so are less likely to have bodged other parts of the car. Only an indication mind, but I'd be more tempted to make the 7hr drive.Skyedriver said:
The familiar tale...
I think I've looked at half a dozen over the last 30 years, with the serious intent of buying, but each time something got in the way. In order: Mum withdrew offer of funding (cross with me about something 
) / ropey engine / dodgy respray / rust / rust again / dodgy respray//j17 said:
Skyedriver said:
This one currently advertised could be a nice project to go along with my TVR Chimaera (also Rover V8) but there's going to be so many unknowns as it's been modified. Sitting on the fence at the moment, jump in or jump off. Need to make that 7 hour round trip and I keep thinking it'l be a waste of a day somehow.
I'd ask them about the BMW rear end conversion and find out if it's home-brewed or one of the kits that are/were available. If they say it's something like the Monarch kit then you know it wasn't cheap so they probably haven't spared the pennies so are less likely to have bodged other parts of the car. Only an indication mind, but I'd be more tempted to make the 7hr drive.The bidding now reaching £7K and I wonder if that's becoming, by the time the auction finishes, a little too much for a project, bastardised car. Unless breaking it??
CAPP0 said:
Monkeylegend said:
I thought the V8 in the Stag was a development of the slant 4 engine used in the Dolomite Sprint.
I seem to recall that it was based on a doubled-up 1850 engine, rather than being based on the twin-cam/16V Sprint engine (and therefore becoming quad-cam/32V)?Sounds familiar in the sports car world
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