Discussion
low mpg, not much power for all the great noise it makes.
Soft top leaks, hard top leaks more, odd assortment of 70's colour schemes.
Cooling system needs regular attention to ensure "oddball original V8" engine doesnt overheat.
Fiddly procedure for getting soft top up and down, easy to damage material when doing it.
However I love mine, even though it is brown!
Soft top leaks, hard top leaks more, odd assortment of 70's colour schemes.
Cooling system needs regular attention to ensure "oddball original V8" engine doesnt overheat.
Fiddly procedure for getting soft top up and down, easy to damage material when doing it.
However I love mine, even though it is brown!
BurblingBrownOne said:
low mpg, not much power for all the great noise it makes.
Soft top leaks, hard top leaks more, odd assortment of 70's colour schemes.
Cooling system needs regular attention to ensure "oddball original V8" engine doesnt overheat.
Fiddly procedure for getting soft top up and down, easy to damage material when doing it.
However I love mine, even though it is brown!
Strange comment about the tin and soft tops - mine have never leaked. We haven't had any trouble with over heating either and she's still running with her original V8 - no kenlowe or special rad either! - just lucky I guess?Soft top leaks, hard top leaks more, odd assortment of 70's colour schemes.
Cooling system needs regular attention to ensure "oddball original V8" engine doesnt overheat.
Fiddly procedure for getting soft top up and down, easy to damage material when doing it.
However I love mine, even though it is brown!
Must admit Ive never had any problems with overheating either and am running standard set up as it left the factory floor, maybe it's just all scare mongering?
It does get a bit moist inside though, but think it may not all be attributable to soft / hard tops - seals in general are all pretty old and brittle so waters probably getting in all over the place. Really should do a bit of spannering over these winter months.
It does get a bit moist inside though, but think it may not all be attributable to soft / hard tops - seals in general are all pretty old and brittle so waters probably getting in all over the place. Really should do a bit of spannering over these winter months.
I think the main downside to a stag is that it's not a drivers car. before I go further I should say I've got one and do love it (you wouldn't go through the pain of ownership if you didn't!) but it's probably the worst car to drive hard I've had. It's a bit floppsy and 'loose', and you get little feedback through the steering wheel. You won't be attacking your favourite 'B' road in one...not unless you want to get sea sick.
As for the engine...meh they are powerful enough. I had my old one dynoed at 122bhp (and still pulling at the self imposed 6000rpm limit!) and it turned out the head gasket had gone on that one and the heads were knackered. My current car feels faster then that, I'd bet on the Stag in a drag race with my old 2litre 16v Vectra, and that low down torque gives more then enough pace at road speeds, I don't think they feel slow...
The hood doesn't need to leak, and I don't see why the hard top would, unless seals are missing or it's badly fitted.
The biggest problem if finding a decent one. I've driven quite a few now and they are all quite different. I think people buy one with crap brakes or a sluggish engine or crap gearbox and just assume that's how they are. When I bought mine is was basically un-drivable due to the horribly balanced, incorrect wire wheels, incorrect tyres and brakes full of air. A decent one actually feels quite modern really, especially with the hard top on. The only thing that really dates it is the manual gearbox, which is a bit slow.
oh yeah, the hood is a bit of a pain. You get used to it, but it's always a bit of a faff.
As for the engine...meh they are powerful enough. I had my old one dynoed at 122bhp (and still pulling at the self imposed 6000rpm limit!) and it turned out the head gasket had gone on that one and the heads were knackered. My current car feels faster then that, I'd bet on the Stag in a drag race with my old 2litre 16v Vectra, and that low down torque gives more then enough pace at road speeds, I don't think they feel slow...
The hood doesn't need to leak, and I don't see why the hard top would, unless seals are missing or it's badly fitted.
The biggest problem if finding a decent one. I've driven quite a few now and they are all quite different. I think people buy one with crap brakes or a sluggish engine or crap gearbox and just assume that's how they are. When I bought mine is was basically un-drivable due to the horribly balanced, incorrect wire wheels, incorrect tyres and brakes full of air. A decent one actually feels quite modern really, especially with the hard top on. The only thing that really dates it is the manual gearbox, which is a bit slow.
oh yeah, the hood is a bit of a pain. You get used to it, but it's always a bit of a faff.
BurblingBrownOne said:
Must admit Ive never had any problems with overheating either and am running standard set up as it left the factory floor, maybe it's just all scare mongering?
I don't think so. Not that'll I bore everyone here (especially you) with the details but there were very good reasons for the engines to overheat. It comes down to a poor design, poorly made and poorly maintained. Now people know how to look after them (e.g. put anti freeze in them, flush them when refilling), the parts are better made (payen head gaskets are good, and I imagine all heads will have been re manufactured or reconditioned by now...the engines won't be full of sand...I presume their aren't any faulty crankshafts left either). A properly made, properly looked after engine will be fine...but that never happened in period. Even now they need some care when putting together to make sure the heads/waterways line up properly...you can't just skim the heads and bolt them back up.
te under the bonnet though...I have a Stag and a Chimaera. Different style cars but love them both. I have had the stag for 6 or 7 years and never wanted one until I drove mine. If you are serious about getting one, there is an excellent owners club forum. You dont have to be a club member to join and there is no end of knowledge and the occasional car for sale as well.
Mine might also be for sale when the weather warms up...
Mine might also be for sale when the weather warms up...
In the last 9 months I've sold one, bought one and seen about 5.
Values are all over the place. I sold mine for £3.5k, the asking price. It had no rust, brand new hood (been folded 3 times), engine with re-built top end (re con heads, new valves etc) nice stereo, new dash, all electrics worked, i'd done the brakes, including brand new master cylinder. Unfortunately it needed new door skins, the chrome was poor, the doors were hung badly and the paint was a non-standard, non triumph colour that was ok at best. Drove well though.
I saw a load of dogs for £4k-£6k. One was epically rusty...rust on every panel, along the bottom of the doors, where the aerial fits...everywhere. I walked away for £4.5k it then sold on e-bay for £7k. The others I saw all needed many £k's before they would be any good, most were worse then the one I sold. One had had a full restoration, then been parked for 20 years. It had got wet and some of the paint was going, the dash was warped etc would have made a great car but needed sooo much work and they wanted £5k for it. I was about to give up until I found 'mine'. £5k, perfect chrome, best engine i've experienced in a stag, perfect panel gaps, very good paint, nice interior, both roofs in v.good condition etc etc. it's very very nice indeed. It did/does need some work; the wire wheels were unbalanced (i swapped them for the original alloys), the brakes needed adjusting/bleeding and the clutch needs adjusting/changing. Oh and it had a couple of minor electrical faults, now fixed.
In my experience you need £6k to buy a decent stag, you'll have to look at a load of dogs and then it'll still need a bit of work but they are there. You'll also need to be quick, mine sold within 3 hours of going up (and I had 2 other phone calls before I could get home and take the advert down!) The guy I bought mine off had 2 calls away while I was looking...I missed out on a few because I phoned the day after the advert came out.
Values are all over the place. I sold mine for £3.5k, the asking price. It had no rust, brand new hood (been folded 3 times), engine with re-built top end (re con heads, new valves etc) nice stereo, new dash, all electrics worked, i'd done the brakes, including brand new master cylinder. Unfortunately it needed new door skins, the chrome was poor, the doors were hung badly and the paint was a non-standard, non triumph colour that was ok at best. Drove well though.
I saw a load of dogs for £4k-£6k. One was epically rusty...rust on every panel, along the bottom of the doors, where the aerial fits...everywhere. I walked away for £4.5k it then sold on e-bay for £7k. The others I saw all needed many £k's before they would be any good, most were worse then the one I sold. One had had a full restoration, then been parked for 20 years. It had got wet and some of the paint was going, the dash was warped etc would have made a great car but needed sooo much work and they wanted £5k for it. I was about to give up until I found 'mine'. £5k, perfect chrome, best engine i've experienced in a stag, perfect panel gaps, very good paint, nice interior, both roofs in v.good condition etc etc. it's very very nice indeed. It did/does need some work; the wire wheels were unbalanced (i swapped them for the original alloys), the brakes needed adjusting/bleeding and the clutch needs adjusting/changing. Oh and it had a couple of minor electrical faults, now fixed.
In my experience you need £6k to buy a decent stag, you'll have to look at a load of dogs and then it'll still need a bit of work but they are there. You'll also need to be quick, mine sold within 3 hours of going up (and I had 2 other phone calls before I could get home and take the advert down!) The guy I bought mine off had 2 calls away while I was looking...I missed out on a few because I phoned the day after the advert came out.
I have had my stag for 21 years and the first time it has left me stranded on the side of the road was a few days ago with a broken accelerator cable. (but I got home by using the choke cable as an accelerator)
Since restoration back in 2002 i have had no overheating issues, the only changes from norm are electronic ignition and HPC coated exhaust heads and balanced. of course getting the casting sand out of the waterways helped....
there is a good forum at www.triumphstag.net
if you want to look at what i went through to restore it
www.stag.org.nz
the stag is a tourer, not a sports car, gives better performance that my brother's TR5 (according to him) more room than the TR range and is a great cruiser.
finding a good stag is always a challange, and will always blow your budget.
there is nothing like the sound of the triumph V8 (sorry you rover fans
)
Since restoration back in 2002 i have had no overheating issues, the only changes from norm are electronic ignition and HPC coated exhaust heads and balanced. of course getting the casting sand out of the waterways helped....
there is a good forum at www.triumphstag.net
if you want to look at what i went through to restore it
www.stag.org.nz
the stag is a tourer, not a sports car, gives better performance that my brother's TR5 (according to him) more room than the TR range and is a great cruiser.
finding a good stag is always a challange, and will always blow your budget.
there is nothing like the sound of the triumph V8 (sorry you rover fans
)There is the owners club forum as well - http://stagownersclub.mywowbb.com/
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