Hi Folks, Stags, are they any good?
Discussion
Hi triumph chaps,
I'm looking out for another classic/project. Stags have always interested me, along with tr6's and it so happens a chap in work has a stag in good basic order, no rust just tidying required, no overheating problems (I believe they used to overheat a bit)
He's not after a great deal for it...well, not cheap at £5500 but doesn't seem that much. It's brown,
Which I like....
Any suggestions chaps...
Or is a tr6 a better beast, I realise it's a lot more sporty, whereas the stag is a cruiser..
Thanks in advance,
Mike.
I'm looking out for another classic/project. Stags have always interested me, along with tr6's and it so happens a chap in work has a stag in good basic order, no rust just tidying required, no overheating problems (I believe they used to overheat a bit)
He's not after a great deal for it...well, not cheap at £5500 but doesn't seem that much. It's brown,
Which I like.... Any suggestions chaps...
Or is a tr6 a better beast, I realise it's a lot more sporty, whereas the stag is a cruiser..
Thanks in advance,
Mike.
Well.....I get bored to be honest. The chim is a great car, has posed me no problems, but people know I'm a happy tinkerer so I get 'opportunities' (that's the way I see them anyway) which puts me into a bit of a spin.
I will sell the chim for what I paid for it, which was very cheap, and in the time I've had it it will have all new outriggers, a full service, general fettling and messing so it'll be a terrific bargain.
I just wondered about stags - beautiful cars, but maybe too much to maintain? so many projects and so little time. 
I will sell the chim for what I paid for it, which was very cheap, and in the time I've had it it will have all new outriggers, a full service, general fettling and messing so it'll be a terrific bargain.
I just wondered about stags - beautiful cars, but maybe too much to maintain?
so many projects and so little time. Mike, it'll need checking very carefully. The base car is Triumph 2000 & can & does rot everywhere. Check sills, floors, inner wings where they meet the bulkhead & boot floor.
Rusty ones are complete money pits, it's a very complex monocoque & even MOT testers have been known to miss bits!
Mechanically not too bad although if it's manual check the box as it's on the limit with V8 power. Auto's go on for ever, but check the fluid, should be clean & red. Diffs can get clonky & noisy but seem to last forever, bl00dy heavy if you need to change one AMHIK.
Driveshafts need greasing & checking. Engine wise Mk2's better than Mk1's but most problems will have been sorted now, need 3000mile oil changes as the bearings are undersized for the capacity.
Rusty ones are complete money pits, it's a very complex monocoque & even MOT testers have been known to miss bits!
Mechanically not too bad although if it's manual check the box as it's on the limit with V8 power. Auto's go on for ever, but check the fluid, should be clean & red. Diffs can get clonky & noisy but seem to last forever, bl00dy heavy if you need to change one AMHIK.
Driveshafts need greasing & checking. Engine wise Mk2's better than Mk1's but most problems will have been sorted now, need 3000mile oil changes as the bearings are undersized for the capacity.
silverback mike said:
Hi triumph chaps,
I'm looking out for another classic/project. Stags have always interested me...Or is a tr6 a better beast
I'm looking out for another classic/project. Stags have always interested me...Or is a tr6 a better beast
Depends, do you think a spoon is better than pencil case?
If you want a hairy-chested mans' 2-seat, straight 6 sport car then yes, the TR6 is better than the Stag.
If you want a big 4-seat, V8 convertable GT car then no, the TR6 isn;t better than the Stag.
Parts availability is much of a muchness - TR's probably have a slight edge but not much in it. They were all built by the same workers (between strikes) and rust like... well like a British car made in the 70's.
For a quick Stag buyers guide - www.tssc2.org.uk/stag.asp?article=buyersguide.xml
The Stag engine has a reputation for overheating and warping cylinder heads, but it's like your Chimaera - it's a TVR so it's unriliable init guv'ner (says mad in the pub who's Porsche is in the shop...again).
The cooling system IS marginal - it's fine in good order but has to be treated with a bit of love and care or your causing yourself problems.
The engine is cast iron block/alloy heads and the service schedule is quite clear - CHANGE coolant every year and reverse flush the cooling system before putting the new stuff in. As, when the car was new BL mechanics 'knew better' they normally just skipped this, just topping the coolant up if it was low (if you were lucky!). This lead to a lot of overheading and engine failures.
There were a couple of root issues that have been sorted by the after-market industry and if a Stag is running 30 years after it was built it's probably been sorted.
Check out www.rimmerbros.co.uk for a free parts cataloge and also Hart Racing Services http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Tony-Hart-St
Stags are too out of date! A rather 'American' british car, there is no fun to driving them, they rot, they are not stylish no matter what people say, yes it may have a v8, but were not talking a Ferrari v8 here!!! TR6 is a much better idea, a proper sports car, more fun to drive, a proper open sports car! one of the most stylish British classics built, can't beat a nice red TR6 on a quiet country road! and people won't think your running a car that should have been scrapped 10 years ago! (no offence meant to any stag owners out there!)
Joey Golf GTi16v said:
Stags are too out of date! A rather 'American' british car, there is no fun to driving them, they rot, they are not stylish no matter what people say, yes it may have a v8, but were not talking a Ferrari v8 here!!! TR6 is a much better idea, a proper sports car, more fun to drive, a proper open sports car! one of the most stylish British classics built, can't beat a nice red TR6 on a quiet country road! and people won't think your running a car that should have been scrapped 10 years ago! (no offence meant to any stag owners out there!)
Coming from a Golf owner I think we can take this drivel with a pinch of salt!
A TR6 was dated when it was built, as in chassised sprorts car. Stags are actually quite nice to drive, as in a 4 seater convertable.
I have a brown 1977 manual Stag.
Had it for a couple of years and loving it.
Its definatley not a sports car but is "sporting" enough with a glorious exhaust note to make driving pleasurable.
Im no mechanic but find it relatively easy to work on, Only problems Ive had in the past couple of years is a snapped carb linkage and and a leaking clutch cyclinder.
All parts very cheap and easily availble on the web.
Fitted Poly bushes which firmed up the suspension nicely.
As other posts suggest get the best one you can, or have someone who knows what there looking for give it a good going over. If its in good nick then regular servicing and a bit of TLC should keep it running nicely.
A really didnt want a brown car, very retro but it is starting to grow on me, at least it helps hide the rust !
But to be honest I really did want a TR6 but just coudnt find one good enough & affordable at the time.
Maybe I'll get one soon - although not in Brown.
Had it for a couple of years and loving it.
Its definatley not a sports car but is "sporting" enough with a glorious exhaust note to make driving pleasurable.
Im no mechanic but find it relatively easy to work on, Only problems Ive had in the past couple of years is a snapped carb linkage and and a leaking clutch cyclinder.
All parts very cheap and easily availble on the web.
Fitted Poly bushes which firmed up the suspension nicely.
As other posts suggest get the best one you can, or have someone who knows what there looking for give it a good going over. If its in good nick then regular servicing and a bit of TLC should keep it running nicely.
A really didnt want a brown car, very retro but it is starting to grow on me, at least it helps hide the rust !
But to be honest I really did want a TR6 but just coudnt find one good enough & affordable at the time.
Maybe I'll get one soon - although not in Brown.
Thanks for the input folks, very informative and much appreciated - Maybe minus our golf driving chap...(If its any consolation I found my Vr6 Golf to be the worst handling piece of sh1te that I have ever had the misfortune to own - come to think of it, the only golf I liked was my mark 2 8v, even my wifes GTiturbo was arse..
)
Anyway, views are good, both in the negative and positive so I'll inwardly digest it all, and thank you all for the facts and figures.
) Anyway, views are good, both in the negative and positive so I'll inwardly digest it all, and thank you all for the facts and figures.
tr7v8 said:
Joey Golf GTi16v said:
Stags are too out of date! A rather 'American' british car, there is no fun to driving them, they rot, they are not stylish no matter what people say, yes it may have a v8, but were not talking a Ferrari v8 here!!! TR6 is a much better idea, a proper sports car, more fun to drive, a proper open sports car! one of the most stylish British classics built, can't beat a nice red TR6 on a quiet country road! and people won't think your running a car that should have been scrapped 10 years ago! (no offence meant to any stag owners out there!)
Coming from a Golf owner I think we can take this drivel with a pinch of salt!
A TR6 was dated when it was built, as in chassised sprorts car. Stags are actually quite nice to drive, as in a 4 seater convertable.
Hi, Grandad drove a stag till it rusted away to nothing, Uncle has a TR6 and a TR3-A, I have a Mk 1 Spitfire too, might drive a golf fellas, but I have plenty of triumph experience!!
Joey Golf GTi16v said:
Stags are too out of date! A rather 'American' british car, there is no fun to driving them, they rot, they are not stylish no matter what people say, yes it may have a v8, but were not talking a Ferrari v8 here!!! TR6 is a much better idea, a proper sports car, more fun to drive, a proper open sports car! one of the most stylish British classics built, can't beat a nice red TR6 on a quiet country road!
An American British car that was designed by an Italian in Italy. You will also find that he designed the tr5 which the TR6 shares doors with IIRC, so it has a German designed body with American ‘British’ Italian designed doors on a forth road girder chassis, with a truck engine up front.
Blimey there is a conundrum!
No disrespect to TR owners as I am in fact rather fond of all TR's (yes inc the TR7) but I simply couldn’t resist having a pop at Joey here.
Joey Golf GTi16v said:
and people won't think your running a car that should have been scrapped 10 years ago! (no offence meant to any stag owners out there!)
what like a 95, bloated out bastardised interpretation of a what was originally a very good idea, golf that really should never have been built (like you say, no offence meant to any VW Golf Mk3 owners out there!) Is it that you is da troll ?
If any one is interested Rupert ‘the’ Stag is now on the interweb and can be found here ==> http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/rupertstag
gets coat and shuffles off
I changed my name 
I recognise you Richard, were you at stafford????
Yup was a Michelotti I know, I just think it was designed for the american market more than the british and there were many cases where things were changed on the car to pass american regulations!! no harm in that they had to sell cars!
It was just my opinion, I prefer driving the TR6 than the Stag which I didn't like! I have experience of the cars and have an opinion on them! Have you driven a Mk3 GTi 16v regularly to have an opinion on it? if so, fair enough! everyman to his own!
Your car looks like it's coming on nicely BTW! Same colour as my Spit but a bit further on in the restoration process! Looks nice!
EDIT- WTF is Da Troll?!?!?
I'm a northern lad not down your hiphop lingo sorry
I recognise you Richard, were you at stafford????
Yup was a Michelotti I know, I just think it was designed for the american market more than the british and there were many cases where things were changed on the car to pass american regulations!! no harm in that they had to sell cars!
It was just my opinion, I prefer driving the TR6 than the Stag which I didn't like! I have experience of the cars and have an opinion on them! Have you driven a Mk3 GTi 16v regularly to have an opinion on it? if so, fair enough! everyman to his own!
Your car looks like it's coming on nicely BTW! Same colour as my Spit
but a bit further on in the restoration process! Looks nice! EDIT- WTF is Da Troll?!?!?
I'm a northern lad not down your hiphop lingo sorry Edited by Mr Miyagi on Saturday 31st March 02:50
Nope not me! Maybe a doppelgänger 
= on
I see where you are coming from re the American market and in fairness most post war British tin really needed to look at the North American market, initially for those precious steel reserves but later on because it appeared to be a lucrative although hard market to crack! The original car was based on a 1960’s Triumph 2000 Saloon which Harry Webster gave to Micholetti to play with, on the provisor that if Webster liked the design he had first refusal on it. Micholetti’s idea was to build a styling concept for the Turin show to advertise his services. As it turned out Webster loved the car and bought it back to UK to present it to the Triumph Board.
IIRC in the late 60’s and even into the early 70’s North American legislation was about to outlaw new convertible cars for safety reasons, they also bought in tight new emmisions restrictions and thus the Stag was redeveloped to uprate the engine from 2.5 litres to 3 litres (hense the undersized main bearings) and the fuel injection system was dumped in favour of twin strommies, I guess that the roll over bar was added partly to give rigitity to the body shell (oh and it does too) and partly to appease the US gov re convertibles
The sibling Mk2 2000 saloon was launched before the Stag even though it was inspired by the pre production Stag but as far as I am aware it was never marketed in North America.
= off
The TR6 was a right hoot and could certainly be hussled along and the sound track is great. I am troubled because the TR5 is a nicer looking car IMHO and the car is sitting on decade old technology when it was launched, sure the Stag can be softer but then it is more of a GT than sports car. So I do like TR6’s but three kids and a misses plus the fact that I love v8’s, oh and the looks of the Stag so it was the car for me.. I always said that I’d only ever sell it for a Jag e-type s1 1/2 FHC, I cannot go for the steep windscreen of the plus 2. Maybe I would be tempted by a Gordon Keeble or possibly a Bristol 407/8/9
Yes I did drive several mk3 Golf’s, I had racked up 30k in my 8v Mk2 GTI and had a load of fun but it was getting old and I thought I might upgrade. I test drove a number of Mk3 GTI’s (that hadn’t been boyed up) and found them all to feel fatter and softer than the Mk2 and even though the car has more power it didn’t feel anywhere near as responsive, could be because of those extra pounds it piled on! That said I don’t have anything against the mk3, I just decided to hang onto the Mk2 for another couple of years and run it into the ground – I never managed it and sold it 4 years ago and it is still going strong now I was maybe ribbing you a little
Thanks for the comps re Rupert, I took it out on Saturday and gave it a right good ragging around the lanes near where I live and it felt great.
Sorry about the troll bit again I was kind of ribbing you about your “fighting talk” in the original e-mail.
Eckey thump
Richard
= on I see where you are coming from re the American market and in fairness most post war British tin really needed to look at the North American market, initially for those precious steel reserves but later on because it appeared to be a lucrative although hard market to crack! The original car was based on a 1960’s Triumph 2000 Saloon which Harry Webster gave to Micholetti to play with, on the provisor that if Webster liked the design he had first refusal on it. Micholetti’s idea was to build a styling concept for the Turin show to advertise his services. As it turned out Webster loved the car and bought it back to UK to present it to the Triumph Board.
IIRC in the late 60’s and even into the early 70’s North American legislation was about to outlaw new convertible cars for safety reasons, they also bought in tight new emmisions restrictions and thus the Stag was redeveloped to uprate the engine from 2.5 litres to 3 litres (hense the undersized main bearings) and the fuel injection system was dumped in favour of twin strommies, I guess that the roll over bar was added partly to give rigitity to the body shell (oh and it does too) and partly to appease the US gov re convertibles
The sibling Mk2 2000 saloon was launched before the Stag even though it was inspired by the pre production Stag but as far as I am aware it was never marketed in North America.
= off The TR6 was a right hoot and could certainly be hussled along and the sound track is great. I am troubled because the TR5 is a nicer looking car IMHO and the car is sitting on decade old technology when it was launched, sure the Stag can be softer but then it is more of a GT than sports car. So I do like TR6’s but three kids and a misses plus the fact that I love v8’s, oh and the looks of the Stag so it was the car for me.. I always said that I’d only ever sell it for a Jag e-type s1 1/2 FHC, I cannot go for the steep windscreen of the plus 2. Maybe I would be tempted by a Gordon Keeble or possibly a Bristol 407/8/9
Yes I did drive several mk3 Golf’s, I had racked up 30k in my 8v Mk2 GTI and had a load of fun but it was getting old and I thought I might upgrade. I test drove a number of Mk3 GTI’s (that hadn’t been boyed up) and found them all to feel fatter and softer than the Mk2 and even though the car has more power it didn’t feel anywhere near as responsive, could be because of those extra pounds it piled on! That said I don’t have anything against the mk3, I just decided to hang onto the Mk2 for another couple of years and run it into the ground – I never managed it and sold it 4 years ago and it is still going strong now
I was maybe ribbing you a little Thanks for the comps re Rupert, I took it out on Saturday and gave it a right good ragging around the lanes near where I live and it felt great.
Sorry about the troll bit again I was kind of ribbing you about your “fighting talk” in the original e-mail.
Eckey thump
Richard
Agree with you that the TR5 looks nicer than the TR6 and that the Stag is more of a GT car, I am more into 'driving' a car though if you know what i mean which is why i prefer the TR6. The roll bar on the stag (although it does add rigidity) spoils it looks wise for me really and it always seemed lazy when I drove it, i never felt i could put enough faith in it to get it moving on my favorite B road whereas i love taking the TR6 out 
The 'it is on dated underpinnings' argument doesn't really work for me it might have been significant at the time but the car is getting on for 40 years old now!
You just reminded me to upload pics of a series 1 $.2 E-Type my friend has just restored, it really is a beautiful car! Been looking at Rupert again, really does look smart!!
even in brown? 
The 'it is on dated underpinnings' argument doesn't really work for me it might have been significant at the time but the car is getting on for 40 years old now! You just reminded me to upload pics of a series 1 $.2 E-Type my friend has just restored, it really is a beautiful car! Been looking at Rupert again, really does look smart!!
silverback mike said:
golfs are still crap though....
sorry
sorry
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