1974 Triumph Stag
Discussion
I'd been on the hunt for a Stag for a while, and my heart was set on Tahiti Blue with a Tan interior... nothing else would do.
Cue a Sunday night in mid August 2012, and the perfect car cropped up on eBay. It was all the way up in Newcastle, but not worried about distance, I contacted the seller, the car sounded perfect. I agreed with the seller that I'd call them again from the office Monday morning, and transfer through a deposit. 10am Monday I duly called the seller, but alas, he had sold the car earlier that morning
- the phrase 'the early bird...' had never been truer!
Monday evening I hit eBay again - I was on the rebound and determined to find one. Up cropped RGV 662N located up in Dalton in Furness, again the seller was called and I effectively committed to buy. A train ticket was bought, and on Tuesday 21st August 2012, I started the 7 hour train journey to collect. Surprisingly though, she wasn't Blue, but the polar opposite - Red, with a brown interior. Properly 70's tastic.
The deal was done and I set off on the 300 mile drive home, stopping at a place just off the M6 near Sandbach for an overnight break.
Here she is at my first stop...
...and covered in dew the next morning.
So, she's a September 1974 Triumph Stag MkII in Pimento Red with Brown interior, the original Triumph 3.0l V8 and a manual gearbox, 72,000 miles on the clock when I bought her. She was bought in 1977 by a couple at a garage in Poole, and they kept her for 35 years. I have every bill for anything ever done to the car, even tyres and batteries, and the owners kept a fastidious log of every major service or event, with the date and mileage for each entry. There's also every MOT since 1977.
First job on the Wednesday morning, was to brim the tank and then head home. Sandbach Services, and the posh unleaded was flowing in, and flowing, and flowing, and flowing. I couldn't believe how much fuel it was taking, then the smell of petrol hit me. I opened the boot to find all my overnight gear, bag, shoes... everything literally swimming in fuel. It seems the couple hadn't filled the tank in a number of years, and a rubber 'bung' on the tank had perished. So, roadside assist were called, and I started mopping out the boot. A couple of hours later I was on my way, and a few hours later again, I arrived back at work...
Since then we've had a couple of years of fun... getting along to classic car events, as a daily driver during the summer, a few PHSS, and even as a delivery vehicle.
I've done a few bits, including a new set of original wheels and tyres, and having various bits shored up underneath where the tin worm was having a feast.
However, the engine has never been 100% happy. It's always felt a little down on power, and has burned a lot of oil. So having had her on SORN over this winter, I bit the bullet and stuck her in for an engine rebuild...
Hopefully I'll see her back in a few weeks with a fresh MOT and a engine bay that'll be looking like new, and ready to cover some miles this summer.
Jon
Cue a Sunday night in mid August 2012, and the perfect car cropped up on eBay. It was all the way up in Newcastle, but not worried about distance, I contacted the seller, the car sounded perfect. I agreed with the seller that I'd call them again from the office Monday morning, and transfer through a deposit. 10am Monday I duly called the seller, but alas, he had sold the car earlier that morning
- the phrase 'the early bird...' had never been truer!Monday evening I hit eBay again - I was on the rebound and determined to find one. Up cropped RGV 662N located up in Dalton in Furness, again the seller was called and I effectively committed to buy. A train ticket was bought, and on Tuesday 21st August 2012, I started the 7 hour train journey to collect. Surprisingly though, she wasn't Blue, but the polar opposite - Red, with a brown interior. Properly 70's tastic.
The deal was done and I set off on the 300 mile drive home, stopping at a place just off the M6 near Sandbach for an overnight break.
Here she is at my first stop...
...and covered in dew the next morning.
So, she's a September 1974 Triumph Stag MkII in Pimento Red with Brown interior, the original Triumph 3.0l V8 and a manual gearbox, 72,000 miles on the clock when I bought her. She was bought in 1977 by a couple at a garage in Poole, and they kept her for 35 years. I have every bill for anything ever done to the car, even tyres and batteries, and the owners kept a fastidious log of every major service or event, with the date and mileage for each entry. There's also every MOT since 1977.
First job on the Wednesday morning, was to brim the tank and then head home. Sandbach Services, and the posh unleaded was flowing in, and flowing, and flowing, and flowing. I couldn't believe how much fuel it was taking, then the smell of petrol hit me. I opened the boot to find all my overnight gear, bag, shoes... everything literally swimming in fuel. It seems the couple hadn't filled the tank in a number of years, and a rubber 'bung' on the tank had perished. So, roadside assist were called, and I started mopping out the boot. A couple of hours later I was on my way, and a few hours later again, I arrived back at work...
Since then we've had a couple of years of fun... getting along to classic car events, as a daily driver during the summer, a few PHSS, and even as a delivery vehicle.
I've done a few bits, including a new set of original wheels and tyres, and having various bits shored up underneath where the tin worm was having a feast.
However, the engine has never been 100% happy. It's always felt a little down on power, and has burned a lot of oil. So having had her on SORN over this winter, I bit the bullet and stuck her in for an engine rebuild...
Hopefully I'll see her back in a few weeks with a fresh MOT and a engine bay that'll be looking like new, and ready to cover some miles this summer.
Jon
Hooli said:
Lovely old thing, glad to hear you keeping the correct engine rather than dumping a Rover in as seems common.
An engine swap was completely out of the question... It's an original car with its original engine, I wouldn't want to change that. Yes, it will have all new internals, but the block and heads will be original 
Lovely car, glad to see you're going to town on it. There's almost no finer noise than the Triumph V8 so this should be absolutely fantastic once it's all back together. Are there any performance upgrades for it within reason? Always thought the V8 had the potential to push out a bit more than it did, particularly when you think what Triumph claimed some of the straight sixes were making.
Cheers folks for the comments....
Cooling system will be remaining stock - I want the car to be original as possible. It's also (touch wood) never given me any cooling issues aside from queueing for Wheels Day last Easter bank holiday. After 1hr45 sat in traffic she wasn't happy - pretty understandable for any old car.
Performance upgrades will be limited to a bit of gas flowing on the heads, and the manifolds are being blueprinted and flowed. They made 145hp standard from the 3.0l, which compared favourably with the Rover lump at the time which was 143hp from 3.5l.
Cooling system will be remaining stock - I want the car to be original as possible. It's also (touch wood) never given me any cooling issues aside from queueing for Wheels Day last Easter bank holiday. After 1hr45 sat in traffic she wasn't happy - pretty understandable for any old car.
Performance upgrades will be limited to a bit of gas flowing on the heads, and the manifolds are being blueprinted and flowed. They made 145hp standard from the 3.0l, which compared favourably with the Rover lump at the time which was 143hp from 3.5l.
el romeral said:
Looks great. Bet it makes a lovely rumble.
Did they always have the wing mirrors placed so far forwards?
The wing mirrors were a period accessory, fitted in 1978 (I have the receipt for them).Did they always have the wing mirrors placed so far forwards?
The car would have only come with the drivers door mirror (or overtaking mirror), so merging into a left lane would be pretty tricky, especially with the hood up and blind spot.
No updates, and I'm still Stag-less.
The engine is still with the machine shop apparently, even though they had all the new bits (pistons etc) delivered some 3 weeks ago. It's been promised back to the garage by the end of next week, then they can start putting it all back together. Realistically then, I'll be lucky to see it before the end of the month.
The engine is still with the machine shop apparently, even though they had all the new bits (pistons etc) delivered some 3 weeks ago. It's been promised back to the garage by the end of next week, then they can start putting it all back together. Realistically then, I'll be lucky to see it before the end of the month.
Beautiful.
Well another year on.... Leyla, my Stag continues to be the most wonderful weekend companion....
Since the engine rebuild last summer, it hasn't missed a beat. Now it has a few thousand miles on, it has really loosened up beautifully.
Last month was her 42nd birthday, and I decided to treat her to a bit of mid-life makeover. There was a knocking noise coming from the back end, which I'd tracked down to the rear subframe bushes. So the subframes had to come off, and while they're off, they might as well be blasted and powder coated. Then while we're there, might as well recon that whining diff. Then it'd be a shame to fit the tired old suspension components, so whole new suspension and brakes were fitted to the rear end, oh, and a shiny new exhaust too.
While were going to town, the old mudflaps have all been removed, the arches and sills tidied up, and all painted. New rear lights fitted, and the front panel behind the lights and grille has been painted too.
So we've gone from the black sills and tired old mud flaps...
To a fresh new look. Oh, I put her stripe back on too
Since the engine rebuild last summer, it hasn't missed a beat. Now it has a few thousand miles on, it has really loosened up beautifully.
Last month was her 42nd birthday, and I decided to treat her to a bit of mid-life makeover. There was a knocking noise coming from the back end, which I'd tracked down to the rear subframe bushes. So the subframes had to come off, and while they're off, they might as well be blasted and powder coated. Then while we're there, might as well recon that whining diff. Then it'd be a shame to fit the tired old suspension components, so whole new suspension and brakes were fitted to the rear end, oh, and a shiny new exhaust too.
While were going to town, the old mudflaps have all been removed, the arches and sills tidied up, and all painted. New rear lights fitted, and the front panel behind the lights and grille has been painted too.
So we've gone from the black sills and tired old mud flaps...
To a fresh new look. Oh, I put her stripe back on too
Doofus said:
Lovely looking car, but isn't the early MkII supposed to have matt black sills?
Yup, when she left the factory, the sills would have been Matt black.They were painted by the supplying dealer (Mann Eggerton, Bury St. Edmonds) for the first owner. They were then put back to black when they were repaired in 1988. Thought as we were going to paint the wings, I'd switch her back to painted sills
Here's the wings in repair after the mud flap removal... Was the same on both fronts.
V8forweekends said:
I remember a lot of Rover V8 and even Ford V6 swaps back in the day, but I haven't seen one without the orginal engine for years now.
There are plenty about . I had a Triumph engined one myself 
.TheAngryDog said:
Nice car OP, these have, imo, aged quite well.
It is good that you're keeping the original engine. Do the heads already have the hardened valve seats fitted?
Have you done anything with the cooling system, or plan to?
It looks to be in fantastic condition!
That's a tricky one. Allegedly the exhaust valves are already hardened as the main market for the Stag was meant to be the American market.It is good that you're keeping the original engine. Do the heads already have the hardened valve seats fitted?
Have you done anything with the cooling system, or plan to?
It looks to be in fantastic condition!
Even on a stock cooling system with a pre-75 the Stag can keep cool. AFAIK 2/3 things help:
-Changing the coolant annually ; Unless you use a very good coolant IME (I personally would either use Glytasyn G48 or Evans if you can afford it) the cheaper blue ones despite flushing the engine up will fill up with silt which will then go into the radiator with predictable results ; overheating.
Alot of people I know with classis are happy to run around with sludged up coolant and the Stag was quite a new engine when it came out. While an all iron can tolerate overheating the Stag and if I am honest many modern engines will suffer side effects.
-Hoses. I'd go silicone these days. A few of my 2 year old hoses were beginning to crack on mine and leak despite some bodges like 2 jubilee clips on some joints. A bit of a joke really but I guess I was dailying mine for a while whereas most are polished
-TR6 Spoiler on the front. It's not for everyone but for high speed driving it makes a massive difference with regards to cooling
.I best start updating my old thread on when I owned some Triumphs http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=155...
LewG said:
Lovely car, glad to see you're going to town on it. There's almost no finer noise than the Triumph V8 so this should be absolutely fantastic once it's all back together. Are there any performance upgrades for it within reason? Always thought the V8 had the potential to push out a bit more than it did, particularly when you think what Triumph claimed some of the straight sixes were making.
With a Holley, electronic ignition (more for a reliable spark) and manifolds you can get around 160 out of a Stag. I know mine wasn't too bad with that.Some people with ported heads and fancy cams on EFI have pushed them to 230BHP where it seems their nerve gets the better of them; They are still making peak power at just shy of 7,000rpm but then you begin to question just how much further you can push the bottom end.
Anyway that is a lovely car Dr. I and it has to be said it looks like it is getting the right treatment
.Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff