Can a Stag be used as a daily driver?

[lucido grigio]

Seeing the last post,does the timing chain last longer than 24,000 miles nowadays ?

It was reccommended to be changed every 24K bitd.

[battered]

Probably not, but my guess is that if you want to run a 40 yo car for 10k a year then a new chain every 2-3 years isn't the worst of your problems. I'm guessing you can do the old trick of splitting it at the top, joining the new one and wining it in on the sprockets, so maybe 1 hour garage time?

[exitwound]

exitwound said:

Mark A S said:

Question, would not having to use your “Classic” as a daily not take the shine off the passion you have for it ???

IMO, if you have a classic you need a fairly modern ish run-around to help keep the spark alive.

Very wrong.. Unless you bought the car just as an investment garage queen. Using a classic on a daily basis raises your driving enjoyment to a much higher level that my words cannot depict for you.

My colleague surprised us all by selling his modern Berlingo and buying a '71 MGB GT. This has been his daily for the last five years and its running better than ever, yes it has a few more marks on it but that's life and its called patina.

Road salt and rust? That's why God gave us the jetwash. Older cars took a bit of tlc, that today we have forgotten how to do..

The old fashioned term was "being a motorist". Rediscover that and you'll open up a whole new world and wonder why you took so long to do it!

Edited by exitwound on Wednesday 19th April 17:04

My mates daily MG as mentioned above..

[aeropilot]

larrylamb11 said:

There is absolutely no reason why you couldn't use a Stag as a daily driver to do 10=12k miles a year..... lest we forget these were the 'new' cars of yesteryear and used as daily drivers by their first owners - annual mileages of 10k+ were by no means unheard of. Of course the cars themselves were also new and are not in 'new' condition anymore.....

And those then new owners weren't expecting to still be driving them in 10 years time as the were indeed 'white goods items' like any new car is......and I can remember when daily use 7-8 year old Stag's were rust buckets...!
Any 1970's car will be at the mercy of the dreaded tin-worm, and while in theory a Stag can easily be expected to do 10-12k per annum as a daily even now, with regular maintenance, its keeping the bodyshell in good condition doing that which will be the issue, especially with hidden to the eye, inner sill rot issues on the Stag.
A spring time to autumn time daily driver, would be what I'd look to use it for, and have another car to do the winter duties, leaving a good 3-4 month slot for annual deep servicing and keeping it away from the worst of the weather/road conditions.

[battered]

We forget how rot prone 70s cars were. It doesn't stop you using them in winter but you are into some proper refitting after 3-4 years, unless the thing was pristine and wax injected to within an inch of its life to start. My Dad bought a 1976 Mini van in 1982-3, it was already rotten and had had sill patches and a flash over respray. Within 6 months it was falling apart and in the summer of '83 he and I set to sorting it out. New sills, valances, 1 wing (should have done both) and a front panel, A panels had been done already, new door skins, etc. This was on a 50 or 60k mile 6 year old example. By any modern standard it was knackered, even if mechanically it was reasonable. With regular maintenance and Waxoyl it lasted another 2 years, with the occasional patch. After that it was really very tired and due a trade in. A Stag of the same era would be a similar ownership experience.

[exitwound]

So what? So what if it rusts out, Why does that matter? Its all about the drive. Nothing lasts forever..

Its just a car, and it doesn't matter whether it falls apart sooner than a modern plastic/galvanised device as its all about enjoying your driving experience, so surely its better to run a car into the ground than keep it as some precious garage queen?

Have we all forgotten how to maintain a car? Are we all so molly coddled that the thought of caring for a car regularly is so abhorrent?

You won't make any memories with a garage queen, so use these cars or pass them to someone who will.

Ok my daily C4 Corvette gets bumped and scratched and it wears out parts, but its a blast to get into it at night for the drive home. These cars were meant to be driven so drive them!

[Mark A S]

exitwound said:

Very wrong.. Unless you bought the car just as an investment garage queen. Using a classic on a daily basis raises your driving enjoyment to a much higher level that my words cannot depict for you.

My colleague surprised us all by selling his modern Berlingo and buying a '71 MGB GT. This has been his daily for the last five years and its running better than ever, yes it has a few more marks on it but that's life and its called patina.

Road salt and rust? That's why God gave us the jetwash. Older cars took a bit of tlc, that today we have forgotten how to do..

The old fashioned term was "being a motorist". Rediscover that and you'll open up a whole new world and wonder why you took so long to do it!

Edited by exitwound on Wednesday 19th April 17:04

Both my “classics” get used regularly, only just purchased the GD Cobra and done 500 ms in it already. I use my Jeep just about every week all year round. Needless to say, both have poor weather protection, so tend not to go out if it’s hissing or about to hiss down, although the fabric roofs keep the worst of the weather off.

I am mechanically capable as well, do all my own maintenance, always have done, and know how to use a Jet wash

My point was, yes I know you can use a classic as a daily if you wish, but would the “specialness” of using one not diminish if you have to ?

[battered]

exitwound said:

So what? So what if it rusts out, Why does that matter?

Because the nice man at the MoT station stops you using it, is one reason why. It is indeed all about the driving experience, when you can't drive it you can't have the experience.

[markvs]

Plinth said:

Funny you mention that – I was thinking a similar thing recently!
I have no experience with the Stag – never even sat in one – but I have always quite liked the styling.
My “plan” would be to buy a recently restored car with automatic box and hardtop.
Any colour but red or white.
Get my local garage to remove the Triumph engine (which I would sell) and fit a 3.9 Rover V8 with fuel injection.
Add a set of Minilite style wheels.

Probably not a cheap exercise, but it should be a better experience than buying another crap 911.

My dad did that with his stag (which i now have). He put a Rover 3.9 V8 in, with a Canems ECU, better brakes etc. He used it in all weathers, and to my knowledge, it never let him down.

[battered]

They do look fantastic. I loved the Michelotti desgns for Triumph, that notch back theme is great. The interior is a let-down, the vinyl seats are in serious need of a retrim in leather. That's easily done though, just leave your cheque book with a trimmer. The only question is whether having done all the work you don't look at a 3 series convertible and go "hmm, that's nice".

If you like it, do it. For Christ's sake don't add up the costs though.

[V8 Fettler]

Stag diff and halfshafts can be problematic with more bhp. Standard Stag engine sounds better than a standard Rover engine, but other than that, the Rover engine wins all the way.

The Stag is one of the most handsome of cars.

[exitwound]

battered said:

exitwound said:

So what? So what if it rusts out, Why does that matter?

Because the nice man at the MoT station stops you using it, is one reason why. It is indeed all about the driving experience, when you can't drive it you can't have the experience.

If it breaks or fails, then you fix it.. That's all part of the fun too..

[exitwound]

V8 Fettler said:

Stag diff and halfshafts can be problematic with more bhp. Standard Stag engine sounds better than a standard Rover engine, but other than that, the Rover engine wins all the way.

The Stag is one of the most handsome of cars.

The halfshaft problem is just as much of a myth as the 'overheating' issue, and is an easy fix if it does fail. The engine is brilliant and just need careful maintenance and back flushing. Check out WD's Stag episode.

Edited by exitwound on Friday 21st April 12:38

[exitwound]

Mark A S said:

My point was, yes I know you can use a classic as a daily if you wish, but would the “specialness” of using one not diminish if you have to ?

No it doesn't. I have been using my '87 Corvette as an all year round daily driver for the last 12 years. It gets to commute at least 3 time a week and is out for fun on weekends no matter the weather. I enjoy it every bit as much as I did at the start, probably more..

Yes it has no roadholding, leaks like a sieve, is noisy and rattley, but its got an exhaust note to die for and it still excites me as I walk toward it for the drive anywhere, and at the end of a bad working day (I work in a hospital), it makes all the difference when I fire it up and head home, blotting out all the bad sh*t of that day. Who needs therapy for stress when you have an old V8 under your foot..

Nothing like a classic to add inches everywhere and make you feel alive!

[iSore]

A reliable Stag is like a reformed serial killer. There would always be a nagging doubt..............

[iSore]

exitwound said:

The halfshaft problem is just as much of a myth as the 'overheating' issue, and is an easy fix if it does fail. The engine is brilliant and just need careful maintenance and back flushing. Check out WD's Stag episode.

Edited by exitwound on Friday 21st April 12:38

Funny that. I did my mechanical apprenticeship at a BL garage, and buggered Stags were certainly not a myth. The engine - whilst it can be rebuilt and massaged into something sort of alright - was an utter piece of junk back when they were new. The appalling reputation wasn't just invented................OR WAS IT???? ******insert conspiracy theory here***********

Many Stags have had E30 3 Series diffs and driveshafts fitted - seems like a good idea, replacing something made with a hammer and chisel in the Midlands with something carefully engineered and known to last 100'00's of miles.

[exitwound]

My mate and I shared a '71 Stag back in the mid '70's. We found it languishing on a forecourt where it had been dumped for a couple of years with "overheating problems

Drawing on our Cortina auto experience, we bought the Stag (£800) and towed it home where we back flushed the radiator, serviced the engine, new diaphragms in the carbs etc, filled it with water and a couple of speed flush bottles and ran it for a few days. we drained off the water and refilled with Bluecol coolant and a bottle of Barr's Leaks as we believed all the stories.

We put 100k miles on that car driving all over the UK to car and bike races (we live in South Ayrshire) over the next few years and the only problem we ever had was an O/S halfshaft bearing wearing out. We found a donor complete shaft from a 2.5 Triumph and had it swapped over in a couple of hours.

Apart from basic servicing and topping up of fluids and annual coolant changes, that car never missed a beat. Beautiful to behold and listen to, and a great long distance tourer. What did for it in the end was the rust, whereupon we sold it on to a guy who did full restoration as we are no good with bodywork. We were no auto experts, just a couple of guys with basic toolkits and a lot of enthusiasm.

I'd have no hesitation in owning one again if I decided to move the Corvette (plastic body, galvanised frame so no rust issues). If anyone hasn't driven a Stag, then do so, as your missing out on automotive greatness!

[V8 Fettler]

exitwound said:

V8 Fettler said:

Stag diff and halfshafts can be problematic with more bhp. Standard Stag engine sounds better than a standard Rover engine, but other than that, the Rover engine wins all the way.

The Stag is one of the most handsome of cars.

The halfshaft problem is just as much of a myth as the 'overheating' issue, and is an easy fix if it does fail. The engine is brilliant and just need careful maintenance and back flushing. Check out WD's Stag episode.

Edited by exitwound on Friday 21st April 12:38

The Stag "twitch" is a design issue, amplified by extra bhp, a heavy foot and poor maintenance.

Overheating also results from design issues e.g. high waterpump, poor airflow through the radiator, poor airflow in the engine bay, corrosion of heads due to electrolytic action and micro-cavitation. Blocked coolant passages and poor maintenance don't help.

[Yertis]

The half-shaft lock-up twitch thing can he easily if not cheaply fixed on IRS TRs by fitting teflon lined half-shafts. Are there not similar solution for the Stag guys?

[anonymous-user]

battered said:

We forget how rot prone 70s cars were. It doesn't stop you using them in winter but you are into some proper refitting after 3-4 years, unless the thing was pristine and wax injected to within an inch of its life to start. My Dad bought a 1976 Mini van in 1982-3, it was already rotten and had had sill patches and a flash over respray. Within 6 months it was falling apart and in the summer of '83 he and I set to sorting it out. New sills, valances, 1 wing (should have done both) and a front panel, A panels had been done already, new door skins, etc. This was on a 50 or 60k mile 6 year old example. By any modern standard it was knackered, even if mechanically it was reasonable. With regular maintenance and Waxoyl it lasted another 2 years, with the occasional patch. After that it was really very tired and due a trade in. A Stag of the same era would be a similar ownership experience.

^ This ^
Stags are not cheap so running it through the rough weather and seeing it gradually start to look rough would be a crying shame imho. They are lovely cars to look at, sound nice and can be reliable with the standard engine but the actual performance is nothing to write home about and can't see where the fun would be driving in the crap weather when there are so many cheaper options with more power to pick from.