Not many people know that
Discussion
Upatdawn said:
So then, what interesting fact about ye olde worlde of ye motoring do ye know?..
I know why LOTUS are called, well LOTUS....
Why Triumph Stags couldnt have Rover V8 engines
Thats bout it really
Having heard various versions of why Lotus was called Lotus and why the lunatic decision was made to use an untested and hopeless V8 when the Rover V8 was in the same stable with the Stag and being personally unconvinced that any of these is entirely correct I would be interested to hear yours. Please.I know why LOTUS are called, well LOTUS....
Why Triumph Stags couldnt have Rover V8 engines
Thats bout it really
ok, taking my life in my hands
the 1st car CC built DIDNT sell at auction and came back labelled LOT U/S (lot unsold)
and GM/Buick refused to allow the Stag to be sold stateside with the RV8 engine so another engine had to be sourced
well, they sound plausible
the 1st car CC built DIDNT sell at auction and came back labelled LOT U/S (lot unsold)
and GM/Buick refused to allow the Stag to be sold stateside with the RV8 engine so another engine had to be sourced
well, they sound plausible
Edited by Upatdawn on Saturday 6th July 22:39
Upatdawn said:
So then, what interesting fact about ye olde worlde of ye motoring do ye know?..
I know why LOTUS are called, well LOTUS....
Why Triumph Stags couldnt have Rover V8 engines
Thats bout it really
Well if you know those facts, why don't you tell the rest of us???I know why LOTUS are called, well LOTUS....
Why Triumph Stags couldnt have Rover V8 engines
Thats bout it really
Isn't that what you're hoping the thread will be about??
Facts.
We should tell them. Stupid Lotus. 
As I suspected there are no really tenable definitive explanations. The Lots Of Trouble... Lotus acronym is amusing but I do not believe Lotus used it for that reason. I have never yet heard a satisfactory reason for that name, Chapman was a very odd ball and mercurial in temperament.
The more probable explanation of the Stag engine IMO is that the Triumph engineers just wanted to do their own thing. Pity was that they made such a horlicks of it. A potentially very advanced stylish car ruined by the engine faults inherent in every one made. In a way not unlike the way the K series nonsense 30 years later at their descendants at Rover resulted in massive losses. Just cock ups and inane incompetence. No great explanation required.
The more probable explanation of the Stag engine IMO is that the Triumph engineers just wanted to do their own thing. Pity was that they made such a horlicks of it. A potentially very advanced stylish car ruined by the engine faults inherent in every one made. In a way not unlike the way the K series nonsense 30 years later at their descendants at Rover resulted in massive losses. Just cock ups and inane incompetence. No great explanation required.
Rivalry between the different factories, marques and development teams that BMC/BL was intense, and weak leadership meant it was often destructive to the wider organization. The Triumph team were determined to show off their abilities by developing their own V8 and fought off any suggestion that they use the Rover unit. A lack of funds meant that it's development time was cut short,meaning that a fundamentally excellent engine was riddled with glitches that ultimately did for the reputation of the Stag.
Similarly, Jaguar went to great lengths to ensure the engine bay of the XJ was too narrow for a vee-engine to ensure no-one would foist the Rover unit on them. This meant the V12 version took three years more development time to remodel the bulkhead and engine bay than it should have done...
Donald Stokes has a lot to answer for.
Similarly, Jaguar went to great lengths to ensure the engine bay of the XJ was too narrow for a vee-engine to ensure no-one would foist the Rover unit on them. This meant the V12 version took three years more development time to remodel the bulkhead and engine bay than it should have done...
Donald Stokes has a lot to answer for.
Sid's Dad said:
Rivalry between the different factories, marques and development teams that BMC/BL was intense, and weak leadership meant it was often destructive to the wider organization. The Triumph team were determined to show off their abilities by developing their own V8 and fought off any suggestion that they use the Rover unit. A lack of funds meant that it's development time was cut short,meaning that a fundamentally excellent engine was riddled with glitches that ultimately did for the reputation of the Stag.
Similarly, Jaguar went to great lengths to ensure the engine bay of the XJ was too narrow for a vee-engine to ensure no-one would foist the Rover unit on them. This meant the V12 version took three years more development time to remodel the bulkhead and engine bay than it should have done...
Donald Stokes has a lot to answer for.
I agree with your view that internecine rivalry at BLMH and successors caused the Triumph Stag debacle, Equally I do not doubt that Jag did design the XJ with the intention of not having the Buick foisted on them. Internecine rivalry at BLMH and descendants again. Much of the BLMH debacle was created by selfisn stupidity and petty rivalry. Tragic waste of a great heritage.Similarly, Jaguar went to great lengths to ensure the engine bay of the XJ was too narrow for a vee-engine to ensure no-one would foist the Rover unit on them. This meant the V12 version took three years more development time to remodel the bulkhead and engine bay than it should have done...
Donald Stokes has a lot to answer for.
Pirelli Cinturatos were the first radial tyres generally available back in the late 1950s , or was it Michelon X ,
After GM tookover Rootes group Sunbeam Tigers were discontinued because they used a Ford 260 ci V8 .
Ford Prefect ( 100E ) window wipers stopped working going uphill when it rained.
Heaters were an " extra" in many new cars in the middle of the last century.
Paraffin lights were required ( red rear facing , clear lens forward facing ) for street parking after dusk.
My Dad had an Austin Sheerline .
After GM tookover Rootes group Sunbeam Tigers were discontinued because they used a Ford 260 ci V8 .
Ford Prefect ( 100E ) window wipers stopped working going uphill when it rained.
Heaters were an " extra" in many new cars in the middle of the last century.
Paraffin lights were required ( red rear facing , clear lens forward facing ) for street parking after dusk.
My Dad had an Austin Sheerline .
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