A proper test for the Stag
Prompt action by both federal and state governments here in Australia has enabled the country to minimise the spread of COVID, and after the initial Queensland lockdown restrictions stopped the spread of the cases that were active prior to lockdown, the local government could take steps to gradually relax the regulations so that groups such as car clubs could organise runs with limited numbers and have a picnic in open spaces. I have therefore been able to take the Stag on a number of outings, and along some hilly twisty roads that would give the upgraded suspension a real test.
The first long run for the Stag was a visit to Lake Cressbrook, where I met other members of the car club in Fernvale, a small town in the Brisbane River Valley that I can travel to via two very different routes. The quickest and most direct one is by driving south towards Brisbane City, using the bypass to skirt the city, then out west to Fernvale. This route is virtually all on major highways, a distance of about 100km taking an hour and a quarter.
The second option is heading northwest and then east, before turning left into the northern end of the Brisbane Valley and driving south to Fernvale. This is a much more picturesque but longer route, being about 140km and taking close to two hours because it is mostly single lane and quite twisty as part of it meanders along the shores of Lake Somerset. Needless to say, I chose the latter, which meant an earlier start.
It was early spring and with the Stag hood down it required coat and gloves to ward off the chill, though upper layers were gradually discarded as the early morning sun increased the ambient temperatures. After coffee and a chat in Fernvale, (where we were not alone as several other car clubs were meeting to commence a drive to celebrate the recently relaxed rules,) the convoy headed off along some pleasant back roads. Eventually we arrived at Lake Cressbrook, which was formed by a dam and is part of Toowoomba water supply. The area around the lake is operated by the regional council as a park with camping, boating and fishing normally available.
The lake was closed on our visit due to lack of recent rains with resulting low water levels. This did not affect us, so we were able to enjoy a picnic lunch on the seating in the picnic shelters provided and maintained by the local council. There was a little additional excitement when a large python was spotted nestled in the roof beams of the ladies’ toilet. After lunch we headed to Toowoomba as some members wanted to visit the festival of flowers. As Carol and I had arranged a festival visit later in the week, we took a different road down off the range through interesting back roads towards home, and after arriving back I had clocked up
“These trips have shown a complete transformation in the handling”
450km for the day.
A few weeks later it was a visit to Gatton Transport Museum, which is again close to Toowoomba and involved another early start. However, being later in the year and warmer, a coat was not required. After joining the group and enjoying a gentle drive through some interesting back roads, including a stop at a local country pub for morning coffee, we arrived at the museum. The staff were expecting us, and photographed the assembled line of 11 Triumphs for inclusion in the local press. They were most helpful and provided a guide for the tour, who explained that most exhibits are on loan from their owners and so there are regular changes to the display.
Most vehicles are commercial, although they do at times incorporate interesting and classic cars and motorcycles. The current display had many heavy vehicles, with a number having connections with the oil field exploration that was carried out in regions west of here several years ago which resulted in finds of both gas and oil. After the completion of our tour, we were able to enjoy our picnic lunch in a public park at the rear of the premises. I returned via the back roads and part of the Brisbane Valley.
Now, I do realise that this is not a travel magazine, but the reason I wanted to explain the two trips in such detail is because they were the first ones after the long saga of fitting CV-jointed driveshafts to the Triumph. And I can report that these two trips have shown a complete transformation in the Stag’s handling, with no sign of the twitch when cornering under power. I am not sure whether it is my imagination or not, but now the car feels much more planted under other driving conditions too. Many of the roads that I use are far from perfect with bumps, small undulations and repaired pot holes, and there is a huge improvement in the way the Stag now travels over them. Earlier the car seemed to be continually unsettled by the numerous road imperfections, but it now takes the bumps in its stride with far fewer steering corrections required.
Thinking about it, there is a logical reason for this in that the bumps were causing the rear suspension to rise, and the combination of softer trailing arm bushes and friction in the sliding joints translated to minimal rear wheel steer, even if it was nowhere near as bad as it was on bends where body roll was resulting in the Triumph twitch. Upgrading the old worn sliding rear driveshafts with modern ones and stiffer trailing arm bushes has obviously been a huge factor in the improvements, but the earlier modifications on the front suspension to increase the caster angle have also played their part in the overall improvement. It just goes to show that with upgrades of worn components and care in adjustment of suspension geometry, the handling of a 40+ year old car can be improved to such a degree that it no longer feels like driving an old car, but rather feels like driving the equal of many modern saloons.