Stag Buying Guide

This issue looking at a favourite from Triumph, the awesome V8 Stag.

Most cars fit into fairly well-defined market segments and have a number of obvious rivals, but Triumph’s open-top Stag Grand Tourer was always something a bit special. It has had its ups and downs over the years of course, but now punches well above its weight on the classic scene.

When Giovanni Michelotti took a Triumph 2000 saloon and created a one- off convertible show car, there were no plans to put it into production until Triumph’s boss, Harry Webster, saw it. Webster was so enamoured of the creation that he insisted Triumph should take it and develop it for production. Initially planned to be launched with Triumph’s straight-six engine, a top of the range model was also planned using a new V8 engine which the company was developing.

In the end, the six- cylinder version never materialised. The new model, known as the Stag, was launched in June 1970 and lasted for seven years, with a number of revisions and a modest production run of 25,939 units. The specification of the Stag is reasonably modern by classic standards, with power-assisted rack-andpinion steering, servo-assisted disc/drum brakes, coil-sprung suspension with telescopic dampers and a 2997cc V8 mated to either a four-speed manual gearbox (often with overdrive) or a three-speed Borg Warner automatic.

Practicality

The Stag is quite a large, heavy car, much more a Grand Tourer than a sports car. At 4.44m (roughly 14.5 feet) long, it’s 40cm longer than an MGB and roughly the same length as a BMW E30 3 Series. It is however relatively slim at 1.61m (5ft 3.5in), which is only some 9cm wider than an MGB, so it can fit inside a single garage, although the long doors that provide access to the rear seats may be difficult to fully open.

The car is surprisingly heavy at 1215kg (2675lb) with a manual gearbox and 1289kg (2835lb) for an auto, possibly thanks to the all-steel monocoque body and cast-iron engine block, but also due to the additional structural strengthening required for an open-top. Thankfully, the V8 engine can propel the Stag from standing to 60mph in around 10 seconds and go on to a top speed of 112/118mph, so it won’t be an embarrassment, but is heavy on fuel with consumption of between 20 and 26mpg.

There’s seating for two adults and two children (the rear seating is quite cramped), plenty of boot space for holiday luggage, and enthusiastic support from clubs and specialists to ensure you can keep one alive and on the road. For all year use, find a Stag with the optional hardtop.

Tools and Parts

The Stag was designed and assembled during the imperial era, even though decimalisation was introduced just after its launch, so you’ll need a selection of AF sockets and spanners. Thread sizes are the traditional UNC and UNF. It’s worthwhile investing in a workshop manual to help with repairs and servicing, and there are a number of options, including a Haynes manual, British Leyland factory workshop manual and several restoration guides, priced from around £12.

Parts availability is reasonably good for the Stag, although

Faversham Classics warns that poor- quality components can be a major problem. For instance, they have found that the quality of clutch kits varies greatly, resulting in unwanted clutch judder, but they cannot narrow the cause down to specific brands. Some parts such as bonnets and hardtops are no longer available brand new and are gradually becoming scarce, but in general the situation is far better than it is for many classics. And Stag specialists such as EJ Ward Motor Engineers has had parts remanufactured, such as the fuel tank, the radiator remade in aluminium, stainless-steel cylinder head studs, an uprated rear main oil seal and an aluminium header tank with silicone hoses.

Routine servicing

Faversham Classics recommends the engine oil should be changed every year or every 3000 miles, and they use a good- quality 20W-50 mineral oil. Regular engine maintenance is the key to the survival of the Stag’s V8. Timing chains are a hotly debated topic in Stag circles, but many people feel they should be replaced at every 30,000 miles or 10 years. The chains, tensioners, guides, gaskets and locking plates cost from around £100, double this if new sprockets are required. Budget for around £500 for a specialist to supply and fit a new timing chain assembly.

With aluminium cylinder heads and a cast iron engine block, internal corrosion is a potential threat, but can be kept at bay with a good- quality antifreeze that’s replaced and the engine flushed through every two years. Faversham recommend a mix of 30% antifreeze to water – any stronger and the antifreeze can damage some head gaskets.

Stag aficionados will now be rolling their eyes, but there is no denying that its V8 engine developed a bad reputation for overheating and failure back in the day. Originally this tended to be down to poor quality control during engine assembly at the factory, compounded in use by poor servicing. The good news is that any engines still running today will either have been good ones from the start or rebuilt, so those issues do not really still apply. However, the water pump is mounted high up and so the system quickly overheats even if the coolant level only drops a little, so you do have to keep a watchful eye out for any leaks or coolant loss. (EJ Ward offer an external electric water pump conversion, fitted underneath the original power steering pump.) Other causes of overheating include the fitting of poor- quality head gaskets, and on a reconditioned engine the fitting of mismatched components.

What to pay

There was a time when a Stag was a financial gamble because its value was often lower than the cost of potential major repairs such as corrosion, a respray and an engine rebuild. The recent boom in classic car prices means a Stag can repay more costly investment, but those problems are still expensive. Roadworthy examples that promise to be in good condition but may have a few problems are generally offered for sale at around £12,000-£15,000, whereas not too long ago they were more like £8,000-£10,000. If you want a trouble-free Stag that is near flawless, then sellers will ask from around £20,000 all the way up to £30,000. Having said that, running cars that will need some work before hitting the road can still be found for £5000-£8000, though they will invariably be the more expensive option in the long run if you are aiming for perfection.

‘Don’t buy anything without looking at it, or ask a specialist to recommend a customer’s car that’s for sale,’ explains Kevin at Faversham Classics, who recalls the unfortunate story of a customer who bought a Stag at auction for £9000, only to discover it had four pages of MoT failure listings and the only parts worth salvaging were the engine and body tub. That body tub is now used as a jig for an upholstery trimmer!

Bodywork

Sadly, the Stag was produced in the midst of British Leyland’s infamous disputes and costcutting measures of the 1970s, so the metalwork of the monocoque body tub is vulnerable to corrosion. Repair panels

for the front wings and arches cost £60-£110. A complete replacement front wing costs up to £500 and is welded in position along the rain channel and around the inner arch. The rear wings can be similarly expensive for repair panels, but double the price for a complete assembly.

Sill corrosion is a major problem, but can be hidden by sill covers. Budget from £400 for inner and outer sills, but at least the same again to have them professionally fitted and painted. Fortunately, most of the parts to complete a major sill repair are available, such as strengtheners and closing panels, but a professional job can easily cost around £1000 per side. Faversham Classics warns that replacing inner sills is a very difficult job, and they have resorted to making their own repair sections instead of fitting an entire inner sill.

Other potentially costly rust repairs include the area below the windscreen, especially the scuttle panel and around to the A-posts. Look for bubbling paintwork and, if possible, use a magnet to test for filler. Some repair panels are available along with windscreens and seals, but just like the sills, this job is timeconsuming and so expensive.

Check along the front valance for corrosion. This area is subjected to being pebbledashed with road debris, and it’s not solely the valance that suffers, but also the slam panel and headlamp assembly above it. Repair panels cost from around £75, whereas a complete headlamp panel assembly is priced at £720. Corrosion can extend beyond the front of the car, into the battery area in the engine bay and the radiator support panels, so raise the bonnet and investigate. Repair panels are available in most cases, with prices ranging from £30 to £170, but the time required to complete this sort of front- end surgery is going to be much more costly if it is handed over to a specialist.

Underneath the exterior panels, there are more potential rust issues, ranging from the floors (including the boot) to the chassis legs and crossmembers. Fortunately, repair panels and replacement sections are available here too. Budget for around £400 for a front chassis leg, £40 for an outrigger, £70£110 for a floor repair panel and £190 for a boot floor.

Faversham recommends lifting the carpets to inspect the floors and the area over the outriggers. The soft-top can leak water, which drips onto the rear seat and underneath, so remove the rear seat base to check this area if you can. Also, feel underneath the rear end of each inner sill. If there’s crunchy metal in this area, you are almost certainly looking at a restoration project.

Engine trouble

The previously mentioned cooling issues are the biggest problem for the Stag’s V8 engine, so look carefully around the engine bay for signs of coolant leaks, such as residue around the radiator and the ends of the coolant hoses. Squeeze the coolant hoses (when the engine is cold) to check they are not perished.

If the engine can run, start it from cold and listen for any noises from the timing chain. It shouldn’t rattle, so if it does, it should be replaced. Leave the engine running for several minutes to monitor the temperature gauge. With the engine running, listen for any knocking and tapping. Rattles from the front may suggest there are timing chain issues, while top end noises could be caused by worn camshafts. Bottom end knocking noises usually mean a strip and rebuild. Faversham Classics warns that a light tapping noise at idle when the engine is warm can

be caused by the little end bearings; they replace these on any engine they overhaul.

Oil leaks are common from around the camshaft covers, oil pump and oil transfer housing. At the very worst, an engine rebuild is still feasible, but your concept of costs might be slightly out of date – these days it will cost around £6300, excluding removal and refitting. EJ Ward is able to reclaim corroded cylinder head castings and bring them back to original tolerance so that the distance between the centre line of the camshaft and the crankshaft is correct in order to negate any adverse effects on valve timing.

Gearbox issues

On Stags with a manual four-speed gearbox, overdrive only became standard from January 1972, but it makes a big difference to how well the car cruises. If a test- drive is possible, work up and down the gearbox, listening for worn synchromesh and a slipping clutch. Listen also for rattly layshaft bearings.

The Borg Warner Type 35 three-speed automatic gearbox was initially fitted to the Stag, then the three-speed Type 65 was used from October 1976 onwards. According to the Borg Warner Specialist, the common problems associated with these gearboxes include intermittent gear changes, failure to change into gears and snatching where the gear change is not smooth. If the clutch plates and/or bands are worn, then there may be some slipping during drive. Worn gears and bushes can result in excessive transmission noise, and oil leaks are often caused by failed seals and old gaskets. They charge £495 to overhaul a Type 35 and an extra £100 for a Type 65, and £295 to recondition a torque converter.

Steering and Suspension

The Stag’s front suspension is partially mounted to a crossmember, with coil- over damper struts, a wishbone lower arm and an anti-roll bar. At the rear, there’s a midmounted diff with a trailing arm set-up and separate coil springs and dampers. The steering is power-assisted rack-and-pinion.

Visually inspect the coil springs and dampers for fractures and leaks. During a test- drive, listen for knocks and rattles, which could be caused by worn bushes. Listen for any whines and grumbles from the rear differential and visually inspect it for oil leaks – the diff casing can corrode and leak oil.

If the rear trailing arm bushes are worn, the handling may be sloppy. They can be visually inspected for perishing and there may be gaps between the bush and cover plate, along with corrosion in this area.

Check the splines on the ends of the driveshafts are lubricated. The driveshafts can lock up if they run dry, which can be disastrous if you are driving. The initial signs of sticking splines will be the infamous Triumph twitch through corners;

driveshafts with CV joints instead of splines are available that will cure this, but they cost around £1000.

The differential can become noisy at 55- 60mph. EJ Ward manufactures an uprated crownwheel and pinion using the Klingelnberg method of cutting the helix on the spiral bevel pinion and crownwheel. Using a nine tooth pinion and 33 tooth crownwheel gives a more robust gear set which eradicates the vibration that creates noise. They are able to supply a rear axle using this gear set and a limited slip differential.

The steering should be light and precise. Visually inspect the pipework for leaks, especially the gaiters on the track rods, which can leak if an internal leak exists. Faversham Classics charges £300 to supply and fit a reconditioned steering rack. They have found that a poor ride quality can often be caused by fitting cheap dampers and having worn suspension bushes. They recommend upgrading to Superflex polyurethane with an appropriate Shore A hardness, and fitting KYB dampers.

Brakes

With servo-assisted discs and two-pot calipers at the front and drums at the rear, a Stag’s brakes should be good, but lack of use can often result in them seizing or binding. Fortunately, parts are readily available and reasonably priced, with discs costing around £85 for a pair, pads from £12, calipers from £70, drums from £65 each

and a set of shoes from £23. Faversham Classics has found that brake servos are starting to leak due to perished seals, and whilst rebuild kits are available, they have developed some useful tooling for this job and charge £270 to overhaul a customer’s servo. Look out for upgrades, such as a four-pot caliper conversion at the front, which costs from around £700 for the parts.

Trim and extras

Check the hood opens and closes, and if a hardtop is fitted, remove it to test the hood. It’s worthwhile conducting a testdrive with the hood or hardtop fitted to help listen for air leaks and suspension noises. Plus, it helps to remove the rose-tinted glasses that seem to appear when the sun is shining and the roof is down – the reality of owning a Stag is that you may be driving it in the rain with the hood up or the hardtop fitted. Budget for around £700 to have a new hood supplied and fitted, but as Mick at EJ Ward warns: ‘Frames take a bashing over the years and can be very time consuming to repair.’

Hardtops are expensive to buy and not available new, so if you find a Stag with one, this can be a bonus – although it’s very heavy to lift on and off the car and quite a bulky item to store away safely. Check the condition of its paintwork, glass, seals and trim. Specialists such as The Vehicle Restoration Company can restore hardtops, but the work involved is timeconsuming, so budget from £2395 for a full overhaul.

The interior of a Stag can be replaced if required. Aldridge Trimming for instance sells vinyl and leather door panels from around £350 each in a range of colours, a pair of front seat covers for around £400 in vinyl or £1000 in leather and a full carpet set for under £400.

Our Verdict

The Triumph Stag is a thing of beauty which also has the potential to be an extremely capable classic open-top tourer, providing you are willing to look after it and keep on top of maintenance. The survival rate is incredibly high, so there are always enough for sale that you should be able to find one in a colour you like and with the transmission you desire. They are perfectly viable as restoration projects too, but this is rarely as cheap as you might hope. Find the right one for you though and you will never regret your decision to take the plunge. And as an added bonus, the Stag Owners Club is one of the friendliest and most helpful clubs around, and they will do their best to make your ownership experience as pleasurable as possible.