Stag Purchase

["Glenn A. Merrell" <gmerrel@domain.elided>]

Hello Jeff,
    Great to hear you are considering a Stag Purchase, but you have opened
Pandora's box.

 There are two Stag Clubs in the US, the Triumph Stag Club USA in Clarks Green, PA
run by Mike Coffey, and the Triumph Stag Register, of which I am the USA VP.  TSC
USA is the largest in the US with about 75? Stags and 200 members.  Mike Coffey is
a great base of  Stag knowhow in the US, and is also the VTR vehicle consultant
for Stags.  TSR is just starting in the USA from a UK club of over 400 Stags,
having about 10 + US members to date.  There are also several UK Stag clubs, but
I'd recommend one you can associate with in the USA, even if it is your local
Triumph Club.  Choose one, get information, learn all you can.

First, before you buy a Stag, learn all you can about them.  In my opinion,
converting a Stag engine is a mistake if you ever want to sell the car.
Originality sells, conversions will net the question of "what is in it, how do I
maintain it?", and you will be quite happy with the 3 litre Stag V8 once it is
corrected and properly maintained.  Remember that the Stag is 30 years old next
year.

Just about every problem with the Stag is well known from front to rear, top to
bottom.  There are professionals and very knowledgable enthusiasts in the US that
can assist you with any problem that you might ever experience, with the key to
all Stag "design" problems being a matter of regular periodic routine
maintenance.  If you have the local expertise that you can trust to rebuild a Stag
motor, that is my first and only recommendation.

Now with all that having been said, if you are planning on keeping the car till
you die and want to update it to today's standards, there are many great quality
conversions driving around US streets by many happy Stag owners.  And that being
said, there are many more poor conversions rotting in junk yards or now  being
restored to original.   The US Stag can indeed benefit with some added horse
power, but many engines installed give an undesired chassis vibration feel in the
ride as opposed to the Stag V8 silky smooth idle, acceleration, and great V8
burble.   Remember that any engine you put in will need customization for fitting,
coolant, drive shaft flanges, shifter console, maybe beefier axles,  custom
exhaust, custom electrical wiring, and possible cooling system and hood/bonnet
modifications.  Popular conversion that bolt up are the Rover 3.5 (Buick 212 V8)
using Rimmer Brothers conversion kits.  One thing to watch for is that the Stag
engine weighs in at over 450 pounds, many other engines chop up to 150 pounds off
that weight and the front springs need to be changed to compensate.  The Buick V6
is popular, still needs custom fitting and is too lite as is the Rover V8, US big
blocks require some precision shoehorns to get everything in properly under the
hood, some have put in straight 6's like 3 litre Nissans, Mazda Rotery's, Chevy
327 and 350's, For 302 and V6's, and Triumph 2.5 litre straight 6.  It is a matter
of what you want to do.

So there you have it In My Humble Opinion, Yours for Speculation.

BTW, note the proper address for the Stag Digest above in the address lines.

Regards,
Glenn  Merrell, VTR Webmaster ProTem
Triumph Stag Register USA VP
*J*O*I*N**Y*O*U*R**L*O*C*A*L**T*R*I*U*M*P*H**C*L*U*B**T*O*D*A*Y*
*Member of:
*VTR, RMTC, TSC USA, TSR, SOC
*73*S*T*A*G*****************************************************


> Stag Purchase
>
> I'm considering purchasing a 1975 Stag here in the US.  Given the problems
> associated with the engine; over heating, timing chain slippage etc..., Should
> I consider replacing the factory motor with an American motor such as a Buick
> V6?
> Is this a common practice? Please advise.
>
> Thank You,
> Jeff Daniel
>