Taking an ANGLE GRINDER to my ROTTEN, V8 Triumph Stag! (plus interior stripping.) How BAD can it be?

Today I take a grinder to all that car body filler! I wonder what's lurking underneath? I also take the hardtop off for the first time! As well as stripping the interior ready to weld in the new panels!
Please bear with me on the time between videos, my dad and I do all the work ourselves around working full time!
If you haven't already... please help us carry on making these videos.... press that subscribe button! it really helps the channel!
You can also follow us on Instagram @booths_motors

[@peterbriggs8022]

I am a motor engineer of fifty years experience starting my indentured apprenticeship in 1972. No one is a bigger fan of the Stag than me, having worked on many throughout my career and I still own one today. I appreciate your sentiments and greatly admire your enthusiasm, I certainly don’t want you to think I am being disrespectful and I apologise for bursting your bubble, but the truth is that your car is suitable to use for spare parts only. It will turn into a money pit if you attempt repairs, and will take you years to complete. To bring the car to even a reasonable standard you will need unlimited time and patience, and a similar budget! My advice is to find a better car to start with, it will be cheaper in the long run, but whatever you decide I wish you the best of luck. Kind regards.

[@yant8777]

I think you are right and that's good advice you give.

[@sdferh]

I agree 100% I did one many years ago it was nightmare. And never again lol

[@micksroversmg558]

Trouble is market is full of really pretty tarted up on its 15th paint job and three sets of over sills etc etc but has been passed off as a bare metal resto too some poor unsuspecting customer!! I had one a decade ago with a stag for rear arch in it! Even though I showed the customer that it had been four different colours and painted over schultz etc around all lower body filler over filler just etc! He was still adamant his car had had a bare metal respray and restoration couple years earlier! If you restore your own you get to say you saved classic from going too the scrap heap and you know exactly what has been done!

[@christapp4877]

Great to see a youngster into car restoration

[@retromechanicalengineer]

I love these cars, having owned a number of Triumph big saloons. Great to see a young bloke getting stuck in.

[@robertsykes6309]

I applaud your enthusiasm, and with everything removed I can see that a nice car is definitely possible, good luck. Very good video too.

[@johnwilkinson4782]

Fair play, it looks you have quite a job on your hands. I love stags and look forward to watching your progress on this one 👍

[@tedecker3792]

Thank god for people like you who care about these old sports cars. I’ve done several in that condition, and the feeling of seeing it done is awesome. Cary on!

[@Rassilon72]

I'm looking forward to watching this take shape. I admire your optimism! If you haven't already figured it out, there are 2 more levers on the soft top that release the back window (1 each side) and the last part will fold out. It may not be seized. When folding it away again, you must make sure that the window is securrd back onto these clips, otherwise the soft top will jam in the storage section and will have to be removed from the car to fix it...not a 5 minute job as you already know. Good luck sir!

[@Boothsmotors]

Thankyou! Yeah I soon realised after slackening off the mechanism! I honestly don’t think it’ll be too bad, when we restored my dads old mgb as a teenager we found loads of old bodges, fibreglass, bolted on bits of tin! This soo far doesn’t have anything too horrendous… but there’s time yet!

[@stevielegrand]

Great vid, very interesting. I have always wanted a Stag, they have a certain style that eclipses the competition from that era. Looking forward to seeing the next part in the renewal and evolution of this classic.

[@gentlesoul1513]

Talking from first hand experience brace the door frames with steel as ASAP, I learnt the hard way, do not take the T bar off either

[@conanhayle]

as a stag owner for 25 years ,and modified co ordinator of SOC I would suggest you scrap it before you start ,

[@rickmcdonald1557]

In my youth I restored a few old cars and seeing what you have ahead I'm both scared for you and glad you have the fortitude to try to save this rust bucket~!! I have subscribed so I can see what you do to revive this classic. Best of luck~!! 👍✌👍

[@StagStuff]

What a great video. Very much looking forward to watching more! I can tell she will once again be a beautiful Stag in your good care.

[@TheDaf95xf]

Hi 👋🏻 Buddy. I watch a lot of care restoration videos and I can’t but admire you you lads fixing up old classic cars that are from my era 😂 The stag was a sort after motor when I was a lad now being 66 lol 😆 They had cylinder head problems from what I can remember 🤔 I loved the triumph 2.5 pi and Dolomite sprints 😊

[@nigelbeaumont1109]

I had a beautiful 2.5 PI. Wish I still had it. KPD830K.

[@TheKimmer1969]

She deserves to be restored. This is going to be an interesting project. Best of luck from Denmark.... Subscribed!!!

[@saudistevo3002]

Good luck with the restoration. I remember the stags driving round the country roads when I was your age. Always loved and wanted one.

[@Boothsmotors]

Thanks keep watching for the progress 😊

[@s_p_onarge8720]

I don’t know what your budget is but if it was in that state I would consider stripping it right down and getting dipped and zinc coated and building up from there. It will take care of everything that you can’t see and last another 50 years. Although it’s probably about £2000 it will give you the best base imaginable.

[@Boothsmotors]

I’d love to do that! The only issue i have is space to strip it completely! If one day KZbin went well enough to afford a unit…. definitely!!!

[@MiltonKeynesStreetLighting]

Another Stag coming back to the road is a joy to see 😊 my parents Stag inca yellow 76 should be ready for the road in a couple months! Its been on the road since 1986 and was their daily car

[@Boothsmotors]

This one was on the road just over 10 years ago in 2012! I honestly can’t see how!

[@MiltonKeynesStreetLighting]

@@Boothsmotors Was it in daily use? Does seem like it has been sat off the road alot longer

[@Boothsmotors]

@@MiltonKeynesStreetLighting I’m honestly not sure, the guy I bought it off, didn’t buy it, his friend from Portugal bought it sight unseen off the internet. He had the intentions of him restoring it, didn’t know the history I’d love to find out some more about it though! My mgbgt was in daily use from 1978-1999 and was wayyy worse than this!

[@Wiltshire-observer]

Great project ! - well done. Triumph Stags are becoming ever more valuable when sympathetically restored. I’m not sure how much you will need to strip from it before you start to weld new panels as required. From experience, I would remove as much as possible, including engine and gearbox. Restoring the bodywork on it will be 80% of the project. Keep the videos coming, a good one to follow.

[@nigelbarton8350]

I fully agree, strip as much out as possible and ideally get it on a rollover jig, there will be more than you can see underneath. The rear floor rot will be all around the rear subframe mounts so all the rear suspension and diff needs to come out. And of course full 3 piece sills to get the strength back in. Well worth it once done, I love mine!

[@johnfrench9608]

Great to see some young people trying to repair a 70,s Shitter. Good luck to you. You are gonna need it.

[@stevejelly3161]

I think thats the best colour they did in them ???? . I went out in one in my teens and the exhaust was bust ..... but after the V8 roar ... the car fell silent !!! . (it was an auto in turquoise) . I know somehow the Rover V8 may have been more reliable but it needed that 3.0 litre engine to make the car complete !!! . NEAUTIFUL CAR 🙂

[@jeremys1019]

Finally KZbin a good recommendation. Going to have to look at the back catalogue. Subbed. Build looks exciting.

[@michaelherrmann3423]

Good work. Please go on. Michael from Cologne in Germany

[@jonjoyce3188]

Good luck hope you can save it, oh and wear a dust mask, older you will thanks you for it.

[@paulboath5310]

An area that Stags rust in is the base of the A pillar behind the front wings. Before you add the wheel arch repair panels get a look inside the wings.

[@paulkelley2725]

Good work, big project! But it will be worth it once finished and the personal satisfaction will be immeasurable. I own a P reg 1975 Stag in the 'correct' (!) colour of Mimosa yellow, same as you have here. The back panel is usually blacked in for this year, but looks good either way. Nice you have the hard top too. The Stag really is a great car when built properly second time round (too many were poorly churned out by the factory back in the day). And the TV8 engine, for all it's notoriety, is a sweet engine when built and maintained properly and nothing sounds better. Good luck!

[@richarddyasonihc]

I had a lovely deep blue Stag for about 18 months, bought in 179.. The car was almost new, and removing the hard-top was a doddle. It wasn’t the bodywork that I ever had any problems with - it was the engine. I think it spent nearly as much time in the mechanic’s workshop than it did in mine. But what a beautiful car to drive! I loved the throaty V8 burble, and the electric overdrive switch on the gear lever. It was terrific on a warm sunny day to go for a drive withe my girlfriend; driving slowly into a cafe or pub car park & leaving thr engine burbling swat, she made all the adjustments to herself & then walking nonchalantly in. These days, I drive an XJ Portfolio Jag. It might have panoramic glass roof back & front, but though stylish, not like the Stag! Or the constant ‘stag gearing’ garage bills.

[@johnsaunders1962]

Good luck 🤞 not the easiest car to do and parts are very expensive looking forward to seeing more

[@tomf4547]

I was 18 when I had my red Stag, loved that car. Looked and sounded beautiful but also a nightmare 😅. Bin the triumph V8 👌

[@Boothsmotors]

I'm just hoping this ones fine its got 2 fans one bolted to the crank pulley and an electric one up front.... not a clue which would be original!

[@TheLeeattwood]

Your vid brings back memories. I’m 57 and had a red one at 21 , loved the sound , ladies loved it . 😂. Can’t wait to see it finished.

[@tomf4547]

Haha been there too, red one at 18 in 1982. Girls loved riding sat on the boot holding the T bar 🤣🇬🇧😎

[@bmw-e30]

Fair play for taking this on in what is really only a parts car at best. Stags are very pretty cars so will be interesting to see how this goes.

[@anthonybrand6137]

I really like Triumph Stags , even though I have never owned one. This is shaping up to be an interesting restoration, but I think there'll be more rust & bodywork repairs needed to get this car safely back on the road than you have estimated! Looking forward to the next video dropping soon. 👍

[@awalk5177]

What a great video. It does look bad, but certainly a good rewarding project I would like to follow. All seems straight forward at the moment. I am looking forward to seeing all the next videos.

[@Biffo1262]

Biggest problem I and my friends had with these Triumph engines was wearing out crankshaft thrust washers at an alarming rate. They caused real problems with clutch operation and made gear selection impossible. Not a difficult job to do with the engine in place other than having to drop the suspension to lower the cross member for oil pan removal. I had to do mine three times in a six year period and my friend 2000Mk2 the same. They must have been made out of some bloody poor metal. The other problem was the right angle speedometer drive take off from the gearbox. It had flexible spigot which simply kept shearing off. I made my own spigot out of high tensile steel eventually and it never broke. I never understood why they made it like that in the first place as it simply didn't need a flexible spigot for such a short length.

[@Boothsmotors]

thanks for the tips, there's allot of weak points on these engines isn't there!

[@RedsGarageUK]

Actually less rust than you were expecting? I didn't think that ever happened 🤣 I'll be looking forward to seeing this take shape, you've got a lot of work ahead though!

[@paul-zh7ek]

This could be my new favourite channel 👍👍

[@jamiejames5311]

New subscriber, because I Love Triumph Stags and can’t wait to see how you tackle all the work ahead Never say it doesn’t look that bad/rusty till you start cutting the metal away it’s always the way when someone says can you just weld up that little hole for me and you know that’s going to turn in to a big job Good luck and can’t wait for part2

[@Boothsmotors]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@williamkennedy5492]

I replaced all four wings on my TR6 it was 7 years old, you have a task in front of you and i hope to see the Stag back on the road, I did have a stagin the same colour albeit for a short period, nice car.

[@hankpb1]

knackered

[@alanpaulick7815]

Will follow you with this one. Thanks for sharing your content.

[@sportshatch]

I have owned a couple of Dolly Sprints, always liked the Stags. That's quite a project. Good luck.

[@Boothsmotors]

I’ve always wanted a dolly! Ever since seeing Hammond have one on top gears British leyland challenge !

[@RogerT-yf6ef]

Looking forward to seeing the project progress. Invest in a decent mask or preferably a respirator. You only get one pair of lungs.

[@bramas1950]

Looking forward to next stage

[@bobspeller2225]

Lots of panels available, look for the panels commissioned by the stag Owners Club (SOC) they fit much better then some. Good Luck. Bob

[@reijerlincoln]

It only need the bottom four inches replaced! Win!

[@_Mark_H]

New subscriber here. Looking forward to seeing this evolve 👍🏼

[@reijerlincoln]

Brave man. Good luck!

[@mickyhamer1300]

Brave man. Good luck.

[@richardsmith3585]

Tip Always cover windows when grinding other wise you get raised bits in the glass if it hits great video great car

[@vwcoco]

Before vws I had a few triumph but not a stag . Good luck ,doesn’t seem that bad as usual rust areas

[@stevesalvage1089]

Yep interesting, actually there's not a lot on repairing these , just bits an bobs , so I watch with interest, thanks for filming this !

[@Boothsmotors]

Very simple that’s what I love about classics just nuts and bolts! Limited wiring and no computers! It takes time but you just have to work your way through it! I mean this 12 minute video was around 6 and a 1/2 hours work! It’s amazing what a bit of editing can do!

[@stevesankey6339]

You best be in this for the long hall, I have just got to where I am putting my stag back together, it has been hard but well worth it, good luck and I hope you all the best with it, join the owner club, it will help you find a out what it takes to own a stag, you must be able to weld, I could not and had to get a guy to help me 👍

[@Boothsmotors]

@@stevesankey6339 me and dad are hoping it’s going to take 6 months to a year of weekends and evenings! I’m pretty good and quick at welding and fab work now. I taught myself on my mgbgt that was allot worse than this (needed full cils, inner, outer, castle rails, drivers floor, passenger floor, boot floor, rear chassis legs/leaf spring mounts, rear arch, rear inner arches, a pillar, and front inner wings) that did take 6 years but neither of us could weld! allot of time was spent head scratching, and saving up for parts! I’ve since done minor resto work on other cars but yeah I have to admit this is a big project!

[@simonedwards5070]

Advertised as ‘the car to take on mercedes’ delusory Coventry management, they are beautiful had one TAY530N blew up near Hull at night 5 years old it was scrapped in 82

[@nk53nxg]

Nice, keep up the work. Like watching resto vids. I think, and this is just my opinion, that you are going to have to remove all the interior trim, then weld temporary bracing from the B post to A post on both sides. If the sills and floor are rotten then not much is holding the two halves of that Stag together. Remove any more rot or steelwork and you may end up with a banana Stag, seriously, get it braced before commencing any more work.

[@tomedian]

A case of "it only needs" :) Great to follow...

[@faithlesshound5621]

A real curate's egg of a car. Some parts of those panels are excellent!

[@janataman9196]

It´s really ROTTEN, but you´re so optimistic and enthusiastic, great.. :)

[@marknelson5929]

With no disrespect surely this car is scrap!? It seems what needs replacing is the complete sills/floors etc followed by lower wings and wheel archers, boot floor, valances etc etc basically the whole car from the ground up to the door handles... But I admire your optimism! Carry On!

[@Boothsmotors]

Everything is repairable it’s just a case of how many hours you’re willing to put in! The way j on see it the doors shut nice…. so it’s all square… so why not! I mean not every panels bad, the bonnet seems good as does the boot floor!

[@marknelson5929]

Well done then - I'm sure you'll enjoy the journey. At least most if not all panels are available... off set by their cost perhaps? Down here in Oz, we are lucky re rust, as its not much of an issue even on a Stag. How is it mechanically?

[@Boothsmotors]

@@marknelson5929 all panels I want are available bar the windscreen surround. Mechanically it doesn’t seem too bad, when I first got it running (there’s a video on the channel) it smoked and was a bit tappety, but having ran it since it’s been pretty good,suspension doesn’t look too bad either, there appears to be new brake hoses fitted bushes aren’t cracked ect. You don’t really know the full story til it’s up in the air and you can give it a good look over though!

[@karlsanderson8127]

I've seen worse restored especially mk1/2 ford escorts

[@Whateverpoopiepants]

Get new panels. You will be able to do the repairs behind this that WILL need doing. I’ll make some other recommendations are soils gold. 1. Raptor epoxy zinc primer ( you’ll need to do a coat or two of high build over the top once you’ve scuffed it ). 2. Abranet da abrasives. 3. Trade some Labour with your body shop to final paint and bake it. 4. Do replace complete panels if they’re available. You’ve got a good feel for this.

[@jeffcarling4860]

Its never to late to give up

[@jeffcarling4860]

The mould nation. What a wreck

[@EddBucland]

Dont forget the stag does'nt have a chassis its a monocoque structure ie all those panels combined creat the structure of the car youll need complete sills ,prob inner sills out riggers floors , internal arches If you are selling this stag on hopefully you,ll be honest because you could be creating a death trap if not done properly , The wings hide all sorts of rot inside amnd the windscreen surround is also a weakness . Good luck

[@karlsanderson8127]

Always loved these I've got stag book somewhere and there is a wide arched race like dtm racer it looked mint

[@bjennings1067]

Work in the motor trade for over forty years as a car paint sprayer my heart goes out to you stags are renowned for rot there like cullinders good luck to you take some advice from an old head look after your health wear a mask most of the time when you do bodywork or painting loose your health you loose everything

[@johnharper4723]

Things come apart so much easier without a roof in the way.

[@julesviolin]

Blimey my early Mk2 never got like that !! Cars of that era need to be garaged really. Had my Stag for 15 years. Sold it with just 58k on it? I would defo have another one. Happy memories with that car.👍👍👍

[@stevesalvage1089]

Interesting comments ,mainly in city centers banned , in fact e fuel is on the way or synthetic fuel , it will take decades to remove ice engines some countries have u turned banned charging EVs going now hybrids and e fuel, as for repairing stag it's no different from other steel vehicles this would have taken four weeks to do as we repaired many Brit cars to a good standard , still going , to return all stags to like new would be very costly and tucked away for shows , it's preserving our heritage, to be driven, long live the stag

[@PhillRobinson]

God loves a trier.

[@lucymoss3280]

Love this matt xx

[@Boothsmotors]

Thanks Lucy ❤️

[@kevinisaac9139]

ive had 2 stags lovely cars used to tow a caravan for holidays with the kids no over heating problems only thing with them they are money pits got a Porsche Boxster now

[@stuarthiern-cooke6619]

Brave man

[@overlandvan]

Ace! I'm just in the process of returning a Stag to the road after 10 years stored in someones garage, far less rust than yours but it's still been an interesting project. Look forward to seeing more updates as you progress.

[@TheOffroader7458]

That wants chucking in the bin , they were crap when new , fair play thou though

[@nigelbeaumont1109]

Good Luck Mate.

[@stormytempest6521]

As a Welder speaking, you've got alot to do, believe you me, good luck.🇬🇧

[@themayorofdipshittery3646]

2 sills and 4 quarter panels, job sorted.

[@stephaneauger1036]

Yeser 😮 Alway start a day one ☝️ Remove all all all rusty stuff and naked frame ,floor , more easy 😊am a car freak too 🎉 Great video 🎊 Next project me tr7 /Sho/300z 1984 am late on those

[@richardsymonds5159]

I say you cannot get at the rot unless you Remove panels - you then have the choice of repairing the panels or replacing them.

[@slingerland68]

I guess this isn’t your first rodeo , nothing terrifying there just elbow grease! Looking forward to the finish great channel.

[@Boothsmotors]

Is it that obvious! I’m 24 been wielding a welder and angle grinder since I was 11.😳 Hoping to make proper start on this soon! The 944 in the garage is currently being painted! As soon as it’s finished I can’t get started on the stag!

[@slingerland68]

@@Boothsmotorsdon’t forget, only politicians and DJs make money from chatting. Skills pay the bills. Looking forward to the finish:)

[@andrewbradbury4433]

As a long time Stag owner, I will follow this with great interest. Past experience tells me that Stag owners are very helpful and supportive. I do wonder though what you will find underneath, inner sills, outrigger, floor etc. Good luck.

[@nigelbeaumont1109]

I was thinking the very same…. Uggg, what’s underneath.?

[@502days]

It's fairly straightforward job good to see someone got the gonads to do it fair game..

[@jrbs]

No chicken wire then! 🤣🤣🤣

[@davidbramley6730]

Jeeze. That stag way gone. More there than you think. Keep digging. Had one back in the eighties with the original 3 litre block. Lovely classic car these days. They don't the money as well as they should. Think the 3 litre block issues puts people off but as we know the cures are very easy to rectify. Good ignition cure to make it a daily reliable runner is to fit the Accu spark distributor and Power spark coil.

[@metalman4141]

The more you grind the more you find

[@edshedrestorations]

They certainly rot.looks not bad under back seat .

[@martylee5299]

Mate. I had a stag once. Nice car. You need to do it right. Pull all the good bits then dip whats left in a acid bath. Go from there. Cheers.

[@stevehowe8218]

I had a 1974 Stag when I was 19 in 1984 - It was not much better than yours! Good luck buddy! Sold it for £1500 - Wish I had it now

[@Boothsmotors]

Nice car to have at 19! How long ago did you sell it ?

[@redprince3158]

This young man needs some advice with this car

[@rogerpritchard]

Will be great when finished. Looks like alot of work, but with your enthusiastic approach I'm sure you're capable of doing it. Will keep watching its progress! None of these here in northern Thailand.

[@hydorah]

Hey mate you'd be best off using a flap wheel to remove paint and filler, still fast but doesn't eat away at metal. Great car to save gonna be well worth it. Love a Staaaaaag!

[@DeanofMachines]

Sweet looking stag

[@sneaks01]

Just found your channel. Looking forward to all your current and future content! You have a new sub here! 😊

[@rickydub6950]

Pleased i stumbled on this video, love an old Staaag 😎 subbed 👍

[@jonathanmoss5328]

Rotten as a pear. Hope your welding game is strong.

[@JustAlanJohn]

The best point would strip the stag down just body shell and have the car chemical dipped that way any rust in box sections will be removed and you can really do a brilliant job.

[@McCaff62]

I know you think the dust from the grnder isn't effecting you and simply blowing away but you'll regret not wearing a mask in years too come, and yes they steam your goggles up. Best of luck with that stag btw i'd imagine under the car is a lot worse

[@davidjones332]

Too right; you don't want that stuff in your lungs. Once it's there, it's there for good.

[@tomthompson7400]

I really hope you have a garage space to work in.

[@francispalmer9737]

Looking forward to see how this Stag turns out because I had a White 1974 N reg, back in 1991 with the hard top which are hard to get even back then. Does it have the original Triumph V8? Cheers from a new fan.

[@Boothsmotors]

Yes it’s got the triumph v8 in! Although I’ve not checked if it’s ‘numbers matching’

[@pjmccracken]

Sub'd! following with interest and keep the videos coming, there is going to be A LOT of work involved in that but on the plus side you can get replacement panels for these so that's a big help. Best of luck with it!!

[@churchhouseclassics]

just found your channel, top work 👍👍

[@jeffcarling4860]

Damp, mouldy brittons. . Haha it grim island

[@MrSkoda105s]

Nice video and nice channel. Subscribed ✅ greetings from Holland.

[@Boothsmotors]

Thanks for the sub!

[@danieldoherty919]

Hello, I’ve just came across your channel, I do love a stag had a couple back in the early 90s they are a very easy car to ring double check all your logbook chassis and engine and gearbox numbers