Triumph Stag buyers guide - and the differences between a mk1 and mk2

[@chrisspain7776]

Just for info all Stags had a final drive ratio (diff) of 3.7:1 Some of the big saloons (2.5/2500) had 3.45:1 which can be fitted to the Stag, and would make motorway cruising more relaxed, which is needed with the auto gearboxes.

[@robbey300]

Very comprehensive overview of the Triumph Stag with all the pitfalls of ownership. I was seriously looking at one for my retirement but now see them as unicorns and money pits so thank you for your pragmatic advice and the realisation of the true cost of ownership.

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

I wouldn't describe them as money pits or unicorns, they are typical of most classic cars of the era, I was just giving advice on what to check specifically with stags certainly not trying to put people off them

[@robbey300]

@@YorkshireClassicCarsltd - the numbers for engine rebuilds at £8-£10k more than a V12 EType! Front Wings at £1000+ fitted, bumpers at £1000+ fitted, differentials at £1000+ fitted, leaking and incontinent auto gearboxes, previous bodywork repairs and paintwork to rectify ££££££. As a potential new owner I am looking at cars for sale from £35000 to £43995….. minefield! You do some great work, old school style which I respect, but as a Stag newbie I am confused to the way to ownership.

[@BobSharp-p9u]

An absolutely fantastic informative video, the best I have seen here on KZbin. You covered all aspects of the Triumph Stag.

[@edwardkendall3905]

I have an early Mk 1 (Jan 71), early owners seem to have spent some money protecting it (great undercoating, etc) somewhere in its middle years it was ridden hard and put away wet with the resulting rust, loose suspension and layers of dirt. Despite all that it was an easy car to drive, relaxed on the highway and reliable in the city. Two years ago I started restoring it, and what a difference that made. More positive steering, less body roll, smooth clutch and shifter. I’ve welded in some patch panels (lower front wings and skirt) but will leave the real body work and paint to the pros. This is my third restoration and, including precautionary replacement of timing chains and head gaskets, it has been no more expensive than the MGTD or spitfire. So to those concerned about extraordinary Stag costs, they aren’t going to be an investment, but neither is that Friday night pint. It’s just the joy of doing. Probably the best comparative review I’ve seen. BTW, the NA Mk1 Stags were fitted with wire wheels and chrome finishers, and seats with headrest. My Stag is a four speed without overdrive, although I have an A-type that I might install. Not sure I agree with the carb comments as it is easy to rebuild the Strombies and they work reliably when cared for, but for sure everyone has their favourites. Although I have limited experience with the MG range, I find the triumph’s easier to work on, especially those on the Herald frame. Thanks again for the detailed presentation.

[@daveh1081]

Without doubt, the most informative Stag video I've ever seen! I'm between the Stag and an MG RV8.......but there are parts for the RV8 that are virtually impossible to find like the rear lights........unless you have incredibly deep pockets! I'm leaning more towards the Stag Mk2. Many thanks mate......brilliant!

[@lascm5237]

Coming from an MGB owner, the old saying ‘you get what you pay for’ couldn’t be more true. Lots of cars about but prising a really good one from the owner is nigh on impossible. Having driven Stag’s too, I couldn’t believe how different ‘original’ unmessed-with cars drive compared to almost any rebuild. Finally, original quality tyres make a world of difference compared to cheap Chinese replacements - Thanks for a quality review 🫡

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

Well said! Thank you

[@johnmurray3876]

This is a great information video, and has me feel a lot better about the floor/sills on my car 😅

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

😂😂😂

[@stevesalvage1089]

Yep great information there. I trure honest approach , my words completely, ! we worked on them in the day , after a life time fixing driving cars i now have a mk 1 and half 72 brilliant car , thanks for sharing spot on ,

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

Thanks Steve, got the idea from someone adamant that mk2 cars had grey badges lol

[@chriscurtis5958]

Interesting video, I tend to agree that an original looking MK1 will command more money than the plentiful later cars. The biggest problem with Stags is buyers and owners do not understand the difference between early and late cars which this video has gone someway to help with, although you forgot to mention that the cooling system was changed towards the beginning of the batch 2 MK1's and this is why they have the same cooling and air filter arrangement as the later Stags (mk2) not forgetting the black rear panel on mk2 Stags only to be deleted again to body colour in 76 👍all of this is muddled of course by the unofficial term of mk 1.5. This term came about because early and later Stags were coming down the production line together for a very short period (about 4 months) some later parts were fitted to early cars. The easiest way to identify where your Stag sits in the production line is to look at the chassis number LD20001 on wards is a mk2 everything before is a designated MK1. Disagree with the comments on MK1 hoods they look much better in my opinion. Don't get me started on the confusion of Mk2 wheel trims 😂.

[@stevestone4346]

You’re absolutely spot on about 70’s rot. In 1982 I had a 1975 BMW 30,cs. At 7 years old it was as rotten as a pear!

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

Golf's were the same, steel rusts, its inevitable really, I don't think any car was really any better or worse, they were just old wives tales like the paving slab in the boot of a capri 😂

[@leewhitehead5127]

Great videos mate

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

Thank you mate

[@ianswaby7197]

Great video ,you know what you are talking about. i have had my Stag for 34 yrs i live in Australia now and brought it with me, got rid of the wife and kept the car. Best thing i ever did. I had full resto Rover v8 with fuel injection zf box xk8 front seats datsun driveshaft. Done all the mechanical work myself. luv it.

[@dennispennant9404]

Thanks for the tour im getting one tomorrow 1975.

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

Lovely, mk2 then, hope you enjoy it

[@AllanT-nu4rw]

As with anything between the two types there are some features that people will prefer to have fitted regardless of which type they own. An example, the met silver background Stag emblems look so much better than the black background ones. BL and their massive panel gaps are always atrocious, so when restoring a car body properly closing up all the panel gaps makes the job look so much better, not stock mind you but the factory were cutting costs while you are not. A great overview video and well done, thanks for taking the time to highlight the issues and differences.

[@neroi4855]

Hi ! Great video. I am in my mid 30s and just picked up a Stag. Cant wait to start work on it. 😊

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

Brilliant news, I'm sure you will enjoy it!

[@Rialas]

There was also a mk1/mk2 transition period which we had. Steel wheels no side stainless sill. But had the mk2 seats and dashboard without the hazard warning button. Made in 73.

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

Yea I mentioned the mk1.5 briefly, they seem to differ from car to car quite often

[@geofwassell]

I used to work weekends at a stag specialist. One thing you havent mentioned is that towards the end of Mk1 production, they did introduce some things which also appear on Mk 2s at the time we used to refer to K and L reg cars as Mk1 and a half. You are spot on with the door latches on the B posts, there was no cross over with later MK1s having MK2 B post latches. Mk1s generally had A type OD but some of the later MK1 has J type ODs. While I was there, we had a prototype stag I think it s reg number started PVC and it was G reg. The really interesting thing about it was that it had been changed at the factory to be left hand drive OR right hand drive so that it could be presented to the home market and overseas market after swapping dashboards, pedal boxes etc. It also didnt use the stag V8, it had the straight 6 with twin carbs. The weight of the straight 6 engine suited the stag and the engine dropped straight into the engine bay and onto the mountings. I always thought that if I every had any issues with that stag engine , I would drop a triumph 2500S engine into it since the engine bays are almost identical...and the prototype proves it. Original good stag difs were like hens teeth 30 years ago due to the vents blocking, the diff blowing it seals and losing its oil or the aluminium diff back plate bolted to the steel diff carrier and rotting holes in the back plate and the diff losing oil. Although the crown wheel of the stag diff is the same ratio as one of the other triumphs ( I dont recall which one it is) the stag crownwheel is different in that it is broader in order to handle more power. I always suspected that they had wanted to give the stag more power but couldnt because of its cooling issues so the up rated diff made no difference.You mentioned export cars MK1 headrests and side marker lights. The export front bumper brackets were also different in that they had a plate welded over the top of them to reinforce them. I built my stag up to Australian spec and it was a MK 1 so it had those special headrests, the rear marker lights and the bumper brackets. It also had very rare stainless steel caps which fitted on the front and rear top corners of the door cards held onto the doors using small philips head self tappers. And yes!! stag bonnets dont rot but boot lids do! Oh ! one other thing! some MK1 home and export cars had an additional pressed steel ribbed cross brace in the doors presumably for side impact protection.The MK1 light switch also has a fog lamp position on it which the MK2 doesnt have.

[@PaulLinley-uz5js]

Great Vids mate well done Paul Ex Triumph mechanic with Arnold G Wilson’s Leeds Done a few of these engines myself back in the 70s 😅

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

Thank you, used to live in Selby and worked in Leeds myself!

[@twentyrothmans7308]

I never knew. Mine was a Mk 2, but had forgotten about that silly bonnet release on the passenger side - I needed it enough times 🙂

[@chrisspain7776]

I agree about the Jag ZF gearbox and the Weber 38. Mine is a joy to drive. The ZF conversion is done by Clive Tate (Tate and Lewis) but some Stag specialists are authorised to do them. Header tank makes life easier and safer too.

[@davejohnston5158]

Had a P reg mk2 back in the 90's spent hours fixing the rotted rear radius arm mount. Rest of it was good but it had a blueprinted essex V6 that I never got round to putting the right carb on and a very indecisive auto box. Made a lovely sound and used to take me daily from south manchester to Huddersfield over Holme Moss.

[@kenbradley5035]

Great and informative video, I had a 1975 stag many years ago and never had a moments worry with it, just kept having regular oil changes and good quality coolant... after watching this video I'm wondering if to quit while I'm ahead and just stay with my XJS convertible.

[@settertwo]

My local Austin Rover Dealer in the 70s was struggling to sell the last of them so they used them as Hire Cars !

[@ma-li3935]

Great presentation, Unfortunalty UK puts salt on the roads and rust Stags seriously underneath. Here in our country Stags are mostly rust free.

[@frankabels5761]

So it seems my stag is a mixture between M 1 and 2. It is from 72, so it should be a M 1, but he has Black stag badges on the back sides and one in the Grill. Also he has extra headrests. And he has chrome spoked wheels. So, for me it looks perfect. I love to ride it. By the way, very good and informational video. Wish you all good and safe rides all the time 👍

[@allyclarke6505]

Great Video, thank you for your knowledge and great advice!

[@garyfeltham302]

I worked for southern triumph and the stag centre both in Dorset as a panel beater and paint sprayer I would always braize the top of my doors after reskinning due to flex , You know your onions .

[@GO_OutDoors]

Need to turn on steady cam when filming. The shack will go away. Great video and information!

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

Thanks for the tip

[@MrDodgedollar]

Great information… Thank you

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

👍

[@valvesonly]

I really enjoyed the video. Thanks. My understanding is that all Stags were fitted with a 3.7 Diff? Also, trivial observation, but neither of the clocks looked to be the right ones. I sometimes wonder if they fitted whatever was to hand in the factory on the day.

[@kristoph7606]

This video popped up just at the correct time. In the process of looking for an everyday classic. I was considering a mk 3 Chrome conversion mgb gt, But the stag looks. Just keep drawing me in. You explained a great deal about this car, and I'm not sure this is gonna be the 1 for me. Seems like it's gonna be a bit tougher on parts and cost, etc. I am still a bit torn between the 2, Any chance you have a similar knowledge of the mgbgt, I'd love to see a similar video on that car.

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

I could do an mg one, I service one for a customer, but I can't see it coming in for a while unfortunately. The stag is a completely different car to an mgb, a stag being more of a comfy tourer rather than a sports car like the mg. The stag is easy to get in and out, has good brakes and a lovely torquey engine, they are also pretty easy to maintain yourself. The mgb is tight to get in/out, low and some jobs can be a pain to do (gearbox oil for example) . If you want a more sporty car that's affordable and easy to maintain I would recommend looking at a spitfire 1500, they go OK (1300 cars are pretty slow in modern traffic), you can fit a gt6 engine which makes a quick car, and they are a very affordable car currently.

[@kristoph7606]

@YorkshireClassicCarsltd thanks for the response, I actually started thinking about the spitfire, But drawn to the practicality of some back seats. As I really want to use it, not show it. I'd like to see a version of this video about the mg, so please, if you find the time, when u have the car there. That would be great. I'm thinking maybe the stag will be OK, but bit concerned about the engine rebuild, But maybe Il just chuck a rover v8 in, as the prices are much better and doable for me. Much to the horror of the triumph owners club 😆.

[@alanjones9616]

Brilliant video

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

Thank you

[@timmallet2605]

Great video 👍🏻 something I've noticed looking at examples for sale is people also fit Holley carbs, have you any experience of a car with that conversion and what are your opinions on it?

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

Find holleys a bit agricultural if I'm honest, and a 390 is rather large for a stag engine. I can't remember how the holley drove on a Stag, but I would imagine the secondaries are largely redundant! I like the 38dgas, lovely refined carb.

[@chrisspain7776]

Much higher cost, more complex, and no one is selling the manifold adapters nowadays

[@alanjones9616]

Hi I have been looking for a stag for a while think I have seen a good one with factory air conditioning do you know what the pitfalls are removing the compressor I believe the heater wouldn’t work correctly thanks

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

I'm sorry I aren't familiar with air con on the stags, it's one of the only things I haven't worked on. That being said I'd be surprised if the heater was effected by its removal, they don't have the electronic controlling more modern climate control heaters

[@pauldavies3764]

The two and a half grand mk1 i've been offered can stay where it is! Like the L322,money pits

[@peterforshaw2560]

So what would a fully restored one cost to buy?

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

I have lost touch with the prices of cars at the moment I'm afraid, I'd guess 20-30k for a car that has been done properly, but I could be way off

[@timothyrogstad5577]

You need to drive both cars (good ones) to really know.

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

This is true, a stag is really more of a tourer and the mg more of a sports car. They both have positive and negative points but are very different cars!

[@lewis72]

Negligible differences between a Mk1 and Mk2 Stag. Most other cars have more changes without being known as a different mark.

[@fuzzjunky]

a motor won't overheat from age

[@jibjab351]

Okay.

[@stumac869]

'It leaks oil', it's an old British sports car so you should expect nothing less.

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

😂😂 My engines don't leak though 😉

[@ralphmillais5237]

To be honest I don't know why you would restore a Stag, apart from sentimental value. There are good ones around, and even if you have to pay a premium to get a minter from a reputable Stag specialist, it will still be cheaper than restoring one. They strike me as lovely cars, still very useable in the modern world.

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

Very true, but unfortunately a lot of the minters aren't quite as m8nt as they first appear, so if you bave restored by someone who knows what they are doing, at least you know you have a great car. Financially of course it will be more expensive in theory, unless you pay a premium for your minter and then realise it still needs restoring properly!

[@leewhitehead5127]

Great videos mate

[@YorkshireClassicCarsltd]

Cheers dude