Cam/Rocker Covers for 1970 Stags

[Chris.Liles]

This topic was previously discussed on the Forum and reported in the November 2010Stag mag p.47-48. However, no definitive answer emerged. I have included information on the oil filler cap which I believe points us towards the solution. Have YOU got an answer now?

I ampulling together bits for rebuilding LD112, my June 1970 'H' reg Stag. From reading various sources I am now baffled as to what would have been the correct cam/rocker covers for the original engine LF212 (which is still with the car but dissembled and in many boxes).

Some Cam/Rocker Covers have the'Triumph' wording 'upside down' when viewedwith your toes againsteither road wheel. I.e. on some the words were correctly oriented only for someone standing in the engine vee! Some quote this error as being solely nearside covers, others quote offside (i.e. with filler cap). Some quote the quirk as being early cars, others say it was later when the pressing tool was replaced.

Oil filler caps on early Stags hadthe 3-pronged 'lock'. Later ones changed to 2 prong, apparentlyto reduce oil leaks.

On my 1972 Stag I have a 2-pronged (i.e. later) offside cover with Triumph stampedwrong way up (per photo). Conversely I also have a 3-pronged (earlier) offside cover with writing the correct way up.Sincethe latterwas included in the pile of bits I bought with the car, currently I am assuming the 3-pronged cap with its nearside sister (correctly stamped) were the originals on engine LF212.

Question 1. Do you think my assumption aboveis reasonable?

Question 2. Shall I just forget such trivia and get a Life?

[DJT]

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Hi Chris,

Not heard from you since you struggled away from my place with the Audi and trailer on their bump stops. I gathered you had made it home OK.

That 3-pronged cover (and its LH partner) you got from me also had 'Triumph'the right way up, so your hypothesis could be true.

As for your Q2, I think you know the answer to that

Dave

[Chris.Liles]

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Gosh yes Dave ... my sincere apologies for not contacting you. After dropping Peter off I was delighted to get homeat 11pm.North Norfolkto Exeter and return, 720 milesin one day, was quite a challenge, even with two of us driving. Both car and trailer survived unscathed. However, I have sincefittedmy Audi estate with rear spring assisters to help it for the next time!

Having nowmoved allmy accumulated Stag bits under one roof, I just went out there (brr!) and checked. Yes, I now have THREE x 3 prong cam covers all with wording the correct way up. Incidentally, those I got from you are the best and will feature on LD112, thanks.

So, it seems the earliest cam covers (with 3 prong oil caps) had the wording correctly stamped. At some point after BL changed to 2 prong, their Quality Control went mammaries upwards.

That then is my definitive answer ... unless someone out there has a 3 prong cover with 'Triumph' inverted?

[sjm]

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Hi Chris,

question 2..... Lol

Shouldn't worry at lease your not on the Forum ever nightor are you.

Steve

[ROBW]

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hi,here's mine mk1 3 pronged filler cap with wording upside down,only noticed it recently after owning the car for nearly five years.not sure if this helps or makes things more confusing!


rob

[Chris.Liles]

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B*gg*r! That blows my theory out of the water Rob! Thanks for extending our knowledge-base on this topic though.

I notice your engine is Mk.2 but accept the cam coversare 3-prong i.e. Mk1. Actually, that is a point, do we know when BL changed from 3 to 2-prong?

What we need is someone who was on BL's Stag Production Line in mid-1970. If 20 y.o. at the time they would now be 60. If anyone knows someone fitting that profile please pick their memories. We will all be intrigued to know the answer ...OK, I will anyway!

Incidentally Steve, as you will see from my limited number of posts, I rarely use/input to the Forum. No particular reason except time restrictions. I fully acknowledge its value especially for such unusual (or trivial?) topics as this one.

Regards to all, Chris.

[DJT]

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Chris,

According to James Taylor's book it was for the 1972 model year, November 1971 LD10001,

Dave

[peterrc]

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Hi Chris In Stag Resource (http://www.stagbytriumph.co.uk/) there is an advertising brochure from 'Renold' under UK ADVERTS FOR THE STAG'S LAUNCH. I have blown this up and the TRIUMPH lettering reads from bulkhead to front bumper with toes at the offside wheel arch.
Further down the page is a colour brochure of the Stag under UK ADVERTS FOR THE STAG 1970. I have a copy of the brochure and a Gendarme is seen looking at the engine compartment the nearside cam cover reads bumper to bulkhead with toes at the nearside wheel arch.
I believe that the registration of the car in the colour brochure is RRW 97L. I am sure that someone on here can relate that to a chassis number.
From this I would conclude that the early stags had the word TRIUMPH reading from Left to Right when viewed with toes pointing to the respective wheelarch.
I cannot comment on the oil filler cap.
Keep warm.
Peter
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[Chris.Liles]

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OK, many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this topic. Here is my assessment of the situation based on some facts and several assumptions:

• Panic (&/or poor quality control) leading up to launching the Stag mid-1970 led to batch/es of 3-prong (oil filler cap) offside and also nearside cam covers beingused with 'Triumph' upside-down. I.e. when viewedwith toes againstthe nearside &/or offside wheels.
• A fewfound their way onto very earlyStags e.g. one/some RVC Press cars.
• BLmanaged tohave enough correctly impressed covers for the all-important launch/early production cars.
• As production progressed the incorrect nearside & offside covers were gradually used up. Presumably BL hoped buyers would not be lifting the bonnet!
• Sometime after changing to 2-prong (oil filler cap) offside cam cover at engine LF10001, the issue recurred. Possibly due to error, possiblycost-cutting to use a single press tool for both sides.

Since LD112's engine is LF212 (interesting that, exactly 100 later) I am going to assume that the 3-prong oil cap cover with Triumph the right way up is correct for my car. BL probably went awry before and after this point (June 1970) inStag production.

Right, that's my story and I am sticking to it ... unless you have proof to the contrary?

[singapore stag]

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Hi Chris, Your posts are now slowly creeping up (5), keep it up! it will be 6 if you answer.

P.S thought for the day,..."when virtue is in danger, wage war" Dr Ambedkar.

[Chris.Liles]

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Thanks 'singapore stag' ... that only leaves me 1,378 to go to catch you up then!

My Thought for Today:

If you lined up all the cars in the world end to end, someone would be stupid enough to try to pass them, five or six at a time, on a hill, in the fog.