Touch wood, I think I might have cracked it!
I (think & hope) I can now use my Stag with confidence and not look upon every (short) trip out as a test run to see if I have sorted out an issue with the car...........
Just like to say a great big thanks to all the people on the forum that may have helped me out with questions over the last year or so. This surely has to be the best classic car forum out there!!!!!!
After the odd false dawn (I thought the recent MOT pass saw me across the finishing line, but no, less than 5 mins after passing, fuel was pouring out of the overflow pipe) - I think I might have cracked it!
For me, it highlights the unknowns involved in buying a classic car, even thought to all intents and purposes it looks like you are buying a really good car, you can never really tell.
I bought my Carmine Stag last summer with 12 months MOT and it looked in very, very good order. Major bodywork/respray and interior overhaul 6 years ago (c.£6K bill) 4 new floor pans and sill repairs at EJ Wards 2 years ago (c.£3K bill), new polybushed & overhauled rear end, new brakes, underneath de-rusted and protected, brand new alloys, genuine 65,000 mile car etc, etc...........
However, since I have had it, a car that just seemingly needed getting in and driving has conspired to throw up all sorts of niggling (and not so niggling) problems.
I had only had it a week and the wiring loom almost caught fire out on the road. I have not moved so quick in a long while in stopping and getting out of the car, being choked by the smoke and fumes and shouting inwardly 'dont you ****ing catch fire you ****ard!!!!!!!!! The new loom took forever to make, but I am glad that I did it.
That was the most major thing, then came a string of piddling things, mainly down to PO's not sorting issues properly. Ignition timing way out, CO at 11%, Champion spark plugs were swopped for NGK, electronic ignition was fitted, vacuum advance refurbished, missing rear hub studs fitted, existing hub studs helicoiled, leaky rear brake cylinders replaced, handbrake levers sorted, lights fixed and Grose valves fitted to stop the carbs from flooding.
There are other things besides that I have had to sort, but now, after fitting the Grose needle valves, I have finally got to the stage when I can TRUST my Stag
So............ Today I took the good lady wife and brother-in-law out in the Stag for afternoon tea at Weston, nr. Crewe and in the evening took same good lady wife and son no. 2 out for an evening meal and a couple of cold ones down at the local, without any any fear or trepidation of breaking down !!!!!!!!!! Yee Haa!!! (touch wood again)
The irony is, I still have a long list of things to do........... Soft top is rubbish, rear bumper is poor, radio needs fitting, alarm needs fitting, under bonnet is scruffy, etc, etc, etc......
Still, I am now able to say, WHAT AN ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC CAR THE TRIUMPH STAG IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Evening all
Keith
(Pic below, out for evening meal at the Elephant in Shavington, nr. Crewe)
photo.jpg
I (think & hope) I can now use my Stag with confidence and not look upon every (short) trip out as a test run to see if I have sorted out an issue with the car...........
Just like to say a great big thanks to all the people on the forum that may have helped me out with questions over the last year or so. This surely has to be the best classic car forum out there!!!!!!
After the odd false dawn (I thought the recent MOT pass saw me across the finishing line, but no, less than 5 mins after passing, fuel was pouring out of the overflow pipe) - I think I might have cracked it!
For me, it highlights the unknowns involved in buying a classic car, even thought to all intents and purposes it looks like you are buying a really good car, you can never really tell.
I bought my Carmine Stag last summer with 12 months MOT and it looked in very, very good order. Major bodywork/respray and interior overhaul 6 years ago (c.£6K bill) 4 new floor pans and sill repairs at EJ Wards 2 years ago (c.£3K bill), new polybushed & overhauled rear end, new brakes, underneath de-rusted and protected, brand new alloys, genuine 65,000 mile car etc, etc...........
However, since I have had it, a car that just seemingly needed getting in and driving has conspired to throw up all sorts of niggling (and not so niggling) problems.
I had only had it a week and the wiring loom almost caught fire out on the road. I have not moved so quick in a long while in stopping and getting out of the car, being choked by the smoke and fumes and shouting inwardly 'dont you ****ing catch fire you ****ard!!!!!!!!! The new loom took forever to make, but I am glad that I did it.
That was the most major thing, then came a string of piddling things, mainly down to PO's not sorting issues properly. Ignition timing way out, CO at 11%, Champion spark plugs were swopped for NGK, electronic ignition was fitted, vacuum advance refurbished, missing rear hub studs fitted, existing hub studs helicoiled, leaky rear brake cylinders replaced, handbrake levers sorted, lights fixed and Grose valves fitted to stop the carbs from flooding.
There are other things besides that I have had to sort, but now, after fitting the Grose needle valves, I have finally got to the stage when I can TRUST my Stag
So............ Today I took the good lady wife and brother-in-law out in the Stag for afternoon tea at Weston, nr. Crewe and in the evening took same good lady wife and son no. 2 out for an evening meal and a couple of cold ones down at the local, without any any fear or trepidation of breaking down !!!!!!!!!! Yee Haa!!! (touch wood again)
The irony is, I still have a long list of things to do........... Soft top is rubbish, rear bumper is poor, radio needs fitting, alarm needs fitting, under bonnet is scruffy, etc, etc, etc......
Still, I am now able to say, WHAT AN ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC CAR THE TRIUMPH STAG IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Evening all
Keith
(Pic below, out for evening meal at the Elephant in Shavington, nr. Crewe)
photo.jpg
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