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**nib** · 21 February 2010, 08:09

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Well done Dave.

Mark

**Greenstag** · 21 February 2010, 08:22

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Well Done Dave, I think you've got the balance right there. The important thing is we're still making a presence. If I can help in any way pm me.

David

**jleyton** · 21 February 2010, 09:33

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Congratulations Dave - I'm sure that can't be an easy task to take on but just judging by what you've explained here it's sounding good.

I can imagine how much time and effort it takes so I appreciate what you're doing on behalf of us Forum users.

As David's said, if there's anything I could do to help then I'd be happy to do so.

I look forward to reading your article with interest.

Cheers

Julian

**Giles** · 21 February 2010, 09:35

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well done Dave - looks good

**grahamb** · 21 February 2010, 13:21

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Dave,

good on you for doing this, but please break the rules and post the article

**Gresley** · 21 February 2010, 14:36

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well done Dave - looks good

**STAG1973** · 21 February 2010, 14:45

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Nice one Dave that`s just what Graham would have said

Adrian

**StagnJag** · 21 February 2010, 17:00

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Ok then, here it is, the combined effort of Emrhys Barrell, Mike Allen and myself! I don't know if they squeezed it all in, there is a lot here!

This month on the Forum

In a change of format this month, we are including a selection of posts from the Stag Website Forum over the past weeks - some technical, some general - as they all cover topics of interest to every Stag owner. We are retaining the Forum style, so those of us born before 1960 may have to get the kids or grandkids to translate some of the terminology, but you should get the picture. Our general warning about using your own judgement when relying on the technical accuracy of items in the magazine apply here, and more so because most questions generate more than one answer, and not necessarily from professionals. And of course all posts are on-going, so further answers come in over a period.

At the same time, if you think you have a better answer, or can contribute to a thread (series of posts on one topic - you see how I am picking it up already!) then send in your offering to the Editor. Or if you are really bold you can join the forum, which you will find in the Members Area of the website. All you need is a handle, though be warned, stagdad has already been taken, though I am not sure about staggrandad.

Of course some of the topics will already be familiar to long-serving Stag owners - after all there is nothing new when it comes to talking about your favourite means of transport. We have it on the highest authority that the last hieroglyphics to be deciphered on the pyramid walls were a discussion between Tutankhamun and his chariot-master on the relative merits of snake-oil versus bear-grease for lubricating the wheels of his latest roadster, and whether the lighter weight of gold leaf offset the durability of solid gold for decorating the spokes.

So bear with us if you have heard some questions before, and feel free to contribute to the wider pool of knowledge of our cars.

See what you think, and let us know if you like the format. In the meantime, our thanks to Dave Hoskins for trawling the posts to bring us this month's selection.

Dual Oil/Water Gauge.

I've been checking past threads re. oil gauges and I've decided that as my clock is in perfect working order, I'd rather swop the existing temp gauge with a dual oil/water gauge. The ebay item here: [http://tinyurl.com/yfkveb9] has a bezel diameter of 56mm and fits a 52mm cut out. Does anyone know if that's ok?

A. Fitted what looks the same as that gauge years ago. The sensor end that came with mine was a direct replacement for the original sensor, but you do need to check this.

[align=center][/align][align=center]
[/align] It will depend on which gauge is fitted to your car. Some
temperature ones are of the capillary type, which will need an adaptor
to fit into the head. If it is electric, it will need to have its
correct sensor. The oil pressure bit is easy, as adaptor kits are
generally available.

Exhausts

I read in the mag of a (famous) Stag for sale with a "Langford stainless steel exhaust", which was described as sounding rather good. Unfortunately I can't find any info on Langford.As my tired mild steel system is needing replacing I was wondering what the best system (and why)to get.I love the factory sound but wouldn't be adverse to try something a little spunkier.

A1. Try the YouTube clip that stagdad (steve) made of a few of us leaving a Boxhill meet, there you will find the sound made by a number of standard and not so standard systems. [http://tinyurl.com/yddtump].

A2. Hi Ali, be VERY careful who you buy from, there are some terrible misfits out there! Pipes pointing in the wrong direction, brackets in the wrong places etc. Robsport, Wards and several other major suppliers are sound. Regarding the clamps, those SS ones are the bee's knees and as Pete says they don't crush the pipes,but are very expensive. Curiously enough, the best sound comes from the cheaper systems, the steel's thinner and vibrates better, but do remember that all stainless steel will rust, it just takes much longer. My medium quality system has been on for 20 years and sounds ace.

The Walnut Dash Company

Contacted the Walnut Dash Company after seeing the link from VMad.
http://www.walnutdashcompany.com
They sent me out the info with samples of a Dark and Light Walnut.Â£100 for a complete set that just stick over the originals. I know this idea is not to everyone taste but I have to say I was impressed with the samples.

So the obvious questions are:
1. Has anyone ever fitted these to either a Stag or any other car?
2. What looks best in the Stag the light or the dark Walnut?
(fancy the dark walnut as it looks quite classy ) Definitely tempted
Is this walnut veneer terribly difficult to fit. What preparation do you need to do?

A1. I have one in mine. No it isn't to everyone's taste but I rate it highly---It is affordable , a simple task and brightens up the interior. IMHO (In My Humble Opinion - Ed) - the original Stag dash looks like a 1973 Maxi I had once. :?
You may notice that even though the dash has been in over a year I still haven't fitted the centre piece near the stereo etc. I will do that when I fit the new carpets that have been under my desk for 4 months and new seats which have been in the garage for 2 months. :X
[align=center]
[/align]

Instructions supplied with veneer say just prepare (degrease etc)the surface, peel off the backing layer and stick it on! I think if thelacquer on your oldwood is not peeling, you do not need to strip it. Just degrease.

A2. Or for the pukka job, Chapman & Cliff will supply a complete replacement veneered dash, from Â£345. Check out their website: http://www.chapmanandcliff.co.uk Tel: 01270 842151. (Ed)

Dolly Sprint heads fitted to a Stag engine?

A chap at work today told me that he remembered a batch of Stags being built with uprated engines. Apparently this consisted of having two dolly sprint heads fitted to the original stag engines resulting in a 32 valve quad overhead cam engine. Anybody know if this happened or is even possible?

A1. I read about this on the Canley Classics site a few years ago - here is the link:
http://tinyurl.com/y8f2co7

A2. BLMC Triumph did toy with the idea of this - but by the time it was seriously considered 1973 - lack of funds meant it was sadly shelved...

A3. I was told by someone I met in a garage while I was fillingmy Stag with petrol that he had seen a Stag engine with a pair of Saab99 16v heads on it. Didn't think to ask ifhe actually saw it running. At which point maybe you could have fitted a Saab99 Turbocharger - or two. Now that would be quite a machine!

A4. Great idea. Practically though it won't work as the heads have to be handed. A new casting would be required for the RH head, or some pretty nifty welding.

A5. Not only that, but the Saab engine was 1709cc, and the Dolomite was 1854cc, neither of which is half a Stag, but it's still a nice idea.

Door Skins.

Hello everyone, I'm a fairly new member, having bought my Stag last February, and Joined the club a few months later. I've been reading posts for a wee while but have not joined in so far.

My vehicle is very much an ongoing project, having sat in a garage for the last 12 years, with all the baggage that inevitably goes with that: body rot, seized engine etc. I've been working away on it whenever possible and am now at the stage of putting things on rather than taking them off at last.

I'vejust removed a terminally rotten door skin and am about to fit a new skin.Can someone advise me whether the flat metal strap that connects the door skin to the door frame needs to be replaced. (This is the welded strap foundjust below the quarter light).Access will be difficult once the skin is back on and I was wondering if it needs replacing/renewing.

A1. The flat metal tab should be replaced if yours is missing, you'll need to plug weld through the tab on the new doorskin to this tab.This will help stiffen up the top of the door.

A2. It sounds like you don't have the SOCTFL panel, so you could be letting yourself in for a whole host of fitting problems. My advice would be to order the correct one from somewhere like Paddocks for around Â£60, these panels tend to fit perfectly. I'd also think about investing in a copy of EJ Ward's bodywork DVD which covers details such as this.

Heater Valve

After checking out my heater I have discovered that the valve is stuck solid. I have read through an article in February 09 magazine which shows a home-made extractor. Before I attempt to make one of these has anyone done this before and would they be willing to loan it out? Has anyone got any advice on this? Is it as easy as it looks?

A1. Quite a lot of info in this past thread:
http://tinyurl.com/ya9zxeh

A2. It is easy once the tool is made up but beware there were some rough oversize replacements that fitted but would not turn. I can't remember how I made mine but sure there was copper pipe involved.

A3. Well I had aplay aboutwith the Stag and managed to get the heater valve stripped to this point below...

[align=center]
[/align][align=center]
[/align] ...then I couldn't get the valve out no matter what I tried !!! Does anyone have a pic of the tool they made please so I can hopefully copy it.

Prescott Hill Climb Insurance (Prescott car pic to come here)

Q. I would like to have a go at Prescott this year and I have a couple of questions that I'm sure someone will know the answers to!

1. Is there any reason why friends of mine shouldn't take a turn at the wheel going up the hill assuming that they are named on my insurance policy and areNOT SOC members?

2. It is obvious from the you tube footage that helmets and battery cut-off switches etc are not needed, does this mean that I am not required to get extra insurance cover for what they would call a hillclimb event?Obviously I will be double checking this with them beforehand, but what are everyone else's experiences from 2008?

A1. All drivers have to attend a briefing before they can go up the hill, last time my friend who is not a member of the SOC had a go in my car, so it shouldn't be a problem. The event is not timed and therefore not competitive (not officially anyway!!!) so your normal road insurance is sufficient.

A3. Hiya, you must get cover from your insurance company or they won't let you up the hill. My Daughter was able to drive my Stag in the cavalcade and would have been able to drive it solo up the hill (if I had let her!) as she is a named driver. As far as the Bugatti Owners Club (owners of the hill) are concerned all drivers have to be covered by the normal road insurance. Not necessarily members of the SOC and there is no need for special insurance as long as your normal insurance covers non-timed events - which most 'classic' policies do.

**StagnJag** · 21 February 2010, 17:07

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I may as well post my original submission, although this isn't going to be in the mag now.

As you know, Graham has sadly bowed out of his monthly report on the goings on , general shenanigans, fun and frivolity on the Forum. We might still let him use the it, despite the fact that he now owns a TVR as well as his Stag! As yet there is not an appointed successor to fill in the gap so, this month I thought, as I am sitting in front of my computer with a Coffee in my Triumph Stag mug, that I would give it a go and temporarily fill the gap Graham has left behind.

I have owned my Stag for a little over two years now. I joined the SOC and found the club's fantastic forum a couple of months before I took the plunge and parted with my hard earned cash on a white 1977 MKII. I had never used internet forums much before, generally finding them very matter of fact and pretty humourless. This one bucks that trend and is a great virtual social resource, as well as an incredibly useful one! I gained a lot of useful information before buying my Stag so I was able to approach the sellers armed with a lot of knowledge I wouldn't otherwise have had. I also used it to chat with people local to me which made the whole process of going to my first N&N a whole lot easier and a lot less daunting. Anyway, enough about me!
Despite the winter weather and I suspect minimal Stag miles being driven due to the salt on the roads, the forum has been as busy as ever and several topics are beginning to appear regarding the various shows that that are approaching on the calendar for 2010. Two that spring to mind are Stoneleigh International Triumph Show and spares day, and the Popham Aero/Auto jumble & Fly-in which is not until May. There is already talk of another Forum get together at Stoneleigh which will be a great opportunity to put a few more faces to the people on the Forum. This was attempted with some success last year, as the picture below shows.
[align=center]
[/align] From Left to Right: Koy23, V8Rumbler, Stagmoneypit, Stag1973, Bob Heritage, DJT, BJackson, IanF and Kevin Garrod. I was there but sadly lured away by the array of goodies on sale so I missed the gathering. I will try harder this year!
Trying to find a theme to write about, I thought I would scour the forum and dig out a few of the comments new users post after signing up. The sample below is a few random ones I have picked out from the last couple of months.
DaveT introduced himself and accidentally reopened up the frequent 'which colour is best' debate and posted "Wow I seem to have started something here! Thanks guys for the welcome".
Scotstag apparently has 5 gallons of oil in his garage for the dashpots. That should last him a while!
Thurlo Squire wrote: "Since buying my Stag I have found this forum to be a wealth of knowledge and helpful information.

Everyone is so friendly... well except the angry member who only appeared on here for a very short period of time...(can't remember his name/handle) It is a community which warmly welcomes new members and even though I have never met anyone from the forum you almost feel like you know some of the regular posters.

The stag technical postings are fantastic in helping me understand my Stag and although I would say I am very experienced the tips and tricks picked up on here have made maintenance so much easier.

Best of all is the fun banter that goes about each day...............long may it continue....."
I am sure I could find many more but there is an awful lot of posts to trawl through. At the time of writing there have been 79,354 79,471 79,556 since Carl kicked off the Forum back in November 2006.
Also on the humorous side, iani has found a fantastic website where you can find all those things that you didn't know you needed, Round tuits, Porcupine seat covers, Cross drilled brake lines, and Wiper blade sharpeners to name a few. I definitely need a few Round tuits! (Look on the forum for the 'Alternator Output' topic to find the link).

The Magazine has, in the past come in for quite a bit of stick for various reasons in the past. It is refreshing to see that the recent changes have had a positive impact and the enthusiasm for it seems to have been renewed with favourable comments being posted. Naturally, having a white Stag in snow on the front cover elicited cries of "The front cover of mine is blank!" from a few people.

Graham has always had a tradition of always mentioning our very own, 'King of Green' Kryten aka Russ in his write-ups and who am I to break with tradition. I have just come across a post of his that sums up the colour of his Stag very Well!

How about the usual cry when gazing on the magnificence of my Java Green beast.....

"AH!! MY EYES!!"

Sadly I will have to leave it there, I have managed to make my 'instant' coffee with ground coffee beans and it is a bit gritty to say the least so it is time to make another one!

Long may your V8's Burble.

StagnJag. (a.k.a. Dave Hoskin).

**nib** · 21 February 2010, 17:16

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Just a side issue here.

Never leave your heater valve like in the picture if you have re lubricated it,theres a chance that when you get a bit of pressure in the system when you get to normal tempyour new easy rotating heater valve might decide to pop out,scolding yourself,losing coolant and a footwell carpet that will take forever and a day to dry.

It happened to me.

Mark

**Kevin Garrod** · 21 February 2010, 17:33

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[align=center]
[/align]From Left to Right: Koy23, V8Rumbler, Stagmoneypit, Stag1973, Bob Heritage, DJT, BJackson, IanF and Kevin Garrod.

That's Jason (Stagstan) in the middle, not Stag1973!

Got to give the bloke the recognition he deserves!!

**StagnJag** · 21 February 2010, 17:45

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whoops, good job this isn't going to be printed! I copied and pasted this out of the original post so that is wrong as well!

**STAG1973** · 21 February 2010, 17:53

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Nicely pointed out there Kevin. hope to be in this years picture if i don`t forget.

Adrian

**grahamb** · 22 February 2010, 03:57

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Good work Dave. Did I miss the "green" mention in the second article?

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