Stag Specs

[Mike Wattam <MikeWattam@domain.elided>]

Hi Mike

You have a good choice in bikes, I think the transfer on the back of the
seatpan is brilliant, I've waited a VERY long time to see something like
that.  My last Trophy was 650cc with trials tyres and a real tank-slapper
it was at 65mph, then I had an Adventurer for some time but got scared of
arsehole car drivers and stupidly sold it.  I am still yearning for an
R80GS but she who must be obeyed keeps reminding me I'm over 21.  Well over
21.

Now the biz.  The Stag is not a car with high acceleration like your
friends cars at all, with 145 BHP in UK trim and 3,000 kerb weight it does
well to do 60mph in under 10 seconds.  Similarly it doesn't corner like a
racer as the suspension and tyre configuration is set up for
straight-forward road use inclined towards comfort.  Look on it as a kind
of Gold Wing.

Although the cars you mention are all very good in their way, they are an
effort to drive very far.  I have recently been driving a Lotus Elise VVC
turbo, this has zillions of power and leech-like roadholding but after 10
miles you need to get out and relax, try to get your hearing working again
and so on.  Getting back in is something I've not wanted to do.  A Stag
will definitely be slower, but arrive much sooner.

On the other hand, I can get in the Stag and know I am going to be very
happy to go over 500 miles in a day cruising at 80-100mph, and arriving
quite fresh - the longest travelled so far is 780 miles.  It is simply a
brilliant compromise of looks, performance, economy and sheer pleasure to
drive.  The character will carry it through against any car under the sun,
for instance this last week I have been driving a full-spec BMW 540 with
sports suspension.  Now this is supposed to be the best car in the world to
drive fast, hard and far and I couldn't disagree with that, but I got in
the Stag at the weekend and in comparison it was just a joy to drive again,
a car with real character!

We reckon about 5% of Stags have non-Stag motors, but this proportion is
falling as some come to believe the Stag motor is actually very good and
makes the car worth money.  You see so many Stags with Rover V8 (and
sometimes other engines) for sale because their owners want to get out of
them.  Unfortunately most of these cars had experienced a failure of  the
Stag engine at an earlier date, when cheapo conversions were done using ex
SD1 motors from scrap yards - at minimal cost (there are exceptions) and
the transplanted motors often still tend to be 'sick'.

So, the exceptions.  A Stag with a nicely tuned Rover V8 can be a potent
piece of machinery, and with sensible attention to suspension and tyres can
also be used in club racing - at some loss of smoothness it has to be said.
 The most extreme Stag we know of uses a large block Chevvy and puts out
over 600BHP.  This car may well be considered to be fast.  A standard Stag
can be uprated very easily with multi-branch exhaust manifolds to yield
another 20BHP, with more simply available from a carburettor change or use
of EFI, while simple re-bushing with uprated suspension rubbers will
tighten the handling and slightly lower profile tyres give more cornering
power.

Drive a tight Stag, and I think you will be impressed.  There simply is not
another car like it.

One other thing, join one of the clubs, preferably ours.  This way you will
get the inside information, agreed value insurance (vital) and get the
opportunity to join in with some of the things we do.

Mike Wattam
Triumph Stag Register