My Stag Lives!!!

["Lawrence G. Miceli" <lgmtr6@domain.elided>]

After almost 4 years of work, my 1973 Magenta Stag (nick named "Barney"
after the similarly colored children's character) fired into life this
afternoon.  I bought the Stag from a museum in Bradenton, Fl where it had
sat for 17 years, and while it looked OK it needed everything.The motor
was built about 3 years ago and has been sitting patiently in the engine
bay (full of synthetic assembly lube) waiting for initial startup. I
intended to start it yesterday, but my little list of things to "finish
up" took over 7 hours to do. So after another hour or two this morning
(trying to unclog the fuel line) the battery charger was hooked up and
with the aid of a little starting fluid, the thing started on the first
turn!!!! Really, I'm not making it up!!   I hooked up an oil pressure
gauge and it's reading about 50 lbs at high idle (which is pretty good
for a Stag), the alternator (dormant for the last 4 years and 17 years
before that) ) started putting out 13+ volts, and even the temp and fuel
gauges were working. Not to make it sound like everything went smoothly,
the automatic transmission is hemorrhaging trans fluid all over the floor
from one of the new high pressure cooler hoses, and I may have to drop
the exhaust and driveshaft to get to them. I haven't the courage to look
just yet. Also, the power rack is leaking from one of the fittings, but
while this requires you to be a bit of a contortionists to get at, it is
assessable without having to take lots of stuff apart. Sorry to babble on
so long, but I had to tell someone : - )
Larry Miceli
 '73 Stag
'66 Herald

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