Re: New Member Intro

[PGAHOWELLS@domain.elided]

Hi Tom and welcome to the list.
My guess is that you will get a lot of people, myself being one, who will
advise you to stay with the Stag engine.
They are very sound engines, provided the correct antifreeze is used and the
block is completely clear of debris and casting sand.
Mostly they don't overheat and when they do it is usually by reason of
problems that can be solved. The common ones are 

Low water level
Blown Head gasket (It is necessary to retorque the heads each 12K miles).
Incorrect Ignition setting
Wrong or no antifreeze allowing corrosion and blockage of alumnium head
waterways
Partially blocked radiator
Failed thermostat

The wrong engine will not be the right weight, and this upsets the suspension
loading and handling. Also there have been some Rover V8 conversions that
meant putting bulges in the bonnet that do not look good on the Stag (personal
opinion). 


So go on, use the Stag engine. It is a very advanced design for its day, with
overhead cams as opposed to push rod V8s. Also without a Stag engine, and its
unique burble, its not a Stag!
Peter H