1971 Triumph Stag MK1 Nut & Bolt Restoration 600 Photos. 3.0 V8 Manual/Overdrive

The odometer shows 18,000 miles but the mileage is rather irrelevant now as the car has undergone a nut and bolt restoration with a new engine and virtually everything on this car has been replaced or refurbished, especially over the last 2 years.

In the 90s our car had a full body restoration done by a Stag Owner's Club area co-ordinator with receipts for new: Rear valance, Boot floor panel, Boot lid (fibreglass), L/H rear full inner arch, R/H rear full inner arch, L/H full sill panel, R/H full sill panel, L/H front wing, R/H front wing, L/H full inner arch, R/H full inner arch, Front lower valance, Lower rear wing panels. The metalwork is still in excellent condition with no signs of rot or damage. All the panel gaps are good and doors close perfectly.

Engine: 

MK1 Stags had several engine problems due to sand being left in the castings during production, and bad design leading to overheating issues. Unsurprisingly, the original engine of our early car has been replaced. In the 90s, the engine was changed to a Triumph 6 cylinder but thankfully the previous owner changed the engine back to a Stag 3.0 V8 from a later MK2 car last year - The reconditioned engine was supplied by Classic Cars Northampton.

Prior to fitting, the engine was fully checked over with work including: Remove cylinder heads, check cylinder head faces, reassemble with new head and ancillary gaskets, new top studs with copper slip, new timing chains and sprockets, valve timing checked, inlet manifold cleaned and checked, new water transfer gaskets, reconditioned starter motor. Photos and Video talk through of this is available. The car has only done 1000 miles on the reconditioned engine.

We have receipts for other parts replaced by the previous owner in 2019/20 including:

Ignition service kit, Wiper rack, Exhaust manifold gasket, Cooling hose kit, Thermostat, Alternator belt, Power steering belt, Oil pressure switch, Temperature transmitter, Carb needles, Float gaskets, Diaphrams, Bulkhead insulation pad, Bonnet release cable, Speedo cable, PAS hoses, 4 front row head lights, Declaration of MOT exemption, Handbrake switch, Water pump/spindle/cover, Fuel tank sender unit, Windscreen wiper motor, Rear bulb holders, Grill badge surround, BOSCH Battery, Centre speaker, Wiper stalk, plus numerous other bolts, clips, fittings, etc.

Our Restoration

In August 2020, we then took the car in part exchange and continued the restoration as the previous owner had to let the car go due to bad health. Since completed, we have driven the Stag less than 50 miles so all this work is as new:

Cosmetically, the engine needed attention so we dismantled the rocker covers, carburettors, inlet manifold, distributor, radiator and hoses, air filter housing, brake servo and booster, expansion and water bottles, wiper motor, etc. and cleaned up the engine and bay. 

We repainted the top of the engine under the inlet manifold in black epoxy.

The inlet manifold, water pump cover, rocker covers were all blasted back to bare metal and repainted in epoxy 2k silver paint, then reassembled with new gaskets and bolts.  

The carburettors were soda blasted, stripped and ultra sonically cleaned prior to reassembly with new gaskets. As many nuts and bolts were replaced as possible, or refurbished by blasting, ultra sonic cleaning, and retreated/repainted. 

The air filter assembly was removed, and resprayed in grey 2K paint. A new air filter sticker applied. New gaskets and bolts. New elephant's trunk rubber. 

New under bonnet insulation.

Several parts and brackets were removed, blasted back to bare metal, and zinc plated or refinished in Eastwood zinc paint. These included, the brake booster, wiper motor, choke brackets, bonnet catch. 

Master cylinder refinished, new bolts, new cap.

Exhaust manifolds repainted in silver heat resistant paint. 

Distributor cap removed and repainted.

During reassembly, the timing was rechecked, and new gaskets were again put on the rocker covers, carburettors, water pump, and inlet manifold.

Suspension:

Front and rear suspension (including sub frames, anti rollbar, drop links, control arms, trailing arms, springs, tie rods) removed, blasted to bare metal, resprayed in black or silver 2K epoxy. The underbody is all undersealed and painted in the same Sapphire Blue as the bodywork and looks magnificent.

New orange poly bush kit fitted throughout. 

New rear struts. 

New top mounts. 

New anti vibration straps. 

New driveshaft dust covers. 

New propshaft/driveshaft bolts. 

New driveshaft gaiters. 

New subframe bushes. 

Brakes:

New brake booster. Refurbished master cylinder. New M/C cap. New bolts.

New front brake callipers, brake discs, pads. Upgraded stainless steel backing plates.

Rear brake drum covers removed, blasted and resprayed in black 2k epoxy. 

New copper brake lines, unions.

Cooling System:

New upgraded large aluminium radiator from EJ Ward with electric fan.

Top and bottom fan shrouds removed, blasted, and repainted. 

New water hoses kit and jubilee clips. 

Inlet manifold, water pump cover, removed, cleaned, blasted and repainted in 2K epoxy. 

New antifreeze.

Fuel System:

New fuel tank, new fuel pump, bracket, new fuel lines, new fuel filter. 

Exhaust System:

Upgraded stainless steel exhaust system. New hanging brackets and hanging rubbers.

In the Boot:

Fuel system electrics tidied up. 

New plywood boot boards, then painted satin black. 

New Wedgwood blue carpet set.

Refurbished spare steel wheel with tyre.

New electric aerial. 

New boot rubber seal. 

Steering:

Steering column removed and repainted.

New reconditioned steering rack supplied and fitted.

Power steering pump removed, stripped, repainted in 2k black epoxy.

New belt.

Under Bonnet: 

New bonnet support strut.

New under bonnet insulation

New bulkhead insulation.

Blasted and zinc plated/paint bonnet catch.

Bakerlite electric covers were removed and machine polished. New nuts.

New top mounts and rubber bungs.

New brake booster and master cylinder refurbished. Clutch cylinder polished up.

New windscreen washer bottle and motor and hose.

New bonnet release cable. New clasp.

New water hoses kit and jubilee clips were all replaced. 

New anti freeze. 

Cooling fan removed and cleaned, new fitment bolts.

New engine settings sticker.

Up Top:

New windscreen fitted June 2021 by National Windscreens. New rubber windscreen seal.

Reconditioned soft top frame with new hooks, webbing, nuts and bolts, paint, cables, etc.

New MK1 mohair, dark blue soft top supplied by Aldridge Trimming, fitted August 2021.

New tonneau cover stainless steel trim.

New tonneau cover rubber seal.

New tonneau cover vinyl.

New stainless steel tonneau trim.

New fixing Tucker rivets.

Stainless trim machine polished.

Stainless steel window frames sanded and machine polished.

Electrics:

Electrics checked and any issues fixed by auto electrician. 

New instrument glass and seals.

Steering column plastics cleaned and redyed. 

New control knobs for choke, demister. 

Heater control panel refurbished in black plastic paint with white lettering repainted. 

New glovebox torch. 

Period radio cassette fitted. 

New electric aerial and wiring. 

Front End:

New stainless steel bumper, over riders, over rider rubbers, over rider seals, fitting brackets and nuts and bolts. 

Front grilles removed, grit blasted to bare metal, fins taped up and sanded with P180-P3000 and machine polished. Then fins masked up and painted satin black. New fitting screws.

New MK1 grey Stag badge.

Rear End:

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