Alternate Stag Engines

[Kevin Harrop <kevin.harrop@domain.elided>]

Jeff Daniel asks about the wisdom of an engine swap for a Stag.

He'll get all sorts of people telling him to stay with the original, due
to the potential devaluation of the car.

It is my opinion that the Stag is the LEAST valued chrome bumpered
British convertable on the US market.  That is question #1, does anyone
have annother candidate?

I'd like to launch a discussion, based on PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE PLEASE,
regarding viable swaps in the US.  I specify the US, because different
engines and transmissions are more or less avaliable, expensive, etc. in
different markets.

The Stag engine is quite rare and expensive to rebuild in the US.

The most common swap is still the Rover aluminium V8.  It has various
limits.  It too is pricey.  The hydralic lifters limit it's revs.  A
friend has such a car, fitted to a Borg Warner type 35.  With a 3.70
diffy, the car is limited in it's top MPH, and is unusually thirsty.

My Stag was fitted with a Ford Capri 2.8l V6, and a Ford 3sp auto.  I
was never happy with it.  The tranny and engine never gave me much
performance.   The best thing that happened was that the engine blew up.

I am now running a Datsun Z engine.  It's perfomance is comprable to the
original V8, and the OD auto gives me considerable flexibility.  The
Straight 6 seems happy with the 3.7 diffy.  The overdrive is effective,
and the tranny is quite responsive.

The Datsun engine has a reputation for being indestructable, is readily
avaliable in scrap yards, was well developed by Datsun, is cheap to
rebuild (in the US), is very tuneable and buildable (a 3.1 liter engine
is possible), and is well supported by the trade.

I've seen a Ford 5 liter installed, and it does fit.  But it too is
limited in its revs.  The final drive ratio is an important
consideration.  Also, the Stag diffy will probably be rubbished if asked
to transmit more than 200 ft/lb torque.

I've spoken to the owner of a Buick V6 powered Stag, and he told me that
he had to cut up the chassis rail in the engine bay to clear the exhaust
manifold.  Comments?

I also know of a Stag with a Mazda rotary engine.  I've worked on it,
but the conversion is not far enough along to make any reliable
judgements on it's viability. 

So, once again, I invite a DISPASSIONATE discussion, based on
experience, not rumor and supposition.

Kevin Harrop
'73 Stag w/ Datsun Z engine and Maxima 4sp auto
Los Angeles