Build catalogue
Barry Ricketts' 1973 Triumph Stag "Stagzilla"
britishv8.orgas published in BritishV8 Magazine, Volume XXIII Issue 1, December 2017
Photo: britishv8.orgA 1973 Triumph Stag rebuilt with its V8 hopped up and Japanese drivetrain swaps
Barry Ricketts kept his Stag's original Triumph 3.0L V8 but rebuilt and updated it with a new carburetor, camshaft and ignition, then paired it with a Toyota five-speed gearbox and a Nissan Sylvia R200 limited-slip rear end. He also reworked the suspension, dechromed the body, repainted it, and fitted a custom interior console, resulting in a car he says handles far better than it ever did stock.
Specs
As the owner states it.
- Engine
- Triumph 3.0L V8, rebuilt, with performance camshaft
- Carburetor
- Edelbrock 500 cfm with Edelbrock air cleaner
- Intake Manifold
- John Parker intake manifold
- Ignition
- 123 electronic distributor, Bosch SU120RT coil, Bosch spark plug wires
- Alternator
- 70 amp, relocated
- Exhaust
- Rimmers stainless steel sports exhaust and manifolds
- Cooling
- Stock radiator, electric fan, Davies Craig EWP80 electric water pump
- Gearbox
- Toyota W57 5-speed
- Clutch
- Lightened and balanced flywheel and clutch assembly
- Rear Axle
- Nissan Sylvia R200 limited slip differential, Datsun driveshafts
- Front Suspension
- Lowered standard springs, Spax adjustable shocks, Monarch Stags uprated anti-roll bar
- Rear Suspension
- Lowered standard springs, Spax adjustable shocks, Monarch Stags control arms
- Brakes
- Nissan four-pot calipers recently removed (too heavy), being replaced with Wilwood calipers
- Wheels
- Volvo V40 spec 16x7 alloy wheels, 4 on 114.3 lug pattern
- Tires
- Goodyear Eagle F1 205/55R16
- Body
- Dechromed, Rimmers front spoiler, modified/recessed grille, daytime running lights, upgraded halogen headlights, Honda S2000 electric mirrors painted body color, dechromed and de-seamed hardtop
- Paint
- Lexus Cherry Red metallic
- Interior
- Pioneer stereo, electric seat heaters, homemade wind deflector, custom center console
Parts used
What the owner names in the write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.
Shop suggestions are being prepared. The owner's parts list is available below.
Engine 1
- Performance camshaft
Fitted during the V8 rebuild for improved performance
Fuel & Ignition 6
- John Parker intake manifoldJohn Parker
Part of a kit developed locally for the Triumph V8
- Edelbrock 500 cfm carburetorEdelbrock
Updated induction on the V8
- Edelbrock air cleanerEdelbrock
Fitted with the Edelbrock carburetor
- 123 electronic distributor123 Ignition
Helps the engine rev freely to redline without misfire
- Bosch SU120RT ignition coilBosch
Ignition upgrade
- Bosch spark plug wiresBosch
Ignition upgrade
Cooling 3
- Stock radiator
Retained in the cooling system
- Electric fan
Added to cooling system
- Davies Craig EWP80 electric water pumpDavies Craig
Mounted below the power steering pump, run by a programmable control unit
Gearbox & Drivetrain 4
- Toyota W57 5-speed gearboxToyota
Replaced original gearbox, fitted via custom bellhousing
- Lightened and balanced flywheel and clutch assembly
Reduces rotating mass for the drivetrain
- Nissan Sylvia R200 limited slip differentialNissan
Replaced rear end for improved traction
- Datsun driveshaftsDatsun
Used with the R200 rear end swap
Suspension & Steering 3
- Spax adjustable shock absorbersSpax
Fitted front and rear for adjustable damping
- Monarch Stags uprated anti-roll barMonarch Stags
Front suspension upgrade
- Monarch Stags control armsMonarch Stags
Rear suspension upgrade
Brakes 2
- Nissan four-pot calipersNissan
Previously fitted but removed for being too heavy
- Wilwood calipersWilwood
Being substituted for the removed Nissan calipers
Wheels & Tyres 2
- Volvo V40 spec 16x7 alloy wheelsVolvo
4 on 114.3 lug pattern fitted to the car
- Goodyear Eagle F1 205/55R16 tiresGoodyear
Fitted to the Volvo wheels
Body & Trim 5
- Front spoilerRimmers
Required a week of refabrication by a panel beater to fit the front cowling
- Halogen headlights
Upgraded from stock lighting
- Daytime running lights
Added to the front end
- Electric mirrorsHonda S2000
Painted body color and fitted in place of stock mirrors
- Lexus Cherry Red metallic paintLexus
Used in place of original Triumph Carmine Red, giving a more pearlescent finish
Interior 4
- Pioneer stereoPioneer
Fitted in the cabin
- Electric seat heaters
Added to the stock seats
- Homemade wind deflector
Owner-built addition for open-top driving
- Custom center console
Tailor-made to house electric window, fan and heated seat switches
Electrical 1
- 70 amp alternator
Relocated to make room for the electric water pump
Other 1
- Stainless steel sports exhaust and manifoldsRimmers
Replaced factory exhaust system
Photos
All 31 pictures in the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from britishv8.org. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.
How it was done
Engine rebuild and induction upgrades
The stock Triumph 3.0L V8 was rebuilt and fitted with a performance camshaft. A John Parker intake manifold kit was added along with an Edelbrock 500 cfm carburetor and air cleaner. Ignition duties were handed to a Netherlands-made 123 electronic distributor, said to let the engine rev cleanly to redline, along with a Bosch coil and plug wires.
Cooling and electrical changes
To fit an electric water pump, the alternator was relocated, and a custom housing was fabricated for the pump's temperature sensor. The Davies Craig EWP80 pump sits below the stock power steering pump and is run by a programmable control unit, though Barry usually overrides it to run full time in summer.
Drivetrain swap
A Toyota W57 five-speed gearbox was fitted using a bellhousing built by joining cut-down Triumph and Toyota parts. The flywheel and clutch assembly were lightened and balanced. At the rear, a Nissan Sylvia R200 limited-slip differential was installed along with Datsun driveshafts.
Suspension work
Both ends kept lowered standard springs but gained Spax adjustable shock absorbers. Up front a Monarch Stags uprated anti-roll bar was added, while the rear received Monarch Stags control arms, aimed at sharpening the car's handling over stock.
Brakes in progress
Nissan four-pot calipers had been fitted but were later removed for being too heavy, with Wilwood calipers being substituted in their place at the time of writing.
Bodywork and paint
The car was dechromed and the hardtop de-seamed. A Rimmers front spoiler needed a week of panel-beating to properly mate with the front cowling. The grille was recessed about 30mm, the maximum possible without moving the battery tray, and the car was finished in Lexus Cherry Red metallic in place of the original Carmine Red.
Interior and finishing touches
The cabin looks largely standard but includes a tailor-made center console housing switches for the electric windows, electric fan and heated seats. Other additions include a Pioneer stereo, electric seat heaters, and a homemade wind deflector.
A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is the owner's: read it at britishv8.org ↗
Worth knowing
- Off-the-shelf parts like the Rimmers spoiler may need significant custom fitting work to mate properly.
- Heavy performance calipers can be a poor trade-off; the owner removed Nissan four-pot calipers for being too heavy.
- Relocating ancillaries like the alternator can free up space needed for upgrades such as an electric water pump.
- Mixing manufacturers' driveline parts, such as a Toyota gearbox with a Triumph bellhousing, may require custom fabrication.
- Recessing a grille has practical limits imposed by other components, such as the battery tray location.