More Stag stuff!

Whilst the blocks away being bored and decked I have been busying myself with one or two little jobs I had been putting off for some time (try 12 years!). Firstly I went around the car changing any of the indicator/sidelight lenses that weren't perfect. I had spent the last 12 years tracking down genuine OE lenses to replace any faded, or otherwise below par examples. Next on the list was fitting that tow bar I had powder coated nearly 15 years ago. This car has to work for a living post the RBRR, and a tow bar is compulsary on all our larger Triumph's. Amongst the other stuff I found in the boot requiring fitting was all the add on's to the fancy alarm system I had fitted back in 94. These add on's include central locking, and automatic window closers all activated from the key fob button. This requires servos to be connected up to the rods in the doors that operate the door locks, try finding space in a Stag door for anything! All this gubbins is interfaced with the alarm with a further two black boxs that have to be wired directly to the alarm/siren. I know it's not like me to be adding weight to our Triumph's, after all we are known as the lightweight aluminium specialists, but the Stag is a different sort of beast.
It had been some time since I had driven a Triumph engined V8 Stag, allthough I regularly drive Rover V8 engined Triumph's, including our own factory saloon prototype, but the chance came recently to reacquaint myself with Triumphs effort. Our friend Mr Chambers (ex-Kipping employee of old) turned up in his Jarva Green example I had helped him find many years ago. Anyway I wrestled the keys off of him and took it for a thrashing, WOW, fantastic, what a great engine! The Rover, and Triumph engines are like chalk and cheese, totally different beasts. What a revelation the Triumph V8 is after being used to the old slugger Rover effort. The Stag engine spins like a top all the way up to the red line at 6,500 rpm, and pulls strong all the way, where as the Rover throws in the towel at 5,000 rpm. I was particularly impressed with it's mid range punch, floor it anywhere between 50-70mph and the thing took off like a scalded cat. I seem to remember back from my real anorak days reading the performance figures that used to be published weekly in the Motor magazine of all cars available on the British market that this was the area where the Stag truely excelled. All cars used to be left in the Stags wake when it came to the crucial overtaking manoeuvre, Astons, Ferrari's, Porches, the lot! I seem to recall that there was only a couple of cars back then that were any faster, and not by much.