North West Casual Classics

As a schoolboy petrol head, Geoff F always wanted a Triumph Stag.  So back in 1990, he bought one that could be used daily but, that he could also slowly restore.  Prices were high in 1990 so he could only afford a rough but ‘roadworthy’ 1972 Mk II car with 100K on the clock.   After just a year of everyday use the car was taken off the road to attend to a major infestation of hidden tin worm and to remove noises that engines are not supposed to make.  Sixteen years, one wife, one house, two kids and an empty wallet later the Stag was finally finished it – April 2007 to be precise. 

Whilst putting in all sorts of hours making headway with the restoration Geoff F, received some unwelcome advice from a youth in a hoodie. The suggestion was that he should have bought a ‘Fizz Bomb’ instead. It was further explained in a Scouse accent a ‘Fizz Bomb’ was a Ford Fiesta in the local vernacular and the owner would have been “well better” buying one rather than an old banger like the Stag!

Geoff is an engineer by trade so had to absorb knowledge from his dad and others at car shows in order to undertake a full ground up restoration.  Except for the professional respray (thanks to a friend), he completed all of the work himself.  He hardly found a single component that didn’t need attention, even the heater box had rotted!

However, the hard work was all worth it when it passed its MOT first time.  The MOT man was so impressed with the work that he said he had never tested a ‘new car’ before they normally came to him at 3 years old!

Geoff continues to enjoy working through a ‘to do list’ each year to help to improve the car.  He has driven it to Germany and it has been used once as a wedding car. But it doesn’t stop there: the car was chosen for a six-part ITV comedy show which aired in 2013 called ‘Pat and Cabbage’, starring Barbara Flynn and Cherie Lunghi. The series centred on two newly single women who have no intention of growing old gracefully – much to the annoyance of their children.

The car is a joy to drive and that V8 burble has to be the nicest soundtrack a petrol head could wish for.

No wonder this vehicle continues to win awards.

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