Before a long run — and after: a Stag checklist

The day before: the unhurried checks

• Engine oil — check the dipstick and top up to the mark with the right grade. Fresh oil is cheap insurance, and on the Stag clean oil also helps the timing chains.
• Coolant — check the level cold and top up with the correct mix and inhibitor. On the Stag this is the check that matters most (see below).
• Brake fluid — check the master-cylinder level; a dropping level means investigate before you go.
• Tyres — set the pressures cold (including the spare) and look hard at tread and sidewalls; age matters as much as tread on a classic.
• Battery — topped up if needed, secure, terminals clean and tight.
• Lights, wipers and horn — walk round and check the lot.

Cooling: the Stag check that matters most

The Stag's cast-iron block and aluminium heads are unforgiving of a neglected cooling system, so give it special attention before a long run:

• Coolant level and condition, checked cold — top up with the correct mix and the right corrosion inhibitor; tired, discoloured coolant should be renewed, not just topped up.
• Watch for airlocks after any coolant work — they cause overheating that appears from nowhere on a run.
• Check the viscous fan coupling is doing its job and the radiator and hoses are sound (squeeze the hoses; soft or weepy ones let go when hot).
• Know your temperature gauge's normal position — because on the road you'll be watching it.

For the full procedure and the corrosion side of the story, see Coolant — flush & corrosion protection and Cooling upgrades.

Under the bonnet: the pre-trip look

• Belt(s) — check tension and condition; no fraying or glazing.
• Leaks — look under the car for fresh oil, coolant or fuel.
• Charging — start up and confirm the alternator is charging: the ignition light should go out as the engine runs, and the voltage sit around 14 V. A light that stays on means investigate before you travel.
• Timing chains — listen on a cold start-up before you set off: a top-end rattle that doesn't quickly clear is your cue to investigate, not to set out on a long trip. See Replacing the timing chains.
• Fuel — enough to reach a station.

The Stag quirks worth a check

• Negative earth — remember it before connecting a battery pack or jump leads; get the polarity right.
• Transmission — check the gearbox/overdrive or automatic fluid to the correct level; on the auto, set it by the dipstick warm and running.
• Carburettors — the twin Zenith-Strombergs should be balanced and pulling evenly; a long run shows up a car that isn't.
• Eight plugs — worth a glance for condition; carry spares.

Spares worth carrying

• A fan belt, coolant (pre-mixed, with the right inhibitor), a set of spark plugs, assorted bulbs and fuses, a length of hose and clips, insulating tape.
• Plus the basics: toolkit, tyre pressure gauge, torch, gloves, rag, a bottle of the right oil and water.

On the road

• Watch the temperature gauge above all — on a Stag it's your early-warning system; if it climbs and keeps climbing, stop before it boils.
• Watch the other gauges — oil pressure healthy, charging steady.
• Listen for new rattles or knocks, and note any change in the exhaust note.
• Smell for hot coolant, oil, fuel or electrics.
• Take a shakedown stop after the first twenty or thirty minutes: a look for leaks and anything working loose while it's warm.

When you get back: the post-trip check

• Look underneath for fresh leaks — especially coolant.
• Re-check the levels once cooled — oil and coolant — since a run can reveal a slow loss.
• Walk round for anything worked loose, a blown bulb or a weeping hose.
• Note what needs attention in the car's history file while it's fresh — a wandering temperature needle, a stiff change, a new noise — so it's on the list before the next outing.
• Wipe it down (especially after rain or salt) and put it away with a good amount of fuel to keep condensation from the tank.