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David Graham's 1972 Triumph Stag with Ford 5.0L Engine

David and Janet Graham · 1972 Triumph Stag

Triumph Stag

britishv8.orgBritish V8 Newsletter, Volume XV Issue 3, December 2007

Read the full write-up at britishv8.org ↗

Photo: britishv8.org

A 1972 Triumph Stag converted to a Ford 5.0L V8

David Graham replaced the Stag's original V8 with a Ford 5.0L GT40 crate engine and Cobra fuel injection, paired to a T5 five-speed and a Corvette rear axle. The write-up is useful for the specific parts numbers given and for the cooling and clearance problems the conversion raises in the Stag's tight engine bay.

Specs

As the owner states it.

Engine
Ford 5.0L 345 HP GT40 crate engine (part number SVOM6007XE3M), Ford hydraulic/roller cam (M-6250-B303)
Fuel & Ignition
5.0 Cobra fuel injection
Exhaust
Two left side Bronco headers adapted to the original Stag exhaust, stock from there back
Cooling
Custom aluminum radiator and custom hoses; Ford Racing water pump kit (SVO85001A50) with special timing chain cover and short water pump
Transmission
Ford T5 5-speed with 0.681:1 fifth gear, Ford 10.5" heavy duty clutch (SVOM7560C302), Quarter Master hydraulic throw out bearing (721100), custom drive shaft
Rear Axle
Corvette / Dana-36 differential and carrier, 3.7:1 final drive, Triumph Stag sub axles
Front Suspension
New stock springs, Spax shocks, modified sway bar, Mustang II rack and pinion, polyurethane bushings
Rear Suspension
New stock springs, Koni shocks, polyurethane bushings
Brakes
Front: up-rated slotted rotors and pads. Rear: Mustang II discs and emergency brake kit
Wheels
Motor Sports Specialist 15 x 6 MO Series wheels
Tyres
Michelin Exalto A/S, 185/70 front and 215/60 rear
Electrical
Painless engine wiring harness (60510, for Ford 5.0 86-93), Painless universal street-rod harness (10201)
Weight
Approximately 3020 pounds without hardtop
Completed
June 30, 2006

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.

Engine 3

  • Ford 5.0L 345 HP GT40 crate engineFord (SVOM6007XE3M)

    Replacement engine for the conversion

  • Ford hydraulic/roller camshaftFord (M-6250-B303)

    Cam fitted to the 5.0L crate engine

  • Remote oil filter kit

    Installed though owner says not essential

Fuel & Ignition 1

  • 5.0 Cobra fuel injection systemFord

    Fuel injection used on the swapped engine

Cooling 3

Gearbox & Drivetrain 5

Suspension & Steering 4

Brakes 2

Wheels & Tyres 2

  • MO Series 15x6 wheelsMotor Sports Specialist

    Replaced the original spoke wheels

  • Michelin Exalto A/S tyresMichelin

    Fitted 185/70 front and 215/60 rear

Interior 1

  • B&M shifterB&M

    Required the floor to be opened slightly for clearance

Electrical 2

  • Engine wiring harnessPainless (60510)

    Wiring harness for the Ford 5.0 86-93 engine

    In the shops
    Main Wiring Harness ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $602.00 USD
    Wiring Harness ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $0.00 USD
    Wiring Harness ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $0.00 USD
  • Universal street-rod wiring harnessPainless (10201)

    Used for the wider car wiring

    In the shops
    Main Wiring Harness ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $602.00 USD
    Wiring Harness ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $0.00 USD
    Wiring Harness ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $0.00 USD

Other 1

  • Bronco headers (left side, two)

    Adapted to connect to the stock Stag exhaust

Photos

All 16 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.

David Graham's 1972 Triumph Stag with Ford 5.0L EnginePhoto: britishv8.org
Ford 5.0L 345 HP GT40 crate enginePhoto: britishv8.org
5.0 Cobra fuel injectionPhoto: britishv8.org
two left side Bronco Headers were adapted to the original stag exhaust.Photo: britishv8.org
motor mountPhoto: britishv8.org
transmission mountPhoto: britishv8.org
Stag rear end and Corvette rear end comparedPhoto: britishv8.org
Corvette rear endPhoto: britishv8.org
the Midland Mercedes... get's a B&M shifter!Photo: britishv8.org
David converted from these spoke wheels to something strongerPhoto: britishv8.org
Leo, the body and paint manPhoto: britishv8.org
Such a pretty place to live...Photo: britishv8.org
and it's pretty all year round.Photo: britishv8.org
5.0 StagPhoto: britishv8.org
David and Janet GrahamPhoto: britishv8.org
Donate Now!Photo: britishv8.org

How it was done

Choosing the engine

The owner fitted a Ford 5.0L GT40 crate engine rated at 345 HP, running 5.0 Cobra fuel injection and a Ford hydraulic roller cam. A remote oil filter was added, though he notes it is not strictly needed. The new engine is actually lighter than the Stag's original V8, which he says improved the car's balance.

Exhaust and cooling

Two left side Bronco headers were adapted to connect to the stock Stag exhaust system further back. Cooling needed particular care in the tight Stag engine bay, so a custom aluminum radiator and hoses were made up, along with a Ford Racing water pump kit that includes a special timing chain cover and short water pump to fit the available space.

Transmission and driveline

A Ford T5 five-speed gearbox with a 0.681:1 fifth gear was installed, using a Ford 10.5 inch heavy duty clutch and a Quarter Master hydraulic throw out bearing. A custom drive shaft connects it to a Corvette-sourced Dana-36 differential and carrier, running a 3.7:1 final drive with the original Triumph Stag sub axles retained.

Suspension and brakes

Up front the owner kept stock-type springs but added Spax shocks, a modified sway bar, a Mustang II rack and pinion, and polyurethane bushings. The rear also got new stock springs with Koni shocks and polyurethane bushings. Braking was upgraded with slotted rotors and pads at the front and Mustang II discs with an emergency brake kit at the rear.

Chassis and body changes

Little chassis modification was needed overall. The front sway bar had to be reshaped to clear the engine oil pan, and the floor pan was notched to fit the Corvette rear end and opened slightly for the B&M shifter he chose. A hood scoop was added for the fuel injection, with a custom lower-profile intake tube fitted to help it clear.

Wheels and finishing touches

The car was converted from its original spoke wheels to Motor Sports Specialist 15x6 MO Series wheels, wrapped in Michelin Exalto A/S tyres. Electrical work included fitting Painless wiring harnesses for the engine and for the wider street-rod circuits. The finished car weighs about 3020 pounds without its hardtop and was completed in June 2006.

A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is the owner's: read it at britishv8.org ↗

Worth knowing

  • Cooling in the tight Stag engine bay needs careful planning, especially if air conditioning is wanted.
  • A used Bronco engine may already carry the special water pump and timing cover pieces needed.
  • The whole conversion fills nearly the entire engine bay, so plan clearances in advance.
  • A hood scoop can be avoided if running a carburetor with a planed-down intake instead of fuel injection.
  • The stock Stag rear end might have coped fine, though the owner chose to fit a Corvette unit anyway.

britishv8.org

Read in full on 5 September 2026. The work, the words and the pictures are David and Janet Graham’s; this page is a catalogue of them in our own words, and a signpost.

Read the full write-up at britishv8.org ↗

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