1974 Triumph Stag V8 *Sold £7,900*

Description

• 1 owner for 18 years
• Triumph V8 fitted
• Engine rebuilt 5,000 miles ago
• Needs cosmetic improvement
• This is a great way in to classic Stag ownership

Of all the British classic cars built, the Triumph Stag has an amazing survival rate. According to the well-respected Stag Owners Club, of the 17,819 UK registered, 46.% are still around. This one is a survivor.

If the hankering for your next classic is a V8, that carries four and has an open-top, it has to be the style-laden, Triumph Stag.

In 1964, designer Giovanni Michelotti asked Triumph whether it would be possible for Triumph to donate a used vehicle to him. Michelotti wanted to produce a one-off Turin Motor Show special to showcase his designer talents. Triumph’s chief, Harry Webster, readily agreed.

Michelotti worked his magic. He produced a shortened version of the Triumph 2000 making it an open-top sportster. The gorgeous convertible overwhelmed Webster. Triumph immediately took the designs in-house. Michelotti never got to showcase his design at the Turin Show, but nevertheless he’d produced an icon.

This particular 1974 Triumph Stag has the original classic Stag engine, has no serious issues and is ready to go. Yes, it needs cosmetic improvement, but don’t we all after a while. Don’t be put off. This Stag is fundamentally a decent enough car and it’s ready to use and improve, if you want to.

Engine & Transmission

A Stag with an original, fully functioning 3.0ltr V8 is a rare find. With a manual and working overdrive is even rarer.

The V8 Stag engine was a highly advanced OHC unit pushing out 145bhp. This was above its peers at the time, classics such the 3500 Rover V8 produced ‘just’ 143bhp. The unique tooling created by BL for the new V8 was done with the intention of tooling being used for the development of a complete range of banked V engines.

As that time drew near, the chief architect, Harry Webster, had been moved to BL’s Austin-Morris Division. Spen King was appointed from Rover to develop the Stag for launch. Spen increased the V8 from 2.5 litres to 3 litres and reverted to carbs, away from fuel injection. The Stag V8 was born. And ask anyone that really knows, they’ll tell you it is a marvellous engine.

Buying a classic Stag is all about the engine. Our vendor tells that the V8 unit in this Stag had a rebuild around 5,000 miles ago. However, that was some considerable time ago, due to its serious lack of use, in his view it is now ready for a service etc, which would be a simple task for the new owner to carry out at their leisure

Exterior and Underside

The styling of any classic Stag is striking.

Overall, the coachwork on this one is actually in decent condition. However, let’s get something straight. The various but many, little defects make the Stag look, well, just a bit ‘edgy’ to be honest. Not edgy in a modern, casual, hipster sort of way. More in an edgy way like Benny from Crossroads. It just looks unkempt. And when we chatted in detail with the vendor, we find the Stag has been with one owner, a school teacher for 18 years! He hardly ever used it and “just let it go” a little.

It isn’t anything that cannot be easily put right, a good polish and touch-in would make it look less like Benny and more like Miss Diane in no time.

We’re being harsh. There is an upside. This Stag looks solid and honest. It has had a new wing, but other than that we are told it is as nature (Triumph) intended. The gaps look good and straight, we cannot detect any serious issues from the large volume of images, but of course, as always, buyers should ask us for more or check themselves.

The chrome is fine, we all know how expensive that can be if it’s not right.

There are plenty of images in the gallery, please do take a look. Again, it’s awkward when someone tries to put lipstick on a pig. Our vendor doesn’t want us to do that and we wouldn’t, anyway. Our vendor has been open with us and we like that. This is what he says about the underside, “The underside of the car is in excellent condition with no patches of heavy corrosion. It has had a number of new suspension arms and joints fitted, stainless steel exhaust system, L&R sills also in great condition”. When any British car is left, sitting, unloved it does tend to show that. This one falls into that category. If it were us? We’d unbolt those bits and bobs in an afternoon, ship them off to be media blasted, paint them up and put them back on. And enjoy the sense of achievement we’d get doing that.

Interior

It doesn’t get any better! We’re just joking. The interior is all intact and present. They are no major bits missing or bodged or hidden. You can see what you’re getting. It is perfectly useable in this condition. There are some small slits and scratches. A guy with a SMART repair van could have them sorted in no time. Like the outside of the Stag, the interior is not a disaster zone, but it will need some improvement if you want it to be “nice”.

The Stag is a genuine four-seater, which makes the classic Stag a supremely practical classic. We’d be tempted to enjoy it as it is.

Other information

The vendor has provided this additional helpful, information we’ll leave him to give a candid view of this classic Stag.

“I have undertaken a full inspection of the car and in my professional opinion, even though it will need some work, it would make a very nice classic car.

It has only done about 5,000 miles since an engine rebuild.

The spare wheel is brand new and never been fitted.

There is a tear in the driver’s seat that has been caused by friction from the seat belt and this will need addressing.

At some stage it has had a new driver’s side front wing fitted.

The underside of the car is in excellent condition with no patches of heavy corrosion. It has had a number of new suspension arms and joints fitted, stainless steel exhaust system, L&R sills also in great condition.

I noticed a few small oil leaks. The engine sounds very well and runs ok, however it does need a service and also would advise changing the oil in gear box and rear axle. All chrome work in very good condition as well as the soft top. The body work is also excellent and showing no major rust in the last 6 years of ownership – it was with the same owner for 18 years previously.”

Our view

We notice, sadly, there can be a tiny bit of ‘snobbery’ about classic cars. If a classic car is not in pin-perfect condition, eyebrows can be raised.

Our view is a simple one; the classic car community is a broad church and there is space and there is a classic car for everyone and every budget.

Classic car buying is a balance. Yes, you could easily spend £40,000 on a pin-perfect Stag. As classic car prices in general are soaring, that is not too difficult. You will still need to spend some money keeping it going.

Or, you could buy a very solid doer-upper and have some great fun doing it up, get a terrific sense of achievement when you’re done and grab a bargain that could well turn into a profit.

Or just drive it as it is. There’s only one person’s view that is important – the owner. This Stag is a very good, very affordable way into a very enjoyable classic car. Don’t be put off by curtain twitchers or the bloke down the pub who says, ‘My mate’s Stag is concours”, course it is….course it is…as you drive off, V8 engine burbling, in your bargain Stag.

If you’d like to buy this Stag, please get in touch  with us – auction@evoke-classics.com

Vehicle Location: Aberystwyth, West Wales– it’s the responsibility of the buyer to make collection / transportation arrangements directly with the vendor

Have a question about this vehicle? Please contact the Evoke team at auction@evoke-classics.com and we will speak to the vendor on your behalf.

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