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Triumph Stag
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Triumph Stag | £10,995
Mileage: 58,960Model History
Few cars are truly in a class of their own, but the Triumph Stag is one of the elite. Here's a four seater convertible with a V8 under the bonnet, and while other such cars are available they are far larger and substantially more expensive due to their Mercedes and Rolls-Royce badges. So if you're after a British classic and want to transport up to four people al fresco in a hurry, with a wonderful V8 soundtrack, the Stag is your only option.
The Stag arrived in 1970, having first been dreamt up in the mid 60's as a roofless GT based upon the 2000 saloon to complement the Vitesse. This was a time of turmoil in the British motor industry, with mergers and acquisitions taking place on a weekly basis. As a result the planned specifications for the Stag changed on a weekly basis, first it was to have a 2.0 straight 6, then a 2.5, and even talk of the Rover V8.
The sensible step might have been to offer a range of different engines but British Leyland rarely new the meaning of sensible, so they decided to go with Canley's own 3.0 V8 aimed at the lucrative US market. This 2997cc V8 churned out 145bhp and was mated to either manual or automatic transmission. In October of 1972 the highly desirable overdrive came standard on all manual cars.
In February 1973 Triumph revealed the MkII Stag. Changes included the fitment of a matt black tail panel and sills, plus new instruments and a smaller steering wheel. The wheel trims were now all silver, a hard top became standard and the rear quarter windows were deleted from the hood to prevent creasing. The engine benefited from a higher compression ratio with domed pistons.
From this point changes became increasingly minor. In February 1973 alloy wheels replaced the wire wheels on the options list, then 3 months later the Stag was withdrawn from the North American market. Hazard and seat belt warning lights were fitted from January 1974 and in March air-conditioning was cut from the option list. Alloy wheels, tinted glass and a laminated windscreen became standard in October 1975. Then in June 1977 the final Stag rolled off the production line, with a total of 25,939 built.
Equipment
Private registration plate, Central locking, Alarm/immobilizer system, Stag wind deflector, Spare wire spoke wheel, Lockable petrol cap, Electric windows, Cassette player, Outdoor car cover.
Exterior
Finished in beautiful red paintwork this Triumph Stag makes quite an impression on first viewing. The gleaming red paintwork suffers no fading whatsoever, very few stone chips and still showing a deep glassy finish under the showroom spotlights. Under closer inspection there is some minor micro-blistering to some of the paintwork, however this does not detract from the cars over all good looks. Born of the 1970s so as expected there is plenty of chrome detailing on display. All of which is in excellent condition with no pitting or fading to be found and complementing the red paintwork perfectly, adding a touch of glamour to the Stags genteel appearance. The black soft top roof is in perfect condition, still showing its full colour and free from any unwanted tears and the plastic rear window is still clear. With the roof up or down, the Stag is a beautifully proportioned car and with four good sized seats it is a genuinely practical convertible.
Interior
Trimmed in cream leather, the interior space of the stag is a pleasure to occupy. All of the leather remains perfectly clean and free from any tears or damage to the seat bolsters or bases. The dashboard and centre console are trimmed with a gorgeous wood finish, combined with the fresh cream leather this creates a dashing appearance for the Stags cockpit. The wood detail can also be found adorn the stylish Moto-Lita 3-spoked chrome steering wheel, a charming addition to the interior space. The matching cream carpets are still showing a clean and unworn appearance, protected in the foot-wells by a set of simple black over-mats.
Engine & Transmission
This example still remains with its original Canley 3 Litre V8 engine, which has only cover a mere 58,960 miles. After some minor detailing here at 4 Star, the engine bay is gleaming with highly polished chrome components, a visual treat for a petrol head. The engine is in excellent mechanical condition with a number of invoices backing-up the maintenance and parts purchased over the years. Equipped with the desirable 4-speed manual over-drive gearbox that provides effortless performance, transmitting the V8s power perfectly, feeling smooth and precise pulling through the gears.
Wheels, Tyres & Brakes
The Stag sits on a set of beautiful multi wire spoke wheels which retain a wonderful shine, a perfect after-market choice, complementing the cars styling and helping to set this example apart. The wheels are shod in a matching set of new Avon tyres, they still retain 7mm of tread depth all-round. Within the last 2,000 miles since 2010, both rear wheel cylinders, pads and discs have been replaced. A recent fluid flush during its last service inspection ensures the brake performance feels strong and precise, pulling the car up smoothly, without fuss and in a straight line.
History File
The Triumph Stag was first registered in November 1976. It has undergone a sympathetic full restoration at some stage in its life, with photo evidence of the bodywork and re-spray process. Within the history file there are some invoices for service work, the last inspection was a full service by an independent garage in September 2012 at 58,733 miles. whilst in for the service the clutch master cylinder, slave cylinder and link pipe were all replaced as well as a full fluid flush. There are also a handful of invoices from Rimmer Bros for replacement parts between 2007-2008 which include uprated radiator, clutch assembly kit, new exhaust system, plus many more items. Old tax discs and MOT certificates have also been kept to verify the cars low mileage.