The auction for this very cool modified 1973 Triumph Stag ends Tuesday evening, and at the moment bidding is under $3,000 with the reserve unmet. It’s a bit of a shocker, as this looks like a fun project that has some cosmetic flaws and needs fine-tuning, but as the seller states, it’s essentially a poor man’s Cobra. The paint is rough and the current finish has been sloppily applied over the original coat, so it’s likely to look pretty rough up close. But do you care if you’re leaving every Fox body you meet in the dust? The Stag isn’t for British car purists, and that may be what’s holding back some bidders who want an unaltered project. However, if you just like a good hot rod, then check it out here on eBay.
I know the paint is probably way worse in person, but I still love it in its ratty state with the graphics running down the side that remind of an AAR Cuda. And that center exit exhaust is just killer, and I honestly wouldn’t change a thing about the outside – it’s a rat, and a fast one at that. The Stag was always a car that to me, was begging to be modified, but few owners seemed to go down that path. The preservation crowd loves these things in factory condition, a sentiment that I understand as that’s how I roll, too. But every now and again, you just want to see someone take a classic car in a completely different direction, and that’s what we have here.
The build features the following: a 302 roller cam motor with 289 heads and an Edelbrock Performer 289 intake, along with a new 625 CFM Street Demon carburetor. It is backed by a four-speed top loader transmission, and there’s a custom gauge panel in the cockpit to replace the original dash. The seller indicates the Stag had been in storage for a few years, but it sounds like it’s been his car all along. The wheels are new Minilites but he apparently has the original Stag alloy wheels to go along with the car, which will be nice to have if you decide to return this Stag to stock appearances to create a sleeper out of this hot rod.
Not that the original Stag wasn’t a performer, but it certainly wasn’t anything you’d call the “poor man’s Cobra.” The market for a car like this is a narrow one, unfortunately, starting with the fact that there weren’t that many Stags imported to begin with. So, in some respects, modifying a rare car may seem like an insult, but if it wasn’t a perfectly preserved specimen to begin with, I don’t see the harm. What do you think the reserve is set at? A running, driving Stag should certainly pull at least $5,000, and my guess is the seller thinks the modifications make it worth more than that. How do you value a car like this that isn’t original but may be a better car for it?
If I had a Stag, I’d like to modify it into a GT6-a-like; I always thought that BL missed a trick with that one.
For me, the Stag is one of the worst British cars ever. I quite like this one.
The Stag V8 has the distinction of being called “the worst engine ever made,” with a huge list of(almost comical) problems. Using the Rover 3.5(Buick 215) was discussed, but Triumph engineers wanted to show off their expertise, and they sure did. Surprisingly, almost all of the Stags still on the road have the original V8, a testament to their owner’s rigid maintenance efforts.
The car itself was a nice idea. The engine was the worst design I HAVE EVER seen or read about. It was designed to blow itself apart in a very few miles. A 3500 Rover V8 is the usual replacement choice.
If your over a certain age its appealing. If you’re a Milly (Millennium) its all about the cell phone, 4 doors for your friends and automatic transmission.
AND if you’re a Hipster, its all about the Uber. They can’t drive, lol.
I see it being a struggle to reach $5K. When you mess with engine swaps and Hi-Po changes you put yourself in a corner. Probably would have been better if it had a stock V8 something. Roller cams and big carbs with an unknown engine built will devalue a vehicle especially with unknown mileage. We all know in the car world mileage, records, condition and production numbers are what you’re paying for.
Now if this was Pantera with performance upgrades its entirely different story. My 72 Pantera had performance upgrades and was acceptable in the Pantera world.
Having been the owner/victim of one of these, a Vega engine swap would have been an improvement. The worst automotive buying decision I ever made. By the way, the wood dash was one of the nicest features of the car and this one is a joke.
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Yes indeed, one of those classic British motor industry “could have beens” that was doomed by several design flaws. The Grand Tourer 2+2 convertible concept was good, the Michelotti styling is pretty neat and if the motor had proven reliable it could have been a pretty big seller, OK, big “if” there.
I do remember a friend of mine working on a failed Stag engine…the head studs pass diagonally through the aluminum heads. coolant leaks down the holes around the studs and there is corrosion between the steel and aluminum…causing the studs to freeze in the head. as they are at 45 degrees, they need to be removed before the heads can come off….just dismantling the engine in this state (without scrapping much of it in the process) is a challenge to say the least !
At this point in history the engineering flaws are well understood and enthusiasts that choose to run the original engine in these cars know the mods necessary to make them adequately reliable. too late to redeem the car’s reputation though to be fair, BL did make 25,000 of them over a 7 year production-run so hardly a Edsel-like flop.
The “worst car ever” title tends to be just a convenient filler for people like Top Gear to create novelty books. probably a little over-done… flawed yes, “worst car ever”.? I think you’ll find many better candidates…
Ironically, the cars with the original 3-litre Triumph engine are the more sought after ones now. As other commenters have noted, Rover (ex-Buick design) 3.5 V8s were a popular substitution for failed motors as well as the Ford Essex V6. Never driven on myself, but I have heard that the Triumph V8, when running in good shape is a sweeter engine that the Rover V8.
As for this example featured here…I can’t see too many folks queuing up with handfuls of cash for this one. I know it is popular on this site to advocate taking the engine out of pretty much every old unreliable Brit car and dropping in a SBC or SBF but the classic car market does not agree with you. You can’t see everything in the photos for this car but what I can see it suggests a pretty rough car overall and an amateurish back-yard motor swap. The Stag has never been a real bucket list model for me (even though I am a Triumph enthusiast) but if I were after one, I’d be looking for an example with the original Triumph V8 in place, even if I knew for sure I’d have to rebuild it. YMMV !
I’m not sure the seller or the original builder was concerned about the “classic car” market. This is a week end toy to cruise in !
The 302 is the best cure for the 7 cyl. V8 that Triumph designed. Cool car and no doubt a blast to drive.
I’ve never seen a redneck version of a stag but here we are!
A Lexus V8 would be an awesome replacement for this application. Install the original wheels and it would be great.
I have never been crazy about the Triumph Stag–not its looks nor its troubled three litre V-8. This car might be doing better in an auction in England, as many English enthusiasts go gaga over Stags. As far as I am concerned, its only true attraction is that Sean Connery drove one from England to Amsterdam, in his last “true” 007 appearance, in Diamonds are Forever.
Ended:
Sep 28, 2021
Current bid:
US $4,051.00
[ 21 bids ]
Reserve not met
It was a shame. Other than the engine, there wasn’t much wrong with the Stag; even the electrics suffered few gremlins. They do enjoy an extraordinary survival rate and there’s probably not another engine so flawed which has inspired so many obsessive owners to pursue so many ways to render them reliable. Done properly, using parts of the quality which should have been used from day one, they really can be good. One will never go all that fast but the joy of listening to the burble from the little V8 means one will forgive the lethargy.
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1st time seeing this model of triumph and really like the look of it kinda reminds me of the early RWD celica body style which I’ve always thought to be a cool looking car . The fact it has a 302 and a 4speed just makes me want to stop looking and start driving. I honestly dont know a thing about British cars other than since the late 70s and 80 s I’ve seen quite a few triumph tr7 and it’s close relatives sitting parked in driveways backyards and parking lots rusted and deteriorating. As a kid I always thought they looked kinda cool in between a lotus and a fiero but I cant remember ever seeing one driving or even running so even then despite the eye catching shape i never aspired to own one as they seemed to be real.lemons . I did have a buddy who bought a little green MG that had some electrical issues and he was a real smart guy could get almost to run when nobody else could way over my head and I remember him fiddling with that car for weeks or months with books and manuals all over the place. I remember seeing him driving now and then eventually before selling quick as he could. Was then I knew I should stick to the domestics and German and Japanese are usually pretty smart and simple too. So yes I’d say the 302 is definitely a plus for me. If this car was nearby I’d want to check it out and would love to own for the right price if was put together well.
For a change to a more powerful engine, you might end up with a broken differential. I had two Stags that had been changed to Chevy V-8s. Second one I bought with a broken differential. The gears in the differential are the same ones in a TR-6. I pulled both Chevy’s out and put in the Rover V-8s. Made a nice conversion.