I consider this 1971 Triumph Stag to be my good fortune. I like these cars and this is the first one that I have encountered for BF. This example, however, is harboring one heck of a surprise – more to follow on that front. Located in Oak Park, California, this way-cool 2+2 is available, here on craigslist for $21,500.
Triumph offered the Stag between the years 1970 and 1977 and one of its more remarkable features is its Michelotti styling – nothing dowdy about it. Oh, and let’s not forget that the Stag was V8-powered, harboring a 3.0-liter engine – not exactly standard fare for a British sports car. Popular? Yes, particularly at first – Triumph sold about 25K stags over its eight-year production run.
That V8 selling feature also became the bane of the Stag’s existence. The aluminum cylinder heads/iron block combination caused overheating problems and blown head gaskets – expensive repairs. The seller of this Stag, however, has taken part of the advice that many Barn Finds readers often suggest which is, “Put an LS in it”. Close, but not quite as the seller reached back a generation and went with a 400+ HP ZZ4 350 CI, Chevrolet small-block V8 engine. So far, this Stag has only experienced 400 miles and has done so with the help of a T-5 manual gearbox and a Ford 9″ style differential housing 3.71 gears. Include sequential fuel injection, custom headers, and big rotor Wilwood disc brakes all the way around and you’ve got it all going on – starting, going, and stopping.
Killer looks abound with an excellent rust-free body, bumper-less conversion, side pipes, a well-sized hood scoop, and strong paint. I’m not certain what brand the wheels are installed here but I don’t think that I could have made a better choice. The halogen headlights give this Stag a sort of modern Dodge Challenger look about itself. The only thing not shown, or mentioned, is the condition of the folding top.
The interior is extremely smart in appearance with its white-faced aftermarket gauges and custom steering wheel. The excellent seating upholstery and door cards complete the picture. Judging from the footwells, it would seem that a long-legged driver would fit comfortably in this 2+2 – at least up front.
The seller claims $60K in receipts but he’s moving and therefore he must sell this one-of-a-kind Stag. The $21,500 price seems reasonable, almost too reasonable considering all that’s here, $60K invested or not. If you’re in southern California and looking for a right-priced hot rod, one that’s probably a blast to drive, you need to check this Triumph out, wouldn’t you agree?
I think I’d replace the wheels & the side pipes.I think a
stock Stag is a nice looking car.This one,not so much.And
last time I checked,it was illegal to not have a front bumper
in California.
If there was a vehicle NOT improved by the SBC, I don’t want to know about it. I know, normally I bleed BRG, but in this case, I heartily approve. The Stag V8 was troublesome I heard, and always liked the Stag, a Spitfire on steroids. This is a Spitfire on heroin, or so it seems. Looks like a fantastic car and most purists would probably agree.
An actual LS would have been a better choice due to the weight savings where you need it on the Stag.
I can see the logic in dropping in an “actual” LS. There’s no need for an ECU here, just hook up fuel and electrics for the coil and it runs.
Should be “not dropping in an LS.”
I would have left the outside appearance a little more stock, but the engine and driveline choice is good. The SBC looks better than the LS and with aluminum heads and intake as well as headers it is probably about as light, particularly compared to the iron block vortec which I see many conversions use.
I don’t mind the drivetrain swap but agree with the comments that I would also have liked it better with stock appearance.
No matter how much money the owner has spent it is usually difficult to get good money when trying to sell. I’d still think that over $20K is difficult for a Frankenstag.
PS – I think the wheels are Enkei. Light, strong but a bit of a left field choice for a Triumph.
I BOUGHT A ’73 STAG WITH A BLOWN ENGINE & A MISSING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION .
I NEVER EVEN CONSIDERED A CHEVY ENGINE FOR REPLACEMENT
BECAUSE THE ROVER 3500 HAS MORE HORSES & LESS WEIGHT
THAN THE STOCK TRIUMPH V8 .
I FOUND THE DRIVETRAIN FROM A ROVER SD-1 THAT CAME
WITH A 5 SPEED . I ALSO REPLACED THE POWER STEERING
SYSTEM RACK , PUMP AND ALL WITH VARIOUS TRIUMPH PIECES
TO SAVE PROBABLY ANOTHER 50 POUNDS
SO I DID A MANUAL CONVERSION AND DROPPED THE ROVER
LUMP . AN OFFENHAUSER MANIFOLD WITH HOLLY 390 FITS IN
AND YOU CAN CLOSE THE HOOD WITHOUT ADDING A SCOOP .
THE CAR WAS AN INCREDIBLE PERFORMER AND THE GUY I SOLD IT TO WON HIS CLASS IN THE PIKE’s PEAK HILCLIMB THE YEAR LATER .
I LOVED MY STAG ANT OF THE LAST HUNDRED CARS I HAVE
OWNED & SOLD , IT MY BE THE ONE I MISS THE MOST .
There is one in Brisbane Australia with a 460 in it.
I hope the builder added sufficient chassis reinforcements to handle the extra power. These were not the most rigid convertibles of their day, and a strong 350 has the potential to twist the car into a pretzel.
My thoughts exactly. When a car receives major drivetrain modifications, then is for sale after only 400 miles, I wonder why? It can’t be for the money. The seller says he is moving, OK take a $40k+ hit and move on, but I would like a test drive and a thorough inspection of the structure and suspension.
Some of these came with AMC engines.
Do you have any proof of that? I believe that they only
came the same way with the V8.
Can’t say I’ve ever read about, heard of or seen any stock Stags with anything but the Leyland 3.0L V8.
Maybe you’re thinking of the Bricklin. The 1974s had the AMC 360. The 1975 and 1976 models had the Ford 351 Windsor.
I never knew Triumph was a seller of these cars and especially managing to sell 25k of them 😃🤣
I like the set up on this Stag and this Triumph looks well done from the pictures supplied. My question is why draw more attention to the JC Whitney looking hood scoop by not painting it a matching color?
I’m not a Stag fan but I like this car just like it sits. Good workmanship.
This is one Stag that will actually drive more than 1000 miles before a major breakdown. Well done.
I like it. I too would prefer the LS for weight savings and all around drivability but this may have been done before there was an abundance of LSes lying around and I certainly wouldn’t change it at this point. I’d have to do a close inspection to see the quality of the craftsmanship but if I were in the market and the work is as good as it appears I think the price is even reasonable at today’s rates. The headers look a lot like the ones on my 96 Impala. A whole lot.
Oh my, my, my I bet this thing is a blast to drive. Hopefully the current owner/restorer reinforced the chassis to handle the over abundance of power the sbc makes, on top of the Wilwood brakes which are a welcome addition. I wonder if there’s a company that makes a hard top for this model, because I’d want to drive it well into the fall season and as early as possible in the spring. One thing I’d change is swapping the Enkei RP-F1’s to something a little more era appropriate, like mini-lites.
I think the price is a steal, considering all the work that went into restoring and upgrading this Stag. If I were in the market for a British hotrod I’d love to fly to California and make a vacation out of driving it home to upstate New York, stopping at some national parks along the way.
Nice looking! Not too sure about reason for selling. Love the roll bar treatment. If this one can twist the body under heavy acceleration the roll bar may come in handy. I agree a personal inspection would be a must before plunking down any cash. Make sure to examine the underside as well. Be worth hiring a mechanic to go over it with a fine tooth comb also!
Every time i have looked at a stag ad , i have daydreamed of a custon one and this is close to my liking
I agree the hood scoop has to be improved
And im not sure about the wheels but this is a nice beginning
Topless, v8 , so much to love …
Nah, somebody else’s project and taste. Hard pass.
As an Englishman and having worked on many Stags, I like it. Most stags went with the 3.5 Rover conversion in europe and yes, the factory hard tops are not too hard to find. The biggest problem was rust, and replacement panels are not readily available due to the low production numbers. I would like to see more pictures of it, but I may be making a trip to CA.