1972 Triumph Stag

Finished in the eye-wateringly cool shade of Magenta – and yes, it was a factory colour – and the desirable manual gearbox, this wonderfully retro Triumph Stag has been in the care of the seller since 2015. He’s covered less than 2,000 miles in it in that time, so the odometer still reads a tiny 66,000 miles.

A long-time classic car enthusiast who appreciates the need to curate his cars properly, he’s kept it garaged too, so its condition is good, especially when you calculate it’s half a century old...

In need of some light bodywork to enable it to fulfil its potential, this Triumph Stag is being offered with no reserve, so will sell from the very first bid.

There’s no escaping the fact it’s Magenta, so if you can’t get past that then this may not be the car for you. But, we’ve sold a few of ‘em before and have been heartened that so many of you, like us, think the colour suits the car’s 1970s vibe; after all, you might as well go big or go home, eh?

It’s not in bad shape, either. The folding hood is good with no rips, tears, or other damage. It furls and unfurls as it should, and the Stag’s an absolute delight to drive as an open car, whuffling along on a hint of throttle, the huge T-bar rollover hoop gives a feeling of security that many open-top classics lack.

The chromework has a good shine to it, and the alloy wheels are in a decent condition. They’re shod with matching Vredestein Quatrac2 tyres, all of which look to have good tread on them, even if the offside front looks like it needs some air.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

Yellow foglamps and silver and black numberplates are never a bad call either, are they?

As for the bodywork, while we obviously haven’t seen it in person, the seller tells us that: “I have to admit that some of the outside is not so good. There is a scar which needs to be painted (seen in #43) and there are certain holes in the body, mainly very small but one that is a bit bigger (shown in #56)."

We can also see some crazing and scratches to the paint, too.

The black leatherette interior is in a fine condition. With only the gentlest of patinas, this is a genuine four-seater making it the ideal family classic; certainly, the owner tells us “my grandchildren loved it!”

The front seats are in a good condition. Still firm and supportive, their somewhat flat design and integral head supports hint at the Stag’s grand touring credentials. The rear seats are in an even better condition.

The rest is pretty good, and although the cabin could so with a clean, the wooden veneer trim panels look decent, most of the switches and instruments are good, the door cards are excellent, and the carpets are protected by overmats.

A Kenwood radio-cassette player sits in the dashboard, though it does need fitting properly.

The gearbox is sought-after four-speed manual with overdrive, and the lusty three-litre V8 engine, which we’re told is the original, fires into life at the turn of the key. It revs nicely too, and has a very attractive engine and exhaust note.

The seller points out that there is a small oil leak, and while hasn’t ever taken it on any long journeys, he says “the engine is a delight to drive and has not overheated.”

The engine bay looks good, and the underside looks straight and strong. As a guide, the only mention of corrosion in its MoT history was a failure in 2015 for: “Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded”.

This looks to have been repaired the same day and no mention of rust has been made since.

The Stag doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it MoT’d at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MoT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic vehicle, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

As well as invoices from 2016 and 2018 for pre-MoT fettling, the Stag’s paperwork includes a current V5 registration document, a Haynes workshop manual, and a recent Vehicle History Check.

With a guide price of just £7,000 to £11,000 this Triumph Stag is going to offer someone an awful lot of fun for not a lot of money.

And there really is an awful lot to like; from the period Magenta paintwork through to the low-mileage engine and manual-plus-overdrive gearbox, this one ticks an awful lot of the right boxes for us.

Plus, the need for some (largely cosmetic) fettling means the new owner can add value with every job they complete – and classic car motoring really doesn’t get any better than driving a V8-powered manual convertible that’s not depreciating as heavily as your showroom-fresh daily driver, does it?

Finally, it’s being offered with no reserve, so it’s going to sell from the very first bid.

Honestly; what else do you want from us?

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Perth, United Kingdom. To arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.