OUTSTANDING 1974 TRIUMPH STAG MK2, GENUINE 45,000 MILES

PRESENTING

 

A truly exceptional 1974 Triumph Stag Mark 2 Automatic.

 

Effectively one Lady owner from new and just 45. 00 miles supported by one of the most comprehensive and meticulous service history's that we have ever seen.  

 

Always cherished and kept garaged the car is today remarkably. if fact amazingly. rust free and is presented in stunning original condition.

 

Never  structurally welded and retaining all of its factory fitted panels and glass.

 

All original interior.

 

Retaining its original engine and with the added benefit of a factory Hard Top. Sundym glass and Light Alloy Wheels.

 

JUST GORGEOUS! 

 

 

The Triumph Stag was launched in June 1970 and immediately created a favourable impression with buyers. who were quite literally smitten by its simple beauty and its gorgeous engine note with accompanying exhaust 'woofle'.

The Stag opened up new markets for British Leyland – the company was well served with both Triumph and MG sports cars. but the Stag was something else again: a 4 seat grand tourer. Essentially. the Stag created a market niche and although it was phased out in 1977 after a production run of just 25. 77. it is still viewed as the quintessential British “classic” sports car.

Even before production ceased the Triumph Stag was regarded to be a classic - it had everything: looks. power. a sound to die for. and a certain sector of the market all to itself. Within the space of a few short years. it picked up a cult following. and remains today one of the most iconic classics of the time.

The following for the Stag remains stronger than ever with many owners clubs and parts specialist ensuring an amazingly high survival rate for the car with restored. or so called restored. examples being plentiful.

As with most classics though it is the un-restored original examples that are the rarest and hardest to find. they are the most sort after and consequently these are the cars that are most highly prized by the few owners lucky enough to own one.

Even leading Stag specialists say that in their opinion an original car is always the best option.

It is over thirty years now since the last true Triumph. excluding the Honda based Acclaim. left the production lines. Stag prices have risen lately and those in the know are predicting that Triumph's in General are set to take a huge leap. up to three times current prices. in value over the coming years. We think few will rise more so than good original un-restored Stag's

 

GNT 566M

 

In late spring 1974 a loaded transporter left the Triumph works at Canley Coventry heading towards the West Country. Amongst the various Triumph models it carried was a Leyland White Stag with hard top. Sundym Glass. automatic transmission and Light Alloy Wheels.

 

The Stag was destined for a Devon Dealer. In the next four decades it would only ever leave the County again once.

 

In May 1974 the husband of the first owner of GNT 566M. A Doctor. visited Dutton Forshaw (Torbay) Ltd in Babbacombe Road Torquay. The purpose of his visit was to order the above mentioned brand new Triumph Stag for his wife who at the time was 66 years old.

 

GNT 566M was first registered in the Doctors name on the 17th of June 1974 with his wife's cherished registration number. She was absolutely delighted and instantly fell in love with the car.

 

The owner drove her new Stag away from the Dealer to her home some 7 or so miles away near Brixham. That evening it was safely parked in the double garage attached to the house. It spent every single night there for the next 39 years. without exception. We collected it from the very same house now belonging to the owners Son. also a Doctor but now retired.

 

GNT 566M was its new owners absolute pride and Joy she cared for and about the Stag with a total passion. Although registered in her husband's name the car was most defiantly hers. in fact her son can only recall his Father ever once driving the Stag which was that one and only time that it left Devon when his parents had to visit Birmingham for the day.

 

GNT 566M was used regularly by its fastidious owner in and around Brixham. Her son recalls just how much his mother loved the exhaust note - amplified in the narrow Devon lanes. He also tells us that. much to his mothers dismay. all of the use the car had was with the Hard top in place. His parents were unable to remove it without his help and he can only recall doing this once for them. Having put the hood up his mother decided that it was not something she could do on her own so he refitted the hard top again.

 

The owner made sure that the car was serviced exactly as per the manufacturers instruction. No expense was spared and every single piece of paperwork relating to the car was meticulously kept and filed.

 

In all there are two full A4 lever arch files. Every service invoice form its first at 994 miles in the Autumn of 1974 to the last in 2009. The file contains around 120 invoices for service and maintenance totalling in excess of £14. 00 in all.

 

Early invoices are from the supplying dealer and other BL dealers. Later ones are from other franchise dealers as BL dealers no longer existed. Since the turn of the century invoices are from a local BMW dealer and one of the final invoices from them which shows the mileage at 45. 27 reports that "on road test no faults found on the vehicle". The mileage now is 45. 99.  

 

The invoices detail everything that has been done and form a superb history trail. From removal of the 8 track player and its replacement with a Panasonic cassette player (still present) to the important things you will be keen to know have been attended to when buying a Stag.

 

Those important things being amongst others no invoice that mentions any trace of overheating ever. We list here just the important routine maintenance carried out in the past 500 miles or so. Timing chains replaced. head gaskets replaced and heads refaced. radiator replaced. converted to run on unleaded. new stainless steel exhaust (the stickers are even still new) new luminition ignition kit and the carburettors overhauled by a specialist. This work alone was totalled £2. 22.

 

In 1980 the owner registered the Stag in own her name.

 

As the owner aged use of the Stag became less although maintenance continued. By the early nineties with the owner now in her 80's the MOT's in the file show just a few hundred miles a year which was soon to decrease even further with only the journeys for MOT's and service adding to them.

 

When the owner became unable to drive she would not let her beloved Triumph Stag be sold and insisted that her son should continue to have the car looked after - which of course he did and is why maintenance continued until recent years even though the mileage hardly rose at all.

 

Sadly. last year the owner died. she was 104.

 

Title past to the owners son and he shows on the registration document at the same address as his mother and his father before that.  

 

Her family decided to part with the car but retain her cherished registration number and the Stag was issued with an age related plate earlier this year.

 

GNT 566M is an absolute credit to its owner is presented in fantastic original condition and has covered a genuine 45. 00 miles from new.

 

    

BODYWORK

 

GNT 566M is remarkably rust free and original. All of the usual problem areas are excellent. The floors under the carpets not rusty. nor is the boot floor or the hood storage compartment.

 

The car retains all of its original panels.

 

In the mid eighties whilst parked at the kerb side in Brixham the Stag was damaged down one side by a council worker on foot carrying a ladder.

 

The owner who was in the car at the time was. as you can imagine. terribly upset. The damage was eventually repaired at the Councils expense though not to a standard that the owner was at all happy with. Her son tells us that there was just a slight variance in colour between the new and the old paint finish but his mother just could not bear to live with it.

 

In early 1988. with his mother insisting that the job 'be done right' this time. the owners son took the Stag to one of the county's leading coach builders in Exeter. Even though they were approved Porsche body repairers they were unable to 100% guarantee that if they just repainted the area previously painted that it would be a completely perfect match to the original paint. "You really need to repaint the whole car if you want a perfect job" they said. "Do it then" said the owner.

 

An estimate which details the work including removing the bumpers. lights. mouldings. door handles. rubbers etc and  rubbing down  the entire vehicle before undercoating. applying primer and top coat is in the file. The owner also wanted a small area of rust attended on one wing - "so that it will not come back". The only sure way to do that said the body shop is to cut it out and let in new metal. "Do it then" said the owner again. They were right - it did the trick twenty five years later there is not the slightest sign of the rust reappearing or of the repair for that matter.

 

With the estimate is a work shop job sheet that lists parts and consumables used in the respray. Even down to the number of sanding discs. pop rivets. how much gun wash was used etc is listed. It is noteworthy that no body filler is listed - because in fact none was used.

 

The work done in 1988 cost £1465. nearly £4. 00 at today's prices. It was carried out to a high standard and a quarter of a century later still looks fantastic.

 

A couple of small localised blow ins have been done since the repaint as a result of parking mishaps but the vast majority of the paint finish is 25 years old.

 

There has never been any welding done to any part of the underside and none is required.

 

Boot. and door shuts are in fantastic condition.

 

There is the odd stone chip and mark here and there that has been touched in with a touch up brush.

 

Chrome work is also in excellent original condition with no dents or splits.

 

The hood is the original factory fitted (there is date of manufacture tag still attached hood label 14. 5. 1974)  and as we say has only been up once so is in outstanding condition with no rips or tears. the rear screen has not cracked has no distortion and has not discoloured at all. The inner lining is fawn and unmarked.

 

The hard top was repainted with the rest of the car in 1988 and had a new genuine headlining fitted then which remains in as new condition. The lower chrome trim below the nearside rear window is a little loose and most likely could do with new clips.

 

INTERIOR

 

The interior is in fantastic original condition.

 

The desirable blue trim contrasts so much better with the white exterior than chestnut or black and was only available on early cars.  

 

The Ambla front and back seats front are virtually unmarked with just a couple of small splits to the piping on the outer edge of the driver's seat.

 

The factory fitted carpets have been covered from new in the footwells and are excellent with just a little fading and one or two finger nail sized losses of tufting.

 

The wood veneer on the dash and centre consul is unmarked and as new as is the dash top and. correct. steering wheel.

 

The original door trims are excellent and have not been cut for radio speakers.

 

There are no rips or marks to the rest of the trim.

 

Correct for the Stag and in matching trim colour Radiomobile speakers were fitted in the rear cubby holes with the original stereo 8 they now remain with the Panasonic cassette player which has a switched electric aerial.

 

All of the knobs and switches are excellent and everything tested works as it should.

 

UNDER THE BONNET

 

The engine bay as you may expect is exceptionally clean with original stickers still in place.

 

Nothing under the bonnet was touched during the respray and the paint finish looked as though it had yellowed in places so we got our body shop just to tidy it up a little.

 

Original sound deadening still in place.

 

IN THE BOOT

 

The generous sized boot is. again. in excellent condition with no tears. stains or marks to the black carpet trim.

 

Original factory fitted hardboard.

 

Tool kit in original bag.

 

Plug spanner in Red Triumph bag.

 

Original alloy spare.

 

Boot floor in rust free condition.

 

ON THE ROAD

The car starts on the button with manual choke - and that oh so fantastic sound.

 

On the road the car drives like a dream. you just can't help loving it -just so proper!

 

The engine pulls well and the gear box changes up and down through the gears and kicks down just as it should.

 

The suspension is firm and tight and the power steering tight and precise.

 

You cannot fail to enjoy driving this Stag everything from the driving position onwards has just the best classic feel.

 

HISTORY FILE

 

1.    V5c (logbook) shows 2 former keepers all at the same address.

2.    MOT April 2014

3.    Correct plastic wallet which is unmarked with hand book in its correct plastic cover. Triumph sales and service distributor book. instructions for the Panasonic cassette player and the old 8 track player. triumph club literature passport to service book with stamps.

4.    33 Old MOT's.

5.    most old tax discs

6.    Various service. maintenance and parts invoices over 130 in all

7.    Original and second log books

8.    original order form and invoice.

9.    local authority paper work back to 1975 and DVLA paperwork.

10.             every insurance cover note and paperwork back to the seventies

 

SUMMARY

 

If you are looking for an original un-restored Stag. with low mileage you will already know that you have your work cut out. However. if what you really want is one that has covered less than 46. 00 miles with just effectively just 1 Lady owner from new then you will also know that. up until now. you have had an impossible task.  

 

There are plenty of so called restored Stags around some good of course. the majority though - well absolutely horrendous. As we say even the Stag specialists that sell the good restored examples acknowledge that you just can't beat a good original example they also know that it is the original cars that will not only hold their value but appreciate.

 

GNT 566M has had a cosmetic repaint 25 years ago as the result of the most minor of mishaps. Scarcely any bodywork was done at that time and none has been done since. if any had it would certainly be showing signs of such by now.

 

This is a very exceptional Triumph Stag indeed. It has been cared for without regard to cost by a loving owner and there is indisputable written evidence of this in the huge history files present with the car that catalogue every piece of paperwork issued since it was new. It was not only garaged. but in the kept in the same garage since new. It has never been left out overnight since new.  

 

VALUE

 

Kept in this condition which. unlike a restored car. should not be hard to do this Stag will increase in value over the coming years. As we have said those in the know are predicting original condition Triumphs and Stags in particular are set to increase 3 fold in the not too distant future.

 

Not surprisingly we have been unable to find another 45. 00 mile un-restored one lady owner car with comprehensive service history to make an exact price comparison with. Pistonheads is as good a place as any to look.

 

However there do seem to be several cars around on that site. albeit with more miles more owners or having been restored. with specialist dealers from £16K to  £20K.

 

The reserve for GNT 566M however is much. much lower. in fact thousands of pounds lower than the cheapest of these!

 

VIEWING

 

We will. of course. be happy for serious buyers to view the car by appointment and with reasonable notice. although we will always do our best to accommodate. prior to auction end. However. please bear in mind the expected final price above.

 

If you are unsure of being able to acquire the relevant funds equal to the expected final price you should question. for both our sakes. whether you should come to view.

 

Please be sure that this is the vehicle that you want before you bid. If you have any doubt come and see it first or at the very least telephone. However. if you require someone else to sanction the purchase. i. e. your wife's permission. please get it before you come to view.

 

If you do want to view or ask for any more information please call David. on 07771 567567 or e-mail via ebay. We really are very approachable and welcome any questions about the vehicle.

 

ORIGINAL V RESTORED - OUR VIEW

 

We endeavour. on the whole. to offer original. genuine. exceptionally low mileage and unrestored cars from the 1970. and 1980. .

 

Almost all cars from this era have had a little paint rectification carried out at some time during their 20-40 years. However there is. of course. a huge difference between rectification of paint work and total vehicle restoration.

 

Paint rectification at the factory post production line or. indeed. by the supplying dealer was common in the 70's and 80's when most cars were sprayed by hand as opposed to today's automated processes. From time to time we will offer a car that has had some paint rectification for these reasons or perhaps to localised areas following parking mishaps etcetera.

 

Occasionally we may offer a car that has had rather more paint rectification although we will always endeavour to make this known in the description. It will be very rare however for us to offer a car that has had a full restoration. and only then if we have satisfied ourselves of the quality of the work.

 

It is becoming extremely difficult to obtain an unrestored 20-40 year old car. By and large they were just not built to last in the 70's and 80's. However. if you do find an original example that's survived the chances are that. if looked after. it should last for many more years. after all it will only have lasted this long because it will have had little use and been extraordinarily well cared for previously. The same. unfortunately. is far less likely to be able to be said for a car that has under gone renovation.

 

We think that you simply cannot beat a straight original example of any item. There is a school of thought that believes that if you take something apart and then put it back together you are just recreating that item in a false attempt to make it as it was in its former glory. and that no matter how well a vehicle has been restored it can only be original once.

 

Whereas we know that many restorations are done to the highest standards we believe that there are far more that are not. Who really knows what skulduggery may lie beneath a car that has possibly covered hundreds of thousands of miles then been restored at least one time or maybe even more than once! In our view if a car has required restoration then by default it must have become worn out. tired and have most probably been neglected.

 

It is interesting to note that of late we have sold some of our finest original quality cars to some of that particular Marques top and best known restorers - not for them to restore but for them to keep! Even they know. in their hearts. that one thing is for sure - a car that has been the subject of restoration. no matter how good will. almost with out exception. lack the spirit and soul of an original example and probably cost 3 times as much to complete and be worth less than half the an original example when done!

 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

 

By Bidding on any item it will be deemed that you have read understood and accept these conditions.

 

ZERO RATED BIDDERS OR BIDDERS WITH A RATING OF LESS THAN 10. please read the conditions that apply to you below.

 

Contacts. location

The vehicle is in South West Oxfordshire. 15 minutes from the A34 at Oxford (M40 from London or Birmingham) or 20 minutes from Swindon East Junction of the M4.

Mobile 07771 567567

E-mail via ebay

Before you enter a bid

Please be sure that this is the vehicle that you want. that you are happy with and understand the description. that you understand the rules of ebay and that you have read these terms and conditions.

 

Description

We have included a full and honest description and photographs which many people will feel happy to buy from. The description endeavours to be as informative as practically possible but is not. obviously. meticulous with regard to every individual part or area of the vehicle and is intended to represent an overview and not a thorough condition assessment report.

 

Please remember that all vehicles deteriorate as soon as they leave the factory. just some to a lesser degree than others. This is not a new vehicle and common sense. giving consideration to its age and mileage. should prevail. Any references to condition should be taken in the context of age of vehicle.

 

If you require any further information regarding specific areas please just ask. BEFORE YOU BID.

 

We are a business selling on ebay it is important to us to maintain our good seller's reputation and ensure that our customers are completely satisfied. Therefore it is positively not in our interest to deliberately miss-describe the vehicle.

 

Finally so confident are we that our description is a fair representation of the vehicle that if. on collection. it is not and there are obvious serious imperfections or serious faults. not previously mentioned. we will not expect you to proceed. However please do not interpret this genuine good practice offer as a way out of not paying. or paying less for a vehicle that you have legally bought for the amount bid at the auction end.

Photographs

All photographs in the listing are taken by us using a digital camera. They are recent and are often taken just hours before the listing is posted. Other shots may be available please just ask and let us have an email address. All photographs are copyrighted and may not be used elsewhere without our express written permission.

Test drive

You will be able to take the vehicle on an accompanied test drive before you pay for it but will only be able to not proceed if you find a major mechanical fault that has not been mentioned in the description.

When you bid

By bidding you are agreeing and legally bound. if your bid is highest and the reserve is reached. to unconditionally buy the vehicle for the price that you have bid.

Negative. zero rated. international bidders or bidders with a score of less than 10 please call or e-mail before you bid with a landline number and address. We accept that just because you don't have a high score does not mean that you are not serious. but we do need to check you are real. that you clearly understand the rules and your intentions are good-you hear of some horrible tales!.

 

Far be it for us to tell you how to go about bidding. However. over the years we have had some bitterly disappointed bidders who placed there best and final bid just to late.

 

We understand why you might leave your bidding until the final few seconds however please at least make sure that you are signed in to your ebay account. one of our customers recently missed a car that he had searched for for years because when he went to bid he had been logged out and had not left himself time to re enter his password!

 

It may be to your advantage to take independent advice on the best way to bid. You are welcome to call 07771 567567 after the auction end should your bid not have been successful.

Reserve and buy it now price

As is the way with auctions. we will not normally divulge the reserve price or issue a buy it now price. if we do from time to time we will state so in the description.

 

In fairness to all bidders we will not end the auction early and let it run its course. except on the very rear occasion of the vehicle being advertised elsewhere.

 

Please. do not ask what the reserve is set at we really are unable to say any more about the reserve than we already have under the value section.

 

 

If you are the winner

The Successful bidder should contact us within 12 hours of auction end. Preferably  by email. via ebay. and by telephone 07771 567567.

 

An invoice will be issued for the full amount via ebay with instructions how to pay the deposit via Paypal.

 

All buyers must pay a £200 Deposit via Paypal or cash within 24 hours of end of auction.

Payment

In all cases the balances. after the £200 deposit above or any additional deposit below. must be paid within 7 days of auction end.

 

The total Balance to be paid by Cash U. K pounds on collection or bank transfer prior to collection. We will transfer the money back should we not proceed for misrepresentation reasons as outlined above.

 

If you are unable to provide the above we will require an additional deposit of 10% of the sale price paid in cash or via Paypal within 48 hours of the auction end. You will then be able to give us a personal cheque or bankers draft provided they are drawn on a U. K bank either of these will need to be cleared and funds drawn against them prior to the vehicle being released. Sorry there can be no exceptions and deposits are not refundable.

Collection

The vehicle must be collected within 7 days of auction end unless otherwise agreed. We will assist you with collection where we can and will email full directions on how to find us.

Please give us as much notice of required collection time and date as possible. If you are delayed its not normally a problem please just let us know. We would ask that you ring us when you are an hour or so away from us.

We reserve the right to charge for storage if the vehicle is not collected within 7 days of auction end.

We do check our vehicles over before sale but please remember that the vehicles we sell often are many years old and some of them have had none or very little recent use. Occasionally things can unexpectedly go wrong. Allow plenty of time for your journey. especially if you are catching a ferry and it may be a good idea to have AA or RAC cover. this is not a reflection on this particular car just good general advice for any older/classic car user.

 

We are happy to pickup the buyer from Oxford or Swindon Station; delivery of the vehicle or collection of the buyer from elsewhere may be possible at extra cost – just ask. We will always try to be flexible and help where we can

 

AIRPORTS. Provided that the reserve price has been met we do offer a collection service from Birmingham. Luton. Heathrow or Bristol Airports. subject to suitable times. We charge a nominal £25. 00 for this. For costs where the reserve has not been met or other locations please enquire.

 

Delivery. we do have a tow vehicle and are able to hire a trailer big enough for most cars. please enquire.

General

Non paying bidders will be reported to ebay and may be referred to an international debt collection agency.

 

The successful bidder should ensure that the vehicle is insured by them at auction end.

 

Bidders from outside the U. K. welcome but please call before bidding.

 

Descriptions. terms conditions and pictures used in this listing are copyrighted and my not be used without the authors express permission.

 

Items bought at auction do not have warranty.

 

You will not be disappointed with this vehicle so please start your bidding now- best of Luck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also published at eBay.co.uk

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