1971 Triumph Stag

I love British cars from the late 60s through the 1970s.  I love them because they are cheap and they are cheap because they are crap and they are crap because they were made by British Leyland.  Ok, I don't actually love them because they are crap, but there is a little known secret that exists within the classic car corridors.  Cars that flop when they are sold often ride their junk reputation for decades and decades and this reputation will often set the price of the vehicle.  The Triumph Stag is an awesome example of how you can take advantage of this secret.

The Stag is a beautiful car.  It was penned by the great automotive designer Giovanni Michelotti whose client list also included Ferrari and Maserati.  It is a 2+2 Convertible so you can haul your kiddos along while you live the open top British motoring dream. It has a 3 litre V8 that can sound down right dirty with the right exhaust modifications. It has one of the best names ever.  So whats wrong with any of this?  Unfortunately the aforementioned Triumph V8 was so unreliable when it rolled off the production line that the timing chain fell off just by staring at Michelotti's stunning design.  The engine problems gave the Stag a reputation that not even a James Bond movie cameo could fix.

This reputation has led to generally slow appreciation within classic car circles.  Those who haven't done any additional research on the Stag beyond Time magazine's worst 50 cars of all time will not think twice to pass on the relatively rare car.  This means you can pick up an example like this one for a mere $10,000 or less and you should definitely do that.  Just make sure you read this pdf from the Stag owner's club of New Zealand. Staying Out of Trouble with the Stag Engine