Random # 96: Triumph Stag

This elegant Italian-styled, British-built Stag was photographed in New Town, Tasmania, one lovely summer's day.

Stags' reputations took a battering early on, with complaints about the reliability of their small V8 engines - which were prone to overheating - souring the public's perception of the car. 

They were also said to be prone to rust and other build-quality issues, many of which were attributed to British Leyland and the troubled relationship they had with their work-force.

Many owners opted to fit their Stags with 3.5 litre Rover V8s - the same type fitted to Range Rovers, Land Rovers and MGB GTs - to name a few cars to share that engine.

However, investigations undertaken during Philip Glenister's TV show For The Love of Cars proved that the original V8 - effectively two existing Triumph four cylinder engines joined together - was a more than adequate performer and that the initial cooling problems that blighted the car were down to under-filling the radiators during production. 

Despite having being labelled a lemon early on, Stags are still extremely popular and are often seen in Tasmania and on mainland Australia, too.

The Stag shown here - resplendent with its glossy duco, shiny chrome and period features - shows just why they have such a keen following amongst classic car buffs.

U M P H

(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

All iPhone images.