Stag or TR6 dilemma

[Stag Knight]

Hi all you Stag fanatics

My dilemma is that I am looking to buy either a STag or a TR6 as my first venture into classic cars....a bit of a mid life crisis I guess...safer than motorbikes but still a bit of performance! I know you guys are likely to be biassed , but any help on the pros and cons would be appreciated. I want a car that will be reliable, mostly sorted, but not immaculate. Any thoughts would be enormously helpful regarding buying prices, long term value and maintenance costs.

Mk 1 or Mk 2 Stag (or TR6)?
Manual or Auto (no strong feelings personally)?
Buying privately or from one of the few specialist dealers (presuambly at a premium)?
Do colours (conservative or 'garish' )fect prices?
etc etc

No hurry to buy one - Id rather the make the right decision, but first I need to decide which model!

Many thanks, obviously I will join the SOC if I go down the Stag route.

[staginhiding]

Ok my opinion as I have had both..
The Stag is a great touring car and is good if you need to carry more than two people..
Can be expensive of the maintenence side especially the engine..
My preference is a MK2 auto.
Some of the garish previously unpopular colours are now back in vogue,so dont worry there..

The TR6 is fun to drive but is a traditional sports car of its time.no power steering..
Injection system was always a bit suspect and the usual body rot can be an issue..
Not that comfotable on a long run but does the job ok..
Values are higher than a Stag for a good car..

Hope that helps a bit

Sam

[darrellprice]

Hi; I currently have a Stag and a TR6 so finally a topic I have some knowledge on! They are very different cars and serve two quite different purposes in life. Mine may have rolled down the same production line in the same year but ended up being very different. The TR6 is a sports car, two seats, great fun in the twisty stuff, lots of fun on a sunny Sunday for a short blast, top down. The steering and clutch can be heavy and its manual only of course, the TR feels “older” than the Stag. I guess the TR6 was nearing the end of its life that can be traced back to the TR2 with its frame, etc. whereas the Stag was a new “modern” design without a frame and with macpherson struts. If we have a long drive, I am talking three or four hours plus, then we take the Stag as it is more comfortable and more relaxed, it is a touring car built for driving distances in comfort. After four hours in the TR I feel beaten up! Not so in the Stag.
The TR is much easier to work on, you can’t get a much simpler engine to service and maintain. Adjusting valve clearances, adjusting ignition timing, the cooling system, all are much easier on the Six. Rust is an issue on either car, just in different places due to frame / no frame, etc I hate rust with a passion so for me both cars were bought based on being rust free. Colour is a personal thing, I happen to like magenta! My Stag is white, one of the most common colours and the TR is red which does seem to suit its personality but as I say I bought them based on being rust free rather than the colour. If you choose to go manual try to find one with overdrive, both the TR and Stag were available with overdrive and it does help on the motorway.
So two very different cars, the Six is a proper old sports car and the Stag is a GT / touring car.
Oh, and one has two seats and the other has four! (being a bit of a smart ar*e I know but on occasion we take the kids out so four seats are required, if we want to leave them behind then it is the 6).

[fedex]

I agree with Sam, I'm on my fourth Stag, but back in the 80's I had an early TR6, both are different, but as long as you get the right one they are great to own. You are right not to rush into it. Dealers will charge a premium, but you will or should have some recourse if it goes wrong. (beware buyer) Theres a lot of 'glued' together stuff out there!. So if you going to spend good money, which at this moment you will have to because prices are going up and up for a good one of either car, I would take your overalls and a friend who knows about classic cars when you view. My latest is a 72 mk 1.5 auto, which I paid good money for, but when I got it home there were little things that I did'nt notice on my own, Good Luck and I hope we have helped in some way. Roger

[Stocky]

I have had both; the TR6 was my first classic car. I got lucky and bought a good one.
The two cars are chalk and cheese. You need to decide if you want performance/handling or a very good touring car. The TR6 is a fun car, but hard work if you are pushing on all the time; the ride can be harsh and I always felt tired after a trip (and I don't in the Stag). It is also a very small car by today's standards and you may feel vulnerable in traffic (especially a motorway).
The straight six engine is pretty unburstable and the injection system is reliable if well maintained by someone who knows what they are doing. The V8 is fine if well maintained...but I'm sure you will do due diligence about that!
The Stag is a much more relaxed and comfortable drive, although you can push on if necessary.
Always buy the best you can afford: let someone else spend the money on restoration. A reputable dealer will give some backup and warranty and will have checked that there are no hidden nasties. Rust is the biggest problem with both cars.
Drive as many examples as you can, it's the only way to know what you really want in a car. You may find you hate one or the other once you drive it.
Good luck

[bullstarz]

Having only had a Stag I would defiantly recommend the TR6.

Unless you have a shed load of money, are highly trained in mechanical engineering/welding/spraying/how the f**k did they do that/Why the f**k did they do that/ patience and time. Also, total prepared to throw logic out the window an just embrace it as it was the 70's. Then the Stag might be ok.

[Stocky]

how the f**k did they do that/Why the f**k did they do that/

So true! The 6 is so much easier to work on; much of the Stag design seems a deliberate attempt to make things difficult. OTOH, if you like a challenge...

[edd]

They are totally different cars so pointless making too many comparisons both are great in their own way. Both have a fair share of good ole leyland engineering Decide if you want some company in the form of a four seater. That's why the Stag wins hands down. I'm looking forward to taking my wife and daughters out not driving in shifts to share the fun . Also I prefer to drive a Italian designed car to a German one
Edd

[Dylan]

Over the years I've owned 3 Spitfires, a Herald and two Stags, the latter both manual and automatic. I helped a friend with his TR6 so have driven that too. The Spitfires and the TR were huge fun (we won't say anything about the Herald....), but I would go with the Stags any day. I agree I especially like the Mk2, with the proper wheels.

My Stag is a manual, which I wanted as the previous one with the BW auto revved too highly for my liking on the motorway (1000rpm/20mph), so the overdrive gives you some advantage. My current car has been tweaked by the previous owner with Holley carb, tubular manifolds and straight-through exhaust, so it's got a lot of go especially straight out of the blocks. But to be honest I don't think that's right for the character of a Stag. I really like the noise from mine - especially in confined spaces!- but have to admit it can get a bit wearing on a long run, so if I had my way I'd stick with a more conventional exhaust and go for the ZF 4-speed auto to get the same relaxed cruising advantage.

Like others have said - buy one that's properly restored, it'll save some grief. But in my experience all Triumphs are biodegradable so there is always something to be fixed or replaced. And you've got the 4 seats vs 2 seats issue - personally I think the Stag is an outstanding 2+2 and has loads of luggage carrying capacity, more than equivalent moderns.

Have fun looking and testing - you're welcome to come and try mine!

Dylan

[GDPR]

My brother had a TR6 for 16 years - bought it when it was 4 years old. By that time it already had serious hidden metal worm and bodges. The PI system used to have its episodes and overfuel like mad, diluting the oil and creating other wear issues. The engine thrust washers dropped out. The fuel pump would just whine like a banshee and not move fuel on a hot day - cured by an expensive Bosch pump conversion. The rear spring mounts collapsed. The front wing flanges dissolved and had to be rebuilt to keep the front wings on. The rear hubs parted company from the car on two occasions - just like the Stag. The steering was too heavy for my liking.

When it was on song however, it was glorious! Wonderful exhaust note and a real "hairy chested" sports car. It was the 150hp version so wet weather cornering could be erm...exciting!

Don't think a TR will be less trouble, but just different trouble - the engine however is virtually unbreakable and parts/engineering support fantastic.

I had to maintain this car while he had it, so this isn't secondhand bar room opinion -I loved the car and all the niggles, but I love my Stag too - with all its niggles...

[davidf]

The following comment was made in Autocar in July 1970, when they road-tested a pre-production Stag. I think it was very perceptive, and, 44 years later, it is difficult to find better words to summarise the comparison.
"Anyone coming to the Stag and expecting it to be a taut little sports car like the TR6 will be disappointed. It is much more a touring car ....
..... the Stag is a fine touring car with a long-legged character which eats up the miles very easily."

So, I think you must decide what type of car you want; whichever, you are probably choosing between the best examples of either type.

[tonypy1]

My brother has a TR6 with a rebuilt engine to 150bhp spec however, I've found the performance disappointing against my Stag - the 3.45 diff seems to take the edge off the acceleration and the engine noise isn't a patch on the Stag's. I was pleasantly surprised as to how refined the TR6 is, I was expecting it to be a real "bone shaker", overall though I've been really disappointed with driving it (against the Stag) as I've always wanted one. My brother now regrets the 20k that the TR6 owes him and says that he too prefers the Stag, he prefers how much more modern it feels and the better engine note.

[stevestag]

My only advice would be if you go for a stag is make sure it has the right engine, would hate to see you get lumbered with one that has the unreliable and expensive to maintain triumph engine just make sure it is the best V8' ever built
Cheers steve
Mimosa stag powered by rover

[Stocky]

...regrets the 20k that the TR6 owes him...

Anyone going into classic car ownership thinking that "the car owes them" is bound to be disappointed.

[tonypy1]

It's more the point that he was offered a mint Stag for about £10K but decided to pursue the TR6 dream, they are cheaper because there are so many more of them. He could have bought that and had enough in reserve for several engine rebuilds had the 'unreliable' v8 let go. Each to his own and all that, it might just be that the latest '150' bhp cams are a little lacking on low down torque and that once it is fully run in there will be a bit more go at the top end.