1975 Stag

[Steve F]

Hi
I'm very interested in buying my first Stag with an asking price of £7500 for a 1975 model. Although I've not yet seen the vehicle apart from pictures as the Stag is apparently rust proofed and in great condition does this price seem too cheap? I've seen prices of £20K-£30K.
The only point to make it does not have the original 3 Litre engine but a Rover V8 3500cc, so does this devalue the Stag?
Thanks for any help you can give me

[Philip Wardle]

Hi Steve

As you have joined the SOC but don't yet have the experience of being an owner my advice would be try to find one or more members in your local group to go with you when you look st the vehicle. For example this will give you a better idea of whether the chassis is good but it needs mechanical work, or vice-versa, or whether chassis amd mechanical parts are good but the interior needs a refurb.

Cars with Rover engines were traditionally seen as less valuable, but I'm wondering if this is changing as the cost of a professional rebuild of a Stag engine is now vastly higher that a Rover? Others who are more active in buying and selling may have a view.

Another factor in your buying decision might be to compare the current condition against what you would like to achieve. If the the car is a sound and useable as it stands, and you're ok with any minor defects that can be fixed over time it could be good value. On the other hand, to get it to the sort of condition you'd expect for £20-30K you'd have to factor in the cost of this, and that would depend on how much work you would be doing yourself vs. paying a specialist to do it.

I'm sure others will offer further advice.

[stagerooney]

Hi Steve - There is an old saying, "you get what you pay for". Never more true than buying classic cars!
I would avoid buying a Stag with a non original engine .
Buy the best you can afford. As you say, a really good Stag will be £20k plus.
Do not make the mistake (as I did) of buying a goodish Stag around the £15k mark and ended up paying another £5K to sort it over the following 12 months!
If you don't mind doing work yourself , then a reasonable running car can be bought around the £10k mark

[Goldstar]

Steve if you drop me a dm I’ll have a look at the ad for you.

[Steve F]

Hi
The car is on car and classic.com and the link is

https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C1920864

Are any members showing their Stags at this weekends classic car show at Knutsford as i intend to visit as only live 3 miles away?

[gbb483]

I don’t know anything about the Rover engine, but is it missing air intake filters?

[badenstag]

At least the chrome strips on the windscreen seal and on the hardtop are missing

[StokeyStag]

Hi Steve,

I saw your post about buying a £7.5k Stag. I won't comment on whether or not it is a value for money purchase but as you mentioned in your post, decent Stags are in a significantly higher price bracket.

I will shortly be (reluctantly) selling my 1972 Stag which I have restored from bare metal. If you want to compare a sub £10k car with a £25k ish car I am down the road from you near Stafford. No pressure to buy but it may help you make a more informed decision. Just message me via this forum if you want a gander.

Regards,

Mark

[Lingen]

And all the seat foams appear to have perished. And the trim on the inside of the driver's door look wrong. The interior does look generally scruffy, as does the engine bay.
Maybe it isn't a bargain. I would get it checked over very thoroughly.
Mike.

[ramjam2005]

As others have said, quite a few things noticeable from just the photos,

• the missing air filters
• engine bay not looking its best,
• missing rubber blanking grommets on suspensions turrets
• Why a non-standard closing panel on inner wing by battery ?
• Missing chrome trims on hard top and front windscreen surround. Including holes for fixing clips have been filled.
• Interior looks a little tired, centre console ? seats recovered in leather but frame on drivers seat doesn't look good and tired.

Some of the cosmetic things you could live with for a while but all will take money and time to rectify to an acceptable standard, especially if you don't have the skills to do them yourself.
Not wishing to burst your bubble (if I haven't already! ), with all the above I would take a very good hard look underneath if / when you view it as corners may have been cut elsewhere on any other work carried out. Lift the footwell carpets and inspect floor panels , same with the boot, under rear seat squab and soft top storage compartment.
And as advised, if not familiar with the Stag , take someone with you that is as, without wishing to be blunt but I will, you don't want to be buying a pig in a ballgown.

Update...Just noticed on closer zoom-in on bodywork, not sure if it's my eyes but is the sill raised ridge that runs from rear of front wing and below, slightly proud of the door edge / rear wing missing ? I.E non-standard body repair work on the "previous" restoration?

Ray

[Philip Wardle]

What is this at leading edge of driver's door? Interference?

Screenshot 2025-08-15 at 06.18.42.png

Window switches on cenrte console non-standard, no radio or blanking plate, console not sitting in the correct position (witness mark on carpet), rear corner is dog-eared, parcel shelf missing, can't see two of the knobs on heater controls (but maybe hidden from view)

Screenshot 2025-08-15 at 06.26.58.png

Non-standard dimmer control (potentiomer shaft protrudes too far), given the overall condition of car I would check telescopic adjustment of steering wheel (likely to be jammed / very stiff)band wear in roller bearings (side to side play in steering wheel)

Screenshot 2025-08-15 at 06.38.09.png

I don't know about ins-and-outs of Rover conversions, but is it not possible to do this without the bubble in the bonnet?

Screenshot 2025-08-15 at 06.50.36.png

[Goldstar]

Gents while I understand we are all keen to have an opinion, let’s not forget someone is trying to sell this car and from what I read has made no claims that it’s perfect and the price reflects that.

Factual observations are ok but please stick to the facts rather than assumptions or conjecture.

[Philip Wardle]

Fair comment Goldstar - I think people are trying to help by pointing out features in the photos that may well have been considered in setting the price, and things to check if anyone goes to look at the car.

[Goldstar]

Fair comment Goldstar - I think people are trying to help by pointing out features in the photos that may well have been considered in setting the price, and things to check if anyone goes to look at the car.

All understood and agreed but these type of threads have a habit of going a bit “wonky” shall we say?

[richardthestag]

I must admit I have never understood the point of roasting a cheap car, not happened on here for a while but this is not the first time.

If your intention is for the original poster to feel dejected, as half the posts on here suggest he is looking at a lemon, which in reality he may not be then bravo. Just do not understand it.

holy crap tatty engine bay and missing / incorrect parts on a very cheap stag, hold the front page.

Steve F as Philip W suggests I would have a chat with your area rep and see if someone can view the car with you.

btw my first stag was a nail, it was cheap and mostly filler but I flippin loved that car