Details
DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, 1971
1970 TRIUMPH STAG ROADSTER
REGISTRATION NO. RVC 435H
CHASSIS NO. LD 14
ENGINE NO. LF8HE
YELLOW WITH TAN INTERIOR
ENGINE: V8 OVERHEAD CAMSHAFT, 2997 CC, 145 BHP AT 5500 RPM; GEARBOX: MANUAL FOUR-SPEED WITH OVERDRIVE; BRAKES: HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED DISC AND DRUM; SUSPENSION: INDEPENDENT ALL ROUND, BY MACPHERSON STRUT AT FRONT, SEMI TRAILING ARMS AND COIL SPRINGS AT REAR; RIGHT HAND DRIVE.
FOR TRIUMPH, THE ELEGANT V8 STAG TWO-PLUS-TWO ROADSTER OF 1970 WAS A FUNDAMENTAL BREAK FROM THE SIMPLE, RUGGED TR SPORTS MODELS THAT HAD SERVED THE COMPANY SO WELL FROM 1953. INTENDED TO BE A SHORT WHEELBASE DEVELOPMENT FROM THE SUCCESSFUL TRIUMPH 2000 SALOON, BY THE TIME IT REACHED PRODUCTION IT HAD ITS OWN UNITARY BODY SHELL AND A COMPACT THREE-LITRE V8. THE STAG'S DESIGNERS BELIEVED TOUGH NEW SAFETY REGULATIONS IN USA, THE CAR'S MAIN MARKET BY A WIDE MARGIN, MADE A ROLL-OVER BAR ESSENTIAL IN ALL SOFT-TOP CARS. THEY PROVIDED THE CAR'S PIONEERING BOLT-ON TEE-BAR. THE STAG WAS WELL-EQUIPPED, THERE WAS POWER STEERING, OVERDRIVE WAS AN OPTION FOR THE MANUAL-FOUR SPEED VERSION, THE TWO REAR SEATS WERE MORE USABLE THAN ON OTHER TWO-PLUS-TWOS. THERE WAS A CAPABLE DETACHABLE HARD-TOP. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS A POPULAR FITTING. NOBODY ELSE MADE ANYTHING QUITE LIKE IT AND THE PRICE WAS JUST RIGHT.
THIS PARTICULAR EXAMPLE, AS ITS VERY LOW CHASSIS NUMBER INDICATES, WAS ONE OF THE SMALL NUMBER OF EARLY PRE-PRODUCTION CARS BUILT. IT WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO PRODUCTION SPECIFICATION TO BE USED IN TRIUMPH'S PRESS FLEET AND IN ITS PRIME FEATURED IN A NUMBER OF MAGAZINE REPORTS AND TESTS.
THIS STAG FEATURED IN THE 1971 UNITED ARTISTS/EON FILM DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER. SIGNIFICANTLY, IT IS ONE OF THE FEW CARS IN THE BOND SERIES TO BE ACTUALLY DRIVEN BY SEAN CONNERY AS JAMES BOND. IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE FEW REMAINING SURVIVORS OF THE SMALL TRIUMPH PRESS FLEET FROM THE TIME OF THE CAR'S LAUNCH IN 1970.
THIS PARTICULAR CAR HAS BEEN ON STATIC DISPLAY IN A MUSEUM SETTING FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. WE ARE INFORMED THAT IN MAY THIS YEAR THE CAR UNDERWENT EXTENSIVE RESTORATION WORK TO THE BODY AND ENGINE AND WAS ALSO FITTED WITH A NEW RADIATOR. AT THE SAME TIME IT WAS CONVERTED TO RUN ON UNLEADED FUEL. IT HAS A BLACK FOLDING SOFT TOP (UNRESTORED) ALTHOUGH NO HARD TOP. THE RECORDED MILEAGE IS NOW SHOWING 50,000. THE HISTORY FILE WITH THE CAR INCLUDES A NUMBER OF PAST MOTS AND A CURRENT MOT UNTIL MAY 1999. THERE ARE ALSO A NUMBER OF PRESS CUTTINGS REFERRING TO THE CAR'S INCLUSION IN THE TRIUMPH PRESS FLEET. THE CAR SHOULD HAVE A TAX EXEMPT DISC BY THE TIME OF SALE. IT IS ACCOMPANIED BY A CORRESPONDING STILL FROM THE FILM.
THIS STAG HAS IMPORTANT STATUS TO TRIUMPH COLLECTORS DUE TO ITS VERY EARLY CHASSIS NUMBER AS WELL AS ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE FILM DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER. AT THE TIME OF WRITING CHRISTIE'S HAD NOT SEEN THE CAR AND ARE ASSURED BY THE PRESENT OWNER THAT IT IS IN ROAD GOING CONDITION.
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