TRIUMPH STAG
the attention. The straight-six 2300 and 2600 are both fi ne alternativesbut if it’s a V8 you want then you’ll have to pay for the privilege. The
carburetted cars are the most affordable, while the Vanden Plas EFi and the
VItesse are mechanically identical with the more luxurious VdP being the
more affordable choice.
ONE TO BUY
1985 Rover SD1 Vanden Plas
Many of the surviving SD1s tend to
change hands within the club scene,
making this an unusual fi nd. An
unfi nished project, it needs a bit of
bodywork and sits on non-standard wheels with US-spec headlights but
could be a great project. SD1 values are likely to rise as they become ever
more scarce and the manual VdP is a rare car. More details via
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C682645.
ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER SPIRIT
£3500-£15,000
2997cc 145 bhp 118 mph
Developed by Michelotti as a motor show concept on the basis of a time-worn
2000 saloon, the Stag was snapped up for production by Triumph which then
proceeded to reinforce the body strength with the addition of the T-shaped
rollover bar and to develop a new alloy OHC V8 engine for the car.
In theory the car couldn’t fail: a four-seat convertible offering a V8
soundtrack, brisk performance and Italian style. The reality was somewhat
different, with the engine gaining a reputation for unreliability once it
entered the realms of back street garages. Many were converted to Rover
V8 power which was a shame, but Triumph specialists today know all the
tricks to make the V8 reliable and today cars with the original Triumph
engine are more highly valued.
The market is only just waking up to Stags after years of the cars being
rather undervalued and as a result prices do vary. A solid but tatty car is a
great place to start though, since parts support from the likes of Rimmer
Bros is excellent
ONE TO BUY
1976 Triumph Stag
A Mk2 car in Carmine Red with the
four-speed overdrive, this Stag comes
with a stainless exhaust and just
74,000 miles. More details from http://
junction59classicsltd.co.uk.
1980s
ROVER SD1
£500-£9000
3528cc 155 bhp 126 mph
When the SD1 arrived its looks immediately made the outgoing P6 look
rather staid, while its hatchback offered a practicality the competition
couldn’t hope to match. Under the skin though, its make-up was rather less
adventurous than the P6, using MacPherson struts up front and a live rear
axle. That really didn’t matter though since the addition of the V8 engine
created a discreet hot rod in the style which BMW would later exploit so
well with its understated M5. Although that really didn’t apply to the later
V8S models in metallic green with their gold alloy wheels.
Today the SD1 is a modern classic favourite and it’s the V8 models in all
their guises from early carb-fed cars to later injected Vitesses which grab
£3500-£15,000
6750cc 230 bhp 127 mph
The Spirit wasn’t the fi rst Rolls-Royce to use the legendary ‘six and three-
quarters’ V8 nor was it the last, but it remains one of the most affordable.
The plain Silver Spirit – as opposed to the later turbocharged models
and its Bentley siblings – has yet to gather the kind of classic following
which has seen the Silver Shadow creep up in value but it’s every inch a
proper Rolls-Royce. It’s also a signifi cant car for the marque, since it was a
brave attempt by cash-strapped Rolls-Royce to develop a modern car for
the ’80s from the Shadow platform which had already been in service since
the ’60s. The Spirit model would eventually serve from 1980 until 1996.
Like the Shadow, a too-cheap-to-be-true Spirit can be hiding big bills in its
rusty wheelarches and a service history is essential with these cars if only
to check that the costly hydraulic maintenance has been performed. If it
has, then you’ve got yourself an aristocratic motor car for a fraction of its
original price.
ONE TO BUY
1988 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit £9975
Yes, you’ll fi nd tired Spirits for a third of
this price but they can very quickly cost
more in labour charges for the fi rst MoT.
What we have here at Touch of Classics
is a series 2 Spirit with the fuel-injected engine, a full history from R-R
specialists and in lovely condition with Light Oyster paintwork. With four
new tyres it’s ready to go and is yours for £9975. More details from
http://www.atouchofclassics.co.uk.
1990s
LAND ROVER DISCOVERY
£500-£5000
3528cc 156 bhp 92 mph
If you like the Range Rover style but don’t fancy the hefty price tag of the
late-model LSE then here’s a sideways route in. The Discovery is widely
regarded as the car which saved Land Rover from the onslaught of the
72 Classic Car Mart Spring 2016