A featured car
KKH 295N, 1974 Triumph Stag
By Jon Cosson
A 1974 Mk2 Stag in the rarely-seen French Blue, with the sought-after manual-plus-overdrive gearbox and its 3.0-litre Triumph V8. Well kept across five decades, around 51,750 miles, only some 7,000 of them since 2006, and recently the subject of a comprehensive, documented restoration. A Stag done properly, and a study in what that takes.
At a glance
| Built | Triumph, 1974 (body Speke, final assembly Canley) |
|---|---|
| Registration | KKH 295N |
| Model | Mk2 (“Series 2”) |
| Finish | French Blue with tan perforated-leather interior |
| Engine | 3.0-litre Triumph V8 · twin Zenith-Stromberg carburettors · dual sports exhaust |
| Transmission | Four-speed manual with overdrive on 3rd and 4th, the sought-after combination |
| Running gear | Independent suspension all round · servo-assisted brakes · power steering |
| Interior | Perforated leather (an upgrade on the original vinyl) · wood-rim Moto-Lita wheel |
| Mileage | Around 51,750, of which only ~7,000 since 2006 |
| Restored | Malton Coachworks, Malton, North Yorkshire, October 2025 to March 2026 |
A documented restoration
KKH 295N’s history file tells the story every Stag buyer hopes to find, not one panicked push, but sustained, proper work over years.
2020, a mechanical refresh
A thorough mechanical refresh: a full set of tyres, new front brake pads, both cylinder heads skimmed, a new manifold gasket, a new water pump, distributor cap and rotor arm, a new starter motor and battery, fresh timing chains, a gearbox oil service, and wax-oiling of the underside.
2025–26, a major restoration
Between October 2025 and the end of March 2026 the car underwent a major restoration by Malton Coachworks of Malton, North Yorkshire, and returned to them in June 2026 for part of the top section to be resprayed. The underbody was stripped to bare metal, treated, and coated in epoxy and Raptor; the top half was not stripped but was prepared and resprayed. The engine and gearbox came out to cure a weak second gear synchromesh, and the gearbox and overdrive were overhauled by a specialist and refitted. The steering rack was overhauled and the clutch replaced. The suspension was rebuilt on new bushes, springs, dampers, ball joints and top mounts; both halfshafts and front wheel bearings were replaced and the differential seals renewed. The fuel tank was stripped and coated, new copper brake lines were run, and at reassembly a seized brake pressure differential valve and a fractured overdrive solenoid were found and put right. The twin carburettors were stripped, ultrasonically cleaned and rebuilt, the door gaps reset, the front seats rebuilt on new diaphragms and base foams, and a period-style Bluetooth radio fitted.
KKH 295N is the author's own car, bought from Classic & Sportscar Centre of Malton, whose coachworks division carried out the work described above. Those firms and this archive link to each other, and no money has passed in either direction for any article, link or listing. The full documentary record of the restoration, drawn from the workshop's own inspection report, estimates, job sheets and invoices, is published separately.
Restoration gallery
The 2025–26 rebuild, in pictures, from a bare-metal shell to the finished car.
On the road
Sorted, a Stag is grand touring at its most characterful, and this one is no exception. The smooth 3.0-litre V8 offers easy torque and, through the dual sports exhaust, that signature Stag burble, often called one of the best-sounding engines of its era. The four-speed manual is crisp through the gears, the overdrive slipping in on third and fourth for relaxed cruising, while independent suspension all round, servo-assisted brakes and power steering make for an easy, comfortable drive. Inside, the perforated-leather trim, matching door panels and contrasting piping, with the wood-rim Moto-Lita wheel, make an inviting cockpit.
Why it matters
Three things make KKH 295N a notable survivor. It is a Mk2 with the manual-plus-overdrive gearbox, the combination enthusiasts seek out, and the one that best suits the Triumph V8. It wears the uncommon French Blue over tan leather. And it carries a deep, documented history culminating in a bare-metal restoration, the difference between a Stag that rewards its owner and one that drains them. It is, in short, the answer to the question this site keeps returning to: is the Stag really that bad? Not when it is this well sorted. The car is the author's own.
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