Pre-1940 Triumph Motor Club Annual Rally

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Press release

Pre-1940 Triumph Motor Club Annual Rally marking 100 years of Triumphant motoring

In a major departure from the norm, this year we scheduled our rally, AGM and annual club dinner for a weekend in May rather than the usual mid-June date and on a Saturday. This was to enable us to couple it with the Triumph Picnic and Marque day that we have organised for a number of years and, as you all know, this year’s was special as we celebrated together the centenary of Triumph entering the world of four wheel motoring.

The event was memorable, not just for the diversity of the cars on display, but that it reflected the international flavour of the Club. We were delighted to welcome members from the United States, Australia, Canada, Holland and Belgium, who were clearly being made very welcome from all who had arrived from all points of the UK’s compass.

We were all there with the common goal of celebrating the anniversary of 100 years of the production of Triumph cars and it was incredible to see so many members and the very first Triumph car, the 10/20 present at our rally on Sunday the 21st May at Walton Hall Warwickshire.

It was also so nice to see so many Pre-1940 cars; I understand we had 42 across the weekend (which approaches a record turnout) and members from so many different countries present at our rally. It was not just the numbers, however, it was the collection of so many of the older of the surviving pre-1940 Triumphs going back 100 years to 1924 which really contributed to this occasion.

A big thank you to Michael Dacre for bringing the car along. The 10/20 All-Weather Tourer was the first car that Triumph produced in 1923. XI 3434 is the sole survivor of this model and dates to 1924. It is inremarkably original condition and is currently owned by club member Mike Dacre.

Another very rare car on display was Lawrence Moore’s Super Seven pickup. This Founders Plate-winning Triumph was greatly admired at this year’s Annual Rally. This Super Seven started life as a Fabric Saloon and was bought second-hand in the 1930s by the late club member Jim Richards. Jim retired it from the road in 1960 and stored it in one of his many sheds. It was only after his death that this Triumph, along with a number of others, was rediscovered and saved by family friend Mark Noble in 2006.

It was eventually bought by Dick Smith and soon realising the body was beyond economical repair decided to rebuild it as a pick-up in a similar style to one that Triumph proposed to make. Dick made a good start to the conversion designing making all the iron work with Rob Green tackling the bodywork and finishing the project for Lawrence. It is one of seven Super Sevens (a rare sight) lined up at the Annual Rally.

Some other cars on display were a 1938 Vitesse 2-Litre Flow-Free (Rob Green), 1937 Vitesse 14/60 Saloon (Chris Barton) 1940 Dolomite 1.5-Litre (14/60) Sports Saloon and 1937 Vitesse 14/60 Saloon (Dirk Devogeleer, Belgium). Others included a selection of Triumph Dolomites.

Also among the older cars on display was MY 1410 owned by Roger Janson and driven from Dibden Purlieu, Hants. This lovely 1929 Super Seven, a coachbuilt Saloon de Luxe, has wonderful family history, being owned from new by the current custodian’s grandfather who ordered it from a Middlesex dealership but collected it personally from the Coventry factory. Other than the five years of war when the vehicle was taken off the road, it was driven continuously until 1973 when the owner gave up driving. By then it had covered 114,491 miles, with the original engine on plus-30 pistons. It had been carefully home maintained through this long ownership and this continues today with the restoration back to its original glory ongoing.

It was splendid occasion a remarkable tribute to 100 years of Triumph representing the enthusiasm and dedication of our club members.

David Thomas

Press Officer

Pre-1940 Triumph Motor Club

Photos

GS 538 Yuu - Richard Pearce, who has owned this 1928 Super Seven Tourer for just over a year

Cars left to right in GS106 - 1938 Vitesse 2-Litre Flow-Free (Rob Green), 1937 Vitesse 14/60 Saloon (Chris Barton), 1940 Dolomite 1.5-Litre (14/60) Sports Saloon and 1937 Vitesse 14/60 Saloon (Dirk Devogeleer, Belgium)

GS 21-63-30 The pick-up and other Super Sevens

GSX1 34 34  The 10/20, the oldest car at the show

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