Delaware Valley Triumphs

Club History – About DVT

The Delaware Valley Triumphs (DVT) Club was organized in 1977 for the benefit of Triumph owners and enthusiasts in the Philadelphia/Delaware Valley area. Membership is open to all who appreciate automobiles bearing the Triumph name. The club's primary goal is to provide a forum for the preservation, restoration and enjoyment of cars of the Triumph marque. The DVT is a chapter of the Vintage Triumph Registry (VTR) . From its humble beginnings, the club has almost 200 members located in the Philadelphia/Delaware Valley area, and, adjacent New Jersey and Delaware.

The histories of Vintage Triumph Register and Delaware Valley Triumphs are intertwined. Organized in 1976, through the efforts of Richard Langworth, DVT is one of the first VTR chapters.

Richard is well known in Triumph and Classic Car circles. At the time, he was the editor of VTR’s “The Vintage Triumph”, the senior editor of “Automobile Quarterly” and author of “Trundling Along with Triumph”, a history of the Triumph marque.

With VTR only 2 years old in 1976, Richard’s goal was to establish a network of local chapters. In August 1976, the New Hope Auto Show, north of Philadelphia, featured its first all-Triumph Class. Richard served as judge and used this show to recruit prospective members. Seven Triumphs were judged that day: including Langworth’s Dolomite, Randy Mason’s Mayflower, John Monning’s TR3A, Al Streyeski’s TR4A, and Mike Wolf’s TR3.

Two months later, approximately a dozen Triumph enthusiasts, including Mike Wolf, Ron and Peg Hoinowski, Al Streyeski, Jeff Hawkins, and Bill and Anne Gresham, met at Richards’s home for an organizational meeting. The meeting consisted of a road rally and ploughman’s lunch with Whitbread’s Beer, viewing Triumph factory films of LeMans and the Jabbeke Highway run of 1953, and the Delaware Valley Triumph Club charter was signed on that day, October 17, 1976.

Richard served as President; Bill Gresham treasurer; Jeff Hawkins agreed to write the newsletter “TRundlin’ TRiumphs”; and Al Stryeski planned the first Christmas party. DVT grew rapidly and by 1982 had 70 active members.

DVT has participated nationally for almost 30 years, including the Macungie Auchfest, 1981 VTR National in Bartonsville, and the 1988 VTR meeting in Lancaster, PA. The DVT annual picnic began in 1979 at Jim Walsh’s home and has continued at member home’s to this day.

DVT is active in the community, sponsoring the annual “Brits are Back”, benefiting the Historic Hope Lodge, in Fort Washington, PA .

With nearly 200 members, DVT pursues its mission fostering the preservation, appreciation, and enjoyment of Triumphs. Our members participate in a variety of events, including tech sessions, rallies, car shows, scenic and historic tours, and weekend jaunts. Delaware Valley Triumphs continues to ensure the future of Triumphs and their enthusiasts by offering a quarter of a century of activities, encouraging family involvement.

DVT is a very active organization. In 2004, we sponsored 34 club events, including monthly breakfasts and meetings (get together or GTR’s), dinners, rallyes, shows, tech sessions, and road trips. Additionally, our members participated in at least 27 additional events sponsored by fellow sports car clubs.

All members are encouraged to participate in the monthly GTR’ where plans are made for future activities. They generally begin with a short business discussion which is followed by a program of interest to members, as well as discussing your car and hear about others' experiences with their cars in our “How’s Your Triumph?” session. At the designated meeting place, we mill about and talk often after formal sessions, help others benefit from solutions to problems which you have discovered, plan club activities, events and parties.

Driving events are held several times a year and, of course, we are known to have great fellowship with other clubs and enthusiasts. We firmly believe our dedicated members make the difference and we openly invite everyone to join our family of sports car enthusiasts.

Join DVT