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• History
• What We Do and How We Do It
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History

The force behind R Lewis Engineering is Ron Lewis himself. Ron started his career aged 13 making tea in his local bicycle shop, The Excel Cycle Company of Woolwich. The owner, Harry Perry, was a skilled bicycle frame builder who taught Ron how to gas weld and braze. After school in 1959 Ron became an apprentice motor mechanic with Furlongs of Woolwich who dealt in Ford, BMC and Rover cars. As a matter of interest, Alf Francis, Stirling Moss’s mechanic also worked for the same company! Click here To see more Testimonials.

During this time, Ron had purchased his first machine, a 250cc Velocette scrambler but soon found that the wages at Furlongs were insufficient to support his racing ambitions, so he moved to Gold Seal Cars in New Cross specialising in sports and racing cars. However the wages were still poor so in 1961 decided to become a plumber’s mate that effectively doubled his wages! Still a long way off being the Norton Manx & Matchless G50 engines specialist he is today.

In 1962 Ron met Bob Gaylor who became a great mentor and friend and still is today. Bob became well known with his association with Piper Cams and cars and employed Ron on a freelance base for fabrication work.

In 1962 Ron met Bob Gaylor who became a great mentor and friend and still is today. Bob became well known with his association with Piper Cams and cars and employed Ron on a freelance base for fabrication work. 

Through connections made in this time, in 1965, Ron was offered a position with Motor Racing Developments (Brabham) in Woking. Working directly for Ron Tauranac he was responsible for suspension and chassis fabrication, and prototype development. On test days with Jack Brabham, Ron soon developed an instinctive understanding of the demands that racing can impose on parts, and was quick to have some of his own ideas incorporated in customer cars. In 1966 he moved on to the Allard Motor Company, where he developed and fitted supercharger kits for road and track use.

By 1969,Ron had become disillusioned with working for other people and in 1969 he set up his own company R Lewis Engineering, and was soon swamped with work for racing car teams such as Palliser Cars, Elden Cars and various private teams including Guy Edwards Racing, Alan McKecnie Racing, Bob Evans and Tony Hilder.

 During this time Ron continued to work on Manx Norton and Matchless G50 engines and developed a significant database of key suppliers for many of the previously unobtainable spares.

As Ron became better known, and customers became aware of his reputation as no nonsense highly respected engineer able to resolve previously seemingly impossible problems, it was clear by1972 that R Lewis Engineering should concentrate only on maintaining  G50 Matchless and Norton Manx engines. Since then the reputation of the company has continued to grow, with numerous satisfied customers, and significant successes on the track.

 For more information please contact us.