About Us

Motorcycles, cars and vintage aviation…

For Retrotec’s founder, Guy Black, it all began with a spark of curiosity in Rye Grammar school’s metalwork shop, where he made a small steam engine. This early fascination with engineering led to a Saturday job at the renowned high-speed engine research firm, Weslake & Company, Rye, where under the mentorship of Harry Weslake, Guy undertook an apprenticeship with academic studies at Ashford College. He gained invaluable experience, there, where his time at Weslakes included design work on a wide range of projects, from racing motorcycle engines to the iconic V12 F1 engine for Dan Gurney. 

This hands-on experience sparked a deeper interest in racing, and soon Guy was behind the wheel himself, setting the stage perfectly for his first entrepreneurial venture – Lynx Engineering

Specialising in tuning and restoring Jaguar C and D Types, Lynx quickly established itself as a leader in the field, even building road-going replicas and undertaking complex body conversions. The success of Lynx allowed Guy to explore new horizons, including learning to fly and developing a passion for vintage aircraft restoration.

Retrotec was born from this same spirit of learning and his existing deep-seated passion for engineering. From day one, our mission has been to bring this enthusiasm to everything we do, from restoring vintage aircraft to innovating new ideas and solutions. Our highly skilled team of like-minded individuals all share this unwavering dedication to craftsmanship, precision, and the continual pursuit of knowledge. Along with the very same passion that ignited Guy’s journey—ensuring that our work not only meets but exceeds the highest standards of excellence in both engineering terms and in absolute authenticity.