A true visionary
Peter Williams, who has died aged 81, was a fabulous rider and engineer, responsible for some extraordinary motorcycles.
Some years ago, I was issued a request. I was travelling back to Norfolk from Lincolnshire that weekend and would I be able to pop over to nearby Louth, home of HRC, and collect a Honda CBR600 engine, that Honda UK’s top motor sportman Neil Tuxworth was lending to Peter Williams. My brother Simon had worked with Peter at Lotus cars years before, and either Simon or one of his pals was going to 3D scan it for Peter, so that Peter could have accurate dimensions for the Moto2 project he was working on. I only found out later the engine was the one Steve Plater had recently used at the TT, to come fourth with. But such was the esteem Peter was held in, for both his personality and his innovative mind, people were willing to help.
Born on August 27, 1939, the son of works Raleigh, Vincent and Douglas race ace and later AMC competition shop boss Jack Williams and Thora, whose brother was racer Tommy Bullus, the young Williams was also going to be a motorbike man. From an early age he was happiest on two wheels, initially on bicycles (which he modified, a shape of things to come) and then on a 150cc James, before building his own Velocette special out of the bones of twoMk.II KSSs, on which he had his first experience of track riding, at a Brands Hatch practice day in 1962.
Acquiring a 350cc Manx Norton, Williams made his race debut in late 1963, coming fourth. His first major success was winning (partnered by Tony Wood) the 250cc class and coming seventh overall in the
1964 Thruxton 500 race, on a 250cc AJS Model 14
CSR, albeit one prepared at the works and entered by Tom Arter – with whom Williams was to become intrinsically linked.
In 1964, Petermade his Manx GP debut, retiring his 350cc Manx, but was back in 1965 with Reg Orpin’s
250c Greeves – Orpin, owner of L Stevens Shepherd’s Bush, had noticed his Thruxton exploits – and recorded a fine third place, though he retired a 500cc Dunstall Domiracer in the Senior, when going well.