Auto Repair Salt Lake

Our story begins with the birth of our founder, John Lelis. Born in Pocatello, Idaho in 1922, John or Johnny as he was called soon moved with his family to Salt Lake. He was the youngest of the boys and 3rd youngest in the family of seven, three girls and four boys. At a young age Johnny showed his mechanical skills by taking the gas motor out of his mother’s clothes washer to build a go cart. He drove it all over his neighborhood at Mead Ave (10th South) and 200 W about 3 and a half blocks from our shop now. As he grew his interests moved to motorcycles and again he was well known in the neighborhood for standing on the seat down 200 West and riding through West high in 1940. He repaired them in his garage.

In 1942 he enlisted in the Army. Along with his friends, he hoped to fight in World War 2. After basic training he was sent to what the Army called Medium Maintenance School in San Antonio, Texas. After completion of that course he was sent to Woodbury College in Los Angeles, California to receive college level training in the same subjects. He was all ready to go to Guam in the South Pacific when a law that congress passed allowing all limited service individuals to be discharged took effect. As a teenager, he had broken his legs and due to improper casts they did not heal properly. As a result, he could not march. He was sent to Hill Army Air Force base in Ogden. While waiting for discharge he supervised the building of the half round or semi round Quonset huts there. There are dozens of them.

Upon his release, he went into the auto repair business. Johnny’s Ford Shop, was a dirt floor garage on 8th South and about 150 West. John Lelis Automotive Machine was a building on 13th South between State and Main. The building is Lockhart Engineering now. Now the name changes to Lelis Automotive and a move to the building built to be a Tucker dealer at 845 South Main in 1948. Finally, Lelis Transmissions was incorporated in 1960. From 1944 to 2009, that’s 65 years of service. Sixty at this location.

Dad passed away in 1986. Just about all of the family have worked here at one time or another. Mike and Craig Lelis. Kristine Lelis worked at the parts store. Brian Lelis is the youngest but he’s been here an impressive thirty years. Ever since he was a parts pickup and delivery boy at 16, he worked his way up from the bottom. Right now, the people who can drive your car and diagnose it from inside are very few. Brian can and his skill starts out every job.