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Post by Ember on Oct 17, 2014 16:33:58 GMT -5
I figured there had to be an American connection even without the visor. The paint work on his helmet is very 'American hot rod' in style with all that pin-striping and the sunburst paint job.
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Post by David Lawson on Oct 17, 2014 18:06:19 GMT -5
I think you're putting the cart before the horse if you don't mind me saying so.
Mike Spence had this crash helmet before the filming of "Grand Prix" during 1966, he certainly had it in 1965 and without checking any references I don't know if he had it before that.
The Pete Aaron helmet that he wore during filming obviously wasn't his usual helmet, it does look like he subsequently added an Aaron peak to his own helmet but it isn't the peak used in the filming as that was a different shape.
So we still don't know the origin of his own helmet colour scheme.
David
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Post by Mark Huber on Oct 17, 2014 18:53:30 GMT -5
David, Yes, I must agree with you upon closer examination. I certainly don't know the origin of Spence's helmet color scheme. But why is Mike wearing a faded "reverse Amon" peak of any sort on that gold and rust helmet? I guess I will chalk it up to a mystery. Sadly , we can't ask Spence. Darn it.. I liked my theory and thought it was pretty good while it lasted.. (all of thirty minutes? )
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Post by David Lawson on Oct 22, 2014 2:28:57 GMT -5
I have checked all my reference books and original magazines but there's no hint to the origin of the design.
I checked The Nostalgia Forum today and they had a thread about it which was also short lived and inconclusive.
Apparently at the time there were comments like Spence had "gone yank" in his style but no one knew how or why. One theory was that it looked a little like the colourful bodies of electric guitars.
David
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Post by Ember on Oct 22, 2014 7:47:12 GMT -5
The original helmet (forget the visor) is certainly reminiscent of a classic sunburst as seen on many electric guitars in the 60s. The Fender version was inclined to start at a butterscotch and blend through shades of burnt orange before arriving at the red. I think I even called it a sunburst when Mark first showed it to me and asked if I could paint it.
Wherever its design origins, it's certainly a helmet that stood out from the crowd. That was the point, afterall.
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