chunky 6,089 Posted August 20, 2019 4 minutes ago, Chadster said: Did Graham Plant not wear a scarf? Aabsolutely he did; good call! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,242 Posted August 20, 2019 51 minutes ago, Chadster said: Did Graham Plant not wear a scarf? Rickard Hellsen also wore one whilst a 'Rebel' in 1975...similar to Michanek. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chunky 6,089 Posted August 21, 2019 5 hours ago, steve roberts said: Rickard Hellsen also wore one whilst a 'Rebel' in 1975...similar to Michanek. Yep. Again, a Swede... Nordin and Holmqvist too. Still, when did the monkey masks become popular? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,242 Posted August 21, 2019 (edited) 5 hours ago, chunky said: Yep. Again, a Swede... Nordin and Holmqvist too. Still, when did the monkey masks become popular? They were certainly widely used when I first went to speedway (1972) which is why riders like Michanek, Hellsen and, one of my favourites, Holmqvist (although he had adopted a 'monkey mask' by the time he rode at Cowley in 1973) made an impression on me as they were different to the norm. Edited August 21, 2019 by steve roberts 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grand Central 2,654 Posted August 21, 2019 (edited) 8 hours ago, chunky said: Yep. Again, a Swede... Nordin and Holmqvist too. Still, when did the monkey masks become popular? Looking back through a load of Stars from late 1971 it is obvious that there were just a few riders using Classic Monkey Masks that season. The majority were using a variety of chin/nose masks, possibly a lot homemade, along with the old fashioned 'gas goggles'. Going forward It is clear that the use of Monkey Masks increased exponentially through the early 1972 season. By August 1972 the great majority of action photos shows the guys using them. That was the turning point. Interestingly in early 72 there is a half page advert in some editions for Lewis Leathers that shows, alongside their traditional suits, a Monkey mask available for £2.99, although it is not called that by name, the photo is clear. I don't think they produced them but were stockists so I assume others started selling them at that time as well - and in big numbers it would seem. Edited August 21, 2019 by Grand Central 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FAST GATER 852 Posted August 21, 2019 (edited) I still have one and in reality they offered very little protection but they did give much better perifheral vision which many riders prefered against full face helmets of the day .Mauger used to modify his mask as did Joe Owen in that he put in the biggest piece of lense material( came on a roll like clingfiim only thicker and you used the old lense as a pattern cut out with sissors ) that would fit ,you can see this on many of his action shots . Edited August 21, 2019 by FAST GATER 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grachan 7,352 Posted August 22, 2019 Martin Ashby always wore a fairly unusual one. I remember Trevor Hedge used to wear the same one, but not sure if anyone else did. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,242 Posted August 22, 2019 (edited) Seem to recall that Eastbourne's Bobby McNeil wearing a spotted scarf to protect his face? Edited August 22, 2019 by steve roberts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chunky 6,089 Posted August 22, 2019 (edited) 20 hours ago, Grachan said: Martin Ashby always wore a fairly unusual one. I remember Trevor Hedge used to wear the same one, but not sure if anyone else did. I think that the most unusual thing about Martin's mask was the colour - it was white (or at least a light cream colour). This style - more form-fitting than the monkey mask - was used by several riders, including - as you say - Hedgehopper. Nigel Boocock was another one... Edited August 23, 2019 by chunky Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chunky 6,089 Posted August 22, 2019 14 minutes ago, steve roberts said: Seem to recall that Eastbourne's Bobby McNeil wearing a spotted scarf to protect his face? Bobby was another one who had a weird mask (when he was at Swindon); I don;t recall anyone else having something similar. I think it had rigid cheek protection with a large nose vent/flap, but as you say, it did have large spots on it. He may have had a spotted scarf as well, but I certainly remember the mask. Steve 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tyler42 150 Posted August 31, 2019 On 8/20/2019 at 3:27 PM, falcace said: Does anyone know who was the last to wear one regularly in British speedway? Finn Thomson and Kelvin Mullarkey come to mind as riders that persevered with them into the 1980s - anyone know of anyone else? Jeremy Luckhurst was wearing a monkey mask as late as 1987 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,242 Posted August 31, 2019 9 minutes ago, tyler42 said: Jeremy Luckhurst was wearing a monkey mask as late as 1987 I think that he was still wearing one when he turned out for 'The Cheetahs' in 1997? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
