Italian firm Jeb's created these Mille Miglia replica helmets in 1984
Classic racing drivers, car owners and bike riders want to look the part. The problem is that period helmets don’t offer the protection of a modern crash hat. But there are options.
When helmets became mandatory they were cork-lined with leather or shellac outers. There are a couple of modern recreations. Everoak, the period supplier to Mayfair hatter Herbert Johnson – where Stirling Moss, Jim Clark and Graham Hill shopped – creates ‘continuation’ helmets using both original equipment and the human element in Bill Vero, who is a helmet master craftsman.
The Signature Store worked with the props department to source helmets for Ford v Ferrari, the story of the 1966 Le Mans race, and more recently Argentinian company PACTO supplied helmets for the 2023 Ferrari film. PACTO offers a great range of helmets and racewear.
Giovanna Amati says it was only once she put her signature crash helmet on that she felt freed from the prejudice that was then often directed towards women in motor…
The official Formula 1 Exhibition that is touring the world features a helmet display sourced from a range of makers by The Signature Store – from ’20s-style flying helmets for Brooklands Boys to modern full-face helmets – exact replicas of those worn by F1 champions. If these replicas ever come up for sale they will be collectors’ items, but here’s a tip for a more attainable piece: in the 1980s an Italian helmet maker called Jeb’s created a run of 1000 helmets for the 1984 Mille Miglia. Many mistake them for Stirling Moss replicas as the peaked style is similar. They’re ideal for nipping to the pub in your period classic and you can pick one up for under £500.
Modern recreations of classic helmets are just for the look. They won’t have a modern Snell code (the Snell Foundation was set up to test helmets for their safety rating), so you won’t see them in action at the Goodwood Revival, but they are fine for completing the look at a car meet or event, and are collectors’ pieces in their own right.
