Crash Helmet Worn by Drag Racers Bob Thompson and Sam Buck, circa 1960
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Artifact Overview
Sam Buck and/or Bob Thompson wore this helmet in the Slingshot Dragster they raced in the early 1960s. Their Bell 500-TX helmet was top of the line at the time, used by professional drivers in stock cars and Indy cars. But its open-face design and relatively thin interior padding would make it unacceptable in any form of organized motorsport today.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Crash helmet
Date Made
circa 1960
Creators
Place of Creation
Location
at Henry Ford Museum in Driven to Win: Racing in America
Object ID
2007.45.2
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Buck & Thompson Racing Team.
Material
Plastic
Polyurethane
Leather
Steel (Alloy)
Color
White (Color)
Black (Color)
Dimensions
Height: 8.75 in
Width: 7.5 in
Length: 7.5 in
Inscriptions
label on front: BELL / 500-TX
label on back: APPROVED BY / SNELL MEMORIAL FOUNDATION / SAN FRANCISCO / SERIAL No. (number is worn off)
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