Neil Street

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In 1974–1975, Street became involved in designing engines. Ivan Tighe designed a four valve head for the Jawa engine, with input from Street. The engine went for manufacturing in just four weeks and was taken to Newcastle for a meeting held to be held the night before the Australian championships, but the meeting was rained off, so the engine was yet untested on the track. Phil Crump then used the engine in the Australian Championships at Sydney and took nearly 3 seconds off the track record held by Jim Airey. This was considered a remarkable feat considering the fact that the engine was straight from the workshop and had not been tested at a meeting. Crump had been given the option of his normal 2-valve engine, but after trying the 4-valve refused to get off the motorcycle as confirmed by Ivan Tighe.

Street died at home in his native Melbourne on 6 October 2011, aged 80. He had been diagnosed with cancer 5 years previously but kept the illness hidden from the media. His cancer spread to his leg and as a result had a fall a few weeks prior to his death and banged his head but he did not tell anyone. He was unaware that the fall had caused a brain hemorrhage and Street slipped into a coma during his sleep and died on 6 October.^[6]