MGC Forum

Duncan's fondness for flowing scarves was the cause of her death in a freak automobile accident in Nice, France, on the night of September 14, 1927, at the age of 50. The scarf was hand-painted silk from the Russian-born artist Roman Chatov. The accident gave rise to Gertrude Stein's mordant remark that "affectations can be dangerous."

Eared knock-offs had been outlawed prior to 1970 due to the "Isadora Duncan effect" in which one's scarf becomes entangled in a wheel nut at speed, leading to the rider's untimely end.
http://www.cs.mtu.edu/~steve/MG/mg-about.html
I assume the above is true because it comes from a U of Iowa grad student....I am told Iowans are unable to lie....
Details are below on the bizarre circumstances of Duncan's death....


Duncan was a passenger in the Amilcar[6] automobile of a handsome French-Italian mechanic, Benoît Falchetto, whom she had nicknamed "Buggatti" (sic). Before getting into the car, she reportedly said to her friend Mary Desti and some companions, "Adieu, mes amis. Je vais à la gloire!" (Goodbye, my friends, I am off to glory!). However, according to American novelist Glenway Wescott, who was in Nice at the time and visited Duncan's body in the morgue, Desti admitted that she had lied about Duncan's last words. Instead she told Wescott, Duncan said, "Je vais à l'amour" (I am off to love). Desti considered this too embarrassing to be recorded as the dance legend's last words, especially as it suggested that Duncan hoped that she and Falchetto were going to her hotel for a sexual assignation.

Whatever her actual last words, when Falchetto drove off, Duncan's large silk scarf, a gift from Desti, became entangled around one of the vehicle's open-spoked wheels and rear axle. As The New York Times noted in its obituary, "Isadora Duncan, the American dancer, tonight met a tragic death at Nice on the Riviera. According to dispatches from Nice Miss Duncan was hurled in an extraordinary manner from an open automobile in which she was riding and instantly killed by the force of her fall to the stone pavement."[7] Other sources described her death as resulting from strangulation, noting that she was almost decapitated by the sudden tightening of the scarf around her neck.[8]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isadora_Duncan#Death

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Regards,
Robert Kirk

kirkbrit@yahoo.com
E-mail PLEASE for quote/questions/orders

Business phone 563 323 1017

http://kirks-auto.com/
Moss distributor/UK importer
Beat or match most retail/delivered quote

Since she met her fate in 1927, and winged knockoffs were in use until the late 60's, I dont see that there was much of a correlation. Maybe they were eliminated because of the James Bond car that used them to cut up the sides and tires of a car running next to it.

Good storey Robert.

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Paul McLaren

1969 MGC GT
1970 MGB Roadster
1970 MGB Roadster

The basics of the story are true, although theere have been many, many versions of it. I have never heard anyone relate the ban of eared spinners with her death however. Probably just somebody being a bit melodramatic.

From what I've read and been told, it was pedestrian safety, the same reason wing mirrors were banned in some countries, which led to non-eared spinners.

nah....it was the Mustang in Goldfinger that made eveyone worry.

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Law of Logical Argument - Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.

"Anyone with an intense emotional interest in a subject loses the ability to observe it objectively: You selectively perceive events. You ignore data and facts that disagree with your main philosophy. Even your memory works to fool you, as you selectively retain what you believe in, and subtly mask any memories that might conflict."

Actually Bill the most common referenced "story" relates to the Duncan Effect. Ben Hur and Bond Cars not withstanding, her fate is the line most often quoted as the reason for the ban. As both Hur and Bond are fiction, I put my faith in the real legend and attendant documented facts.
As with many Government sanctions the pragmaticism is oft overlooked in the zeal to do "something" even when the threat is mostly imaginary. Given the only documented death related to winged knock ons, I again find the "reason" likly to be tied to the dancer's miss fortune. But of course I am always open to documented proof to a contrary explanation...sports car rampageing school grounds gobbleing up the little innocents....or pedestrians being sliced and diced by wire wheels ala the voracious appetite of the attendent winged knock ons...

Germany was actually the first Nation to require the octagons while the US followed later. The US ban came even later in the mid to late 70s as I recall. Thus what started as a safty issue ultimatly led to a short term ban if I understand the brief time US suppliers were allegedly unable to import the spinner style.

The wing mirror issue is something I have never heard nor seen in my 45 year long love affair with LBCs. I personally find the placement of a mirror forward of or upon mid fender a tad troublesom for a truly clear rear view. Thus I would suggest any vehilce law may have precluded wing mirrors as an adequate rear view device but that is my speculation only.

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Regards,
Robert Kirk

kirkbrit@yahoo.com
E-mail PLEASE for quote/questions/orders

Business phone 563 323 1017

http://kirks-auto.com/
Moss distributor/UK importer
Beat or match most retail/delivered quote



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-11-27 05:04 PM by kirks-auto.

My dad bought a new 3000 in 67. No spinners then FWIW. Personally I attribute it to all the safety measures of the era. Seatbelts were becoming mandatory. Padded dashes and colapsible steering columns. Not that safety is a bad thing just that it really seemed to start taking off in the early 60s with Nader & Co. I suspect the spinners were deemed dangerous along with the Corvair.

I believe it was the 1968 model year that the ban of factory eared knock-offs came into effect in the United States. The 1967 MGB/GT that I have indeed has eared (and wquite worn, I might add) knock-offs.

I, too, had never heard of the correlation between Isadora Duncan and the ban...I had always heard of the Pedestrian Safety concern.

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1952 MGTD - 1969 MGC - 1972 MGB - 1974&1/2 MGB/GT V8 conversion - 1978 MGB

mowog1@aol.com

I have a friend, an older gentleman, who owns a MGA twin cam, German spec, imported from Germany years ago and it has octagonal knock off's which he says were original to the car. Since the car is unrestored and he is to cheap, he admits that, to spend $5.00 to enter a car show with any of his 20+ car I believe him. I know back in the early 90's I was unable to get eared knock off's from Moss, Roadster Factory, or VB. I was told at the time that were sitting in a customs holding area unable to be sold in the U.S..By 1996 or 1997 I was able to buy them from Moss . So someone must have had a change of heart.
Tony



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-11-27 05:41 PM by tenntony.

I heard the same thing Rick. 1968 was the year of the safty changes(padded dashes, duel master cylinders,rocker switches) in cars sold in the United States. Not just imports but U.S.makes too.
Tony



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-11-27 05:46 PM by tenntony.

Well, Im not sure about the scarf. That would have to be an awfully long scarf. When I was I was High School, I use to dabble with Healeys and Spitfires and the like. My dad told me the reason that winged knockoffs was due to the tire shredding scene in Goldfinger. At the time Dad worked for Ford. He said that the US goverment became concerned that it was possible to make such a device and there for had to protect motorist from themselves. And here we thought road rage was a new concept. the US goverment along with the Nadar nuts who lead the crusade, winged nuts where not banned as such but no longer permitted for use after a certain date. Even the Mustangs at the time had a three eared hub caps which was later changed out and the three ears no longer appeared on mustangs hub caps. My dad always thought it was funny being an engineer, because as he said, no one took into account how you could extend the winged nut and keep the wheel on. I suppose now with all the hydrulics and such for cars that do all kinds of crazy stuff, a device could be developed, but the time and expense and still you have to keep the wheel intact Just silliness at the time I guess.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-11-27 06:35 PM by MGCAA61.

Yes that's what I have heard also....broken ankles etc. which were brought on by US Safety standards.

I'd like to get a set like Mr. Bond has though.

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Paul McLaren

1969 MGC GT
1970 MGB Roadster
1970 MGB Roadster

maybe the US Goverment should have focused more on the umbrella industry as more people (agents) where killed with cynide tips of umbrellas than winged knock offs. :moody:

Tony, I was buying eared spinners from Moss in both the 80's and 90's. Must have been a short-term hold.

An excerpt from Original MGB:

I am confused.

Where is or was the law written. Eared knock offs are still for sale. http://www.daytonwirewheels.com/triiplecrossko.html

I know that BL raised the B to meet US bumper standards that were ultimately never legally/really changed.

Does that make eared knock offs and the raised bumpers myth busted.

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L.W.(Larry)Baygents
63B
77 Spit