what were they called before May West?
Flora Doras shackles? Sorry, couldn't help it.
Narrow on top and wide at the bottom kinda like Mae West. There is also a life jacket called the Mae West, for the same reason.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mae_West
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/299679.html?1342574694
Not to be funny, but I always thought they were called mae west because Mae West had big breasts.
The life preservers were called mae west I thought because they were like big breast helping the wearer to float??
Robert;
Same here
https://www.google.com/search?q=mae+west&newwindow=1&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&e i=k8_HVOSxJtLXoASmpYHQDw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=865
While yes her upper is ample there was a long time through history that wide at the hips was sexy.
If Model T's had been made in the 70's, they would be called Dolly Parton shackles.
Today, they would be Kardashian shackles.
The Mae West shackle used on early Fords is wide and wider, with narrow in between. Mae West became a star after the era when the shackles were used, but her name was applied because of the resemblance to her figure. The mid-teens shackle is the same width, top and bottom, and narrow in between, so it's called a figure eight.
Ok Steve that makes sense.
For now on if we have a female anatomy question, Steve Jelf is our go to guy!
Why doncha come up and see me some time. We'll try out my shackles.
Those shackles will raise your hackles.
The T shackles likely would not have been called "Mae West" at the time they were installed on new cars. She was basically an unknown rising star of Vaudeville around 1912. Her big break on stage did not come about until 1917 (I had to look that up).
A star, business women, and brilliant promoter, she was no dumb blond!
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
well while you were all fondling through your vintage porn collection Wayne sheldon worked it out. According to official Ford archives Henry referred to the early shackles as violin shackles and it was not until 1933 that a ford parts dealer in Wisconsin by the name of hank pinkman advertised the replacement shackles in the local rag as May west shackles to try and drum up business and the name appears to have stuck and was used universally from that time on in subsequent advertisements across the us.
WOW Ken P! Where did you find that out? I think YOU may deserve a trophy!
Do drive carefully, and enjoy, W2