"Andrew" wrote in message
...
It's quite a surprise to see a Mk1 Ford Cortina on the road
and notice how small it is in comparision to todays
'small' cars. Ditto 1968 Mk1 Ford Escort. School friends
father was a bank manager and in the 1960's they drove to
the South of France towing a caravan behind their Hillman minx
and with a dinghy on the roof rack too.

I'm amazed at how *narrow* old cars were, and yet I wasn't aware of
constantly rubbing shoulders with the person next to me, or my shoulder
forever hitting the door pillars.

Probably due to less side-impact protection in the doors.

I can't work out how they managed to fit the handbrake on the driver's
right, between the seat and the door, in cars such as the Hillman Hunter. In
a modern car the seat edge almost touches the inside of the door (including
door pockets etc).