On 11/04/2021 05:27 pm, JNugent wrote:
On 11/04/2021 12:17 pm, NY wrote:
"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).

My brother had a Hunter GT and I often used to drive it (circa 1974 /
1975). I don't remember the brake lever being between the driver's seat
and door.

UPDATE: I rang him and he clearly remembered the brake lever being down
on the RHS of the driving seat. That had definitely not stayed in my memory.