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

LOL. I remember it well because when he let me drive it (I was about 10) on
a deserted road, I bashed my calf on the end of the handbrake as I was
getting into the driver's seat. Bloody stupid place to put the handbrake -
on a car that has two separate seats rather than a bench seat, and so has
space between the seats for the handbrake. For a bench seat (*) under the
dashboard, as an umbrella handle, is better than on the driver's side where
there is only a narrow gap between seat and door and where it is a hazard to
young boys' legs ;-)


(*) Or a car with two seats which touch, with no space between them, like on
my mum's old Renault 6.