On 11/04/2021 18:05, charles wrote:
In article ,
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.

my father had a Rootes car (Sceptre?). It had a bench front seat, so the
handbrake had to fit between the driver's seat and the door.

My father had a Vauxhall (a Victor 101 Super). That had a bench seat
too. It originally had a 3-speed column shift gearbox and the handbrake
was a pull out, twist to release, handle - just below the dash.

He later cut a hole in the floor and fitted a 4-speed box, with a floor
mounted gear-lever, to improve towing ability.