Comments | lifein1973: Random motor musings

fawsley in lifein1973

Random motor musings

Dec 02, 2007 23:22

The Cortina doesn't have any wing-mirrors - and I think in 1973 they would have been proper wing-mirrors as opposed to the side-view ones like today. Isn't it illegal not to have one on the driver's side? Perhaps removed for cosmetic filming purposes? But of course it does make for great shots of the Guv peering over his shoulder whilst reversing ( Read more... )

bizarre ramblings

Comments 14

theanonsisters December 2 2007, 23:35:06 UTC

I believe they're supposed to be on the front e.g.

http://www.twiglet.com/images/cortina%20drive.jpg

http://twiglet.com/images/cortina.jpg

I never noticed there were no wing mirrors. Too busy watching the UST.

fawsley December 2 2007, 23:44:39 UTC

*nods* That's what I was thinking of, though unless that first pic is of a left-hand drive the mirror is on the passenger side!

You've got me Googling... Ack! draycevixen December 2 2007, 23:40:18 UTC

I can't find any pictures of a early 70s Ford Cortina that shows wing mirrors (Mark III). All of the 1976 onward ones have them.

Of course, this is just a quick Google search...

Then there's this...
"As a car driver in the UK (in vehicles constructed after mid-1978), you are legally obliged to have at least a driver-side mirror and one other internal or external mirror offering an adequate rear view." Apparently not required until after 1978!

Re: You've got me Googling... Ack! fawsley December 2 2007, 23:46:44 UTC

Crikey! 1978 seems a bit late but does explain the lack. I know the cars we had when I was a kid in the 60s had wing-mirrors as it was my job to clean them on car-wash day!

Another thing their absence allows for in LoM is of course Sam rolling across the bonnet...

Re: You've got me Googling... Ack! draycevixen December 3 2007, 00:14:47 UTC

*Ouches in sympathy as thinks of Sam rolling into a side mirror*

Those other pictures are of an American model (left-hand drive) and I don't know what the law is/when it changed in America.

This is one of those things where they probably did it for the filming BUT unlike some of their *real* mistakes, it isn't actually a mistake (pre-1978).

Re: You've got me Googling... Ack! theanonsisters December 2 2007, 23:48:59 UTC

Well image one, above, is a mk III cortina licence plate K like the one in the show and it has front mirrors. I think you're right, removed for cosmetic purposes. I'm still a little amazed I didn't see it...

Thread 7

kalypso_v December 3 2007, 14:35:30 UTC

This reminded me of John, the farmer who used to deliver our milk in the Lake District, and his technique for driving backwards.

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fawsley December 3 2007, 16:31:52 UTC

Brilliant! How lovely that you've got a pic of John and his van and his wonderful technique! Where abouts in the Lakes were/are you?

kalypso_v December 3 2007, 16:35:41 UTC

We spent most of our holidays at the southern end of Coniston Water from before I was born - in fact it was during a holiday there in 1961 that my mother realised she was pregnant.

fawsley December 3 2007, 16:45:55 UTC

A-ha! Wild Cat Island! Pirates ahoy!

sytaxia December 6 2007, 07:31:11 UTC

Wow - I'd never considered the fact that there weren't any mirrors on the holy Cortina...

And now I'm wondering when seat belts became standard/legal in the UK - it wasn't until 1978 that cars even had to include them in the US...

Definitely good food for thought, and thanks for posting.