Bench Front seats

[Andrew164]

Looking at the explanation of chassis numbers on Volvo 164 club of Sweden website, I see that distinction between cars with individual front seats and bench front seats, were any actually made with bench seats? the handbrake is between the drivers seat and door not in the middle of the car. I do remember reading a letter in Autocar in the mid 70's where the writer complained that Vauxhall were no longer suppling Victors with bench front seats and Peugeot were only manuafacturer which still supplied bench front seats.

[Triple-S]

Interesting: I've never seen one though. Years ago a friend had what he thought was a rare front bench-seated Amazon, and certainly the column-change 164 auto lent itself to a front bench seat easily (discounting any seat anchorage problems). Perhaps for the American market - never investigated that possibility.

P

[Andrew164]

Manual cars were supplied with column gear changes as well thiugh maybe not in this country

[Triple-S]

My Austin Cambridge also Saab V4 were column-change, as were lots in the '60s (Westminster, Vauxhall Viscount etc), and were the favourite for courting if they had bench seats...... My A60 didn't though.....
Friend with big Vauxhall taxi said boss had to swap to individual seats but CC autos were preferred by women passengers because they could see where the drivers left hand was all the time,,,,
Think about it....

P

[Derek UK]

Bench front seat is shown in the parts book. The upholstery pattern is shaped like two separate seats though rather than a single squab that you can slide back and forth on.
The side mounted hand brake looks to be for LHD only

[Andrew164]

My 164 has a side mounted handbrake which I presume all 140/164's have

[Triple-S]

Yes Andrew - for the UK market at least: I've had enough 140s and 164s to know that, although it seems anything was possible over the years..... even home-converted Volvo 165s.

P

[guitarman]

See there's another 164 in Gloucestershire; can you post some photos?
...the handbrake moved to the middle in '74 didn't it? With the fatter bumpers.

[Triple-S]

My big-bumper M-reg 164E still has the handbrake on the off-side, as does my similar-age 144, but can't remember my N-reg 164, so can't confirm that statement for sure.
I know of 5 164s for sale in the UK at present, but none in Gloucester: four advertised in Carandclassic. The maroon ODR is also on ebay with auction value of £2500; gold ELU has as the advert says been totally restored, auction value £7k; I last heard of gold XNR as being in a museum, £6995 and the blue 164E in Northern Ireland looks nice at £6950.
The fifth car I know of is/was in London but may have gone now. Advertised as for restoration it may have joined the ranks of gone to banger-racers by now unfortunately.
It seems they are still emerging after some rest, so looking good.

P

[guitarman]

Ha! No, I meant that Andrew164 lives just down the road from me, not that there's another 164 for sale.