British Motor Museum - investigating a Ford Anglia seat

Jim and I had a very interesting day out at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon, Warwickshire.  I had contacted the Curator a few days before, to check it would be ok to do some detailed research, and realising their Christmas events started on Saturday 8 December, decided to drive up there promptly.  I wanted to work out the actual pattern piece shapes of Ford car seats between 1968 and 1984.

First the staff showed me a Ford Cortina Ghia, 1984.  It looked far too modern!  It was a top end model, and I wanted something much more utilitarian.  The seats had moulding and thigh supports - not what I had in mind.  Then they showed me a Ford Anglia, 1968 - exactly what I was after.  It was the Super model - thus top end of the range.  It appears it is often the high end models that get conserved!  Utilitarian stuff gets worn out and thrown away.

Ford Anglia 1968

Ford Anglia 1968

These seats had the simple quilting lines that I associated with the era.  Black leather seats (as it is top end), but on closer inspection, it was leather on the seat tops but leatherette on the side panels.  When the car door was opened, the air smelt of leather, which on a 50 year old car is quite impressive.   After discussion with the staff I was allowed to lean in, and measure the seats, in order to get enough data to create a seat pattern.  For the front seat, I sketched out the horizontal seat top and sides; and the vertical seat back, front and sides.  

Front seat

Front seat

Then I leant in (leaning on the front seat!) and measured and sketched the rear seat.  This was a bench seat style, no moulding as in later years.  

Originally made in Dagenham, but production soon transferred to Halewood

Pattern in centre of steering wheel

Fan control

Windscreen wiper control. Lovely icon!

Gearstick base cover

Pedal patterns

Bonnet release

Looking at lettering

Looking at shapes and numbering

Looking at pattern and texture

More lettering

Numbering

Shapes and lettering

More shapes and lettering.

Photo of poster.  Note the length of the bottom part of the black car seat.
This was the bit I could not measure from the actual seat.