8 Obsolete Car Features We Feel Nostalgic About (2 of 5)

Front Bench Seats

Once upon a time, most cars were equipped with front bench seats rather than the individual seats and center console that we find in all cars today. We loved front bench seats because they allowed a third person to sit between the driver and left-side passenger, encouraging social engagement rather than relegating that poor, poor individual to a state of lonely loserdom in the backseat. But alas, because of the impracticality of installing a shoulder belt and airbags for the center passenger, the front bench had to go. 

Wood Side Panels

When cars were first introduced, they were made of wood in a nod to their horse-drawn carriage roots. But at the beginning of the 20th century, metalworking technology got better, so automakers switched to metal as the main structural material in cars. However, wood remained popular as a decorative element on body panels through the 1960s. This was because many folks thought wood looked better than metal and associated it with being a monocle- and top hat-wearing swell. However, “Woodies,” as they came to be called, had some drawbacks. They were not as strong as metal cars and were more prone to damage in accidents. Additionally, it turns out that wood doesn’t provide as much protection from the elements as metal, because, duh.