This photo brought back a good memory to me:
I recall as a thirteen-year-old being in the load compartment of a 1958 Chev Brookwood V8 Station Wagon with four other kids - and with six adults in the passenger area. I clearly remember the sort of 'waddle' the car made as it squirmed along over the bumps in the dirt track, the soft coil springs trying their best to cope with the load. At one point we were about to go up a
very steep incline ( this was 1959 in the completely undeveloped Transkei (RSA)) and the back bumper was just about touching the ground. I thought, "This thing'll never make it!" and I held my breath. The driver stopped, pulled the column shift into first, revved the engine a little, let out the clutch and
with no effort at all the little V8 hauled the car up the rutted incline and over the top. Much respect! I know the tubby 1958 Chevs weren't as exciting as the 1957s, but I loved the look of them.
Funny how a born petrol-head remembers stuff like this.....
