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I went shopping for a new car recently and came back with something really nice &#8211; a Nissan Sentra four-door sedan, in dark and shiny blue.
				Wasn&rsquo;t quite what I&rsquo;d hoped for, though. Looks like they just don&rsquo;t make 1934 Fords these days.
				No, I&rsquo;m not going to diss my purchase. I am sold on this Nissan, with its comfort, ease of handling and quietness.
				But every time I bump my head on the doorframe because of the slanty, raked-back windshield, I start wondering why we ever did away with some of the truly neat features of the older models. Here are some of them from various decades.
				Two-tone color schemes: I once owned a 1958 Olds with an aqua body and a cream roof. Apparently, there&rsquo;s a federal law today making production or purchase of a car in more than one color punishable by prison, at hard labor.
				Running boards: Stretching along the sides, they made it easier to get in and out because they gave you something to step on and keep your balance while not bumping your head and I&rsquo;m not going to say this again.
				Window vents: Open and adjust these little triangular windows and once you got going, you&rsquo;d clear out the stale air and get a fantastic breeze that spelled trouble for the car air conditioning industry, which is probably why we no longer have vents.
				Bench front seats: There was a time when you could fit three people in front, but then takeout coffee was invented and automotive design was changed forever. Now, the front holds two people, a Styrofoam cup, the gear shift and a lidded storage box for stuff your grandfather was too sensible to own.
				Huge headlights: I know modern technology produces tiny little bulbs that can illuminate a football field. But the giant headlight mounted atop a fender looked serious and always gave me confidence that we could spot Bigfoot or whatever a good mile down the road.
				Third seat: This extra row seating three was in the back of old-time station wagons. It was hard to get into that seat and just as hard to get out. But the additional seating was really handy for the family or for the people who had lots of friends or bratty kids.
				Flat windshield: Windshields used to be absolutely flat &#8211; no tilting, no wraparound. Somehow everybody saw through them, and distracted people like me were not threatened with concussion.
				Bumpers: Those horizontal metal bars in front and back didn&rsquo;t add much stylistically, but they did have practical value. Just think, you could tap a parking barrier or a garage wall without needing a trip to the body shop (or the heart clinic).
				Intrusive horn: When you hit the horn button you got a nasty &ldquo;ooogahhh&rdquo; sound designed to say &ldquo;get the #%@* out of my way.&rdquo; Today it&rsquo;s more like &ldquo;excuse me, sir, but&#8230;&rdquo;
				Rumble seat: This was a seat for two that opened up over what should have been the trunk. Since you were outside, heaven help you if a pouring rain developed. But it looked like something F. Scott Fitzgerald would have ordered and therefore was the cat&rsquo;s pajamas.
				Now, about that 1934 Ford! My father drove his two-door model (with neat red wheels) right up through the late 1940s. I could never have handled the tough shifting, though, so I have to be grateful for what I have today.
				Oh, did I mention the full-size spare tire hung on the back? A FULL-SIZE spare.

Remember When: The family car used to be so different ….