DAF CARS: THE 55 MODEL

Some interior details of the 1971 DAF 55: the front seats as seen from the passenger side, the transmission lever and the rear seats. The standard front seats were only adjustable lengthwise, but were fitted with safety belts though the picture doesn't show them. The transmission lever looked more modern than the one in the DAF 33, having a neat slot and all, but did exactly the same: selecting forward, neutral or reverse.

A ghost view of the DAF 55 showing all mechanical components in their place, drawn by artist Charles Burki. Now you can see why the DAF 55 had to be higher than its contemporaries. The transmission was placed under the rear seats and takes up a lot of room. As a result the petrol tank had to be placed under the boot; so to create an acceptable boot space and to accommodate the transmission, the height of the car needed to be adapted. Added advantage was that even tall adults could be seated on the rear seats without touching the roof lining with their heads.

Detail shots from the dashboard: the steering wheel area, the heater and the glove box. Behind the steering wheel were two dials, the right one was the speedometer with an odometer and the left one fitted the control lights, the petrol meter and a meter for the engine temperature. Next to the heater controls were on the left a switch for the windshield wipers and a push button for the window washer fluid and on the right a switch to enable braking by engine resistance and a switch for engaging the headlights. There was a large glove box on the right of the dashboard and a smaller one on the left next to the steering wheel.

Continue the tour by clicking the arrows pointing right....