In Another Place, a conversation reminded me of this tale my dad told me. I thought you'd like it.
In the 1920's, my dad was invited to go with a friend to order a Lanchester car from the works. They spent an exciting morning driving and being driven around by the firm's test driver in a variety of open topped tourers & finally settled upon a particular configuration of the breed.
After a decent lunch in the MD's office, a visit was made to the shop floor to see a start made upon the chassis. The work's manager & the foreman had swept an area of floor & were chalking lines upon the painted concrete. Some I section girders appeared on an overhead crane & were lowered into place on trestles. A couple of men arrived with squares etc & commenced marking the girders for cutting & drilling, it being a partly riveted chassis. One stopped, conversed with his mate & spoke to the foreman. He spoke to the Works Manager who in turn approached my father, mistaking him for the customer.
"Long or short chassis, sir ?" he asked in deferential tones.
They don't make them like THAT anymore.
Regards,
Kim