Speaking of 1965 ... Yesterday, I took my '65 Rambler American to get its annual safety inspection. Massachusetts insists that the inspector drive the vehicle into and out of the inspection bay, but the 20-something inspector didn't know how to operate a car with a "three-on-the-tree" shifter. He had to get another employee (an older gentleman) to drive it in. Massachusetts also forbids the owner of the vehicle to be present in the inspection bay during the inspection, so I stayed outside, watching from afar.
With the inspection underway, the young inspector came out of the bay to ask me how to operate the windshield squirters. I explained that the Rambler came from the factory without the squirter option, so it's impossible to operate them because they don't exist.
Shortly thereafter, the inspector appeared again. He wanted to know where the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) was located. I told him the factory welded the VIN plate to a brace under the hood. The inspector thanked me for the info and went back into the inspection bay where I could see him frantically looking under the dashboard for the hood release.
Unable to find it, the inspector came to me for a consultation about the whereabouts of the hood release. Patiently, I explained that the Rambler's hood release is located outside the vehicle, behind the grill. At that point, the inspector said, "Screw the rules. Please come in and open the hood."
In the end, the ol' Rambler passed inspection, and the older guy was called upon to drive the Rambler out of the bay. I'm not surprised that the young inspector needed help when dealing with a 55-year-old vehicle, but this experience reminded me of how much things have changed over the years.