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@DFP
It is indeed quite normal for older bikes to have narrower spacing. You can normally get away with sticking a too big/small wheel in the back and allowing frame to bend. But it is a lot trickier to do at the front so I would recommend you respace your hub to the appropriate size.
-edit-
Just looked at your pic. You wont be able to get that newer hub any smaller. So, you could try to stick it back in and live with it. But I have found doing so in forks (not the back of a bike) often results in uneven bending in the fork legs and improper clamping at the ends.
If youve managed before, Im sure it is fine to continue. But ideally you want something to match the frame spacing.